How to learn how to successfully sell mattresses. I want to buy a mattress. What you need to know the average man in the street when buying a mattress. Find out when you need

Doing business selling bedding products is a rational decision. Goods of this class belong to the category of widely demanded. Even in a crisis, people think about where to buy a mattress and bedding. Moreover, the mattress can be safely attributed to the category of premium products. Branded models made with orthopedic tabs are expensive and attract the attention of the consumer.

What do you need to start a mattress business?

The main task of an entrepreneur is to choose a platform for trading. It can be a stationary market or an online store. Working in the virtual space is practical. This is a promising investment that pays off quickly and involves a minimum of risk. The organization of an online salon requires a minimum amount of money. In case of failure and losses will be minimal.

It is not necessary to focus on foreign products. Branded mattresses are expensive, and a picky buyer is unlikely to be ready to entrust his money to an unknown store. The products of Russian and Ukrainian companies are cheaper, and the quality of domestic brands is no worse. In addition, most "local" manufacturers are willing to contact dealers.

Advantages of orthopedic models

Orthopedic mattresses are sold at a predictable markup. This product is special and also useful. Back problems are familiar to every second inhabitant of the planet. An orthopedic bed is becoming an optimal and versatile solution.

European manufacturers use advanced technologies in the preparation of products. We are talking about electric massagers, eco-friendly fabrics, a large number of auxiliary options and settings. You can earn a lot of money on such mattresses. True, we must not forget about advertising. Promoting a rare product during the global crisis is not an easy task.

Inflatable products have definitely become popular due to their compactness. The demand for such furniture is growing exponentially. It is not surprising, because when folded, such products take up minimal space. Them …

After a busy day, you always want to relax in comfort, wake up in the morning with a good mood and full of energy. The key to this are mattresses, on which a person spends almost half of his life. The value of springless designs…

Pillow is one of the most useful and necessary textile products that greatly affects the quality of sleep. Your well-being, mood and physical condition depend on a good and full sleep. What is filled with...

In active sales of goods and services, the sale itself is conditionally divided into sales stages and usually distinguish five classical stages, these are sales stages from establishing contact to closing the deal.

Stages of sales guide for b2b managers:

It is customary to consider stages in sales that there are five or 7, 10, 12 or even 13, but this is a conditional division into sales stages of a technique for better memorization, because the sale itself is precisely the sales process, that is, the manager doing certain actions.

In addition, depending on the situation, you can completely skip some actions and still get the desired result.

In fact, in our trainings, we cut the entire process of active sales into separate frames, we make such a minute-by-minute storyboard of the entire sales process.

Therefore, we have each of these five classic sales stages divided into several smaller stages, one or two short specific phrases long, which you use in a live dialogue with the client.

We do this in order to make it easier for you to remember the sales technique, the stages from the first contact to the completion of the transaction and to quickly master the sales skills themselves, in fact, this is one of the features of our sales school.

Let's go back to the classic division into sales stages.

Usually a manager needs to do all these steps one step after another in sequence, this is the classic sales manager's sales technique, then he can get the result.

The result is to sell, that is, to receive money from the client "for that super-duper vacuum cleaner or nano-excavator" that you usually sell to the client.

But life is such a thing that everything always goes according to plan and this is absolutely normal.

Therefore, some stages in some sales for one reason or another in real life with a real client are skipped or truncated, or swapped. Some stages can be swapped and skipped, some cannot. More on that below.

These five classic stages of b2b sales are a scheme perfect sale, a certain plan that is better to follow, remembering that in real life everything will definitely not go according to plan.

The basic idea is that when you have a plan, which means you are prepared, so when you are prepared, it is very easy to improvise.

If, for example, you work in a car dealership (MVideo, Leroy Merlin) and sell cars (vacuum cleaners, mowers), and a client with money stands in front of you and begs to sell him a car (vacuum cleaner, mower) faster, because in an hour football starts at the stadium. No need to force him to do a test drive.

Take the money, fuck this test drive, let him catch the football.

On the other hand, it's important to remember that if the customer doesn't like you (Sales Stage #1 Establishing Contact), then don't sell, they'll buy elsewhere. Why? Because a person usually buys from someone he likes and doesn't buy from someone he doesn't like.

Therefore, before you sell, you first need to please the client.

Establishing contact - sales stages No. 1.

How to do it? Very simple. In the first 1-5 minutes of the meeting, you can easily solve this problem.

There is a rule of three pluses when establishing contact.

It says: in order to please a stranger, you need to evoke positive emotions in him at least three times. You can easily do this with:

1. Non-verbal behavior (including smiling)
2. Make a compliment
3. Ask a question like “tell me YES!”

Establishing contact is also greatly facilitated by a business suit (it will be much more difficult to sell in fins and a diving mask), polished shoes, a confident voice and goodwill towards the client.

After you have established a positive contact (this is about five minutes of your time), you move on to the second stage of sales, Identification of Needs.

Just make sure you have the boss in front of you. And the guard, and the driver, and the secretary can be interesting conversationalists, only you will not sell them anything, because they have no money, the boss has all the money. Who is the decision maker and how to properly ask him the question “hey, uncle are you the boss?” .

Identification of needs - stages of sales for sellers No. 2.

This stage of sales by phone or during a personal meeting must be earlier than the presentation stage, otherwise the deal is considered a failure.

The main problem of many sellers is that they immediately start presenting their product, telling how super and duper it is.

Usually they do this knowing about the stages of sales, but they do it out of fear that they will have nothing to say to the client. If you do not talk about a product or service, then what to talk about?! They are afraid of an awkward pause, silence, so they immediately begin to chatter, quickly giving the client a lot of characteristics of their product.

The stage of identifying needs is very fond of lazy sellers. Lazy in the best sense of the word.

The more the customer talks, the more likely you are to sell them your superfood [your product name here].

The trick at the stage of identifying needs is to ask certain questions in a certain sequence and be able to agree with the client (active listening) so that he answers the questions with pleasure.

The recipe in a nutshell is this: about 20 questions no more, mostly open-ended questions, a few closed ones, a little alternative, and a pinch of closed ones.

Once you've done the research phase and figured out what idea a customer would part their money for and buy from [your product name here], you move on to the next sales phase, the presentation phase.

Presentation of goods - stages of sales No. 3.

Here, too, everything is simple. At the presentation stage, you simply repeat the idea that is valuable to the client and for which he is ready to fork out and make a deal with you. He told you about it himself at the research stage.

By the way, a presentation is not a PowerPoint presentation. A presentation is any convenient place where you can "show the product face": in a restaurant, on a hunt, in a sauna, in an elevator, finally, a car, etc. etc.

The trick is that you express the idea voiced by the client in specially composed phrases, which are called in the sales of HPV (FAB) phrases.

These phrases link your product feature to a specific customer benefit. With the benefit of this specific client of Ivan Ivanovich, and not all clients similar to Ivan Ivanovich, who usually buy your ideal and wonderful [here is the name of your product].

There should be no more than 5-7 such phrases in the presentation of your product, the client will no longer be able to perceive.

Be sure to tell the client colorful stories about third parties at the presentation stage. About how cool it was for one of your clients who bought from you, or about how everything was covered with a copper basin from another, because he did not buy on time.

