Jason Fried over at Basecamp shared his favorite example of a website with a great FAQ today—Saddleback Leather. It also happens to be a site I wrote about back in 2011 as an example of great writing.
What I like best about the FAQ and really the entire site is that it’s written by a real person who sounds like a human. In fact, it sounds that way because it’s true. Dave, the company’s founder, writes the entire site. And Dave doesn’t do corporate speak.
For example, one of the FAQ’s is, “How do I return something I bought?” Does his answer leave any doubt that Dave will take care of you if you’re unhappy?
A lot of companies are sneaky about their warranty or return policy. They sound great, but once you go to actually deal with customer service, it’s a real pain and you find the company you were excited about is now treating you like a bad ex. The thing is, buying online is tough, especially when you can’t hold or touch a bag before you buy it. We want to make it as simple as possible for you so you’ll never have to worry.
Here are my promises: If you ever have a problem with one of our pieces because of a defect in the materials or in our craftsmanship, then send it back. Not only will we pay shipping both ways, but if we can’t fix it, we’ll replace it or give you credit. (That warranty goes for 100 years from the time it was first bought, no matter if you’re the original owner or not. May you never need it.) Promises are important, and what we say about our bags is too. We’ll stand by them.
And if you aren’t satisfied with your leather for any reason at all, you can send it back within 30 days (or if bought as a Christmas present, it must be returned before the following January 31st) from when you get it and we’ll give you a refund or store credit (In this case, the shipping is on your dime). You can get in touch with Customer Service via our contact page, phone, or live chat and we’ll tell you how to return it. We’ll take care of you.
Not everyone is going to like Dave’s writing, style, or even his products. But he’s not trying to please everybody. Writing to please everybody just makes you bland and generic. Dave is writing for people who are most likely to appreciate what he does and what he sells. He’ll draw in the right people and repel the wrong people. It’s so refreshing.
You don’t have to run a small business to learn from this example. Whether you’re writing a newsletter, website copy, an email, holiday card, or a college essay, don’t write just to get the words out. Communicate. Sound like yourself, and write it like you would say it.