Make it personal

You may have put these prospects on the back burner as far as marketing is concerned, thinking “They know where we are; they'll be back when they’re ready.” What you may not know is that, from a marketing perspective, this database is one of the most valuable assets you have. Are you maximizing its value? Are you tapping this well of new business, or just letting it go dry over time?

Developing a systematic way to reach this database to increase revenue should be a top priority, as research indicates they can produce more dollars per marketing buck than virtually any other target market. Nurturing existing prospects and bringing back soft customers is simply cheaper to do than drilling for new business through media advertising. But, what's the best way to reach these prospects? What methods work best? Here are a few suggestions:

Text messaging. You have their phone numbers, why not use them? While blast messaging is certainly an option and requires less work on your end, personalized messaging using the prospect’s name is much better. Make it short and to the point. “Hey Bob, haven't seen you for awhile. Let's go flying! Call me at (000) 000-0000.” For prospects who have only lightly touched your business, such as introductory flights, a slightly longer message might nudge them back. “Hi Brenda, CFI Kathy really enjoyed flying with you last month. Let us know if we can schedule another flight or if you'd like more info. Take care.
- Bill Jones, Chief Instructor
- (000) 000-0000”

And for prospective customers who simply requested more info, consider a message along the lines of:  “Hi Bob, I hope you got your questions answered about flight training. Remember, our introductory flights are just $149 and can really help you decide if flying is really for you. Call or text back to (000) 000-0000 to schedule your flight.
- Bill Jones, Chief Instructor”

Contacting your prospects by text once a month can keep flight training and your school in their mind and increase the odds of a conversion. It can take a little time, but it can really pay off. Be sure to include a callback number even though they can see what number contacted them.

Personalized emails. Same idea as texting, but it runs the risk of getting lost in the clutter jungle of everybody's inbox. Email is the perfect way to spread news of student solos and successful checkrides, or share photos of fun flyout destinations or school BBQs. Again, this can be done in blast mode or personalized, but personalized is much better. Use their name and maybe some reference to whatever experience you had with them, and invite them back. Offer them an introductory flight. If they've already flown with you, ask them back for their next lesson. Email is a great way to announce your next “Learn to Fly Day,” where they can get all the details on flight training, hear other pilots talk about their experiences, and listen to CFIs give them the inside scoop on learning to fly.

Telephone calls. By far the most effective, personalized way to re-establish contact with prospects or former customers. “Hey, John, Bob here from FriendlySkies Aviation. Just touching base, noticed we haven't seen you for awhile. How are things going?” is a casual way to start a conversation. Ask them if they plan to pursue flight training, or if there's any more information you can provide. Make the call short and sweet. The goal is not to sell them on training, just to keep aviation in their mind and to welcome them back.

Having a plan to retain existing customers or remain in contact with prospects through personalized communications is the least costly and most effective marketing you can do. The challenge is simply finding the time to do it, but a few dedicated minutes a week can produce outsized results for your bottom line.