Todd Liles and the Wizard of Ads

Todd Liles
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Marketing

Welcome to Todd Liles and The Wizard of Ads, a podcast for business owners who want to become remarkable. Todd Liles will take you deep into the mind of Roy H. Williams, the Wizard of Ads, to unleash the timeless truths and secret strategies that have helped him build dozens of America's most successful businesses. Do you want to build a brand that wins the heart, captures the mind, and creates lasting relationships? Take a deep breath and buckle up. It's time to fly.

  1. Jun 11

    The Ad Mistake Costing Contractors Millions (You're Probably Making It)

    "Family owned since 1987. Award-winning technicians. Call now for your free estimate." That ad has cost the trades more money than any recession ever did. Because the customer in a 94-degree house at midnight doesn't care about your award. She cares about one thing: the AC doesn't cool. In the finale of this 4-part series, Todd Liles, Roy H. Williams, and Charlie Moger break down the single most expensive mistake in contractor advertising, talking about yourself, and exactly what to say instead. Charlie introduces category entry points: the precise moment a customer goes from regular homeowner to "I need help right now." Roy reveals the only two ways to differentiate in any market: be the cheapest or be the easiest. And he tells the story of an auto body shop that quietly owned its entire market for 40 years by doing one thing nobody else had the guts to do. You'll learn: Why "family owned since 1987" is the most expensive ad you can run What a category entry point is and why it's the only language your customer hears Roy's two ways to differentiate: cheapest or easiest, there is no third option How one business owned its market for 40 years by removing all friction How to draft behind a belief your customer already has Show notes and resources: https://www.toddliles.com/wizard Listen and subscribe: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1j8pYaJ0HCm6cMXvxxJOi1  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/todd-liles-and-the-wizard-of-ads/id1803746748  All episodes: https://www.toddliles.com/wizard Part 4 of 4 with Charlie Moger. Hosted by Todd Liles and Roy H. Williams.

    The Ad Mistake Costing Contractors Millions (You're Probably Making It)

  2. May 28

    How to Stop Wasting Money on Ads Nobody Remembers

    A cow eating grass beat half the ads in the world. That's not a joke. It's the research. And it means most ads (including yours) are paying a tax for being forgettable. Charlie Moger calls it the attention tax. $12 million more to match the result a creative ad delivers for free. Roy breaks down why 80% of ads barely register and why nobody takes the risk. They unpack Gallery Furniture's $200M built on one promise, Apollo Plumbing's fluent device, and the VIBE checklist that filters every creative decision. You'll learn: What the attention tax really costs you Why safe is the most expensive choice How fame is built at the contractor level Why fluent devices outperform ordinary ads The VIBE checklist: vibrant, interesting, bold, energetic Show notes: toddliles.com/wizard Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1j8pYaJ0HCm6cMXvxxJOi1 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/todd-liles-and-the-wizard-of-ads/id1803746748 Part 3 of 4. Hosted by Todd Liles and Roy H. Williams.

    How to Stop Wasting Money on Ads Nobody Remembers

  3. May 14

    The One Thing About Your Brand That Should Never Change (And the One That Must)

    Every brand has a soul that should never move — and a story that should never stop moving. Most owners either change everything or change nothing. Both kill the brand. Todd Liles, Roy H. Williams, and Charlie Moger go deep on long-term brand evolution. Roy opens at the North Star — the thing about your brand that never moves. Charlie names the rule: principles don't change, tactics do. Roy tells the story of the most dangerous transition (from scrappy underdog to dominant king) and why most brands don't survive it. They break down what every message needs to last: a big idea, nuts and bolts, entertainment, and hope. And Todd closes with the line that ties it all together: your brand is not a bumper sticker. It's a story. And stories that stop moving die. You'll learn: The North Star principle: what never changes about your brand Why the diamond stays fixed but the story must keep evolving How to navigate the transition from underdog to king Why vulnerability is the only currency that purchases trust The four things every message needs — and why hope is the one most people miss Show notes: toddliles.com/wizard Subscribe & listen: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1j8pYaJ0HCm6cMXvxxJOi1?si=4d1d59a64a314905 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/todd-liles-and-the-wizard-of-ads/id1803746748 All episodes: toddliles.com/wizard Part 2 of 4. Hosted by Todd Liles and Roy H. Williams. Ask your marketing team: what's the next scene in our story?

    The One Thing About Your Brand That Should Never Change (And the One That Must)

  4. Apr 30

    Why Your Marketing Feels Broken (Nobody Is Conducting the Orchestra)

    Your radio sounds like one company. Your Facebook ads sound like another. Your PPC team is off the rails. Everyone claims victory. You wonder why the phone isn't ringing. The problem isn't tactics. Nobody is conducting the orchestra. Todd Liles, Roy H. Williams, and Charlie Moger (a Wizard of Ads partner with 120+ trophies) break down what Charlie calls funnel coherence. Each channel has its own job and its own language, but they all have to say the same thing. When Charlie aligns the funnel for his clients, he sees a 20–30% lift without spending a dollar more. Roy explains how he holds coherence by knowing a client's heartbeat — what matters most, what never changes, what to protect. Charlie shares a puppet campaign that became an entire brand and explains why you could never copy it. And he names what separates big brands from small contractors: belief, discipline, and trusting the instruments. This is Part 1 of a new 4-part miniseries. You'll learn: What funnel coherence means and how it works top to bottom How alignment drives a 20–30% lift without more spend Why total alignment is the wrong goal — coherence is different What separates big brands from small contractors The one question to ask everyone who touches your advertising: Are we coherent? Show notes: toddliles.com/wizard Subscribe & listen: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1j8pYaJ0HCm6cMXvxxJOi1?si=4d1d59a64a314905 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/todd-liles-and-the-wizard-of-ads/id1803746748 All episodes: toddliles.com/wizard

