John Wanamaker Quotes

“People who cannot find time for recreation are obliged sooner or later to find time for illness.”

— John Wanamaker

“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don't know which half.”

— John Wanamaker

Courtesies cannot be borrowed like snow shovels; you must have some of your own.

— John Wanamaker

“It's easy to work for somebody else; all you have to do is show up.”

— John Wanamaker

“Courtesy is the one coin you can never have too much of or be stingy with.”

— John Wanamaker

“When a customer enters my store, forget me. He is king.”

— John Wanamaker

I know half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, but I can never find out which half.

— John Wanamaker

“Keep up the old standards, and day by day raise them higher.”

— John Wanamaker

“Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the customer, who believes she has been misled.”

— John Wanamaker

It is very vulgar to talk about one's business. Only people like stockbrokers do that, and then merely at dinner parties.

— John Wanamaker

“Nothing comes merely by thinking about it.”

— John Wanamaker

“Gratitude takes three forms: a feeling in the heart, an expression in words, and a giving in return.”

— John Wanamaker

“I cannot too greatly emphasize the importance and value of Bible study - more important than ever before in these days of uncertainties, when men and woman are apt to decide questions from the standpoint of expediency rather than the eternal principles laid down by God, Himself.”

— John Wanamaker

“No mistake or failure is as bad as to stop and not try again.”

— John Wanamaker

“I know that half of my advertising dollars are wasted ... I just don't know which half.”

— John Wanamaker

“Many persons have an idea that one cannot be in business and lead an upright life, whereas the truth is that no one succeeds in business to any great extent, who misleads or misrepresents.”

— John Wanamaker

“Let those who follow me continue to build with the plumb of honor, the level of truth, and the square of integrity, education, courtesy and mutuality.”

— John Wanamaker

“You can never ride on the wave that came in and went out yesterday.”

— John Wanamaker

“Confidence! Confidence! Confidence! That is your capital.”

— John Wanamaker

“A man's not doing much until the cause he works for possesses all there is of him. Desire, when harnessed, is power.”

— John Wanamaker

“If we could only make our hands move as actively as our tongues, what wonders we could accomplish! Almost everyone loves to hear his own voice. It is so easy, too! Yet if we could say less and do more for each other's good, not alone would every home be happier, but communities would be enriched thereby. Instead of criticism by speech, to show someone a better way to do a thing would be of much greater value.”

— John Wanamaker

“In writing advertising it must always be kept in mind that the customer often knows more about the goods than the advertising writers because they have had experience in buying them ...”

— John Wanamaker