Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads

by Roy H. Williams

Awards: Wall Street Journal #1 Bestseller
1999 Business Book of the Year

In 100 chapters full of wit, wisdom and uncommon good sense, Secret Formulas conjures up more of the Wizard’s provocative observations on advertising, business, and life that won The Wizard of Ads 1998 Business Book of the Year Award—only this time, the book has nuts, bolt, and even more bite!

The Wizard’s secret formulas will show you:

• How to find a champion to sell your ideas
• Why targeting your market can be a big mistake
• How to get customers to remember you
• Why bankers think backwards
• How to write miraculous ads
• Why the brain contains 100,000 new worlds
• Why being ‘out of style’ can be profitable
• How to hire wisely and fire compassionately
• How success can send you to the poor house
• How to remember what’s really important in life

Genres: Business, Communication, Psychology, Nonfiction

ebook

First published July 1, 1999

Reviews

[Billy Simons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Half helpful insight to advertising and business. Half interesting stories that aren't essential to a successful business.

[Beka Adamashvili · Rating 3 out of 5]

წიგნი ჯერ კიდევ იმ დროს არის გამოცემული, როცა სარეკლამო სფეროს ბოლო მიღწევა ტელევიზია და იმეილები იყო. მიუხედავად ამისა, მაინც შეიძლება დღევანდელობისთვის შესაბამისი დაკვირვებებისა თუ ფორმულების ამოკრეფა, რადგან ტექნოლოგიები შეიძლება სწრაფად იცვლებოდეს, მაგრამ ადამიანების ბუნების ცვლილება არც ასეთი მარტივია.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odd, interesting book. It's nothing like what I expected but still delivered a few gems. The quirkiness of it is part of its appeal, and part of its message. Daring to be true to who you are -- a secret weapon used not nearly often enough.

[David H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful reading. Joyful. thought provoking.

Roy has a gift for words and is masterful in capturing and telling stories. It’s like chicken soup for the soul.

[Harry Roger Williams III · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled across this fascinating book at the Pearle L. Crawford Memorial Library in Dudley, Massachusetts. I was Library Director there 25 years ago when it was in a much smaller building. The cover art and graphics caught my eye and a quick scan of a few pages enticed me to bring it home. I returned it to the library today after getting my own copy so I can read it at my leisure. It is one of those books that is easy to read, with a captivating style, yet so densely packed with concepts that I prefer to take it in small doses to be savored and (hopefully) remembered. Here is a wonderful quote from page 44, Chapter 18, Living with Tarzan in the Jungle, "Though our 100 million sensory receptors enable us to see, hear, feel, taste, and smell the real world, our 10,000 billion brain synapses allow us to relate new data to stored memories and ideas - to experience things that never happened... We are much better equipped for experiences that are contained fully in the mind. We have lived with Tarzan in the jungle, journeyed beneath the sea with Captain Nemo, been stranded on an island with Robinson Crusoe, and sailed with a peg-legged man named Ahab as he pursued a great white whale."

[K.L. Lantz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a fellow writer and someone in my homeschool community. I was pleasantly surprised by the content! Through a mixture of unlikely or little known biographical anecdotes about famous leaders of industry and state, stories from the advertising industry, and fascinating facts about the brain, Roy H. Williams kept me flipping the pages and soaking up his playful wisdom. He's a man after my own heart. Loved this, and highly recommend it to others.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-reading this summer, as I found it on the fireplace mantle while dusting. Fabulous foundational material for persuasive writing/speaking. Also helps me remember my "past life" in mktg....

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've really liked this book... lots of great ideas, examples and life lessons