Content - Great Internet Marketing Starts With The Written Word
Content - Great Internet Marketing Starts With The Written Word - and here is another example. This is for a leather briefcase. The writer really transforms his eBay ad from a piece of leather with a handle into a cherished and prized work of art.
Great content weaves a story and brings emotion to the forefront of the buying equation.
And yes, I did buy one his leather bags!
Following is a series of questions. Answer each honestly and remember, your first response is usually the most accurate.
· Will your heirs fight over your present bag when you're dead … contest your will?
· Would you ask to be buried with you're present bag?
· If someone tried to steal your present bag … and it was empty … would you fight for it “tooth and nail”?
· Ever been stopped by five strangers in the same day asking where you got your bag?
· Have you ever strategically placed your bag so people could admire it?
· Do you talk to your bag in secret?
If you answered no to any one of these questions then you and I both know that you need a Saddleback bag.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that you are going to love your bag. Do people who buy other bags return to buy more of the same bag to give away to friends and family? Is that normal? Happens all the time. We have dozens and dozens of repeat customers. This is the strongest, most durable and best looking bag I've ever even heard of. I can't imagine how it could be better. It is a great great bag that I, the owner, personally use daily. I bet the other owners of bag companies can't say that; they're still looking for their dream bag… mine.
The Bag
In college, I bought a pair of expensive shoes for my job as a waiter. I couldn't afford them, but I bought them anyhow. They were really light and comfortable and took me through two years of waiting tables and one year as a limo driver. Then, they still looked good for a month of Sundays. Most of the other waiters bought a new pair of $45 heavy and uncomfortable shoes every 6 months because theirs wore out and looked ratty by then. One of the principles the successful in the world understand is this: If one buys quality from the start they save money. Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish. This will be one of the most savvy investments and inexpensive bags you'll ever have.
The Design
Construction - Saddleback Leather bags are built to last longer than you will.
There are no zippers, snaps or buttons. Those things always break or tear out with use no matter what the quality of the leather.
There is no plastic on the bag. They are constructed with nickel plated metal buckles.
There are only 3 major seams (almost unheard of in leather bags). In Australia, I got a good sized crocodile to come up to the boat and attack my bag. We pulled and pulled and when he went for a bigger bite, we yanked it out. I was happy to get the bag back, but disappointed to find that he only scraped it up and hardly damaged it at all. (I wanted some souvenir bite marks, but only got scrapes). You can see the video on the Saddleback Leather website. The reason it didn't tear apart is because there are only three seams. Most bag makers sew their bags together like a quilt, with several smaller pieces of leather, so they can use almost every square inch of the cow's hide and save a lot of money on leather . Next time you're at the store, check out how many pieces of leather are sewn together to make a cheap bag ($300 and less). If that croc had bitten a bag with lots of seams, it would have been torn to pieces. Thread is weaker than leather.
Dimensions - The 14" wide bag is about 11" high and 9" deep. The 16" wide bag is about 12" high and 9" deep. The 18" bag is about 13" high and 9" deep. All three have 2 inner compartments. The first is 5" deep and the second is 4" deep. The 12" bag has only one 6" deep compartment.
Backpack - I've used my bag quite a bit as a backpack. Fully loaded on an especially long trip through Poland, Croatia etc. I used it everyday. The shoulder strap detaches from the sides and re-attaches to make it into a backpack. It also has two shoulder pads so as to be more comfortable. I'm 6'3" and 215 lbs. and it fits me just fine, but may not fit you. My brother-in-law, Tim, works for Cisco Systems and uses his daily as a backpack over just one shoulder.
Last year, I was on a small island off the coast of Panama and was making my way to a fabled surf spot called Wizard Beach, only accessible by foot. The boat dropped me off and I started up the trail (my little brother was already there waiting for me with the board), but little did I know that the 25 minute hike was all mud, slicker than snot. In order to concentrate on not slipping, I turned my bag into a backpack and only fell once. It is a real convenient feature. As it turned out, the waves were way too big for us (really, I didn't want to show up my little brother Jonathan), so we didn't surf.
