Hey Guys,
I need some new perspectives here. I have a client who has been on occasionally for some events, but never done any brand-based advertising. I need to come up with an idea to kick off a brand campaign.
They are a Flight School and provide Fixed Base Operation services to pilots. The biggest thing they would like to promote is their Flight Training. Each new client is worth about $10,000 to them. They have a state-of-the-art simulator that people can get hours in, and some very new, high quality planes. They are thinking of a spring time frame, and their biggest audience is 25-54 year old, male, higher earners. They typically do very well with veterans. They match up well with our news-talk station. Remotes don't work well because most of their location is a restricted area. We need to be careful around FAA regulations.
Has anyone ever done or seen any promotions or campaigns that have been successful for this type of client?
Tyler,
Been many years since I worked with a flight school/Piper aircraft dealer, but one thing I would urge you to do is to create some sort of sampling program. Don't try to talk anyone into taking lessons. Get them into a plane. The thrill of piloting an aircraft is a major rush! So, come up with an easy, reliable way to get prospective pilot-trainees into an aircraft with an instructor, who at some point during the introductory flight will let the person take the controls and "see how easy it is."
There's a combination charter service/flight school here in Pullman that uses the local radio auction program to sell introductory flights to interested listeners. The introductory flight is normally around $60 and these certificates sell for half that price, easily affordable by most. The advertiser has been doing this for 15-20 years now, so it appears to be working for him. :>)
If your station doesn't have a radio auction, find some creative way to accomplish the same end: getting certificates for introductory flights into the hands of interested prospects.
