Wendy wins more by than a hair


Wendy of the not-so-coincidentally-named Wendy’s Hair Studio is the grand prize winner in The Battle of Rufe Snow sales contest to sell the most copies of newly-released Dave Lieber’s Watchdog Nation book.

The book is not available in stores — for now the publisher wants to stay off Corporate America’s radar — and can be found at Watchdog Nation and Amazon.

So Wendy is the top seller of a book readers are calling a must-have for every family.

What’s her secret? “You have to talk about it,” she says. “Start off simple. Then you put it in their hands. And then you play off how they handle that. You pretty much go by their vibes.” [You can read the full transcript of Wendy the haircutter’s Q&A on her book-selling secrets elsewhere on WatchdogNation blog.

Wendy earned a percentage of profits from the book sales (much higher than any bookstore would pay, by the way!) and also the $100 grand prize. She received her check the other day when she cut Watchdog Nation Leader Dave Lieber’s hair.

Coming in second in the sales contest is the staff at Rufe Snow Dental, which wins a $50 cash prize.

Also in the competition and gotta love ‘em for trying were Rufe Snow Depot Self-Storage, which also has a postal substation and the renowned Chef Point Café, the famed five-star restaurant in a gas station in beautiful downtown Watauga.

All is not lost though for competitive Chef Franson Nwaeze. When we delivered the news, he told us he had even better news. TV show host Guy Fieri from the show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network spent a day at his place. The show is scheduled to be broadcast on April 6. Way to go, Chef!

And by the way, the book remains available at these locations, as of now the only retail locations in America.

Wendy’s Hair Studio at 6651 Hightower Drive, Watauga, TX.

Rufe Snow Dental at 5757 Rufe Snow Drive, North Richland Hills, TX.

Rufe Snow Depot Self-Storage at 6707 Rufe Snow Drive, Watauga, TX.

And Chef Point Café at 5901 Watauga Road, Watauga, TX.

 


Nationally-Known Book Promoter Hails Battle of Rufe Snow as “Pure Genius”

Noted book promoter Carolyn Howard-Johnson, who authors the Sharing with Writers e-newsletter, has brought national attention to the Battle of Rufe Snow.

In her Dec. 11 newsletter, she quotes a letter sent to her by Dave Lieber, Leader of The Watchdog Nation, and then comments:

“Carolyn: You spend a lot of time telling writers how to promote their books. I have a new book, and I have launched the quietest book opening in U.S. publishing history.”

“By design.”

Carolyn Howard-Johnson

“Everybody wants attention.”

“Not me.”

“You can’t buy my book on Amazon or in a bookstore. Not yet.”

“But you can buy it at my dentist’s office, my self – storage center, my restaurant in a gas station and, of course, my hair stylist.”

P.S. You last wrote about me after the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop three years ago when you saw me carrying my oversized book cover around the airport, remember?

And Carolyn then comments:

“Editor’s Note: Ha! Dave, you don”t fool me. You’re promoting the heck out of your book and the methods you’re using happen to be listed in The Frugal Book Promoter. But the twist you’ve put on it is pure genius.”

“P.S. Dave gave me permission to use his letter to me when I promised to do it without promoting him. And, yes, I remember him well. Who wouldn”t remember a guy wandering around an airport with a huge – and I mean huge – book under his arm, telling people that it made great reading for travelers?”

Wendy’s Hair Studio Takes Early Lead

Watchdog Nation is ready to release the mid-December standings for The Battle of Rufe Snow.

Wendy’s Hair Studiois in the lead with 15 books.

In second place, so far, is Rufe Snow Dental, which has sold 5 books.

Trailing are Chef Point Café and Rufe Snow Depot Self-Storage. Their sales are so slow, though, that Watchdog Nation hesitates to embarrass them by posting their numbers.

Let’s just say that Rufe Snow Depot has sold just as many books as there are members of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Dakota.

And let’s just say that Chef Point Café has sold as many books as the number of U.S. congressmen representing northern Canada.

Watchdog Nation isn’t sure what the problem is.

Watchdog Nation has sold 537 books in the first seven weeks of this venture. Obviously, there is a burning need to read Dave Lieber’s Watchdog Nation: Bite Back When Businesses and Scammers Do You Wrong.

So obviously, these exclusive retail outlets need a little help. OK, Wendy of Wendy’s Hair Studio – she’s doing fine. Just keep on cutting and dying hair and selling those books, Wendy.

But the others?

Here are some suggested sales pitches for them to use:

Rufe Snow Dental: “You have a choice. We can do this the old-fashioned way, or I can give you some anesthesia if you promise to buy Dave Lieber’s new book when we’re done.”

