Greenville, South Carolina, Oct. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In 1985, CEO Lon Fleming opened Greenville Turf & Tractor in Greenville, South Carolina in its original location on Mauldin Road. With the utmost goal of serving customers well, ranging from local customers to commercial landscaping companies, the dealership later established three additional locations throughout the Southeast.
“We believe in the quality of the products we sell, and we know that being there for our customers is what creates the sort of long-term relationships that have allowed us to continuously grow our customer base over the last 34 years,” says President Bob Mauragas.
Two years after the dealership opened its doors, Greenville Turf & Tractor leaned more heavily into the golf course turf industry and began to expand its market share into neighboring states and build up its customer base. The first twenty years brought about partnerships with more than 600 golf clubs, 25 universities, and 50 sports fields. In 2008, the dealership expanded its territory even further and nearly doubled the size of its customer base to include 1,300 golf clubs, colleges, universities, municipalities, and minor- and major-league sports fields.
Such a large presence in the industry requires a powerful online presence as well. In 2018 the Greenville Turf & Tractor team knew that it was time to make an update to their website and online tools. “Digital is an integral part of our marketing strategy,” says Davis Fleming, Marketing Manager. “It’s crucial that we’re able to get the right products in front of the right people, and digital marketing allows us to do that with increased cost efficiency compared to traditional print media.”
The dealership was working with a local agency before, but the provider was not fulfilling Greenville Turf & Tractor’s needs. “They were too expensive, and not swift enough on their feet,” explains Mauragas. Fleming continues: “We were looking for a web provider that knew the industry we work in, and Dealer Spike came highly recommended…we felt confident that Dealer Spike would provide the assistance we needed to refine and grow our digital footprint.”
Greenville Turf & Tractor launched a new website with Dealer Spike in July 2018 and have been very happy with it so far. “The clean and concise nature of the website, as well as its premium appearance, has earned numerous compliments from customers,” says Fleming. He also points out the easy navigation, lead forms, and back-end admin tool as features that make his job easier.
The dealership also chose to implement an add-on digital marketing service, Marketing Automation. “Sending targeted e-newsletters promoting our specials has been a great addition to our marketing strategy,” says Fleming. He and Mauragas cite regular communication with their Marketing Automation service representative as a game-changer, as well as the ability to track results and adjust strategy in real-time.
The team has had, overall, a very positive experience with both the Customer Service representative assigned to the dealership and their Marketing Automation account manager. “Our representatives are very helpful and have been excellent at answering questions and facilitating the changes we’ve wanted in our website,” says Fleming. “They’ve helped turn our marketing visions into deliverables.”
Fleming and Mauragas agree that businesses in their industry are a bit behind the curve when it comes to digital marketing, but that is beginning to change. “We’re seeing a transition of older people moving out of the industry and younger superintendents coming in. They can understand the need for mobile-friendly online tools, as well as a cleaner way to see golf course wholesale inventory,” says Mauragas. “If they are looking to buy equipment, with just a couple of clicks they can see exactly what’s available.”
About Greenville Turf & Tractor
Founded in 1985 in Greenville, South Carolina, the dealership now has four locations throughout South Carolina and Tennessee. Greenville Turf & Tractor serves some of the most recognized sports facilities in the country, including prominent golf courses throughout the Southeast. The dealership has also served as an equipment provider for notable events such as the PGA championship.
https://www.greenvilleturf.com/
About Dealer Spike
Dealer Spike is focused on driving online leads and in-store sales for dealerships in eight industries. The company provides powerful and distinctive web solutions and tools to thousands of dealers worldwide. Dealer Spike’s expertise comes from real-world dealership experience and a passion for listening and responding to dealers’ needs.