Mattress Retailing 101 -- Morris' book contains wealth of selling advice
Says sales training is key
David Perry -- Furniture Today, November 30, 2006
GREENVILLE, Texas -- Sales training is assuming greater importance in the mattress industry — as it well should.
That's the message from a long-time manufacturer's sales representative who has struck a chord in the bedding industry with his educational teachings. Gerry Morris, a 20-year bedding veteran, has just published his second book on the bedding industry. It is called "Sell More Beds Guaranteed!" and it follows the book that launched him on the speaker circuit a few years ago: "Spring Training." In both books, Morris, who sells bedding for a major brand whose name he keeps out of his books, thereby positioning himself as an independent observer of the bedding scene, offers up a menu of stories, insights and reflections on all phases of the mattress business. He's convinced that knowledge is power in the bedding world. "More and more companies, both manufacturers and retailers, are putting a greater emphasis on training," he writes in his newest book. "Companies are dependent upon their sales associates for their success and reputation."
He notes that the CEO for one of the "S" brands says that sales training is the industry's greatest challenge.
Morris' books can play a vital role in sales training, he believes. They can help sales reps educate themselves, and they can provide food for thought at sales meetings.
In his new book, Morris talks about issues gaining importance in the industry, including bedding imports and new fire-resistant bedding.
On the subject of imports, he says that he isn't aware of bedding imports having "a huge impact … yet," but says imports must be watched closely. "Looking at other home furnishings categories makes you want to pay attention to imports."
Morris also says that he always thought bedding would be immune from imports "because of the difficulty in shipping along with the quick unpredictable turns of the various sizes and comfort levels." But, he adds, "I may have been wrong."
He labels fire safety as "the new frontier" for the mattress industry. He writes that it is "not an easy task" for mattress producers to make their mattresses fire resistant, but still remain comfortable and affordable.
Morris also admits that he didn't know the heavy toll that bedding fires take. "Did you know that at least one person on average dies in a fire caused by a mattress every day?" he writes.
He says he's seen sales associates push fire-resistant bedding, and he's also seen sales associates "that just want to make the sale and don't want to over-pitch the fire safety quality of one brand in case the customer likes the other brand." He concludes that sales reps will have to decide for themselves how to present the new FR beds.
Morris acknowledges that the easier a product is for the sales associate to sell, the more likely they will sell it. But he believes it "is a responsibility of sales associates to help their customers choose the best mattress they can afford by explaining support and durability and not just comfort and price."
Morris also admits the industry has a long way to go to improve its professionalism. He relates the story of being hired by a large company to evaluate its training programs and the quality of its sales staff. He ventured into the field as a "secret shopper" — and was shocked "at the lack of competence and enthusiasm and the total indifference that I found... This is more common than you may think."
Copies of "Spring Training" and "Sell More Beds Guaranteed!" can be ordered from Morris' Web site — www.innerspring.net — or by emailing him at gmorris@innerspring.net. The books cost $12.95 each, plus shipping and handling.
*Also see " Author salutes Furniture|Today editors "