These are selling bikes. All sellers tell them, successful professional sellers have 10-20 sales tales prepared in advance (video).

At our trainings, we teach to tell sales stories, this is a special technique used in politics, psychiatry and in church sermons, that is, where the speaker's speech should convince other people of something. Yes, well, we also teach you this at our trainings.

After you've made your presentation, the classic division of the sales stages is the stage of overcoming objections.

Overcoming objections - stages of selling goods and services No. 4.

In fact, objection handling is needed at any stage of the sale of the goods or services that you are selling. The seller's task is to anticipate customer disagreement by reducing their total number at all stages of interaction with the customer. Well, for those "no" that still remain, they competently deal with them.

The client will definitely argue and resist, the sale is made only after five or six "no" of the client is an established medical fact.

The main feature that helps to successfully overcome these obstacles on your way at the stage of selling goods or services No. 4 is “agreement” with the client.

No matter what the client says, we "agree" with him.

We need his money, not a medal with the inscription "I [your name here] is right!" We don't need such a medal, do we?

Here is an important point, pay attention - we do not agree with what the client specifically says. Not with his words, but with the fact that "yes, my friend, you have the right to think so."

We show the client that we respect his opinion, whatever it may be. The client has the right to his personal opinion, we recognize this right, and then we apply a special algorithm to overcome his "no".

How do you agree with a client who says "...your plastic windows are of poor quality"?

Very simple.

“Peter Ivanovich, I agree with you that the issue of quality is very important when choosing a plastic window….” and then continue, putting forward an argument FOR.

That is, when answering an objection, not boxing "I'm a fool", but aikido.

In every industry, clients disagree on my experience as a salesperson and sales coach in different ways. Well, just because they sell windows there, another customer sells steel pipes, third yellow bulldozers.

Well, see for yourself:

Why do you have such expensive windows?

Why do you have such expensive steel pipes?

Why do you have such expensive yellow bulldozers?

You see, they're a little off.

But regardless of the industry, there are about 20 - 30 of the most common "no", no more. That is, every time the same "no", everything is very simple, whether it is sales of cars, trucks or power equipment, sales of log houses, sales of commercial equipment or sales of services.

Once you have dealt with and overcome the "no" of the client, you move on to closing the deal.

Completion of the transaction - sales stages No. 5.

At the stage of closing the transaction, you simply gently push the client to the fact that it would be time to buy already.

Of course, there are small nuances of how to do this, but the general meaning is this: stop presenting when it's time to finish. Easily move to the completion of the transaction, offer the client to make a purchase.

There are several simple techniques for doing this, for example, such as a sample:

After you have given a presentation, you make a short summary of what has been said:

“So we have considered this and that, Pyotr Ivanovich, tell me which of these did you like the most? (PAUSE, waiting for customer response).

Usually the client liked at least something, otherwise he would have kicked you out the door a long time ago. Here the client, seeing that you have stopped and are waiting for some answer from him, understands that he must give birth to something in response, he says something like: “Well, you have that shiny crap on your tractor / haymaker / intergalactic vacuum cleaner [here, in general, the name of your product] seems to be nothing." Then you ask the following question

How about you in general? (PAUSE, waiting for customer response)

Once the client liked at least something, then in general it will be easier for him to convince himself that he likes your whole [here is the name of your product], so the client usually answers this question in the same way positively or hums or nods in agreement head. Next you ask the following question

Petr Ivanovich, Would you like to clarify something? (PAUSE, waiting for customer response)

If yes, please specify; if not, then...

“Peter Ivanovich, I am very glad that you liked everything, and then the only question that remains for us to discuss ....” then some particular (for example, pickup or our delivery?)

PS To make the topic of 5 stages of sales better put in my head, here is a video not about sales, but about positive ☺

test a friend for a positive attitude to life, send a link to the video to a work colleague ☺

Sales stages - Executive Summary, i.e. PPPS, or more simply - ZYYY.

The stages of sales will help you remember the sequence of what you need to do to sell and effectively apply these stages of the sales technique in real work with your customers.

When selling, remember that your bonuses are not only in this first sale, but in many repeat ones. Therefore, do not promise too much, justify the expectations of customers and you will be happy.

In sales training, we remember with visual imagery (think now of a polar bear wearing a yellow football jersey with "Just Do It." written across the chest).

In general, the images are approximately the same, sometimes a little less decent, they help to quickly remember the necessary information for many (but not for everyone - if the bear in your T-shirt is OK, it will help you, if not OK, then it’s also normal - just not your method), we have others .

Without a need discovery step, your presentation is not worth a dime. Find out what the client is ready to buy for and sell him his own idea.

By stage 2, we give two question-based methods for identifying needs and a couple of useful chips for them, and by stage 3, one technique "we speak the language of benefits and benefits."

This is very short about sales stages, the most important thing that a sales manager needs to remember is that the sweetest customers are regular customers.

Why repeat customers are the sweetest

Because you don’t need to look for them as new (you already have all their phones, passwords and appearances), and you don’t need to persuade them much, they come and buy again and again, and you get your bonuses for them again and again.

In order for the client to make a repeat purchase, remember that your task is not to set * your product to him, but to sell something that will solve the client's problem. Then he will be satisfied and will come to you again, buy again and, therefore, bring you your bonuses again.

* To vparit means to promise, stir up, confuse, lie three boxes. Say for example that with the help of this new nano-app on the iPhone, you can now seduce any girl. Who would turn down an app like this? None. Everyone will buy. And what's next? They will beat your face and the second time they will definitely not buy software from you, you will need to look for new l...v.

Psssss!, that's the secret of the profession of sales managers

Salespeople who take life too seriously and try to do everything right usually earn less than those who are bullies in life (Sssss!, this is the secret of the sales profession, no one will tell you about it).

Let's be honest: selling is hard. Only 3% of people trust salespeople, HubSpot found in a 2016 study. To increase your chances of success, use the experience of knowledgeable people - for this we studied different methods of working with clients and collected the best tips on sales techniques.

Advisory sales

Who suits: For "difficult" markets, where the choice is not easy for the client.

essence: You try to identify the problems and needs of the buyer, to become his assistant and mentor, to offer him the best solutions.

Example: The insurance agent offers the company to insure employees under VHI. It works like this:

1. Hello.
2. Asks questions: do employees get sick often? Are there high risks at work? Does the firm have a contract with an insurance company?
3. Offers insurance and talks about the benefits: income tax will decrease by the amount of insurance premiums, staff will get sick less often and recover faster, the company will become more attractive to job seekers.
4. Now, when the client understands that the cost of insurance will be covered by the benefits that he will receive, the agent names the price of insurance.

SPIN sales

Who suits: This technique in sales works best in the field of high-value goods and services.

Essence: Push the client to the right conclusions that will help him make a purchase decision by asking 4 types of questions:

Example: The company offers PBXs for large enterprises. The manager asks questions about:

1. What type of telephony are you currently using? How many calls are received daily?
2. Does it happen that customers cannot get through to you due to the fact that all lines are busy?
3. What is your lost profit due to each lost customer?
4. If you could reduce the number of missed calls to a minimum, would you do it?

Concept sales

Who suits: B2B companies that work not for quantity, but for quality.

