April 8, 2022
As you may know, I've got hundreds of hats.
Spied this old favorite the other day and decided I need a new straw with this wonderful hatband on it. I think this whole rig was created by Grant Optimo of Optimo Hats in Bisbee. Looks like something he would do. The saddle belonged to my great uncle John Guess, of Steins Pass fame. Here's a closer look.
Isn't that just the coolest. Meanwhile, on the women cover dilemma. To me, the Leather & Lace, Grit & Grace, Grace & Grit titles are too cute by half. On the other hand, Wild Women of the Wild West is too sexist and offputting for Jana and quite a few women ("They weren't all whores!!!!"). What to do? I am working on a new cover painting this weekend (Hint: Lotta is smiling a little more devilishly and looking right at us) and I plan on Dan The Man creating a second cover on Monday. I will post here and I intend to send these two covers to the Nifty Fifty. That is the fifty intelligent Facebook folks who sent me their mailing addresses to get one of the new Bozecards. I will be asking them the same question. I am looking for consensus, something I can, ahem, hang my hat on.
Here's a sneak peek at my first Lotta revision.
Daily Whip Out: "Lotta Lookin' Our Way"
My marketing whiz partner, Ken, says we are being stupid to NOT use the "Wild Women" title, but I agree with Jana that it's not going to grab the people (WOMEN!) we need. Jana says, "Your guys aren't going to buy this book. Their wives, mothers and girlfriends will." To which I have to say, if we're marketing to my guys (86% of our subscribers) and we have a women-centric title, how will the wives and mothers and girlfriends know about it? Perhaps looking over their husband's shoulder? Not totally convinced of that. Wish it were true. And you? What do you think?
"It's easy to see the seven mistakes of others, but you do not see your own ten mistakes."
—Old Vaquero Saying
I think you nailed it when you said, "my Marketing Genius" - I would stick with Ken's advice. My wife (neither the 1st or the 2nd) has never looked at a single issue of my True West and this wouldn't be the one that made her curious.
ReplyDeleteI tend to measure excitement as if I was a 10 year old kid, imagine running to the mailbox daily just waiting for the next issue of Superman and when it comes it has Lois Lane on the cover? Ten year old disappointment is hard on fans. At the same time, somehow I never felt as much disappointment when Batgirl replaced Batman- still not my favorite issues, but I at least read those.
Anyway, I have a gun show to get to. These are just the ramblings of a barely sane man, take my advice with caution (this is the same advice I gave my children, no wonder my daughter's a psychologist).