We Fix Stupid Haircuts

"We fix stupid haircuts." With this simple phrase Ely the Barber has built several successful barber shop businesses on both sides of the continent. In a few words he has captured the essence of attitude and differentiation, establishing himself as a barber of quality in a world of mediocrity.

Like many small business owners, Ely works hard, six days a week, to build a business that supports himself and his family. Yet Ely has the knack, the 'je ne sais quoi' that allows him to excel where others flounder. Born in Russia, Ely traveled through Israel to get to the US by the age of thirty. He learned the language and he learned the craft of barbering. He also learned to cut hair to the demanding standards of his Long Island clientele. He soon had his own shop, Ely's Barber Shop then then another, in the Long Island area.

In search of a better life, he moved from the city to Arizona. Once here, he rebuilt the Ely's Barber Shop of New York fame. And like many of his new neighbors, he invested in real estate. Yes, you know the rest of that story.

Undaunted, Ely has undertaken to rebuild his business in a small shopping center in Glendale, AZ. Surrounded by budget hair cutting chains and a community that is feeling the effects of the down economy, Ely offers high quality cuts that are rare on in the West Valley. He has a disarming, pleasant smile and the ability to converse on almost any topic. Instead of the sports and sex motifs common in many barbershops, Ely plays quality music videos of a variety of international musicians to add a charm seldom seen in Arizona.

To increase traffic, Ely has mixed traditional and web marketing. To leverage his location on a high traffic street, he invested in a bright yellow sign off the main road. Using Market Like a Millionaire tactics, he set up a Merchant Circle free website, and purchased elysbarbershop.com from Go-Daddy. Through building several inbound links from local search engines such as Google Local, He now ranks #2 in a Google search for "barber shop 85302" in his area. He also ranks #1 in a search for 'Ely's Barber Shop" among the dozen or so shops of a similar name in the US.

Ely's next move is to ask his patrons to go to his website to post testimonials. This not only helps his ranking and online reputation, it also positions him with his customers as a barber who's 'with it'. His customers have a chance to experience a sense of involvement in Ely's success, further connecting them with him.

A diamond in a rough economy, Ely will soon be featured in local newspaper profiles of how to persist and thrive while other complain about their stupid haircuts. Stay tuned for his other sensible marketing strategies. And stop by to let Ely give you the best haircut in the Valley.