Essence: The principle of this sales technique or technology is “everyone wins”. We sell not a product, but a concept. Instead of persuasion - client analysis:

1. We study the client in order to understand what concept of the “ideal” product or service is embedded in his mind.
2. We present the product in the right light.
3. We identify the client's interest in the transaction.

If the transaction is not profitable for one of the parties, then the seller must refuse it. If the client is not "your" - even the best sales techniques will not help.

Example: The insurance agent found out that the company is experiencing personnel problems and is looking for ways to solve them. He presents VHI insurance as the main element of the social package, mentioning that for 30% of job seekers the social package is a key point when choosing a job.

SNAP sales, they are also flexible sales

Who suits: Companies in highly competitive and rapidly changing markets.

Essence: You need to follow 4 principles:

Example: Let's say you sell a system electronic document management law office.

S. First, you tell what it is and how it will help the client: The electronic document management system reduces the time for working with documents by 10 times, the cost of paper by 30 times.

N. show competitive advantages: The document can simply be photographed, the system itself recognizes it and converts it into digital format, competitors cannot do this.

A. Say that you are "sharpened" for the client: There is a special version of the program for law firms.

P. Motivate to make a deal as soon as possible: Only until the end of the month, the implementation of the system is free, usually it costs 10,000 rubles.

Challenge Sales

Who suits: any B2B company.

Customer focused sales

Who suits: Companies in highly competitive markets.

Essence: At the forefront is the client, and everything we do should solve his problems. Best Tips on sales techniques of this kind:

1. Do not sell according to a template, proceed from the situation.
2. Don't just give advice, but listen and be interested.
3. Interact only with decision makers.
4. Try to close the client's problems, and not sell for the sake of sales.
5. Solve problems, don't build relationships.
6. Sell ​​quickly and efficiently, get rid of stuck deals.
7. Adjust to the pace and deadlines of the buyer, and do not bend your line.
8. Do not persuade to buy, but inspire to buy!

These are the seven basic selling techniques that we think are worth paying attention to. Write which technique seems more effective to you, and we will devote a separate text to it. And if you need help in choosing the right equipment for your company, then order an audit from professional business analysts. They will analyze your business according to 50 indicators and suggest what needs to be improved and in what ways it is better to do it.

The whole process of active sales of goods and services is conditionally divided into stages of sales and usually there are five classical stages, this sales stages from establishing contact to closing the deal.

Sales stages (active sales process) guide for b2b managers:

1. Establishing contact
2. Identification of needs
3. Product presentation
4. Overcoming objections
5. Completion of the deal

In addition, depending on the situation, you can completely skip some actions and still get the desired result.

In fact, in our trainings, we cut the entire process of active sales into separate frames, we make such a minute-by-minute storyboard of the entire sales process.

Therefore, we have each of these five classic sales stages divided into several smaller stages, one or two short specific phrases long, which you use in a live dialogue with the client.

We do this in order to make it easier for you to remember the sales technique, the stages from the first contact to the completion of the transaction and to quickly master the sales skills themselves, in fact, this is one of the features of our sales school.

Let's go back to the classic division into sales stages.

Usually a manager needs to do all these steps one step after another in sequence, this is the classic sales manager's sales technique, then he can get the result.

The result is to sell, that is, to receive money from the client “for that super-duper vacuum cleaner or nano-excavator” that you usually sell to the client.

But life is such a thing that everything always goes according to plan and this is absolutely normal.

Therefore, some stages in some sales for one reason or another in real life with a real client are skipped or cut, or swapped. Some stages can be swapped and skipped, some cannot. More on that below.

These five classic stages of b2b sales are a blueprint for an ideal sale, a plan that is better to follow, remembering that in real life everything will definitely not go according to plan.

The basic idea is that when you have a plan, which means you are prepared, so when you are prepared, it is very easy to improvise.

If, for example, you work in a car dealership (M, Leroy Merlin) and sell cars (vacuum cleaners, mowers), and a client with money stands in front of you and begs to sell him a car (vacuum cleaner, mower) faster, because in an hour football starts at the stadium. No need to force him to do a test drive.

Take the money, fuck this test drive, let him catch the football.

On the other hand, it's important to remember that if the customer doesn't like you (Sales Stage #1 Establishing Contact), then don't sell, they'll buy elsewhere. Why? Because a person usually buys from someone he likes and doesn't buy from someone he doesn't like.

Therefore, before you sell, you first need to please the client.

Establishing contact - stages of sales No. 1

How to do it? Very simple. In the first 1-5 minutes of the meeting, you can easily solve this problem.

There is a rule of three pluses when establishing contact.

It says: in order to please a stranger, you need to evoke positive emotions in him at least three times. You can easily do this with:

1. Non-verbal behavior (including smiling)
2. Make a compliment
3. Ask a question like “tell me YES!”

Establishing contact is also greatly facilitated by a business suit (it will be much more difficult to sell in fins and a diving mask), polished shoes, a confident voice and goodwill towards the client.

After you have established a positive contact (this is about five minutes of your time), you move on to the second stage of sales, Identification of Needs.

Just make sure you have the boss in front of you. And the guard, and the driver, and the secretary can be interesting conversationalists, only you will not sell them anything, because they have no money, the boss has all the money. Who is the decision maker and how to properly ask him the question “hey, uncle are you the boss?” read here.

Needs Identification - Selling Stages for Salespeople #2

This stage of sales by phone or during a personal meeting must be earlier than the presentation stage, otherwise the deal is considered a failure.

The main problem of many sellers is that they immediately start presenting their product, telling how super and duper it is.

Usually they do this knowing about the stages of sales, but they do it out of fear that they will have nothing to say to the client. If you do not talk about a product or service, then what to talk about?! They are afraid of an awkward pause, silence, so they immediately begin to chatter, quickly giving the client a lot of characteristics of their product.

The stage of identifying needs is very fond of lazy sellers. Lazy in the best sense of the word.

The more the customer talks, the more likely you are to sell them your superfood [your product name here].

The trick at the stage of identifying needs is to ask certain questions in a certain sequence and be able to agree with the client (active listening) so that he answers the questions with pleasure.

The recipe in a nutshell is this: about 20 questions no more, mostly open-ended questions, a few closed ones, a little alternative, and a pinch of closed ones.

Once you've done the research phase and figured out what idea a customer would part their money for and buy from [your product name here], you move on to the next sales phase, the presentation phase.

Here, too, everything is simple. At the presentation stage, you simply repeat the idea that is valuable to the client and for which he is ready to fork out and make a deal with you. He told you about it himself at the research stage.

By the way, a presentation is not a PowerPoint presentation. A presentation is any convenient place where you can “show the product face”: in a restaurant, on a hunt, in a sauna, in an elevator, finally, a car, etc. etc.

The trick is that you express an idea voiced by the client in specially composed phrases.

These phrases link your product feature to a specific customer benefit. With the benefit of this specific client of Ivan Ivanovich, and not all clients similar to Ivan Ivanovich, who usually buy your ideal and wonderful [here is the name of your product].

There should be no more than 5-7 such phrases in the presentation of your product, the client will no longer be able to perceive.

Be sure to tell the client colorful stories about third parties at the presentation stage. About how cool it was for one of your clients who bought from you, or about how everything was covered with a copper basin from another, because he did not buy on time.