Rings - The rings are placed for tying purposes and to act as buffers between the ground and the bag. On a hitchhiking/surfing trip through the jungles and along the beaches of far southern Mexico, I tied my hammock to one side of my bag, my thin serape blanket to the other and my flippers to the bottom.
Two Security Straps - Made of two solid pieces of leather, these are very important if you're traveling in places like the subway in New York City or in Guatemala City where the thieves have really quick hands. They'll steal your fillings if you yawn too long. Lots of people put their umbrellas and camera tripods under them. Did I mention that they conveniently double as belts for a size 36 waste (size 38 if you suck in)? I've also used them as a dog leash more than once.
False Bottom - I usually carry a copy of my passport and some extra cash in there. Chances are, someone is going to try to steal your bag, not just the contents, but at least they won't get the satisfaction of spending your money. They'll never find it. Free helpful hint: 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 get on your way.
Outer Pocket - Side outer pocket for harmonicas, a cell phone, compass, map or sunglasses. Kept my little camera in there in Costa Rica. Nice to keep that handy. Did I mention that I saw a monkey riding on a dog's back?
Pockets - There are two inner pockets designed for a GPS, phone, pens, palm pilot, and coins. Very sturdy ones I might add. By the way, they're just the right size for an extra laptop battery.
Key Strap/Clip - Handier than a pocket on a shirt. It's long enough to open the front door without taking the key off the clip. I also keep a mini LED flashlight clipped on mine.
Side Pen/Pocket Knife Holders - Situated to conveniently place pens and pocket knives. They're on the inside of each side of the outer compartment.
Shoulder Strap - Comfortable and adjustable solid pieces of leather with suede backing and real tough swiveling clips on the ends from Spain. The clips are normally used for horse tack. They detach quickly to make into a backpack and also to attach the bag to things. I connect the bag strap through my guitar case handle and attach it to the bed of my truck so no one will snatch it out when I'm stopped at a light.
The Materials
If you've recently bought (3 years ago or less) a leather bag or sofa or jacket and it's gone from Ferrari to sorry in record time, then you need to read every word of this next section. If the leather you buy lasts you for years and years and is as nice or better looking than the day you bought it, skip to the next section, you don't need to read this.
Leather Quality - Saddleback Leather bags are made of 4 - 5 ounce Full Grain leather and tanned with various oils to keep them from being destroyed early by dryness and moisture. There are four grades of leather.
Full Grain Leather is the best leather money can buy and the only leather good enough for Saddleback Leather products. It comes from the top layer of the hide which is the toughest part. From the middle layer of the leather to the top, the fibers are mostly woven together vertically making it very strong. The natural surface of full grain leather burnishes and beautifies with use. Some companies sort of spray paint their inferior leather to try to make it look like full grain leather, but it just ends up looking like someone spray painted some cheap leather. From what I've seen, maybe 2% of all bags are made of Full Grain, and those rarely sell under $400. This leather is expensive for me to buy and requires very expensive machines to work. Full Grain leather shows the life of the cow by the scars it carries. If it's been bitten by coyotes or branded, kicked or gored or has been torn by barbed wire or mesquite thorns, those scars will be there. I use only American hides and so you won't see much of that on your bag (I've asked the cutter of the leather to put the real cool scars on the inside pieces).
Top Grain Leather is the second highest grade of leather. The leather is split from the top layer of blemished hide then sanded and refinished. This is how they get rid of scars and scrapes and light cow brands. Top grain leather does not easily burnish and beautify with use and therefore it's spraypainted to look like my bags. It's strong and durable, but not good enough for Saddleback to use since a large part of the strongest fibers are now gone leaving mainly the horizontal (easily pulled apart) fibers of the leather. By the way, did you know that the leather shavings are used in cheap dog food?
Genuine Leather is the third grade of leather and is produced from the layers of hide that remain after the top is split off for the better grades. The surface is usually refinished (spray painted) to resemble a higher grade. It can be smooth or rough. Caution: This inferior quality of leather becomes evident with use.
