We’ll miss you Billy Mays. No, seriously, we will.

I’ve never removed a stain with OxiClean. Never stirred paint with an Awesome Auger. And never sealed a leak with Mighty Putty. But I’ve thought about it. How couldn’t I?

When Billy Mays talked, people listened. Well, it was more like shouting than talking. But he had a way of grabbing your attention and never letting go. And I don’t think it was because he was so loud and boisterous. I think it was because you could really tell he believed in what he was selling.

It’s been said that he would actually give people the products he sold when they came to his home. Not just because he was trying to make a buck. But because he truly cared about and believed in the brands he represented. And that’s a lesson for all of us in this industry. When we’re truly passionate about what we’re selling, it will show. People will listen. And then they’ll buy.

All in all, Billy was the antithesis of today’s advertising rules. We’re supposed to have a conversation with customers, not talk at them. We’re supposed to let people get to know our brands on their own terms, not throw products in their faces. But that’s the beauty of this industry. Rules are supposed to be broken. So I’m going to break one and declare that I’ll miss Billy Mays.