My Approach to Sales: How I’m Achieving Long-term Growth 

Contributed by Sean Kaple, Key Account Manager, 4 years 

For me, sales is all about relationships. You can try selling on price, but that only gets you so far. Real, long-term success comes from building trust, consistently delivering value and truly taking care of the customer. 

In sales, it’s easy to fall into the “How can I close something today?” mentality. But I try to focus on the bigger picture and ask myself a different question: What do I want this territory to look like down the road?  

That perspective changes everything. Long-term initiatives are usually where the biggest opportunities live. It’s about how I prioritize my time—and more importantly what I’m trying to build over the long haul. 

To stay balanced, I focus on both short- and long-term pipeline development. The short-term tactics give me quick momentum, while the long-term projects let me shape where the business is headed over the next five to ten years. That combination allows me to be both responsive and strategic. 

This approach has paid off. I’ve achieved year-over-year sales growth by working closely with our top suppliers and key customers. Along the way, I’ve secured new deals and added SupplySight™ vending accounts. It’s been about consistently moving the needle in the right direction. 

Trust and Transparency 

I always try to lead with cost savings and value-added support. I’m very frank. I say, “Give me your largest SKUs and let me see how we can support them. I ask, “How can I better support you so you’re not buying from every other distributor in Georgia?”  

This all depends on the relationship you have with the customer. You can’t always have this kind of conversation upfront. I try to build that trust first. 

Flying in the Aerospace Industry 

This mindset has been especially successful in the aerospace sector, particularly with an American aerospace company. That kind of trust doesn’t happen by accident. We take good care of that account regionally and nationally, with the support of Senior National Account Sales Representative Pete Siotropis. I focus on being the customer’s go-to resource and ensuring they know they can count on me for support. That level of service builds real credibility. 

Winning the American aircraft company’s business was a new spec that expanded R.S. Hughes into the aerospace market segment. Given the industry’s technical requirements and long approval processes, getting spec’d in is a big win. 

What made the difference? Relationships. The company essentially said, “We want to work with R.S. Hughes because we trust you.” That trust came from consistent follow-through and a willingness to solve problems.  

Partnering with Saunders to Drive Innovation 

Our partnership with Saunders gives us an edge. They engineered a custom die-cut solution for the aircraft company that dramatically streamlines a key process. Previously, this work was done by hand—slow, tedious and potentially hazardous. Now it’s faster, safer and more efficient. Because they’re taking significantly less time on this task, they have more time for other value-added activities. 

The success of this application has led to expansion into the company’s other sites and even third-party service centers. 

By acting quickly and delivering real value, we made a difference where it mattered. Once we’re spec’d in with a Saunders solution, it’s hard for competitors to displace us. The relationship and trust lock it in. 

We also gained an edge with the aircraft company through our strong ties to 3M, whose products they prefer. They favor specific adhesives, and our ability to meet those preferences just deepens the alignment.  

Life Outside of Sales 

Outside of work, I keep pretty busy. I’ve been married 16 years this past July, and my wife and I have two little boys—ages three and five—who are full of energy and into just about everything. My oldest is starting golf lessons soon and also does karate, and both boys play T-ball. We live in a golf and lake community, which makes it easy to get outside, stay active and keep the kids involved. 

I try to play golf as much as I can—which isn’t easy these days—and I work out six to seven days a week. But most of our time is spent with family—boating, chasing the boys around at their activities and enjoying the chaos that comes with two young kids. It’s a full life and it’s all good stuff. 

Sticking With What Works 

That same focus on consistency, commitment and long-term growth shows up not just at home—but in how I approach sales every day. It’s rooted in building trust, delivering consistent value and playing the long game. Whether it’s winning new market share, strengthening supplier partnerships or improving customer operations through innovation, success doesn’t come from one-off wins—it comes from investing in relationships and solving problems over time.  

That’s how I’ve grown my business year over year, and it’s the foundation I’ll keep building on.