Bonded Leather is leather's bottom. Leftover scraps are ground together with glue and resurfaced in a process similar to vinyl manufacture. Bonded leather is weak and degrades quickly with use. Most Bibles are covered with this. By the way, my soon to come book covers are cooler than Christmas.
Inner Lining - Pigskin is what I chose to line your bag, and with good reason:
· Pigskin has the highest tensile strength rating of all leathers, second only to Kangaroo. No wonder they used to make footballs out of it.
· It is very smooth and easy to wipe out.
· It is very lightweight.
Thread - Heavy-duty high quality synthetic thread (double zero). Be careful not to buy a bag sewn with cheap cotton thread. It wears quickly and your bag will fall apart. This is one of the differences between a $200 and a $700 bag. Free helpful hint: Here's how to test thread or material. Light the end of it or its fuzz with a match. If it turns to ash, it's cotton. If it smells like hair, it's silk or wool. If it balls up, it's the good synthetic stuff that doesn't rot with humidity and sweat.
Heavy-Duty Rivets - It's almost like killing a fly with a shotgun, but my bags have heavy-duty reinforced riveted corners. The bottom corners are usually the first places for the thread to wear away after years and years of use. Even rocks wear away. So each corner has a well-placed rivet to make it an ever-stout and sturdy bag.
Stiff Upper Rigidity - Hidden between the leather and suede beneath the handle is a durable strip of metal to keep the bag from flexing and losing its form when you lift it by the handle.
Stitching - Because Saddleback Leather bags are each individually made by human hands, the stitching is sometimes a little bit crooked. Only those laser guided computerized machines across the Pacific Ocean make perfect lines.
How to Convince your Honey
So you want it, but… now comes the hard part; to convince your honey. Throw some of these phrases out and see what happens.
Her to Him
I feel FRISKY every time I even think about this bag.
I would just feel so SEXY with this bag.
I think this bag would really make me LOOK THINNER.
I don't think I'd ever want to go shopping for another bag after having one like this.
Him to Her
Even looking at this bag makes me want to just HOLD you.
I don't know why, but just the thought of this bag makes me want to TALK with you for hours on end.
Think of all of the extra TIME we'd spend TOGETHER on our long walks holding hands and showing off the bag.
Maybe owning my dream bag would help me OPEN UP to you and SHARE the hopes and dreams I have for us.
Me to Both of You
If you don't buy this bag, then next year, when you're scouring the internet looking for your next soon-to-be garage sale bag, your mind will drift back to my words. You'll slowly shake your head and say, "Man, was that guy right or what". And then you'll press your lips together, squint and give a few small nods. I tell you what, buy it now or kick yourself later.
I've made this bag for you to break in. It'll take a few months until it really starts to look cool. You'll have to use it a lot. In fact, the more you use it, the better it looks (and it already looks great). It'll eventually soften up and form to the places on your body it touches regularly. The edges will round some and it'll start looking even more chic and classic than it already does.
The Sales Tax
Texas buyers please note that those awful mean evil bureaucrats in your state charge you 8.125% sales tax when you buy one of these bags just because Saddleback Leather Co. is based in Texas. I really don't think it's fair. Actually, it's not all that bad since these bags have gone for up to $700 each at times. You're getting quite a deal even with tax.
We at Saddleback Leather Co. are so confident of what you're about to buy, that our products are fully guaranteed against defects in materials and workmanship for 100 years. If you or one of your lucky descendants should have a problem, send it back and we'll repair or replace it for free (be sure to put this guarantee in your will). We'll even pay for normal ground shipping if you're returning it because of a defect .
Saddleback Leather products are made to last a lifetime or two, but they're not bear or bullet or semi truck proof. The guarantee covers normal wear and tear and does not cover misuse or abuse.
By the way, that is a picture of my dog, Blue, jumping into lake Michoacan down in Mexico. Back in my single days when it was just Blue and me and we were just getting Saddleback started, I traded one of Blue's pups he sired for a month's worth of tacos and he and I ate well. He was a great dog.
