Well, fellow warriors, sometimes marketing your book can feel like you’re charging boldly into battle—only to realize you’ve left your armour behind. Recently, I launched my newest book cover (An Unregistered Male) with enthusiasm, excitement, and apparently a complete misreading of my audience.
My cover featured a striking (okay, let’s be honest—half-naked) man, drenched in bold gold tones. At first glance, I thought, “Powerful. Masculine. Eye-catching!” What could go wrong?
Apparently, a lot.
My readership currently stands around 70% women and 30% men, and you’d think this bold move might appeal strongly to at least one group. Nope. Turns out, my golden, shirtless warrior didn’t exactly resonate with either side. Men felt alienated by the flashy gold tones and overly exposed chest—while women, to my surprise, found it too over-the-top and off-putting.
Talk about missing the target… completely.
And here’s the kicker: it’s okay. (Laughs sheepishly.) Part of the marketing journey is about being humble enough to realize when something isn’t working. It’s about embracing the wisdom in testing, checking, and retesting your assumptions—and yes, even laughing when you get it completely wrong.
So, here’s what I learned from this bold misstep:
1. Test Your Vision:
Even your most confident assumptions need to be checked. Turns out, not everyone sees a golden, shirtless cover model the way I did. Who knew?
2. Check Your Ego at the Door (Seriously):
It takes courage and humility to admit you missed the mark. Let the data speak louder than pride. My readers weren’t clicking “buy,” and I had to listen.
3. Retest and Redesign:
So, I’m getting ready to retest—this time, with a more masculine-friendly design that won’t scare off my male readers or send my female readers running for the hills. Maybe something a little less gold, and perhaps with a shirt firmly in place.
Ultimately, the message here is simple yet powerful:
Marketing is a dance of learning, adapting, and evolving. Mistakes aren’t failures—they’re valuable feedback, opportunities to align even more authentically with your audience.
So keep your heart open, your laughter close, and your shirt on—at least until you’re sure your audience is ready for it.
Stay strong, spiritual warriors. The journey is worth every facepalm along the way.
