Leggett & Platt “Spring Alive” Tour to Link Health and Sleep

August 21, 2007  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on August 2007 Bedding component supplier Leggett & Platt announced Tuesday the Sept. 17 launch of “Spring Alive,” a tour initiative aimed at helping consumers and mattress retailers understand the full health benefits of a good night’s sleep.

A team of Leggett & Platt executives and sleep experts will zig-zag across the country for five days, visiting retail outlets to educate retail associates and consumers on the sleep/health connection--and communicate the role innersprings play in delivering restful and rejuvenating slumber.

In a recent study conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, researchers found that lack of sleep is related to serious health problems such as an increased risk of depression, obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

“Research from the Better Sleep Council shows that poor sleep not only directly affects your health, but is also directly related to the age of your mattress,” said Mark Quinn, group executive vice president of sales and marketing for Leggett & Platt’s bedding division. “For years the industry has focused on the price of a mattress instead of the benefits to a consumer’s life. Leggett & Platt wants to help change that message so we can make a better connection with the end user.”

In addition to executives such as Quinn, the Leggett tour includes subject-matter experts. Craig McAndrews from Innovative Retail Group, for example will provide sales training to retail associates. He will meet one-on-one with associates to share consumer insights from his field research as well as methods for selling a better night’s sleep at point of sale rather than focusing on price and product specifications.

Leggett also has secured the participation of industry veteran and research specialist Kurt Ling, president of Customer Kinetics, to lead consumer research during the week-long event. Ling will work with Leggett to design and moderate consumer focus groups that delve into retailers’ specific concerns regarding their customers’ perception of the shopping experience.

To supplement the tour, Leggett has created a variety of collateral materials, including brochures, pocket cards and “Sleep Kits” to help retailers and consumers understand the indisputable link between better sleep and improved health.

A Web site, www.LeggettSleep.com, will be launched on the first day of the tour, so interested parties can follow along via a daily blog and video-log. The site also allows retailers to order educational materials for retail sales associates and consumers, and features information on innersprings and the Active Support Technology story.