Great content weaves a story and brings emotion to the forefront of the buying equation.
And yes, I did buy one his leather bags!
Following is a series of questions. Answer each honestly and remember, your first response is usually the most accurate.
· Will your heirs fight over your present bag when you're dead … contest your will?
· Would you ask to be buried with you're present bag?
· If someone tried to steal your present bag … and it was empty … would you fight for it “tooth and nail”?
· Ever been stopped by five strangers in the same day asking where you got your bag?
· Have you ever strategically placed your bag so people could admire it?
· Do you talk to your bag in secret?
If you answered no to any one of these questions then you and I both know that you need a Saddleback bag.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that you are going to love your bag. Do people who buy other bags return to buy more of the same bag to give away to friends and family? Is that normal? Happens all the time. We have dozens and dozens of repeat customers. This is the strongest, most durable and best looking bag I've ever even heard of. I can't imagine how it could be better. It is a great great bag that I, the owner, personally use daily. I bet the other owners of bag companies can't say that; they're still looking for their dream bag… mine.
The Bag
In college, I bought a pair of expensive shoes for my job as a waiter. I couldn't afford them, but I bought them anyhow. They were really light and comfortable and took me through two years of waiting tables and one year as a limo driver. Then, they still looked good for a month of Sundays. Most of the other waiters bought a new pair of $45 heavy and uncomfortable shoes every 6 months because theirs wore out and looked ratty by then. One of the principles the successful in the world understand is this: If one buys quality from the start they save money. Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish. This will be one of the most savvy investments and inexpensive bags you'll ever have.
The Design
Construction - Saddleback Leather bags are built to last longer than you will.
There are no zippers, snaps or buttons. Those things always break or tear out with use no matter what the quality of the leather.
There is no plastic on the bag. They are constructed with nickel plated metal buckles.
There are only 3 major seams (almost unheard of in leather bags). In Australia, I got a good sized crocodile to come up to the boat and attack my bag. We pulled and pulled and when he went for a bigger bite, we yanked it out. I was happy to get the bag back, but disappointed to find that he only scraped it up and hardly damaged it at all. (I wanted some souvenir bite marks, but only got scrapes). You can see the video on the Saddleback Leather website. The reason it didn't tear apart is because there are only three seams. Most bag makers sew their bags together like a quilt, with several smaller pieces of leather, so they can use almost every square inch of the cow's hide and save a lot of money on leather . Next time you're at the store, check out how many pieces of leather are sewn together to make a cheap bag ($300 and less). If that croc had bitten a bag with lots of seams, it would have been torn to pieces. Thread is weaker than leather.
Dimensions - The 14" wide bag is about 11" high and 9" deep. The 16" wide bag is about 12" high and 9" deep. The 18" bag is about 13" high and 9" deep. All three have 2 inner compartments. The first is 5" deep and the second is 4" deep. The 12" bag has only one 6" deep compartment.
Backpack - I've used my bag quite a bit as a backpack. Fully loaded on an especially long trip through Poland, Croatia etc. I used it everyday. The shoulder strap detaches from the sides and re-attaches to make it into a backpack. It also has two shoulder pads so as to be more comfortable. I'm 6'3" and 215 lbs. and it fits me just fine, but may not fit you. My brother-in-law, Tim, works for Cisco Systems and uses his daily as a backpack over just one shoulder.
Last year, I was on a small island off the coast of Panama and was making my way to a fabled surf spot called Wizard Beach, only accessible by foot. The boat dropped me off and I started up the trail (my little brother was already there waiting for me with the board), but little did I know that the 25 minute hike was all mud, slicker than snot. In order to concentrate on not slipping, I turned my bag into a backpack and only fell once. It is a real convenient feature. As it turned out, the waves were way too big for us (really, I didn't want to show up my little brother Jonathan), so we didn't surf.