At our trainings, we teach to tell sales stories, this is a special technique used in politics, psychiatry and in church sermons, that is, where the speaker's speech should convince other people of something. Yes, well, we also teach you this at our trainings.

After you've made your presentation, the classic division of the sales stages is the stage of overcoming objections.

Overcoming objections - stages of selling goods and services No. 4

In fact, objection handling is needed at any stage of the sale of the goods or services that you are selling. The seller's task is to anticipate customer disagreement by reducing their total number at all stages of interaction with the customer. Well, for those "no" that still remain, they competently deal with them.

The client will definitely argue and resist, the sale is made only after five or six "no" of the client is an established medical fact.

The main feature that helps to successfully overcome these obstacles on your way at the stage of selling goods or services No. 4 is “agreement” with the client.

No matter what the client says, we "agree" with him.

We need his money, not a medal with the inscription "I [your name here] is right!" We don't need such a medal, do we?

Here is an important point, pay attention - we do not agree with what the client specifically says. Not with his words, but with the fact that "yes, my friend, you have the right to think so."

We show the client that we respect his opinion, whatever it may be. The client has the right to his personal opinion, we recognize this right, and then we apply a special algorithm to overcome his “no”.

How do you agree with a client who says "...your plastic windows are of poor quality"?

Very simple.

“Peter Ivanovich, I agree with you that the issue of quality is very important when choosing a plastic window….” and then continue, putting forward an argument FOR.

That is, when answering an objection, not boxing "I'm a fool", but aikido.

In every industry, clients disagree on my experience as a salesperson and sales coach in different ways. Well, simply because they sell windows there, another customer sells steel pipes, the third one sells yellow bulldozers.

Well, see for yourself:

Why do you have such expensive windows?

Why do you have such expensive steel pipes?

Why do you have such expensive yellow bulldozers?

You see, they're a little off.

But regardless of the industry, there are about 20 - 30 of the most common "no", no more. That is, every time the same “no”, everything is very simple, whether it is sales of cars, trucks or power equipment, sales of log houses, sales of commercial equipment or sales of services.

Once you've dealt with and overcome the client's "no", you move on to closing the deal.

Closing the Deal - Sales Stages #5

At the stage of closing the transaction, you simply gently push the client to the fact that it would be time to buy already.

Of course, there are small nuances of how to do this, but the general meaning is this: stop presenting when it's time to finish. Easily move to the completion of the transaction, offer the client to make a purchase.

There are several simple techniques for doing this, for example, such as a sample:

After you have given a presentation, you make a short summary of what has been said:

“So we have considered this and that, Pyotr Ivanovich, tell me which of these did you like the most? (PAUSE, waiting for customer response).

Usually the client liked at least something, otherwise he would have kicked you out the door a long time ago. Here the client, seeing that you have stopped and are waiting for some answer from him, understands that he must give birth to something in response, he says something like: “Well, you have that brilliant crap on your tractor / haymaker / intergalactic vacuum cleaner [here, in general, the name of your product] seems to be nothing.” Then you ask the following question

How about you in general? (PAUSE, waiting for customer response)

Once the client liked at least something, then in general it will be easier for him to convince himself that he likes your whole [here is the name of your product], so the client usually answers this question in the same way positively or hums or nods in agreement head. Next you ask the following question

Petr Ivanovich, Would you like to clarify something? (PAUSE, waiting for customer response)

If yes, please specify, if not, then...

“Peter Ivanovich, I am very glad that you liked everything, and then the only question that remains for us to discuss ....” then some particular (for example, pickup or our delivery?)

PS To make the topic of 5 stages of sales better put in my head, here is a video not about sales, but about positive ☺

test a friend for a positive attitude to life, send a link to the video to a work colleague ☺

Sales stages - Executive Summary, i.e. PPPS, or more simply - ZYYY

The stages of sales will help you remember the sequence of what you need to do to sell and effectively apply these stages of the sales technique in real work with your customers.

When selling, remember that your bonuses are not only in this first sale, but in many repeat ones. Therefore, do not promise too much, justify the expectations of customers and you will be happy.

In sales training, we remember with visual imagery (think now of a polar bear wearing a yellow football jersey with "Just Do It." across the chest).

In general, the images are about the same, sometimes a little less decent, they help to quickly remember the necessary information for many (but not for everyone - if the bear in your T-shirt is OK, it will help you, if not OK, then it’s also normal - just not your method), we have others .

Without a need discovery step, your presentation is not worth a dime. Find out what the client is ready to buy for and sell him his own idea.

By stage 2, we give two question-based methods for identifying needs and a couple of tricks that are useful for them, and by stage 3, one technique “we speak the language of benefits and benefits.”

This is very short about sales stages, the most important thing that a sales manager needs to remember is that the sweetest customers are regular customers.

Why are repeat customers the sweetest?

Because you don’t need to look for them as new (you already have all their phones, passwords and appearances), and you don’t need to persuade them much, they come and buy again and again, and you get your bonuses for them again and again.

In order for the client to make a repeat purchase, remember that your task is not to set * your product to him, but to sell something that will solve the client's problem. Then he will be satisfied and will come to you again, buy again and, therefore, bring you your bonuses again.

* To vparit means to promise, stir up, confuse, lie three boxes. Say for example that with the help of this new nano-app on the iPhone, you can now seduce any girl. Who would turn down an app like this? None. Everyone will buy. And what's next? They will beat you in the face and the second time they will definitely not buy software from you, you will need to look for new l ... v.

Psssss!, that's the secret of the profession of sales managers

Salespeople who take life too seriously and try to do everything right usually earn less than those who are bullies in life (Sssss!, this is the secret of the sales profession, no one will tell you about it).

Related articles:

Source: http://wintobe.ru/etapy-sales.html

Orthopedic mattresses are the right choice for everyone who cares about the quality of their sleep.

We offer a wide range of high-quality orthopedic mattresses, which are considered the main attributes of a healthy sleep organization. Buy an orthopedic mattress for a bed in the matrases online store.

ru is possible right now.

Each product, which can be selected and purchased on our website, is able to provide a good rest in comfortable conditions, evenly distributing the weight of a sleeping person over the surface, due to which all muscles are completely relaxed.

Orthopedic mattresses are divided into spring and springless.

Features of springless models include:

• durability - the average service life is about 7 years;
• convenience, especially when such fillers as natural latex and coconut coir are combined in the mattress. If the mattress is made from only one of these fillers, then it will be inferior in terms of orthopedic effect and / or comfort. Due to the high rigidity, coconut mattresses are not comfortable, while latex mattresses, on the contrary, are too soft and are significantly inferior in orthopedic characteristics. When choosing a mattress, you should focus on the level of orthopedic effect of each individual model and compare it with your needs. It is very easy to buy an orthopedic mattress in Moscow with delivery by filling out an application on our website.
• the price of springless mattresses is low (from artificial materials 7-15 tr, from natural 20-40 tr), many models are quite comparable with some mattresses based on independent springs (characterized by a sufficient level of orthopedics).

Features of spring mattresses:

Spring mattresses can be made on the basis of dependent or independent spring units.

The main difference is in the action of the springs under load.

