New study offers Holy Grail for why folks need new bed
David Perry, Executive Editor -- Furniture Today, February 25, 2007
If I were in charge of the retail bedding world, I would ditch all of those low-ball price ads and free-free-free offers and try something different: Selling better sleep.
And I would begin to tell the world about a groundbreaking sleep study that holds out the promise of ushering in a brave new world in retail bedding promotions.
The study, conducted at Oklahoma State University, confirms what bedding insiders long have known to be true: A new bed leads to better sleep and a better quality of life.
The study, whose findings were published in the winter issue of the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, attributes significant improvements in back comfort, sleep comfort and quality of sleep to sleeping on a new mattress.
This could be, I wrote in a recent story on the research, the elusive "magic bullet" that the bedding industry has long sought. Or it could be the Holy Grail. You get the idea.
The study provides — finally — firm, scientific evidence of the critical link between mattress quality and sleep quality. "There is now definitive research that underscores the health benefits of sleeping on new bedding," said Kerry Tramel, president of Lady Americana and chairman of the International Sleep Products Assn.
Our job, as an industry, is to make this the most well-known sleep study that has ever been conducted. And our friends on the retail side of the fence can do their part.
Putting on my marketing cap, I would offer these possible ad themes:
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Want to sleep better tonight? We've got the answer: A new bed. A new study confirms the link between a new mattress and improved sleep. We've got a showroom full of answers to your sleep problems.
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Back pain? Eight out of 10 people suffer from it, but a new bed could be your prescription for better sleep. A new sleep study attributes significant lessening of back discomfort to sleeping on a new mattress.
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Looking to give your life a lift? A new bed can help you sleep better, feel better and live better. We've got the details. (And plenty of new beds too.)
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It's better than a sleeping pill. A new bed can make a big difference in the quality of your sleep ... and the quality of your life. Ask us for details.
If those ideas are too daring, you could always try this:
Free bed frame! Free delivery! Free removal of old bedding! And a free copy of a sleep study that could change your life.
Hey, I'm just trying to get the marketing ball rolling. Thanks to this study, we've got a great story to tell.
Let's get going.
Contact David Perry at dperry@reedbusiness.com