Rings - The rings are placed for tying purposes and to act as buffers between the ground and the bag. On a hitchhiking/surfing trip through the jungles and along the beaches of far southern Mexico, I tied my hammock to one side of my bag, my thin serape blanket to the other and my flippers to the bottom.
Two Security Straps - Made of two solid pieces of leather, these are very important if you're traveling in places like the subway in New York City or in Guatemala City where the thieves have really quick hands. They'll steal your fillings if you yawn too long. Lots of people put their umbrellas and camera tripods under them. Did I mention that they conveniently double as belts for a size 36 waste (size 38 if you suck in)? I've also used them as a dog leash more than once.
False Bottom - I usually carry a copy of my passport and some extra cash in there. Chances are, someone is going to try to steal your bag, not just the contents, but at least they won't get the satisfaction of spending your money. They'll never find it. Free helpful hint: 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 get on your way.
Outer Pocket - Side outer pocket for harmonicas, a cell phone, compass, map or sunglasses. Kept my little camera in there in Costa Rica. Nice to keep that handy. Did I mention that I saw a monkey riding on a dog's back?
Pockets - There are two inner pockets designed for a GPS, phone, pens, palm pilot, and coins. Very sturdy ones I might add. By the way, they're just the right size for an extra laptop battery.
Key Strap/Clip - Handier than a pocket on a shirt. It's long enough to open the front door without taking the key off the clip. I also keep a mini LED flashlight clipped on mine.
Side Pen/Pocket Knife Holders - Situated to conveniently place pens and pocket knives. They're on the inside of each side of the outer compartment.
Shoulder Strap - Comfortable and adjustable solid pieces of leather with suede backing and real tough swiveling clips on the ends from Spain. The clips are normally used for horse tack. They detach quickly to make into a backpack and also to attach the bag to things. I connect the bag strap through my guitar case handle and attach it to the bed of my truck so no one will snatch it out when I'm stopped at a light.
The Materials
If you've recently bought (3 years ago or less) a leather bag or sofa or jacket and it's gone from Ferrari to sorry in record time, then you need to read every word of this next section. If the leather you buy lasts you for years and years and is as nice or better looking than the day you bought it, skip to the next section, you don't need to read this.
Leather Quality - Saddleback Leather bags are made of 4 - 5 ounce Full Grain leather and tanned with various oils to keep them from being destroyed early by dryness and moisture. There are four grades of leather.
Full Grain Leather is the best leather money can buy and the only leather good enough for Saddleback Leather products. It comes from the top layer of the hide which is the toughest part. From the middle layer of the leather to the top, the fibers are mostly woven together vertically making it very strong. The natural surface of full grain leather burnishes and beautifies with use. Some companies sort of spray paint their inferior leather to try to make it look like full grain leather, but it just ends up looking like someone spray painted some cheap leather. From what I've seen, maybe 2% of all bags are made of Full Grain, and those rarely sell under $400. This leather is expensive for me to buy and requires very expensive machines to work. Full Grain leather shows the life of the cow by the scars it carries. If it's been bitten by coyotes or branded, kicked or gored or has been torn by barbed wire or mesquite thorns, those scars will be there. I use only American hides and so you won't see much of that on your bag (I've asked the cutter of the leather to put the real cool scars on the inside pieces).
Top Grain Leather is the second highest grade of leather. The leather is split from the top layer of blemished hide then sanded and refinished. This is how they get rid of scars and scrapes and light cow brands. Top grain leather does not easily burnish and beautify with use and therefore it's spraypainted to look like my bags. It's strong and durable, but not good enough for Saddleback to use since a large part of the strongest fibers are now gone leaving mainly the horizontal (easily pulled apart) fibers of the leather. By the way, did you know that the leather shavings are used in cheap dog food?
Genuine Leather is the third grade of leather and is produced from the layers of hide that remain after the top is split off for the better grades. The surface is usually refinished (spray painted) to resemble a higher grade. It can be smooth or rough. Caution: This inferior quality of leather becomes evident with use.
