The Motto That Turned Failure Into Success.  "Tell 'em quick and tell 'em often," was his motto, but selling and marketing was his passion.

Born in 1862 in Pennsylvania, he was expulsed from school thirteen years later for throwing a pie at the school building.  Years earlier he ran away to New York City just to prove he could survive.  And survive he did by selling newspapers.

Later he would sell soap for his father's soap business.  It was while selling soap that he began offering an incentive to buyers.  He gave them a box of baking soda when they purchased soap.  This disrupted the entire market and soon he had to begin offering another incentive.

This new incentive worked so well he formed his own company and began selling the product in his own name.  In 1893 he had to compete with major players in his industry.  By 1910 he was outselling the entire market.

His name was William Wrigley Jr. and he was selling more than 10 Billion sticks of chewing gum a year by 1922.  He refused to fail when others were failing all around him.  Most business owners cut their advertising during the Great Depression. 

Not Wrigley!  Instead of doing less advertising he negotiated amazing deals for billboard ads and sent free sticks of his chewing gum to everyone listed in phone books across the United States.  More than 60,000 trains, buses, and subways showcased his ads nationwide.

His success formula was simple:  "Tell 'em quick and tell 'em often."  It worked for William Wrigley Jr. and it's still working for marketers today... online and offline!

Home | Links | Contact

© MMVI Michael Penland. All Rights Reserved.