• Dependent springs (also called Bonnel) are connected (intertwined) with each other, so the movement of one spring causes the movement of the others.
• Independent springs are not connected to each other in any way, but on the contrary, each of them is placed in its own fabric cover. That is why such springs individually respond to the load from the weight and also individually affect different parts of the body of a lying person. Of course, a larger number of springs per square meter provides the mattress with a greater orthopedic effect - with an increase in the number of springs per square meter, their diameter decreases, which allows you to repeat the profile of the human body as accurately as possible and provide anatomical support.

The advantages of mattresses on dependent spring blocks include their low cost compared to other types of mattresses (up to 5-10 tr.). Average term their operation is only 5 years.

There is practically no orthopedic effect in such mattresses, so if you care about healthy sleep, then we recommend choosing a mattress with independent springs.

Mattresses on independent springs are divided into 3 classes:

• Medium - the number of springs in such mattresses is from 250 per square meter. In accordance with the name, such products are characterized by an average (in principle sufficient) level of orthopedic properties and are the most optimal in terms of price / quality ratio (10-30 thousand rubles). The service life is 7-10 years.
• High (also called "multipack") - from 500 springs per square meter. The orthopedic effect of such mattresses is very high, as is the level of comfort. The price of such a product is 30-45 tr. In this category, another type of mattress stands out with the highest orthopedic effect - "micropackage" - from 1000 springs per sq.m. The price of such a product is from 40-50 tr. The service life of "multi-packets" and "micro-packages" is over 10 years.
• Spring-in-spring mechanism - small springs are placed inside large diameter springs. Such mattresses are convenient to use with a difference in the weight of the sleepers of more than 50 kg, when a person with a smaller weight is supported by large springs, and for the second one, pushing the large ones, small springs are included in the work.

Please note that some manufacturers in the description of goods indicate the number of springs NOT per 1 sq.m, but per 1 bed, this is approximately 1x2 m, respectively, there are 2 times more springs for 1 bed.

Mattresses with independent springs are suitable for people with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, but they are no less perfect for absolutely healthy people, providing the prevention of such diseases. The same applies to the springless mattresses described above.

Orthopedic mattress fillers:

1. Natural - such as latex, wool, coconut coir, sisal fibers in terms of comfort and orthopedic characteristics significantly overtake the second group - artificial.
2. Artificial - such as artificial latex, PPU (polyurethane foam), memorix, struttofiber, are inferior to natural ones, with the exception of memorix, which has the effect of "memory" (repeating the position of the sleeping body), due to which it is considered one of the best orthopedic fillers.

We cooperate directly with the best domestic and foreign factories, whose products have already won well-deserved respect from demanding Russian consumers due to their impeccable quality. Therefore, we can buy orthopedic mattresses from the manufacturer at low prices.

A few reasons why you should buy a mattress from us

1. You can order an orthopedic mattress in the Moscow online store matrases.ru at any convenient time, without leaving your home or without leaving your office.
2. We offer a wide range of models for adults and children from leading manufacturers. The collection is regularly updated with new models.

   Sale of good orthopedic mattresses is the main direction of our professional activity. We value the trust of all our customers, so we offer only the best.

3. We have a very convenient catalog of sleeping orthopedic mattresses for a bed with prices.

   Each model is presented with a high-quality photograph (where you can see the mattress in section) and a brief description.

4. Prompt delivery of products to the address at a convenient time for the customer. For most products, delivery within the Moscow Ring Road is free of charge.
5. Prices in the online store of sleeping mattresses matrases.ru are available to everyone.

   In addition, in our store, a significant part of the assortment regularly has promotions and discounts up to 50%!

We do our best to make cooperation with us as convenient, pleasant and profitable as possible for each client.

Source: http://www.matrases.ru/%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F-%D0%B8% D0%BD%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F/%D1%85%D0%B8%D1%82%D1 %80%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0% B4%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B9-%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8-%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0% BA-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1% 88%D0%B5-%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%B2/

Effective mattress sales system

My company has been manufacturing and selling mattresses for a very long time. We have always considered ourselves professionals in this field. The staff has a lot of experience. However, we looked at the sales results of some companies, and there is a feeling that we are doing something wrong. We entered the market earlier than many competitors, they beat us as “worthy”. Competitors sell much more than we do, and I won’t say that their mattresses are better or cheaper.

Moreover, these companies manage to carry out the development of the dealer network, constantly expanding it, but we do not succeed.

We also have several dealers, but it is quite difficult to work with them, because, firstly, they dictate their terms, and secondly, competitors constantly try to offer their products to them, interrupting our offers.

Dealers, after all, in principle, do not care what to sell, the main thing is to earn more from the mattress. What do you think, due to which competitors can get better results than ours?

Modern mattress sales system

Very often the secret of success is the mattress sales system. It allows you to get synergy and, due to this, squeeze much more out of the same elements, and with less effort. For example, 5 sales people working within the system give a much greater result than 5 people who work without the system.

Apparently, competitors have it, but you don't. Another advantage of the system is that it significantly speeds up and reduces the cost of all processes, and allows developing the mattress market. As a result, while you are thinking about how to do something, the competitor has been doing it for a long time. He bypasses you at every turn and you get only those customers that he did not reach, or who are simply already beyond the power of his sales system.

Let's take an example. Two trucks with watermelons arrive. One of them is unloaded by 5 loaders, each of which unloads watermelons on its own. He himself approaches the car, takes a watermelon and carries it to the warehouse. The second one is being unloaded by 5 loaders, but not separately from each other, but within the framework of the “watermelon unloading system”. They become a chain and simply pass watermelons along it.

I think you yourself have already guessed who will unload the watermelons faster and how much faster. Moreover, the second team will not only unload watermelons faster, but will also spend less resources on unloading. The mattress sales system is similar to the “watermelon unloading system”, but more advanced. You need to build something similar if you want to get the same result as your competitors.

The role of the sales system

The sales system is good because it can be constantly improved and adapted to new conditions, as well as scaled very quickly, not only expanding the scale, but also quickly narrowing it down. When there is no system, everything goes by itself, nothing can be controlled, nothing can be influenced. When there is a system, then everything can be managed. As part of the sales system, you can use different tools, while if it is not there, then this is simply unrealistic.

For example, you can use an inexpensive landing page, as well as a dealer book. This is a tool for dealers that allows you to quickly develop a dealer network through the use of dealer logic. The logic of dealers is simple - less effort, more profit. The main effort is the study of the product. But they won't do it, because it's a waste of their time.

Studying a product for a dealer is a waste of time, because any time that is not spent getting money is wasted

Studying a product for a dealer is a waste of time, because any time that is not spent getting money is wasted. Therefore, even if you offer dealers a good product that needs a lot of work, they are likely to refuse. In order for dealers to be willing to work with your product, they need to be given a ready-made sales tool. As you already understood, the dealerbook is this tool you are looking for.

It unloads the dealer as much as possible from what is not characteristic of him, freeing up almost all of his time for sales.

Apparently, your competitors offer some similar tool to dealers, as a result of which they very quickly agree with them to sell their mattresses.

It should also be noted that mattress sales system can only give maximum results if mattress marketing, mattress advertising and mattress branding are applied.

Need Additional Information about effective marketing? Go to the sales consultant and read ready-made free consultations. If you do not find the answer to your question, you can get personal sales advice. Would you like advice on your issue? Click "ask a question".

