There is a psychology in B2B sales that asserts people only buy from those they like. In some instances, salespeople also have a disdain for potential business partners that needs to be overcome. Still, David Ardies doesn’t see it as being all that complicated. A sales lifer who’s logged 30 years on both the dealer and manufacturer side, he knows it’s simply a matter of being likable and genuine.
A lion’s share of Ardies’ clients and prospects have long appreciated what he brings to the table, which he’s leveraged during a successful sales career. One thing he’s learned is that even when all the parameters of a deal are optimal, sometimes business goes away. It can be random or due to any number of variables beyond his control. But he has faith in his process and the product he offers. Exercising a little patience has paid dividends.
“I’ve walked away from the table when [the prospect] said, ‘We gave the deal to your competitor,’” said Ardies, a 2025 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “I just remind them what the differences are between us and the other provider. I tell them, ‘if anything ever changes down the road, give me a call and maybe we can win your business then.’”
More often than not, Ardies has received the call back and snared the business. His ability to ultimately prevail is a product of that perspective he gleaned during a nine-year stretch with R.K. Black in Oklahoma City and two manufacturer stints. Ardies knows how dealers think and the variables they prioritize, which enables him to tailor his approach.
“The fact that I’ve played both sides of the field allows me to walk in the door and understand how they function as a dealer,” he said. “Some of the models they use are updated versions of the ones we followed 20 years ago in terms of sales, service and delivery. I can relate to their challenges and frustrations they sometimes have.”
Ardies’ path to the imaging channel wasn’t exactly a linear one. Early in his career, the Oklahoma State University graduate worked in a Hewlett Packard retail store, which he ultimately didn’t find appealing. As he spent much of his free time on the golf course, Ardies thought he could make it a career. He worked in a pro shop at an Oklahoma City country club for several years (his father-in-law was the club pro). Ardies then transitioned into sales and had a short stint in Nike’s golf division.
Wanting to start a family, Ardies sought a profession that would more effectively support him. A friend who worked for the local Savin dealership turned him on to joining the company as a color specialist. That led to the R.K. Black opportunity, and ultimately the consecutive OEM experiences.
Of all the past 12-month highlights, having the Difference Makers issue with his photo on the cover sitting on coffee table makes for good conversation fodder. The greatest aspect of it, however, is the respect from others that it conveys and the appreciation for what he does and how he does it.
“People trust that what I’m telling them is a good way of doing something,” he said. “I don’t have all of the answers, but when I do and things work out well, people understand what my motivations are here.”
On the home front, Ardies and his wife, Shari, have been married 14 years. He has four children and five grandchildren, with a sixth slated to arrive in December. In addition to being an avid golfer, he enjoys fly fishing and counts Crested Butte, Colorado, among his favorite spots. Ardies has fished in Montana as well and has his sights set on Idaho.
Travel has long been a part of his life; he lived in Japan from age 10 to 14, and he was able to Shari there to share that snippet of his life with her. In all, he’s been to 18 countries, and was entranced by New Zealand (“If I had no connection to anybody, I would move there in a heartbeat,” he quipped). Seeing Israel was a very personal journey, and he found St. Petersburg, Russia, to be incredible. While he didn’t make any significant trips this year, Ardies hopes to visit someplace he’s never been before and absorb its culture.
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