It’s been said that a rising tide lifts all boats. At Urban Mattress, we choose to live by that philosophy with our focus on making local business philanthropy work for you and your community. Here’s how we do that, and why.
How local stores, local sales staff, and local philanthropy go hand-in-glove
- We sell our mattresses in our local, welcoming stores—not online and not in a huge impersonal box-store setting—for a reason. Once you walk in, there are no high pressure sales tactics. You are free to take your time, ask questions, test the products, and make your decisions in peace and comfort. Our only goal is helping the people in your community to get a great night’s sleep.
- Our stores are locally owned and operated franchises. Who are the franchisees? They are your neighbors who want you to feel welcome and supported whenever you visit their stores. Franchisees are really local entrepreneurs who help to create wealth in their community by owning and operating a local small business there. In most communities, small business entrepreneurs are the economic backbone of the area.
- How do you fit in? Every time you make a purchase at a local small business, you also are helping to make that tide rise. Your decision to shop locally for your new mattress reaps multiple rewards for you and your community. (1) You get the right mattress for a much-improved night’s sleep, as well as a shopping experience that is pleasant by design. (2) You are supporting one of your neighbors who owns that local franchise. (3) Your purchase means that neighbor then has the capacity to turn around and support other neighbors by shopping locally, too. (4) Your purchase triggers a gift to a local charity. Keep reading to see how.
- To underscore our business philosophy and our commitment to be part of strengthening the fabric of our local communities, Urban Mattress donates 2% of each sale to local nonprofits. Why? We believe that when your neighbors who need a helping hand receive one, you and the entire community benefit.
The community triangle: businesses, nonprofits, and neighbors
Picture this: an equal-sided triangle with one side representing local businesses, another side representing local nonprofit agencies, and the third side representing your neighbors.
Now envision that the businesses each offer some level of support, as they are able, to the local nonprofit organizations—regardless of whether they are educational, arts, health-related, a food pantry, a clothing drive, or some other type of charity. After all, healthy, safe, active communities are better for their local businesses, too. In addition, most customers prefer shopping at businesses that are “good citizens” and generous to their local communities.
Next, picture the nonprofits who work to improve the local quality of life. They lend a helping hand to people in the community who need some assistance. The savvy nonprofit institution leaders know that they help strengthen the entire fabric of the community when they also publicly encourage their neighbors to patronize the local businesses who have been supporting them.
Finally, think about your neighbors who have received that helping hand. Once they are back on their feet, they often are eager to turn around and support the local businesses that helped make their assistance possible.
- This is the community triangle that leads to that rising tide which lifts all boats: local businesses supporting nonprofit agencies who support local people in need, and local people in need and nonprofits in turn supporting local businesses.
Year-round philanthropy
These days, more and more retail businesses rely on charitable giving simply as a seasonal gimmick. They look to boost sales primarily at the end of the summer and during holiday seasons by luring in customers with ads showcasing their seasonal philanthropy.
We at Urban Mattress have a different view, one that demonstrates a consistent and year-round support of our local communities. Since our customers may need—and purchase—a new mattress at any point during the year, and since you or your neighbors may need a helping hand at any point during the year, we think our business philanthropy should reflect that same approach. That’s why every sale, at any time of the year, generates a gift to a local charity.
Doing good: what else is in it for you
When you shop at a local business that carries the reputation for being a genuine part of, and generous to, the local community, you feel good about your purchase. You should take pride in knowing that you have made a contribution, too. And in these uncertain times, that’s a great feeling to have.
It’s your choice
On any given day in any given week, we have customers whose experiences, priorities, and preferences differ from one another. That’s why there’s vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. That’s also why we offer a wide range of mattresses in a wide range of prices, and why we leave the choice to you of where to send the local charitable gift generated by your purchase.
Just as we would not decide which mattress is best for you, we also will not decide which nonprofit you might wish to support. That brings “double happiness”—a good feeling about supporting the charity that you have chosen to support.
In case you don’t consider 2% a substantial gift, consider this: in one local area, several gifts of 2% can add up to a more sizeable donation. Over time, each 2% gift becomes more significant. You also can play a role in ensuring that your gift multiplies. How? Ask your neighbors, perhaps on social media, if they are in the market for a new mattress. If they are, let them know where you purchased yours—and where you decided your charitable gift would go (and why). That way, you are actively working to help your favorite charity while making your community stronger.
If you also are a small business owner
Small business owners need a great night’s sleep also—so it’s possible that if you’re reading this, you may be both a small business owner and a customer.
We welcome you to our site, and hope that as a small business owner, you already have hopped onto the social responsibility bandwagon in your community. If you try charitable giving as a small business, you can borrow our model or try one of your own. Websites such as Good360 can help point the way as can your local Chamber of Commerce, since local nonprofits typically also are Chamber members.
Connecting via helping—it’s what we all want
For most of us, feeling connected to our local communities is key to our thriving there. Whether we form friendships, participate in groups, volunteer, or form business partnerships, connecting and the feeling that comes with it is the underpinning of local life.
At Urban Mattress, connecting in each community where we operate is what we strive for. Our local business philanthropy is an integral part of our strategy to help achieve a connection with the local community.
That’s why our franchisees welcome you to come in, unpressured, and take the time you need to make the critical decision to purchase the right mattress for you and your budget. And that’s why once you have made your purchase, your next decision is what charity you want to support with our 2% donation.
Purchasing the right mattress is an important decision, so please let us know how we can help you get a better night’s sleep.