Source: http://noomarketing.net/sistema-prodazh-matrasov

Active sales technique

From this article you will learn:

• What is active selling and when does it apply?
• What are the main stages of active sales
• How to use the active listening technique
• How to deal with rejections in the active sales process
• What kind typical mistakes allow managers in active sales and how to deal with them

The goal of any business, whether it is selling toys or large appliances, is to make a profit. To achieve it, various tools are used to promote products on the market, expand the circle of consumers and, ultimately, win a leading position in their segment.

One of them is the technique of active sales. The essence of this tool is the ability of the seller to convince the buyer of the need to purchase a product that can satisfy his needs. The technique of increasing sales must be owned by managers, sales representatives and sales consultants.

Who needs an active sales technique and when

Active sales- This is a type of interaction between the seller and the buyer, in which the initiative comes from the one who needs to sell their goods or services. The peculiarity of this technique is that the consumer may not know about the existence of this product.

A distinctive feature of the active sales technique is that the client did not plan the acquisition, but was convinced of its necessity in the process of communicating with the manager. At the same time, the seller in many cases is faced with the task of not only direct sales, but also an independent search for buyers.

The most developed area of ​​application of the active sales technique is the b2b (“business-to-business”) segment. This is where it gives the best results. minimal cost. When selling goods or services to corporate partners, it is much more efficient and cheaper to offer them directly using this technique than to use mass advertising.

A very important feature of active sales- the lack of an urgent need for the client to buy. When it exists, he himself is looking for a product or service. With the help of this technique, either the promotion of new products unknown to the consumer, or the sale of goods and services in a highly competitive environment. How to find out the hidden needs of the client? Find out in the training program "SCHOOL OF TRAINERS".

The scope of active sales techniques is extremely wide. However, its use is not always justified. If we are talking about the sale of consumer goods to individuals (the so-called FMCG), it is more expedient to act differently.

A point of sale with constant traffic and competent marketing will bring higher profits than using the active sales technique.

Conversely, if you need to promote a specific product in which a narrow circle of consumers is interested, it is more profitable to call a few large potential buyers than to invest in advertising.

As already mentioned, the technique of active sales is most widely used. in the b2b segment:

• Sales Representatives. Their task is to promote the product by offering directly to retailers. going around the shops and trading companies, managers conclude agreements on long-term cooperation. The technique of active sales is presented here in direct communication between the seller and the buyer. This is a fairly developed market segment with a large number of people involved in it. Competition in this area is quite high, not only between different sellers of similar products, but also between agents of the same company.
• Telemarketing for small and medium businesses. The technique of active sales through telephone calls is very widespread. In a similar way, both various services and certain types of goods are sold. Telemarketers in the process of communicating with the client bring him to the need to purchase a particular product.
• Sales of expensive business equipment. Trading specific goods requires a long multi-stage preparation, starting with a call to a potential buyer and ending with the signing of multi-million dollar contracts. Compliance with the technique of active sales is necessary at every stage.
• Sales of goods to other countries and cities. Promotion of products to remote consumers by negotiating by phone or e-mail.

For b2c ("business client") segment the use of active sales techniques is also not excluded. Its use is especially justified at the stage of promoting a new product. However, some companies have made the technique of active sales the basis of their existence. This is the well-known network marketing, when consumer goods are offered directly. to an individual bypassing retail.

Types of active sales to individuals:

• telephone sales. This type of trade is widely used in the sale of a variety of goods and especially services (Internet providers, cable TV, kitchen appliances, maintenance plastic windows etc.).
• Internet sales.

  The network provides unlimited opportunities to promote products using active sales techniques.

• Door-to-door tour. This method is gradually becoming a thing of the past due to its low efficiency.
• Various promotional activities.

  Active sales on the streets or in shopping malls using various ways to attract the attention of customers, for example, sound amplifying equipment.

• Sellers in public transport. Merchants offering small goods to passengers of commuter trains and subways. They can rightly be considered the pioneers of active sales techniques.

Learn how to properly clarify customer objections. Find out in the training program "SCHOOL OF TRAINERS".

Active sales technique: pros and cons

Positive factors of active sales:

• Creation of a consumer base for the stable sale of goods.
• The buyer can become a regular customer through the efforts of the seller.
• Constant contact with the consumer.
• The possibility of increasing sales due to the use of active sales techniques.
• The emergence of the buyer's need to purchase goods as a result of the influence of the manager.
• The ability of the seller to use his personal qualities to achieve the goal.

Negative factors of active sales:

• Manager's earnings are directly dependent on sales growth.
• Communication with a large number of potential consumers.
• High requirements for the personal qualities of specialists.
• The need to train staff in active sales techniques.
• Improving communication standards with prospective buyers.
• Monitoring the compliance of personnel with the requirements.

What is the technique of active sales: the main stages

• Stage 1. Establishing contact.

Successful completion of this task largely determines whether communication will take place. Therefore, in the technique of active sales, special attention is paid to this stage.

Known rule of three will help to establish a friendly atmosphere. By evoking positive emotions in a stranger three times, you set him up for a positive attitude towards yourself. Naturally, depending on what kind of active sales option is used, the ways of creating a favorable impression will be different.

In personal communication, presentable is of great importance. appearance, smile, compliment to future client. If you communicate by telephone, a pleasant voice, friendly tone and courtesy in conversation play a major role. For active sales via the Internet, a technically competent design of the site and detailed description goods.

After establishing contact with the intended consumer, you should find out if he needs your product. The technique of active sales does not imply a negative answer to this question.

• Stage 2. Identification of needs.

This stage sets the task for the manager to bring the buyer to the idea that the product or service you offer is urgently needed for him. This is one of the key points of the technique of active sales.

The main problem of many sellers consists in the premature presentation of the goods. In an effort to grab the customer's attention, managers give out a lot of information, touting the merits of the product. This is what they consider the main thing in the technique of active sales.

However, without prior preparation of the listener, such eloquence is often wasted. The client can interrupt the conversation by refusing further communication. To avoid this mistake, you should not skip the stage of identifying needs.

As a result of using the technique of active sales in potential client it should give the impression that he himself made the decision to purchase the product.

The most effective way to lead a person to the thought of buying your product is the ability to ask. This is the basis of the active sales technique. With a competent approach and skillful formulation of questions, a person has no choice but to answer them. The more a customer talks, the more likely you are to sell him your product..

By asking questions in a certain sequence and responding correctly to the answers ( active listening), you will ensure that the buyer himself will tell about his needs. You will only have to skillfully present your product as the only possible means of satisfying them. In this case, the technique of active sales will fulfill its function.

• Stage 3. Product presentation.

By understanding the needs of the customer, you have prepared him to learn about the benefits of your particular product. At this stage, you simply repeat the thought that is valuable to the client, and finally convince him of the need to complete the transaction.

The technique of active sales involves the presentation of the product. The product should be presented depending on its specifics, using all kinds of listener's attention and applying various psychological techniques. The purpose of the presentation is to demonstrate the advantages of the product.

An obligatory moment should be an indication of the benefit that the buyer will receive by purchasing your product. Professionals use the client's own statements for this, obtained at the stage of establishing needs. It is the individual approach that appeals to all people that is one of the distinguishing features of the active sales technique.

