Have you seen the office supply store commercial where the barber sees a franchise hair salon open across the street advertising “$6 haircuts”? I had a real-life experience that was surprisingly similar. I needed a haircut. A national chain was running a special for $5.99. After work, I stopped by a nearby location. The place was packed. The check-in board was full, names scrolling off the screen. The woman at the desk said the wait would be at least an hour and a half. That was too long for me, so I thanked her and left to find a barber. I found one in downtown Jeffersontown. A sign on the wall clearly listed haircuts at $15. I sat down and started chatting.

I asked about his career, how he got into cutting hair, and how long he’d been in business. Then I asked him about the price. I told him I wasn’t haggling, just curious. He smiled and said the price wouldn’t change; it was posted right there. So, I asked, “What’s the difference between a $15 haircut and a $5.99 haircut? Same service, big difference in price.” He smiled again and echoed the famous line from the commercial, “That’s an easy one. I fix $5.99 haircuts.” It was a powerful statement about price and value. A real example of getting what you pay for. In this guide we’ll use my barber conversation and lessons it taught me to make real changes for your brand and how you position yourself around value, not price.