Bonded Leather is leather's bottom. Leftover scraps are ground together with glue and resurfaced in a process similar to vinyl manufacture. Bonded leather is weak and degrades quickly with use. Most Bibles are covered with this. By the way, my soon to come book covers are cooler than Christmas.
Inner Lining - Pigskin is what I chose to line your bag, and with good reason:
· Pigskin has the highest tensile strength rating of all leathers, second only to Kangaroo. No wonder they used to make footballs out of it.
· It is very smooth and easy to wipe out.
· It is very lightweight.
Thread - Heavy-duty high quality synthetic thread (double zero). Be careful not to buy a bag sewn with cheap cotton thread. It wears quickly and your bag will fall apart. This is one of the differences between a $200 and a $700 bag. Free helpful hint: Here's how to test thread or material. Light the end of it or its fuzz with a match. If it turns to ash, it's cotton. If it smells like hair, it's silk or wool. If it balls up, it's the good synthetic stuff that doesn't rot with humidity and sweat.
Heavy-Duty Rivets - It's almost like killing a fly with a shotgun, but my bags have heavy-duty reinforced riveted corners. The bottom corners are usually the first places for the thread to wear away after years and years of use. Even rocks wear away. So each corner has a well-placed rivet to make it an ever-stout and sturdy bag.
Stiff Upper Rigidity - Hidden between the leather and suede beneath the handle is a durable strip of metal to keep the bag from flexing and losing its form when you lift it by the handle.
Stitching - Because Saddleback Leather bags are each individually made by human hands, the stitching is sometimes a little bit crooked. Only those laser guided computerized machines across the Pacific Ocean make perfect lines.
How to Convince your Honey
So you want it, but… now comes the hard part; to convince your honey. Throw some of these phrases out and see what happens.
Her to Him
I feel FRISKY every time I even think about this bag.
I would just feel so SEXY with this bag.
I think this bag would really make me LOOK THINNER.
I don't think I'd ever want to go shopping for another bag after having one like this.
Him to Her
Even looking at this bag makes me want to just HOLD you.
I don't know why, but just the thought of this bag makes me want to TALK with you for hours on end.
Think of all of the extra TIME we'd spend TOGETHER on our long walks holding hands and showing off the bag.
Maybe owning my dream bag would help me OPEN UP to you and SHARE the hopes and dreams I have for us.
Me to Both of You
If you don't buy this bag, then next year, when you're scouring the internet looking for your next soon-to-be garage sale bag, your mind will drift back to my words. You'll slowly shake your head and say, "Man, was that guy right or what". And then you'll press your lips together, squint and give a few small nods. I tell you what, buy it now or kick yourself later.
I've made this bag for you to break in. It'll take a few months until it really starts to look cool. You'll have to use it a lot. In fact, the more you use it, the better it looks (and it already looks great). It'll eventually soften up and form to the places on your body it touches regularly. The edges will round some and it'll start looking even more chic and classic than it already does.
The Sales Tax
Texas buyers please note that those awful mean evil bureaucrats in your state charge you 8.125% sales tax when you buy one of these bags just because Saddleback Leather Co. is based in Texas. I really don't think it's fair. Actually, it's not all that bad since these bags have gone for up to $700 each at times. You're getting quite a deal even with tax.
We at Saddleback Leather Co. are so confident of what you're about to buy, that our products are fully guaranteed against defects in materials and workmanship for 100 years. If you or one of your lucky descendants should have a problem, send it back and we'll repair or replace it for free (be sure to put this guarantee in your will). We'll even pay for normal ground shipping if you're returning it because of a defect .
Saddleback Leather products are made to last a lifetime or two, but they're not bear or bullet or semi truck proof. The guarantee covers normal wear and tear and does not cover misuse or abuse.
By the way, that is a picture of my dog, Blue, jumping into lake Michoacan down in Mexico. Back in my single days when it was just Blue and me and we were just getting Saddleback started, I traded one of Blue's pups he sired for a month's worth of tacos and he and I ate well. He was a great dog.
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