Saturday, June 25, 2011

Shave and a Haircut - Two Bits of Social Media

I got a haircut this morning.  It’s a Saturday morning ritual that happens about every three weeks.  Not a big deal in my life, but often my time in the chair at this Darnestown, MD shop does three things.

1.      It gives me a chance to talk to George (my guy) and to look and listen as others carry on their conversations. The guys that own the shop are Greek-Americans and the home language is spoken to some customers who come from far away to sit in the chair and chat.
2.       It gives me the chance to observe small things, including acts of human kindness and marketing (intended or not).  As many of you know, I spent many years watching and listening, and about 1:30 each day talking - (TV stories)
3.       It takes me back to my boyhood days when the barbershop was full of cigarette smoke, sports and “other” types of magazines – and gossip.  This was back when the Coke machine was a cooler with metal guides.  You lifted the bottle slightly to move it to “exit.”  If you had put in a dime, the “exit” was unlocked and you could pull one coke straight up….and out.

Item three is mostly nostalgia, but Items one and two actually merge.   This morning, an older gentleman got out of the senior barber’s chair.  The senior barber is the Dad of the family that bought the shop several years ago.  As the customer went for his wallet, the barber just waved him off and very quietly said, “next time.”  The customer was stunned for a moment and then left.  Fifteen minutes later he was back and said, “it bothers me, please take something.”  The response:  “Naw, get out of here!  Next time.”  And the man said “thanks” and left with a smile.

This, in my opinion, is a combination of a nice man being nice, a random act of kindness – nothing more than that.  But for anyone paying attention, what they saw was a reason to tell people about this shop.  They already had reasons to come here themselves: The haircuts are good, prices haven’t changed in several years ($15) and they even shave your neck like the old style barbers.  Now some of the customers who saw this exchange will pass it on to friends (Facebook and otherwise).  

That wasn’t why the barber gave a free haircut this morning, but it is something that makes a shop stand out and prompts “fans” to tell others, whether by word of mouth or by word of pixel. 

Social media.  It’s free and is practiced even when you don’t know you’re doing it. It’s not even your choice.  I saw something in real life and said, “I’ve got to write about this.”   My choice.  I’m sharing observations with those who will bother to read what I’ve got to say. 

Sometimes you can just be yourself in business, and let others observe and pass it forward.

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