Marketing The Devil Is In The Details: Colonial Shares Key Rules to Selling More Mattresses


By Gretchen Kast For nearly 35 years, Colonial LLC has been helping mattress manufacturers and retailers drive their incremental revenues, market share and profits. Backed by extensive research and proven on showroom floors, the company’s un- paralleled approach helps their clients not only sell more beds, but more better beds. While every client is unique and each project presents its own set of priorities and challenges, Colonial has determined a number of key de- sign principles that help drive the performance of its personalized solutions. Categorized under a simple moniker, “The Colonial Rules” is com- prised of 12 specific adages that the company applies to each of its projects. This set of rules serves as a reminder that, in order to deliver on its mission, the clients’ branding objectives must be balanced with clear sales effectiveness and cost efficiency goals. When achieved, these three ideas are in- tegral to increasing sales. A client’s branding objectives could include raising in-store visibil-


ity, elevating consumer perception of value or communicating a specific level of quality. Sales effectiveness goals might concern improv- ing retail conversion rates, increasing average tickets, shortening RSA training cycle times or raising the impact of in-store promotions. Cost efficiency objectives could range from lowering the entire system cost (from material sourcing to in-store set up) to freeing up resources to be repurposed for activities that drive revenues. Colonial President Mark Hobson believes


that having a specific set of principles to con- sider when tackling each project guarantees that all of the design bases are covered and en- sures that every element is directly connected to the goal of selling more mattresses.


Rule #7: The Devil Is In The Details The seventh rule in The Colonial Rules is a re- minder that, when it comes to R&D, “the devil is in the details.” This does not necessarily mean that a concept needs to be intricate or com- plex, but rather that it needs to be thoroughly


considered in terms of practicality. Whether developing a mattress or top-of-bed market- ing materials, the key to success is “Design for Manufacturability”—or “DFM” for short. No matter how innovative or creative the vision, designs must be capable of being pro- duced on time and on budget. While many concept products may appear spectacular on the surface—eye-catching in look, appealing to all the right emotions—it’s critical for manu- facturers to consider the technical logistics of fabricating them. Namely, can this design truly be constructed as imagined? Can it be man- ufactured in a way that achieves the targeted cost? Will it actually sell at market? Success- fully bringing a design concept to life requires a thorough understanding of the finer details of manufacturing, beyond just the visual appeal. Without a broad knowledge of DFM or a design partner who has experience bringing ideas to life, even the greatest product concepts might never see the light of day. Visit colonialllc.com


Wright Global Graphics Debuts Laser Cutting Capabilities


By Christopher Schriever Wright Global Graphics (WGG) has enhanced its branding and marketing capabilities with an advanced new laser-cutting technology, first debuted at the 2016 ISPA Expo. The unique technique, created by using state-of-the-art technology, was made popular in fashion de- sign and home décor. WGG is now able to bring this eye-catch- ing process to burn or etch intricate details on a wide variety of materials with unlimited design possibilities. These laser cut graphics can be incorporated in designs for labels, ac-


cent detailing, top of bed, trim, compressed labels designed for “bed-in-a-box” products and more. “Wright Global Graphics is known for work- ing with our customers to provide highly visu- al, innovative branding solutions,” said WGG Senior Vice President, Business Develop- ment & Chairman of the Board Don Wright. “We have been watching this technology de- velop over the last four or five years, and felt it has finally reached a level where it could be utilized for branding differentiation.” Visit wrightglobalgraphics.com


14 Sleep Retailer / Spring 2016


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