Rewinding the time machine to the early and mid-2000s Kurl-On, India’s then sole player in the mattress industry made a commercial that threw a question about having a good night’s sleep to its audience. The commercial portrayed individuals belonging to all age groups yawning at the odd hours of the day.
Cut, to 2022 today’s mattress is more than about a good night’s sleep and yawning during the daytime. The mattress industry largely dominated by the unorganised players, which use cotton material as a filler is witnessing the entry of organised players and is poised to grow at a CAGR of 10 percent to become a market worth $2.5 billion as per a Redseer report. As disposable incomes rise, and people become more considerate about health they are focussing more on the comfort and functionality of the product.
Pandemic has led to sleeping disorders
With the corporate rat race becoming fierce, the sleep cycle of Indians already went disturbed which further aggravated the outbreak of the virus. The anxieties surrounding health, finances, a slump in business, and reduced incomes topped with abrupt lifestyle changes like going to bed late brought irregularities in people’s sleeping patterns. Many complained of having insomnia, sleeping hours getting reduced, and difficulty in falling asleep. The mattress brands in line with the changing times should include innovative marketing strategies to gain traction. Mattresses are no longer considered consumer durables but they indicate the quality of life. Here is how they can do it.
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The mattress industry largely dominated by the unorganised players, which use cotton material as a filler is witnessing the entry of organised players and is poised to grow at a CAGR of 10 percent to become a market worth $2.5 billion as per a Redseer report.
Marketing strategies for mattress brands
An easy buying experience: Purchasing a mattress online will not be welcomed by Indian consumers, since buying one requires a measurement of the bed that is to be matched with the mattress size. But, mattress company Casper solved this hassle by easing the process of buying a mattress online without worrying about the quality and measurements. It developed several unboxing videos and made easy guides, manuals, and graphics that helped buyers easily place orders on the website. An easy buying experience becomes the topic of positive word of mouth for the customers. It also offered a 100-night free return policy — no questions asked.
Sell comfort and sound sleep: Few people are aware or unconcerned that insufficient sleep deteriorates health. Most people are unaware of the number of hours required for a sound sleep. Therefore, the marketing campaign should contain educative content that strikes the correct pain points of their consumers by educating people about a night of sound sleep. It should look like your business has the solution to the problem of sleep.
Expanding the product line: For a mattress brand, the lifetime customer value is low since the mattress is a product that people will buy once in several years. There are no repeat and multiple orders from the same customer. To increase the order value, the company must develop products other than mattresses that will help sleep better. Products such as flight cushion pillows, aroma candles for sleep, sleep oils, and sleep yoga should be added to the product range directing people to people to sleep better.
Social media: Mattress brands can effectively leverage the social media user base to promote their offerings by engaging the audience in a two- way communication through quizzes, contests, and memes. Advertising on social media platforms will widen its reach as the outbreak of the pandemic has increased the screen time of Indians on social media.
B2B Market- a territory untapped for mattress brands
Apart from going B2C, the new age mattress brands should consider targeting the B2B customers as the demand for construction in both residential and institutions is on a steep growth curve in India. It should target more hotels, strike deals with builders, educational institute hostels, dormitories, etc.