The presentation should not be too long so as not to tire the client. 5-7 sentences are enough, characterizing the product and proving the need to purchase it. Specialists in the technique of active sales do it masterfully.

At the presentation stage, it is imperative to tell the client colorful stories about third parties. Their content should clearly show the benefits that consumers have received as a result of purchasing your products.

The active selling technique takes into account that people are always guided by others, which means that such stories motivate them to buy your product.

In addition, few people like to be a pioneer, and stories about the successful use of a product or service by third parties reassure and set them up to make a deal.

Even the most successful presentation does not guarantee that the consumer will not have questions and objections regarding the purchase of a particular product. Therefore, you should be ready for the next stage of the sales increase technique.

• Stage 4. Work with objections.

The client can express his doubts throughout the conversation. Knowing the technique of active sales allows the manager to tactfully suppress objections, reduce their number, overcome the resistance of the buyer and, as a result, bring him to the transaction.

Objections are bound to be. A consumer protest against a purchase offer is an indispensable element of active sales. It is human nature to have a positive attitude towards own decisions and resist if they are imposed from the outside.

The task of the manager is to use this technique to convince the buyer that his opinion is very valuable to you. No matter what the client says, we agree with him. Thus, you make a person feel his independence and the right to independent decision-making.

This is one of the key points of the technique of active sales.

However, when agreeing with the buyer's objections, you must present your own counterarguments that will convincingly prove to the consumer the need for the purchase.

After you have dealt with the resistance of the client, the final moment of the active sale comes.

• Stage 5. Completion of the transaction.

The logical result of applying the technique of increasing sales is the fact of purchasing a product.

You prepared the client, talked about the merits of the product, fended off his objections. There comes a point when it becomes clear that stop presenting, it's time to finish. There should be a direct offer to buy the product.

The technique of active sales involves several options to obtain consent to the transaction. For example, you make a short summary. It is worth paying the attention of the buyer to those advantages of the product that he noted for himself and voiced in the conversation. Once again, in accordance with the technique of active sales, reminding him of the benefits that this product will bring to him, you will thereby push the client to think about the need to purchase.

After that, the transaction is completed.

From a retailer's point of view, mattresses are like cars, says Roman Ershov, vice president of sales and marketing at Askona, Vladimir, Russia's largest mattress manufacturer. If you want to increase your margin, sell more options. A modern mattress, like a car, has a lot of them: different fillers consisting of several layers, upholstery, heating and drying options, “multi-zone” - for example, for couples with different weights. “No wonder we have 400 models!” Ershov says proudly.

There are only four large companies specializing in the production of mattresses in Russia. According to the players themselves, these "Big Four" control two-thirds of the market. “There is almost no competition,” Ershov draws an unexpected conclusion. - For example, in the US, the 25 largest companies own 13% of the market. We have optimal conditions: it is still easier to fight with two or three competitors than with dozens of equals.” It is also comfortable in this segment because the share of imported products in it is relatively small - according to various estimates, from 5 to 15% in total sales, while in the related furniture market, imports reach 50%. It's not just the promptness of domestic manufacturers of mattresses, who did not allow foreigners to turn around in Russia. “We are organically protected from foreign invaders,” explains Roman Ershov. A mattress is a lot of "air", the movement of which across the customs border is not always economically justified - especially for products of the lower and middle price segments. “The logistics are too expensive - even if the mattresses are rolled and compressed,” says Roman.

Possibly foreign companies Russian market Mattresses just haven't been interesting enough yet. At least they rarely open their production facilities and even representative offices in our country. The activity of foreigners is noticeable only in the high price segment: these are brands such as the Italian Magniflex and Pirelli, Hukla (Germany), Sleepeezee (England). Not all Russians are ready to sleep on domestic products, having cast aside all prejudices regarding the level of our production.

Before the crisis, Russian mattress manufacturers showed hyperactivity - and managed to rebuild modern productions. The market itself, with its growth of 30–40% per year, encouraged them to do so. Firstly, there was a rapid formation of the most commodity category of mattresses as such. Russians began to change mattresses more often - on average, once every 15-17 years, and not at 27, as in the past. Second, the country was experiencing a housing boom. How does it relate to the mattress market? Directly: the more "kopeck pieces" and "three rubles", the more "specialized" beds with mattresses are required, and not folding upholstered furniture.

The dynamics of mattress sales was hit hard in the 2008 crisis, falling by 25% compared to 2009. Upholstered furniture and kitchens, however, sank more. However, already in 2010, the mattress segment began to actively recover. But it is far from the previous rates: the growth is 11-15% per year. Nikolai Epishin, Deputy commercial director Toris, another major manufacturer, believes this indicates one of two things: either demand remains under the influence of the crisis, or - most likely - the market is reaching a "plateau" in accordance with its life cycle. Where, as you can imagine, it will fluctuate rather sluggishly. Finam's experts also predict a moderate upward trend for the mattress market in the near future - an average of 10% per year.

Askona is more optimistic than the others on the market, predicting its doubling in five years and the growth of its own share from 37% in 2011 to 47% in a five-year perspective. “We do not see classical threats from the point of view of business - commodity substitutes that may arise, and competitors that can greatly hinder our development,” Roman Ershov is optimistic.

Movement towards

The main problem node for participants in the mattress market today is competition for distribution channels, which are becoming more and more "clogged". The main channel, of course, is independent and chain furniture retail. This channel has its own specific problems: for example, with the onset of the crisis, chain furniture hypermarkets stopped opening. But furniture makers, who prefer to retail beds with their own mattresses, are starting to create even bigger problems for mattress toppers, pushing aside specialized players.

This trend has been around for a long time. About five years ago, the Moscow enterprise "Azbuka Vash Snov" (ABC), which produces mattresses, lost a major customer - "Shatura". “Furniture makers now manage by 90% with their mattresses,” says Alexander Sakeyev, general director of ABC. “In half the cases, they place orders with large factories and simply stick their label on the product.” The manufacture of cabinet furniture and mattresses requires different technologies and equipment, but furniture makers are gradually learning mattress business. "Over time, everything major manufacturers furniture come to unite the production of mattresses and beds - recognizes the inevitable one of the market players.

The trend, however, turned out to be true for the “mattress makers”: they are also starting to launch their own furniture production. Basically, of course, beds, which are complemented by mattresses. This is how Ascona, Ormatek, and Toris operate, which started its business with the import and production of furniture. And this is due to market requirements: large wholesalers who bought mattresses for their furniture disappear (perhaps only one IKEA remains, whose pricing policy is such that not every manufacturer can work with it).

It is quite logical and the release of "mattress covers" in retail. Format retail - own and franchising - today is a development priority for all segment participants. They are trying to have time to rebuild networks amid fears that Russia's accession to the WTO will bring us foreign investors with money who may be seriously interested in our mattress market. (Ascona's boldest plans are to increase the number of points in 2013 to a thousand.) In addition, there is a possibility that cheap mattress products will flood into Russia, which will be sold mainly in chain stores, hypermarkets and supermarkets. This way of selling mattresses involves a low price and compact packaging, there is no time for frills. According to Nikolai Epishin (Toris), online retail is already showing growth comparable to the dynamics of other channels. Auchan has been selling mattress products for a very large amount for the third year already, - he says. “Now only a lazy retailer has not introduced mattresses into the matrix.”

