I just had a haircut experience unlike any other. It was good overall, but just to give you a feel, I thought about calling this article “why you should (sometimes) decorate your business with playboy.” And I came away from it with an awesome lesson in business.
The business itself is a throwback to something from so long ago most young men today haven’t experienced it, a neighborhood barber shop. This shop is small, two chairs. The walls, and most of the ceiling, are covered in posters ranging in content from Iron Maiden, to Jim Beam, to nude women. Classic rock plays in the background. There are snacks and a kegerator.
The owners are forthright and down to earth. They do not pretend to be anything they are not. Conversation is uncensored, direct, and communal. There is no isolation between the two chairs. Anyone can talk to anybody.
There are a few things I loved. One, my barber, Marcus is an artist when it comes to cutting hair. He just took such care with it, and it’s rare to have that kind of intense, personal attention put into any experience as a customer. This guy cares, and it was awesome to be treated like that. Two, he may be a little crude, but he’s a super genuine, open guy. You could probably talk to him about anything. Three, Marcus is crystal clear on the WHY of his business. So much so, that I came away from the experience with a better, more useful insight than I have from half my podcasts.
As a kid, Marcus’ grandfather would take him to the barber every week. What started out as a minor nuisance for him as a kid (who needs 4 haircuts a month?) turned into an unrivaled sense of community and authenticity. He saw his hard-working, mild-mouthed, straight-laced grandfather cut loose and relax in a way that he never saw the during rest of the week. It was a space for men to be real in a way they couldn’t be in public, with their families, or even with their spouses. Being there every week as a boy made him not just want to cut hair, but to provide a similar experience for other men.
In creating his business, he has been very intentional about who he does and does not want as customers. The atmosphere and decor acts as a repellent for most women, as well as many men. However, they are not in business to be everything to everyone. They are in business to provide one experience to a very specific segment of the population.
The result? A self-marketing, well-branded business with loyal customers. Best of all, it has a polarizing effect, you either hate it or you love it. This is a huge success of marketing. Too many people think of marketing as, “convince everybody to buy my product.” In actuality, the purpose of marketing in today’s world is to find and connect with the customers who are an unusually good fit for your product. Even the people who are totally turned off by the experience will leave yelp and facebook reviews that inadvertently advertise the business to others. “It was unprofessional in how they talked to you, the guys swore a lot, there were indecent pictures on the walls….” According to Marcus, people have read reviews like that, said, “sounds like my kind of place” and become longtime customers. This is why there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
Because of that differentiation and that clarity, I think Marcus could eventually raise prices 50-100% without a dramatic drop-off in his business. He’s the only one in his market right now, and I suspect it will stay that way. Most people aren’t willing to imitate his style; they don’t want to risk alienating anybody. Too, it just isn’t true to how most people are. They’d end up softening it to a point where they lose the appeal.
None of what I’ve described happens when you aren’t crystal clear on the “WHY” behind your company. This is Simon Sinek’s concept in motion, seemingly on accident. Most barber shops would (and apparently do) focus on the “WHAT” and the “HOW” of their business, without ever being clear on why. “We cut hair. We do a great job, at a competitive price. How about it?” They are forced to charge a commodity rate, make minimal profits, and have no loyalty. Marcus inverts that because he comes from a place of genuine intent. “We’re creating a special place for men, unlike anything else in their lives. It’s a barber shop and we cut hair. And we do a fucking amazing job.” With that intent and that vision, there’s no limit to what Marcus could create. He could make a first-class restaurant/bar, or even a lifestyle brand. The pieces are there.
WHY matters.
Find his business, Anvil Barber Shop at 1928 Scott St. Milwaukie, OR 97222.
Check out these Yelp Reviews: https://www.yelp.com/biz/anvil-barber-shop-milwaukie-2