Principles to getting people lining up to do business with you.

This is a breakdown of Tyrell’s favorite principles from Daniel Priestley's book, Over subscribed, packed with the exact stories, quotes, and practical steps. 

Principle 1: Supply and Demand Tension (P1)

"The core of stress-free selling."

To make a profit in any economy, you need more buyers than sellers. It is simple math. If you want your business to be successful, you have to create a situation where your demand is higher than your supply.

💡 The Stories

• The 1980s Botox Boom: In 1980s California, plastic surgery became a massive trend. Because there were very few plastic surgeons, they had low supply and high demand. They became millionaires overnight, buying yachts and supercars. Seeing this, medical students rushed to switch majors. By the time they graduated and flooded California, the market was oversupplied. Prices crashed, and they couldn’t make any money.

• The Diamond Illusion: Diamonds aren't actually rare. The companies that mine them deliberately keep the supply flowing into the market incredibly low so that they feel scarce and valuable.

• China Store vs. Gucci: Walk into a cheap discount shop, and products are crammed onto every shelf. Walk into a Gucci store, and there are only a couple of items on display with plenty of room to "breathe." Gucci makes way more money using the exact same raw materials because they understand supply and demand tension.

Key Quote: "If you're giving your time to every single Tom, Dick, and Harry that comes your way, the value of your time goes down."

 

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Principle 2: Build Your Market First (P2)

 

"Supply without demand is useless."

Too many people spend thousands setting up systems, warehouses, and offices before finding a single buyer. Before you spend a cent, build a waiting list.

🤝 Trust is Your Currency (The 7-11-4 Rule)

You sell from human to human (H2H). To get people to buy, they have to trust you. Priestley's framework for trust requires:

• 7 Hours: The amount of time someone needs to spend consuming your content or being with you to switch from "acquaintance" to "trust."

• 11 Touchpoints: Different interactions they have with you (emails, videos, texts, calls).

• 4 Locations: Seeing you in different contexts (e.g., across Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and email).

💡 The Story: Apple vs. Samsung (2004-2015)

In the lead-up to the smartwatch era, Samsung wanted to beat Apple to the punch. They rushed to release the Gear S, shipping 800,000 units to stores. However, because they hadn't built a market of eager buyers first, they faced massive returns and had to slash prices.

Meanwhile, Apple took its time. They teased the Apple Watch, partnered with luxury brand Hermès, and set up a registration list. They let people come into the stores just to look at and touch the watch - they wouldn't even let them buy it yet! By building an incredibly eager market first, Apple sold 5 million watches in its first five years.

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Principle 3: People Buy When the Conditions are Right (P3)

 

"Make them feel like they're the lucky ones."

You can orchestrate the environment to make people buy, and you do this through Transparency of Scarcity.

💡 The Stories

• The Ultra Music Festival Method: Ultra promotes their event all year long. But they only open ticket sales for one hour on one day. Because of this extreme bottleneck, everyone sets alarms, stays awake, and competes to buy. The company makes it feel like they are doing you a favor by letting you buy from them.

• The McDonald’s Queue: Think about a food court or drive-thru. If Burger King has no line and McDonald's has a massive queue, people will often join the McDonald's queue anyway. Why? Because the line is visual proof that the food is worth waiting for.

Insight: People suffer from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). They buy what other people are buying. Show your waiting list numbers! (But only once they are high enough to be impressive).

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Principle 4: The Customer is NOT King - Have Standards (P4)

 

"Respect your boundaries so they respect your value."

If you believe the customer is king, you will constantly bend over backward, slash your prices, and hurt your business. Desperation kills sales. You and the customer are equals exchanging mutual value.

💡 The Story: The Coach Who Fires Clients

Daniel Priestley once hired a high-end coach. This coach had strict rules: he took a 6-week holiday every year, only worked with a handful of people, and required his clients to actively challenge him. He told Daniel that he had recently fired two of his clients because they weren't challenging enough! Because he operated with such high standards, people were desperate to work with him.

• Google & Netflix do this too: Google puts applicants through intensive, "Hunger Games" style tests to prove they are the best. Netflix offers a $2,000 "pay-to-quit" bonus because they only want people who genuinely want to be there.

 

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Principle 5: Build a Product Ecosystem (P5)

"Build stairs, not a giant wall."

If your only product is a massive, high-ticket offer, you are asking cold prospects to make a terrifyingly huge leap. Instead, build a staircase of "micro-commitments."

      [ Core Product ($$$$) ]  <-- The Destination

      [ Monthly Plan ($$$) ]

     [ Entry Product ($$) ]

    [ Free Lead Magnet ($) ]     <-- The Step-In

By offering a valuable free resource or a low-cost guide, you let them enter your ecosystem risk-free.

Key Quote: "It is so much easier to sell to a customer the second time than it is the first time."