Rufe Snow Depot: “Please sign this rental contract, and remember that if you don’t pay your monthly bill we will sell all your belongings at a public auction. Oh, and if you want to get back at us afterward, here’s a book with a lot of ideas.”

Chef Point Café: “Buy this book, and you might get a free 3-night, 4-day trip to Cancun. But then again, as this book will show you, you might not.”

The Battle of Rufe Snow… and Beyond

Movements start small, and if they’re any good, they grow.

Jesus spread his message from a little corner of the world. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. started in one church. Barack Obama’s movement began in, of all places, Iowa, a true field of dreams.

And so Dave Lieber’s Watchdog Nation starts now on a street with a funny name most people have never heard of – Rufe Snow Drive in North Texas.

Of course, you can’t compare this pro-consumer, anti-scammer movement to anything as grand as religious, civil rights or political battles. Yet it’s significant in its own humble way. People are getting scammed every day all the time.

Rufus Snow


Rufus Snow

What is Watchdog Nation? It’s an ever-growing group of Americans who defend ourselves against false promises, frauds and other deceptions.

Watchdog Nation is about helping Americans stand up and fight for our rights, or at least make a little noise, the kind that matters. Watchdog Nation shows you how to use your power when you fight your electric company, phone company, credit card company, door-to-door scammers or anyone else trying to pick your pocket.

This Web site and the accompanying new book – Dave Lieber’s Watchdog Nation: Bite Back When Businesses and Scammers Do You Wrong – show how you have enough tools at your fingertips to beat big and small companies and scammers at their own evil game.

As the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s investigative columnist, Dave Lieber has learned tips, tools and strategies that show how to become a part of Watchdog Nation. (There are no dues; your only requirement is a passionate mind and an attitude that you’re not gonna take it anymore.)

And Watchdog Nation begins on its own field of dreams, a busy street in North Texas, Rufe Snow Drive, in Fort Worth’s northern suburbs. The street is named after Rufus T. Snow, a 19th century Texas politician whose name always catches newcomers by surprise. Roof snow? In Texas?

The hardcover book – Dave Lieber’s Watchdog Nation: Bite Back When Businesses and Scammers Do You Wrong – has enjoyed the quietest book opening in publishing history. As part of its small-movement-grows-to-large-one humble origins, the book is only available for worldwide sale in the Yankee Cowboy Store and at four distinctive retail outlets.

Coincidentally, the four retailers are all located along Rufe Snow Drive.

Also noteworthy: none of them are bookstores.

Get the book in a bookstore? Naw. On Amazon? Not yet? Nope, only at and at these four non-book stores.

The four are engaged in a contest throughout December to see who can sell more books. First prize is $100, and second prize is $50. The teams are working hard for the extra holiday cash.

So forget the New York Times’ best-seller list. We are talkin’ the Battle of Rufe Snow here, originating home of the Watchdog Nation movement.

WHO ARE THE SALES CONTESTANTS?

Rufe Snow Self-Storage Depot at 6707 Rufe Snow Drive, Watauga, TX, also a U.S. Postal Service substation. Book at front counter. Sales captain is Mark Russell.

Wendy’s Hair Studio at Hightower Salons, 6651 Hightower Drive, Watauga, TX is selling books in between shampoos, cuts and (this is Texas!) lots of dye jobs. Wendy Marthers is sales captain.

Chef Point Café, the only 5-star quality restaurant in a gas station, offers the book by the register. If you’ve never been to the restaurant at the Conoco station at 5901 Watauga Road, Watauga, TX near Rufe Snow, you’ve never had filling station food so filling … and wonderful. Chef Franson Nwaeze and Paula Merrell are sales captains.

Rufe Snow Dental Group at 5757 Rufe Snow Drive is offering books to its patients at the check-out desk. Sales captain is Dr. Mike McLendon.

These are the kind folks who see the value in spreading the word of Watchdog Nation during this December 2008 contest, the soft opening for this book. The book shows you how to save money, win battles with stubborn customer service representatives, learn your rights and discover tips you won’t find anywhere.

If you’d like a copy (they make great holiday gifts), visit one of the four contestants. Cost is $20, and the books are autographed.

Contest updates and standings will get posted here, along with little tidbits about this movement’s most humble beginnings at the Battle of Rufe Snow.

Welcome to Watchdog Nation!

Early Vegas Line for The Battle of Rufe Snow

  • Wendy’s Hair Studio, 6-1 odds – She’s got ’em in a chair for a half hour, and they can’t go anywhere.
  • Rufe Snow Dental, 5-1 – Those women in the front office are charmers.
  • Chef Point Café, 8-1 – People aren’t used to buying a book at a gas station. Then again, they aren’t used to getting a top-flight meal either, so maybe…
  • Rufe Snow Depot & Self Storage, 4-1 – The joint has a post office! In December! Talk about foot traffic…