CFI program offers marketing tips
Project Pilot Instructor is for CFIs, and they call me the CFI marketing mentor. My job is to help you — the CFI — build your business and your career.
Two of the program's major benefits are the AOPA Online forum on CompuServe and AOPA's great new video, Successful Strategies To Land and Retain New Students. Both of those programs just got a lot better.
First, let's talk about AOPA Online. I've been monitoring this forum for several months now, mostly lurking, but also throwing in my two cents every now and then. This fast-growing forum is a wonderful way to share in the wisdom and services of AOPA members and staff. But be careful. It can be addictive!
My online goal is to start and maintain a running discussion about building your business as a CFI. I can't help you with the nuts and bolts of instructing; you're the expert on that. But for decades I have helped flight instructors to be more successful, and that's how I hope to be helpful to you.
Beginning in February, on every Monday I have been posting the marketing question of the week on AOPA Online under CFI Hangar Talk. This is a "How do you..." question about getting and keeping students. I provide one answer, then leave the thread open for you to share your ideas and questions or just to argue with me or others who contribute. Remember, we want to stick to building the business. There are other places on the forum for discussing entry speeds for chandelles. Let's keep this one reserved for the business and career end of flight training. Other than that, we'll make the rules on the fly.
Now, about the new videotape Successful Strategies To Land and Retain New Students. It offers basic techniques for getting people out to the airport and turning them into enthusiastic student customers — customers who will complete their training and fly with us for decades to come.
Successful Strategies has been praised by virtually everyone who has seen it, including top-drawer aviation businesspeople like Hal Shevers of Sporty's Pilot Shop. The consensus is that this video can indeed help you to build your flight training activity.
Creating Successful Strategies wasn't cheap, and our first idea was to provide it only to schools and CFIs who already met high qualifications. Many people, however, told us that we were doing it backwards. This, they said, is a video the industry needs. Get it out to as many CFIs as possible so that they and the industry can benefit immediately.
AOPA listened. We are developing a special promotion that will make it possible for every working CFI and flight school to have this video. Keep your eyes on future Project Pilot Instructor newsletters, and on AOPA Online, for news about how you can get a copy of Successful Strategies to help to build your own business.
More mentors and students receive premiums
Sporty's Pilot Shop has awarded a Sporty's Electronic Checklist (a $99.95 value) to the following mentors whose students have recently earned their private pilot certificates: Donald P. Blanchard Jr., William C. Carroll Jr., Charles Kessler, James W. Cobb Jr., Charles Mitchell, Frank Heffernan, Richard D. Abbott, Robert Hills, Reed Blair, Kevin R. Condroski, Roger Strantz, Karl Volger, Augusto Ferrara, William L. Rice, Bob Robinson, Maurice Esham, Wayne Kirk, N. Bruce Weir, Robert Claypool, Glenn I. Stelzer, Robert Morrison, J. McAlonen, Robin A. Leabman, Ronald F. Brender, Chris Kennedy, Gustav Hoglund, Brian P. Evans, Greg V. Miller, Daniel Dittmar, James R. Atkinson, Mary Beth Hunt Wrenn, Michelle Brown, Douglas P. Montgomery, Donald L. Ward, Dean Fitzgerald, Gary Sondergaard, Jeffery Schubert, Steven Trimmer, Mark A. Trujillo, Mark Ducorsky, Joseph J. Long, Robert Blinick, Robert B. Dwork, Paul N. McManus, Bill Smith, Gregory N. Brown, David Escobar, Alexander M. Malinsky, Greg S. McGovern, Maurice J. Lehmann, R.R. Mahal, Marco Pierobon, Thomas D. Murph, Paul Kaup, Jonathan Nelson, David A. Derascavage, Deborah M. Aiken, Wayne Christian, Milton Pierce, Anthony J. Roide, James A. Hein, Michael Lepore, Donald Shock, Ronald V. Schmecker, Jeffrey M. Trimboli, Merrill Leroy Beyer, James R. Dogogne, Brady A. Bottoms, Dave Maultsby, James E. Vaughan, E.W. (Bill) Teague, Richard E. Damon, DeVar Christiansen, SuzAnn Stenso-Velo, Manuel A. Mendible, Raymond J. Pages, Mark R. DiRienzo, Kat Thurnheer, Joe Godfrey, Steven Imrich, Gordon P. Grover, Thomas P. McGloin, Ronald H. Reinartz, Ken Houston, Frederick J. Miller, Donald Eaton, Dr. Don W. Smith, John R. Sellmer, Allan Moltmaker, James S. Santangelo, Michael Scott, Kent L. Dorste, Bruce R. Wahlen, George Welsch, David M. Glasscock, Mike Biassatti, Milt Van Gerpen, Michael Boehlje, David Antos, Ken Hagman, Jorge Mustafa, William J. Edwards, Kenneth D. Fullett, Mark A. Carwell, David H. Faile Jr., Kent Dornink, Gregory W. Holcomb, Terrance A. Marshall, James M. Montague, Ronald Weinstein, William Tisdale, C. Frank Clock, Terry A. Nelson, Stephen Keiper, Tobe Larson, and Alan Levinson.
King Schools has awarded a video series (any King written exam video Course [$169 to $199 value] or the complete King Take- Off Video Library [$199 value]) to participating AOPA Project Pilot students Susan Silva-Godber, Rick Smith, and Laurie Almeida.
To inquire about eligibility for these awards, call 800/USA- AOPA, menu choice 4.
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