Special Feature
Reverie Shifts RSA Conversations With BaseFirst W
By Gretchen Kast
ith the launch of the new BaseFirst training program, Reverie is changing the conversation around selling sleep.
Combining both in-person and digital training, the program builds upon the company’s existing program to give retail sales associates practi- cal resources to upgrade their sales strategies. Throughout the various educational modules, the program emphasizes the value of a “base- first” approach—one that introduces the ad- justable base early on in the sales process. By reinvigorating the standard approach to selling a bed, Reverie is opening up new opportunities to help increase sales throughout the industry. “What sets BaseFirst apart from other pro-
grams is that we are less focused on shining the light on Reverie products (although that is also important),” explained Deena Gardner, di- rector of marketing for Reverie. “We are start- ing with category awareness and growth as our first priority. We see that equipping RSA’s with the right tools, resources, and education to better understand the adjustable power base category, the better it will be for our industry.” The program begins with in-store train- ing, as a team of Reverie trainers meet with retail sales associates in person in a show- room setting. At this stage, the trainers walk through on-floor presentations on best prac- tices, providing RSAs with simple steps to in- troduce power bases to consumers. Following the in-person training, the program moves into a comprehensive digital curriculum. With a simple text code, RSAs can set up a per- sonal account on the Reverie Partner Network private intranet site where they can access a series of on-demand educational modules. “The way that the sessions and lessons are planned on a path, they really build upon each other,” Gardner explained. The entire program is organized into four major modules that in- clude lessons around a particular aspect of adjustable base sales. With the first module, RSAs gain a greater understanding of the Reverie brand: the histo- ry, design and engineering, certifications and
36 Sleep Retailer / Summer 2019
quality processes. This helps paint a picture of how the various products and features tie back to the overall mission of the company. Once that stage is complete, the user will move onto the second module, Product 101. This goes into more detail on the technical ele- ments of the adjustable base: what the unique features are, why they are there—and how they benefit the consumer. This level of education is especially important for retailers that are new to the adjustable base category. In visiting retail stores across the country, Reverie found that many RSAs still do not even broach the subject of adjustable bases—or support sys- tems at all—simply because they are not yet confident in their knowledge of the category. After learning the ins and outs of the prod- ucts, the RSA then moves onto the next mod- ule, which is focused more specifically on selling. This includes best practices and key messaging tips on how to present the product to the cus- tomer. It also covers frequently asked questions along with topics that sales associates have indi- cated they’d like clarification on. The goal of this section is to provide RSAs with proven strategies for successfully integrating the power base into the mattress sale process—without overwhelm- ing the customer with too much information. For too long, bedding retailers have relied on a “top-down” approach to mattress sales—leav- ing bed bases as more of an afterthought. This has been further exacerbated as more retailers have opted to give away the base for free as part of promotional campaigns. This is not only a lost opportunity in terms of attachment rate, it can also minimize how important the bed base is to the overall sleep experience. By starting the conversation about base options early on RSAs have a chance to communicate the val- ue of quality support—and better explain the impact it can have on comfort and recovery. The final module of the curriculum turns the conversation towards sleep health. “We know that in this part of the industry, people are coming in the store for product,” Gardner explained. “But if they walk out of the store with just the product only and not with some
of the basic sleep hygiene information to make sure that product really works for them and helps get the benefits they’re looking for, that’s a big miss.” The Sleep 101 module goes over the relationship between sleep environ- ment, equipment and habits, giving RSAs the “full picture of how to bring additional value to their sales presentation.” Throughout every stage of the program, sales associates can accumulate points as they complete the lessons. These points are redeemable for prizes. At the end of the cur- riculum, the RSA will earn certification as a “BaseFirst” associate. The BaseFirst Program was born out of hands-on experience the company has had in retail showrooms across the country. By intro- ducing bits and pieces of this strategy with ex- isting retail partners, Reverie was able to create a training program based on tested practices. “Sleep Country is probably the best exam- ple of a company that was already doing a phenomenal job and we helped them grow a little more using some of what’s in this pro- gram,” said Nick Colello, director of national sales training. “That’s the goal. It’s not just about growing the stores that aren’t doing a lot. It’s also to help the guys that are already doing a lot do a lot more.” With BaseFirst, Reverie is reasserting its commitment to retailers and bringing great- er awareness to the vast opportunities in the adjustable base category. By offering a fresh take on the traditional sales approach, the company is continuing to push the envelope on how we think and talk about sleep. Visit
reverie.com
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