Salesman uses knowledge, humor to boost mattress ticket
David Perry, bedding editor -- Furniture Today, May 11, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Top mattress salesman Stephen Ferguson has found success with a customer-focused approach, a dash of humor and an emphasis on selling the benefits of sleep.
Ferguson, who polished his mattress-selling skills at Houston-based Mattress Firm, is now executive director of Birmingham-based Bedzzz Express, where he's focused on advertising and sales training for the eight-store chain.
He recently worked with Leggett & Platt's “Xtreme Retail Makeover” team to implement new selling strategies for the retailer that emphasize the numerous benefits of selling sleep rather than just cheaper mattresses.
He says L&P is smart to emphasize better sleep. “They are implementing what everyone has been talking about for years,” he said. “They have a program that works.”
A brochure developed by L&P and customized for Bedzzz Express “includes good questions and is a good guide for retail sales associates,” he said.
The better sleep approach is one that Ferguson said is vital to connecting with consumers, most of whom are interested in getting a better night of sleep, in his view.
Here are some strategies that Ferguson uses to sell better sleep:
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Tout the power of adjustable beds. When Ferguson switched to an adjustable bed three years ago, it changed the way he sleeps. He talks passionately about how adjustable beds help him get in the proper sleep posture, with a straight spine. Too many consumers twist their shoulders and hips and then can't sleep comfortably because their spine is in a crooked position, he said.
The fact that he sleeps on an adjustable bed helps him sell adjustable beds, because he can talk about his own experiences. “I sell so many adjustable beds because I believe in them,” he said.
In addition to helping consumers sleep better, adjustable beds boost sales tickets, a key consideration in the current slow sales climate.
“The consumer will spend $500 to $1,000 more for an adjustable bed,” he said. “And we take the consumer from buying a mattress to buying a whole new way to sleep.”
Another adjustable bed sales tip: Show those beds in articulated positions. “If the bed bends, show that,” Ferguson said. “If all of the beds are shown flat, that's what the consumers will buy.” -
Establish rapport with consumers. “You have to ask plenty of questions to get consumers talking,” he said. “That will make them more likely to buy from you. You need to get them to talk about themselves. Listen to their needs and find out how much they can spend, without actually asking them how much they can afford to spend.”
Another tip: Make notes while talking to customers. They will see that you are paying attention to them. That sends a message: I care about what you are saying, Ferguson said.
He also favors inserting some humor into the conversation. “I might say, 'Did you come in here to take a nap, or just browse?' There is some humor there, but there is some seriousness too.” -
Make the sleep/health link: When talking to a consumer who is physically fit, he asks if that consumer exercises and makes good diet choices. “Then I ask about their sleep patterns, and I tell them if they don't rest well, nothing else matters,” he said. Exercise and diet are important, he noted, but a proper sleep regimen is vital.
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Use new strategies on comfort tests. For one thing, don't call them comfort tests. “No one wants to be tested,” Ferguson said. “Call them a comfort trial.” He also favors using the term “ultra-plush” instead of “pillowtop” to describe beds on that end of the comfort spectrum. Some pillowtop beds are firm, he said, and that can confuse consumers. But using “firm,” “plush” and “ultra-plush” helps consumers focus on how the beds feel. Firm beds are best for back and stomach sleepers, plush beds work for any sleep position, and ultra-plush beds are best for back and side sleepers, he noted.
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