Specialized manufacturers hardly dream of mattresses becoming a common, cheap product that you can buy at any store in passing. It is not without reason that all these years they have been inventing their own "chips" that distinguish them from competitors, including those from the furniture segment, and formed a full-fledged mattress product category.

Overslept the leader

The pioneer of the Russian mattress market is the Consul company, which laid the foundation for the formation of a “mattress culture” in Russia. As Nikolai Epishin recalls, it was she who introduced the term “orthopedic mattress”, which is essentially a marketing one, into wide use. In fact, it is simply a synonym for the concept of "quality mattress". In addition, "Consul" persistently promoted "coconut coir" as the best filler - and successfully introduced this idea into the minds of the Russian consumer.

Then the "Consul" began to lose ground. Due to "serious operational and strategic mistakes of top management", according to the market. And then Ascona began to come to the fore. “We took the lead very quickly,” says Roman Ershov. - "Ascona" was a small company from the third echelon, and all of us simply "overslept". We are just real fanatics of our business.” “At the exhibitions, we looked at them and smiled,” says Alexander Sakeyev from ABC of Your Dreams. - Here, they say, "Ascona": people came from a remote hinterland and stand on their own two square meters". Nobody smiles today.

According to other players, Ascona appeared at the right time and with the right product, in fact, the first truly marketing proposal. “These people built an absolutely wonderful system of Western management and launched their product just when the market was in the development stage and was ready to accept it,” Nikolai Epishin from Toris recognizes the merits of a competitor. Just at the time when Askona patented the "Hourglass" spring and began to bring to the market a line of "medical", or "preventive", Mediflex mattresses, created in collaboration with Valentin Dikul, Doctor of Biology, consumers really began to be more interested in functionality , design and quality of the mattress. Nikolai Epishin even suggests including a case with the promotion of the Mediflex line in business textbooks: “Everything here is built correctly - from the color scheme and the location of advertising posters to the use of the image of Mr. Dikul.”

Today, as market participants say, high-quality positioning and marketing allow Askona to have a higher margin than Ormatek and Toris. First, the consumer is willing to pay a "brand premium". Secondly, due to the scale of production, the company has achieved a low cost. According to the company, its revenue for 2012 will be about 10 billion rubles. Turnover of "Toris" - about 660 million, "Ormatek" - 2.4 billion (estimates of "Business magazine").

In 2010, Askona's business was given an additional impetus by the attraction of a strategic investor: Hilding Anders, a major European manufacturer of mattresses, acquired 51% of the company's shares. Askona received access to technologies, raw materials, free licenses for the use of a number of well-known brands in Europe belonging to the category of “sleep products”.

The battle of brands and production technologies in the market has turned serious. Ormatek, for example, purchased in 2011 equipment for the production of multi-zone spring blocks from the Japanese company Matsushita Electric. “The principle of the revolutionary Japanese technology is the ability to create an unlimited number of point stiffness zones inside a single spring block,” the company explains. "Toris" is also trying to stand out from its competitors - with the help of the uniqueness of the product and range. “For example,” Epishin lists, “we almost never use Russian raw materials to ensure the high quality of the mattress. We do not work with Chinese fabric manufacturers - only with Belgians. We do not buy coconut in Russia - only from the Belgians and Poles. Others actively use domestic raw materials: Askona - by 85%. In Russia, everything you need is now being made, except for mattress fabric. “If a manufacturer of mattress fabric appears in Russia, we will all applaud him,” says Roman Yershov.

The production of almost all market leaders is located in regions with a strong textile base, laid down in Soviet times: in Ivanov, Murom, Kovrov. Technologies were taken out of European factories, most of the equipment was imported. Russian manufacturers achieved considerable success: for example, the Askona Kovrov plant is considered the most powerful in the world. In terms of production potential, Askona is in the lead, outstripping Ormatek by about 4 times.

There is the strongest competition between Ascona and Ormatek, since, according to the observations of market participants, they operate in approximately the same price segment - mainly in the middle and "average minus".

In retail, both companies operate in approximately the same way, preferring "soft franchising" and offering partners and dealers a ready-made trading format and design of the brand section - without a lump-sum fee and royalties. This method of development does not require large investments and allows you to increase sales. However, as Nikolai Epishin notes, dealer outlets do not give such a turnover as their own. After all, dealers almost never open stores of exactly the same format and area as the parent company: usually their scale is smaller. "Toris" not so long ago began to develop a dealer direction; since the early 1990s, the company has concentrated on its retail network, opening about a hundred outlets countrywide. It is not very interesting to develop further on our own, says Epishin: “We stand wherever possible, in the largest cities.” The dealer direction therefore came to the fore, despite the fact that it is difficult to manage such retail. Ormatek has 150 branded outlets in Russia, Askona has more than 300, half of them are franchising. In the competition for dealers, Ascona has an advantage over other players - fame and greater advertising opportunities due to high turnover. Ascona draws up entire departments for dealers, puts up its promotional products, trade software, - says Galina Matvienko, head of the sales department of the Russian Mattress company. “They only have to sell, everything else is done for them.”

While the main share of sales - in the regions. For Ascona, this figure is 70%. Here, however, mattress companies are starting to run into problems as more and more local businesses are emerging. According to Nikolai Epishin, if in 2010 there were 138 manufacturers of mattresses in Russia, excluding small " garage cooperatives”, then at the end of 2012 - already about two hundred. The low entry threshold and simple technologies for the production of economy class mattresses, which are popular in the regions, provide an influx of new players. Simple equipment, designed to produce hundreds of mattresses a month, can be purchased for only 500 thousand rubles, says Alexander Sakeyev from ABC. Local producers, of course, cannot compete with major players in terms of quality, but they can compete in terms of price. However, the number of such small productions will not soon become critical. “The production of mattresses on the spot becomes profitable only when more than 8 thousand pieces are produced per month,” Roman Ershov calculates. “And this is already a volume that is difficult to implement in a small region: you will have to go to neighboring ones and to Moscow.” On the other hand, transportation of mattresses over long distances for large companies the central region is not very profitable economically: it is not for nothing that Askona opened its factories in Novosibirsk and Chelyabinsk in order to be able to have a wide presence in these regions.

Another unpleasant factor is the activity of the CIS neighbors - primarily Belarus and Ukraine. “We used to send mattresses to St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod - but now Belarus spoils the picture for us,” Galina Matvienko (“Russian Mattress”) describes the disposition. “Ukraine is actively moving to the Voronezh region, Belgorod region, to the south.” It is difficult for Moscow factories to compete with Ukrainians and Belarusians: both wages and rent are higher, so competitors can put pressure on prices. Neolux from Kharkov entered the Russian market in 2011. “We will not dump, this is not our method,” assures the company's general director Sergey Darichev. Prior to this, Neolux worked in the markets of Moldova, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Israel, Germany, Italy. But everywhere “it became crowded,” Sergey Darichev explains. The Moscow market already lives up to sales expectations, he says.

According to Alexander Sakeyev, competition and attempts at dumping have led to the fact that today the players in the mattress segment have a retail margin of no more than 20-25%.

“And in retail it is mostly from 50%. So we “driven” ourselves, - Sakeyev complains.

Of course, this is a big problem primarily for small producers, and it is more important for large producers to increase turnover in general.