Get FinancingDan Hartley Jet Sales: Powering Boutique Brokerage Success With Sandhills
Dan Hartley, president and founder of Dan Hartley Jet Sales, runs his company with a clear business philosophy: “We don’t chase deals; we build relationships.” His firm, based in Columbia, South Carolina, offers aircraft sales, acquisitions, and brokerage services.
“I want to make sure my clients don’t just hear me say it but can feel it. I'm not just trying to sell them something. I want to make sure they're getting exactly what they need to fit their mission,” Hartley says. “One thing I like about being a small boutique broker is that I have a lot more individual time to spend with my clients. I’m directly involved with everything that's going on in a transaction.”
The Benefits Of Specialization
Hartley launched Dan Hartley Jet Sales in 2018, but he brings over 30 years of aviation, sales, and customer service experience to the table. The company also provides aircraft valuations and cost of ownership snapshots for several Cessna models. Hartley uses ads in Sandhills Global’s Executive Controller publication to market for-sale aircraft. Sandhills also hosts the company’s website (DanHartleyJetSales.com) and email.
The company sells aircraft from other brands, including Embraer, but specializes in Cessna Citation business jets—particularly the 510, 525, and 560XL. Cessna was the brand Hartley was assigned upon entering the aircraft sales business, and now he applies the expertise he’s gained to benefit his customers. “If we do have issues,” he says, “I know who to call to get an answer for anything. That's where time in the business and specializing in small niche markets is beneficial.”
Aviation Roots Run Deep
Hartley grew up in an aviation family. His grandfather was an airline pilot, and Hartley soloed on his 16th birthday and is an instrument-rated commercial pilot. His son, Alex, is an IFR-rated commercial single- and multiple-engine pilot and works for the company. Being steeped in aviation allows Hartley to “talk shop” knowledgeably—whether about avionics, pre-buy inspections, maintenance, or mechanical issues.
“I've met some brokers who aren't pilots who had to learn all that stuff over time. People I’ve met brand new to brokerage or the research side of things who aren't pilots—it's a long, long process because not only are they trying to learn the aviation sales business, but they're trying to learn the difference between a Citation M2 and a Gulfstream G650, and that's tough.”
‘Everybody Sees Controller’
A key component of Dan Hartley Jet Sales’ brokerage services is launching international marketing campaigns that include print and digital media advertising and listings on various sales platforms. This includes showcasing aircraft in editorial ads in Executive Controller magazine, which is distributed to subscribers, aircraft owners, and select fixed base operators (FBOs) worldwide. Advertised aircraft also receive a premium listing on Controller.com, ranking highest in users’ search results.
“In the mid-90s, I was selling single-engine pistons and would advertise with Controller. That was the only thing I used for advertising a plane I had for sale,” he says. Now, “When we're searching for a plane, Controller is part of where we go to search, but it's absolutely a place to go when we're selling. Hands down, if I had to choose one and only one place to advertise, Controller is where it would be.”
Hartley says aircraft buyers are “perusing Controller all the time,” whether they’re currently in the market or are thinking about their next plane purchase. “Not once have I had a prospect or a client send me a link from one of Controller’s competitors and say, ‘Hey, Dan, check out this CJ3 and let me know what you think.’ 100% of the time when they send me a link, it’s a Controller.com link. That tells me, if I have to pay to advertise an aircraft somewhere, it will be on Controller because everybody sees Controller.”
‘One-Stop Shop’ Support
Hartley says that whether he needs to change his Sandhills-hosted website, resolve an IT-related issue, or get an answer to a billing question, his Sandhills sales representative, Thomas Herebic, is always just a phone call or text away.
“Thomas is a one-stop shop for making all that stuff come together quickly,” he says. “Just like I advertise that I bring value to the table for my clients, that’s what Thomas is to me, and I appreciate and value it.”
A version of this article first appeared in Sandhills Magazine. You can find current and back issues in the Sandhills Magazine Archive.