John O’Leary experienced the “Big Island” for the first time seven years ago.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” he says. “It blew me away.”
O’Leary, a John Deere sales manager whose territory includes Hawaii, had a succinct purpose for the trip: help his company develop a relationship with Nanea Golf Club, one of the most influential courses on the Big Island. The long trip proved rewarding because the club acquired a fleet of John Deere equipment.
The company’s presence on the island has expanded since O’Leary’s maiden voyage, as multiple Big Island facilities, including Nanea, Mauna Kea Resort, Kona Country Club, Big Island Country Club and The Club at Hokuli’a, are significant users of John Deere equipment. “It’s been exciting seeing things develop here, O’Leary says. “By focusing on our customers, we’ve been able to significantly grow our business in Hawaii.”
With support from his boss Dave Plaster, O’Leary visits Hawaii multiple times per year. The visits are designed to strengthen existing relationships while exploring new possibilities. Plaster, a major proponent of the business possibilities the Big Island offers, and representatives from dealer Pacific Golf and Turf accompanied O’Leary on the most recent visit in mid-March. Each trip reminds O’Leary of the people and landscapes that make the Big Island unique.
“Watching the business grow has been rewarding, but it’s about the relationships that I have built with these guys,” says O’Leary, who also serves customers on Maui and Oahu. “They are friends now. They are not just a customer. That’s how I like to treat them anyway. You’re dealing with a friend. That’s what sales is all about. People buy from people they like to deal with, and if you can build that relationship, you’re going to be successful.”
“I didn’t know what to expect,” he says. “It blew me away.”
O’Leary, a John Deere sales manager whose territory includes Hawaii, had a succinct purpose for the trip: help his company develop a relationship with Nanea Golf Club, one of the most influential courses on the Big Island. The long trip proved rewarding because the club acquired a fleet of John Deere equipment.
The company’s presence on the island has expanded since O’Leary’s maiden voyage, as multiple Big Island facilities, including Nanea, Mauna Kea Resort, Kona Country Club, Big Island Country Club and The Club at Hokuli’a, are significant users of John Deere equipment. “It’s been exciting seeing things develop here, O’Leary says. “By focusing on our customers, we’ve been able to significantly grow our business in Hawaii.”
With support from his boss Dave Plaster, O’Leary visits Hawaii multiple times per year. The visits are designed to strengthen existing relationships while exploring new possibilities. Plaster, a major proponent of the business possibilities the Big Island offers, and representatives from dealer Pacific Golf and Turf accompanied O’Leary on the most recent visit in mid-March. Each trip reminds O’Leary of the people and landscapes that make the Big Island unique.
“Watching the business grow has been rewarding, but it’s about the relationships that I have built with these guys,” says O’Leary, who also serves customers on Maui and Oahu. “They are friends now. They are not just a customer. That’s how I like to treat them anyway. You’re dealing with a friend. That’s what sales is all about. People buy from people they like to deal with, and if you can build that relationship, you’re going to be successful.”
