billy mays

Born William D. Mays

July 20, 1958 (1958-07-20) (age 50)

McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, U.S. Other names Billy Mays Occupation Commercial & infomercial salesman Home town McKees Rocks, PA Known for OxiClean,

Orange Glo,

Kaboom,

Engrave It,

Handy Switch,

iCan,

Mighty Mend-It

Mighty Putty,

Hercules Hook,

AwesomeAuger,

Steam Buddy,

Zorbeez,

Big City Slider Station,

The Ding King,

ESPN 360,

Energize Spouse(s) Candace

William "Billy" D. Mays (born July 20, 1958) is a television commercial and infomercial salesperson most notable for promoting OxiClean, Orange Glo, and other cleaning, home-based, and maintenance products. His distinctive beard and loud sales pitches have made him a recognizable television presence.[1] Contents [hide] 1 Biography 1.1 Rise to prominence 2 Products advertised 3 References //

Biography

Mays was born in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Sto-Rox High School in 1977, he began his career as a salesman on the Atlantic City boardwalk, selling the "Washmatik" portable washing device to passersby. Working alongside other pitchmen, he developed his trademark style of salesmanship.[2]

Mays later traveled to home shows, auto shows, and state fairs across the United States for a period of twelve years, selling various maintenance products and tools, including cleaning products and food choppers.[2]

Rise to prominence

At a Pittsburgh home show in 1993, Mays struck up a friendship with rival salesman Max Appel, founder of Orange Glo International, a Denver-based manufacturer of cleaning products. He was then hired by the company to promote their line of cleaners, OxiClean, Orange Clean, Orange Glo, and Kaboom on the Home Shopping Network in St. Petersburg, Florida.[3]

Customer response to Mays' sales pitches were enthusiastic, with a sharp increase in sales after his first day on the network, although some reviews were poor. He is very well known for shouting in an abrasive manner during infomercials. For example, Washington Post staff writer Frank Ahrens called him "a full-volume pitchman, amped up like a candidate for a tranquilizer-gun takedown".[4]

Following the success of the Home Shopping Network campaign, a line of successful television commercials and infomercials for the products was produced, featuring Mays demonstrating the effectiveness of the products to viewers hands-on. He typically begins such commercials with: "Hi! Billy Mays here for [advertised product]." Their success led to OrangeGlo International being named among the top ten privately growing companies from 1999 to 2001 by Inc. magazine, and its eventual buyout by Church and Dwight. Appel credited Mays' brilliant salesmanship for much of the company's success.[citation needed]

Mays is the CEO and founder of Mays