E-MAIL MARKETING: New Media Style
E-mail is a sure hit for Sure Fit slipcovers
Sales keep rising since slipcover maker Sure Fit Inc. started sending monthly e-mail promotions directly to consumers.
Last year annual sales rose to $130 million, compared with $50 million in 1997 for the Allentown, PA-based manufacturer. Plus, Sure Fit is bursting at the seams — achieving a 20% annual growth, while most companies in the home-furnishing sector typically make do with a 3% to 4% growth.
CEO Bert Shlensky credits e-mail as a key driver of that growth. The reliance on e-mail is part of Sure Fit’s transformation from “focusing on the trailer park market to offering products for everybody,” Shlensky says.
The company redesign started three years ago when Sure Fit, which had always sold its slipcovers through retailers, launched a Web site (www.surefit.com) and a print catalog. Both featured upscale products such as washable suede and velvet. The company also switched from selling low-end couch throws to higher-quality two-piece slipcovers.
“Our average sale ranges between $50 to $90,” Shlensky says. “We go over $200 but most products cost under $100.”
Although the simultaneous launching of the Web site and catalog was coincidental, Sure Fit quickly learned that its best customers browse both before ordering. E-mail reinforces that synergy.
The print catalog is important for closing the sale because the higher-quality pictures show off fabric colors and textures.
E-mail boosts site traffic, generates inbound phone orders, streamlines catalog requests and orders online, and encourages consumers to thumb through the print catalogs. About 40% of orders are received online.
Sure Fit amassed an e-mail list of 600,000 names out of a customer database of 2 million. The company collects e-mail addresses from customers at point of sale who say they want to receive e-mail promotions.
Getting a customer to opt-in for e-mail doubles overall response for the company’s integrated direct marketing program, says Liana Toscanini, vice president of insurgence. “We don’t just send e-mails reminding customers we’re here. We include updates about new patterns and fabrics with decorating tips,” she says. “We try to make it fun and engaging with contests and trivia.”
Sure Fit, which claims an 85% share of the estimated $250 million slipcover market, currently sends everyone identical promotions, but plans to start segmenting data to target e-mail. “We’re probably six months away from profiling,” Toscanini says, “but we don’t have the tracking software yet.”
Through e-mail and Web site links, Sure Fit reaches more upscale customers. More than 60% of buyers earn over $50,000. (Previously, most earned $20,000 to $40,000.)
The company finds the most qualified leads through search engines and targeted online links. Web sites specializing in generic lead generation, like FreeShop.com, generate a fair amount of names, but they don’t turn out to be Sure Fit’s best customers, Toscanini adds.
Sure Fit prompts prospects and regular customers to submit photos to enter the annual “ugly couch contest.” The winner gets about $5,000. In additional to generating traffic, the contest plays up the whimsical nature of the business.
