Fellow business builder,

Don’t you just LOVE finding a great story telling example?

Saddleback Leather is one of my newest finds.

It all starts with their main page headline: “They’ll fight over it when you’re dead”

You just know you have found something special when you see a beautifully designed site, with a headline like that!

So, being a story loving geek like myself, I have invested FAR too many hours reading through their site. I have yet to buy one of those amazing bags, rest assured I will be though.

You can spend the hours on their site like I did (which I recommend), but I have also summarized some of the best parts.

Why?

Because they GET how to use stories properly.

They are masters at using a great story to differentiate themselves, to compel their prospects to spend time with them, and to sell high priced products without fear.

First, they list their competition (with links) on their website. How much more confident can you be in your advantages? They don’t hide the list – it is prominently displayed right on the main page. They are proud to show you what else you can get from the others… because they know that none of them have quality or great story telling that can come even close to their own.

Would you list your competitors? What changes would you need to make to feel confident enough to do this?

They have a special section called Leather 101. What I love most about this is that they explain something that their competitors take completely for granted. They educate their buyers on what to look for when buying products – changing the buying criteria to suit their own business. Any time you can educate your clients on HOW to buy your product and how to COMPARE it to inferior products, you have entirely changed the buying process. Which means you win.

Are you taking it for granted that your prospects know what to buy and how they should compare? It’s easy to think everyone knows as much about your products as you do – but they don’t.

They have fascinating information on the most mundane pieces of their product: “You’ll find that most trendy pretty boy bags are lined with a cute shiny fabric. Once that tears, say goodbye to your pens and loose change. This bag is lined with solid whole pieces of suede or pigskin. Pigskin has the highest tensile strength rating of all leathers (second only to kangaroo) and suede is what cowboys and ranch hands use on the outside of their chaps; the more it gets rubbed, the harder it becomes.”

What ‘boring’ parts of your product or service could you invigorate and embellish to make it one of your competitive differentiators?

Turning ‘faults’ into competitive advantages: “Actually, scarring is a common feature, and for some of our customers the more scars the better…the scars give the bag more character.”

No one is perfect. So why pretend to be? You will get called out eventually, so you are much better off showcasing your faults as a differentiator. Story telling is a great way to show you are human and are just as messed up as the next guy or gal.

The subtle use of humour: “the best hides for our purposes (i.e. creating the best leather bag possible) are the female pig hides (girls just have better skin) and, so, our pigskin products will sometimes have various scarring patterns. We refer to these as ‘love scars’.”

Their customers like to express their devoted love in humour as well:

“These bags are worse than crack…
You sure you’re not putting a little
somethin’ extra in this leather?”
- Alicia Bird

“She told me I could sleep with her OR the bag.
I will miss cuddling with her but I will adjust in time!”
- Matthew C. Weyuker – April 8, ‘08

“I’ll be clutching it in my cold, lifeless hand as they lower me.
The kids can have the loot instead.”
- John Lochran – Sept 18, ‘08

Using humor to show off your personality is a great way to win them over… but be careful you don’t cross any lines that take it from funny to offensive.

Give free helpful hints that have nothing to do with your product directly: “Always carry a 6-pack of Coca Cola while driving in Latin America. Pop one for yourself and then offer one to the cop when he first approaches and he should let you go without asking for a bribe. The culture teaches that it’s impolite to refuse a gift. If he doesn’t accept it, you’re toast. Negotiate your way down to $5 and go on your way.”

Many of their clients are travelers, so it only makes sense that they share travel tips (his blog is PACKED with tips on traveling with kids, dogs, and spouses).

What else could you/should you be sharing with your customers that compliments what you do – but has nothing for sale?

Teach them HOW to buy: “Pick the one that fits who you are. I’ve observed what the bag owners tend to be like based on the color they have chosen over the years. The category below that fits you best is probably the color you’ll enjoy most. You’ll be amazed at how it helps you decide. Remember, your first inclination is usually the correct one.”

When you give your customers options to choose from – do you show them how to select the best option for them? It is an easy thing to do – but few people do go to this extreme.

Mix in some memorials to your favorite pet(s) who have passed on, or are still in your life now: “His life was far from dull. He was killed in a car wreck in an ice storm and revived, run over by a car (by me), knew more Spanish than most of my friends, was stolen once (I got him back), had an active romantic life (60+ puppies in Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, Oregon, Texas, New Mexico, Cd. Juarez and probably a few places I don’t know about), swam in 23 states, ate lots and lots of people food, and slept out with me under the stars hundreds of times. I suppose one could say that he lived a Dog’s Life.”

I love his entire dedication to his dog Blue. Blue passed away a couple years ago, but Dave (the founder) makes sure Blue is not forgotten. Blue was his right hand man, and his best friend throughout his travels.

Everyone loves a great animal story – why hide the fact that you love animals? Share your best friend story and your fans will love you for it.

Extreme guarantees. Nothing beats an unbeatable guarantee: “All of our products are fully warranted against all defects in materials and workmanship for 100 years. If you or one of your descendants should have a problem, send it back to me or one of my descendants and we’ll repair or replace it for free or we’ll give you a credit on the website (be sure to mention the warranty in your will).”

I would bet that his competitors come nowhere close to a 100 year guarantee (I tried looking at his list of competitors – but got bored very quickly). So what kind of outrageous guarantee could you offer like this? I have a Crazy Canuck -32 Degree Guarantee coming out soon – watch for it )

That is just a start!

As I said, I have spent a LOT of time on their site and have fallen in love with their story and their products. I would bet (based on the comments I see on their blog) that many people stumble on their site in their search for bags, and never leave empty handed.

Ultimately, you and I want the same thing – a devoted base of clients who write us testimonials like this one from the Saddleback site:

“It’s no longer about buying a bag;
it’s about subscribing to a community.”
- Christopher Proctor – Nov 9, ‘07

We all want to build a community like this, and Saddleback Leather has mastered the use of stories to build an indisputable advantage over all other leather bag makers out there.

Make it about the community and the experience… not all about the products and services.

Spend some time on their site and see for yourself – story telling IS the way to differentiate yourself in the market today!

To your story selling success,

Troy

PS: If you want to start cranking up your ability to sell with stories, make sure you get the free reports at Your Story Selling Coach