    Why Your Marketing Feels Broken (Nobody Is Conducting the Orchestra)

  5. Apr 16

    The Most Expensive Lie in Marketing (Your Data Is Hiding It)

    Your marketing company is reporting blended data. It looks fine. But when you separate branded search from unbranded search, the numbers tell a very different story. Todd Liles, Roy H. Williams, and Jake Williams close out this 4-part miniseries by pulling apart the data most marketing companies don't want you to see. One real company, three cities, same week — branded keywords generated $49,400 in profit while unbranded lost $8,299. Jake walks through three independent data sets that all confirm the same pattern. Roy explains why unbranded keywords are an addiction most companies can't quit. And Todd closes with a direct challenge: if you're questioning your data, trust that instinct. This episode includes charts and data visualizations — check the YouTube channel to see them. You'll learn: Why blended search reports hide the weakness of your unbranded spend What happened when branded and unbranded were finally separated — same company, same week Why unbranded costs $792 per customer while branded costs as low as $23 How AI and zero-click search will change who gets recommended The one question to ask your marketing company that reveals whether they're telling you the truth Show notes and data sources: toddliles.com/wizard Subscribe & listen: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1j8pYaJ0HCm6cMXvxxJOi1?si=4d1d59a64a314905 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/todd-liles-and-the-wizard-of-ads/id1803746748 All episodes: toddliles.com/Wizard

    The Most Expensive Lie in Marketing (Your Data Is Hiding It)

  6. Apr 2

    Creative Matters More Than Targeting (The Real Driver of ROI)

    Many businesses believe their marketing success depends on targeting the right audience. But the real driver of results is something far more controllable...and far more powerful. Creative quality. In this episode, Roy H. Williams, Todd Liles, and Jake Williams break down why emotional, consistent, and fluent creative has a dramatically greater impact on advertising performance than targeting ever will. They explain why most campaigns fail not because they're reaching the wrong people—but because they're forgettable. You'll learn why emotion drives response, how consistency builds recognition over time, and what it actually takes to create advertising that people notice, remember, and act on. If your marketing feels like it should be working but isn't, this episode will challenge where you're focusing—and show you where the real leverage is. If this episode hit home, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a business owner who's tired of blaming platforms and ready to fix the message. Because the brands that win aren't the ones who target better… They're the ones people remember.

    Creative Matters More Than Targeting (The Real Driver of ROI)

  7. Mar 19

    You Can't Advertise Your Way Into Being Remarkable

    If your marketing feels inconsistent, unpredictable, or fragile… It may not be a media problem. It may be an alignment problem. In this episode, Todd Liles, Roy H. Williams, and Jake Williams explore why branding fails when media, technician training, and daily operations are not marshaled toward the same reputation. This episode breaks down: • Brand priming as gravity • The Chickening Out Period • Why most owners panic before memory forms • The 60/40 balance between brand and activation • Why performance marketing collapses without brand momentum • The Disconnect that destroys ROI Branding does not fail because it doesn't work. Branding fails because most companies quit before it compounds. And because many promise "remarkable" but deliver average. Reputation is not what you say. It is what the market experiences repeatedly. If this episode sharpened your thinking, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a business owner building for the long term. Connect with Todd Liles: Website:  https://www.toddliles.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/servextra/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/trainertoddliles/ Full show notes and resources: https://www.toddliles.com/wizard

    You Can't Advertise Your Way Into Being Remarkable

  8. Mar 5

    The Hidden Marketing Error Costing Business Owners

    A lot of business owners think they have three marketing problems: • Too few leads • Too expensive leads • Low-quality leads But that's not the real issue. In this episode, Todd Liles, Roy H. Williams, and Jake Williams uncover the hidden fourth problem most contractors never consider: You don't own the relationship. If your business depends entirely on pay-per-click and performance marketing, you are renting attention — not building mental real estate. Inside this episode: Why cost per lead in home services has risen nearly 88% in four years How Google's "Zero Moment of Truth" reshaped marketing strategy Why performance marketing feels measurable but isn't sustainable The difference between high-attention media and low-attention media Why brand equity lowers long-term acquisition costs The war chest principle and why discipline funds freedom Why short-term urgency keeps companies stuck This episode is about ownership vs dependence. Because when customers search your name, you win. When they search the category, you compete. If this episode challenged how you think about marketing, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a business owner who wants to build something that lasts. Connect with Todd Liles: Website: https://www.toddliles.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growbiggerfaster/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trainertoddliles/ Full show notes and resources: https://www.toddliles.com/wizard

    The Hidden Marketing Error Costing Business Owners
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About

Welcome to Todd Liles and The Wizard of Ads, a podcast for business owners who want to become remarkable. Todd Liles will take you deep into the mind of Roy H. Williams, the Wizard of Ads, to unleash the timeless truths and secret strategies that have helped him build dozens of America's most successful businesses. Do you want to build a brand that wins the heart, captures the mind, and creates lasting relationships? Take a deep breath and buckle up. It's time to fly.

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