It's not about the price, it's about the influence.
Yesterday I went for my fortnightly beard trim. It’s a small luxury I’ve grown attached to. I look sharper, I feel sharper—and my partner insists it’s mandatory since my DIY beard attempts are, frankly, a public menace.
Peter, my barber, takes his time. He doesn’t rush. He refines every line and snip until the job is perfect. The result? The best my beard has ever looked.
Here’s the kicker—he charges about half of what I’ve paid elsewhere for a far lesser job. I offered to pay him more. He declined. Politely, firmly. He’s a new business owner. First time. And like many of us when we start out, he’s pricing to gain market share.
But something tells me it’s not about undercutting competitors.
Peter is playing a smarter, slower, more powerful game. It’s not a race to the bottom. It’s a campaign for loyalty—not the cheap kind based on saving a few bucks, but the kind that makes you bring a friend with you.
I didn’t find Peter on Instagram or Google. A client of mine physically walked me into his shop and introduced us. And I booked in right there.
Since then, I’ve brought in three more clients. Not because of the price. Because of the experience. Because of the result.
Now here I am writing about him.
That’s not discount-driven loyalty. That’s influence. That’s advocacy.
Marketing that makes people do the work for you. Peter’s strategy is classic referral marketing. And the key difference here is that he’s earned every referral by delivering beyond expectations.
When you become referable, you don’t have to shout online. People do the shouting for you.
Peter made himself referable through excellence. His low pricing didn’t earn him loyalty—it merely opened the door for people like me to walk through and discover what he’s really about.
Then we tell our friends.
Then we write newsletters like this.
Your best marketing isn’t advertising. It’s advocacy. The bar for satisfaction is so low in most industries that anyone doing an excellent job is automatically extraordinary. But excellence alone isn’t enough. You need that extra step—something that makes people want to talk about you.
Sometimes that’s a little detail. Sometimes it’s how you make someone feel.
Peter’s detail, care and humility did that for me.
And now I want to do the same for him.
So if you’re in Darwin, and your beard—or your head—needs rescuing, come grab a coffee with me. I’ll introduce you to Peter.
Just like I was introduced.
That's it for this week.A short read about how not everyone is out for a quick buck from you. If you are not resonating with my emails, you can unsubscribe. Even if we know each other, I won't be offended at all.
But if you like what you read, the greatest compliment you could do me is to pass this email on to someone you think could use it.
Have a great week ahead. ✌🏽
My workshops and resources for the week
💰 I'm in Brisbane this coming Friday for an amazing event!
Are you a serious business owner trying to push into the $1million turnover level? 7 Figure Systems Conference is a full day of learning all the unspoken strategies businesses are using to grow and scale in 2025. Hear from subject matter experts and engage in the Q&A panels to build your strategies to move forward in your business. I'll be speaking on brand building systems.
🖥️ Online Workshop: Before Your Next Networking Event
A crash course in making your next networking event more effective, less awkward, and maybe even enjoyable.
📍 In-Person in Darwin: Digital Skills Series – Fix That Awful Business Website
A hands-on after-hours workshop in Darwin. Stop guessing, start fixing. It's not about technical fixes - just how to rearrange your site to get better results.
Details & Book: Here
♒︎ I'm coming to Melbourne in November for Ripple Festival!
Ripple Festival is for business owners who are tired of the echo chamber—we’re bringing new voices, bold insights, and real talk that actually helps you grow. I'll be speaking at three sessions across the festival.
📘 Download: The Strategic Advantage of Referral Marketing
Based on this week's newsletter, this free guide shows exactly why referral marketing outpaces online ads for small businesses—and how you can tap into it.