Just as an FYI to followers...I understand there are plenty of grammatical inadequacies in my writing on my blog...probably because most of the time I am writing a post I am doing three other things at the same time...So I apologize in advance for the bad spelling but I think you get the point either way...
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Am I Back in School Again...Because I Think I am Learning Some Very Valuable Lessons...
I know that it has only been a few short days since I last updated the blog... So a quick recap of what has been going on in my life is in due...oh stop crying already...I promise it won't be that miserable to listen to...
So...This past weekend my girlfriend was out of town and I of course had plenty of time to relax by the pool with my close brother Blair and his Faience. We had a blast going out up-town in charlotte and figuring out exactly how and where we were going to stay in Vegas for my brother's bachelor party that is cumming up in a month or so. The option of taking a small business jet from Charlotte, NC to Vegas was tossed around between us and of course being young guns wanting to top any and every scene in the movie the "Hangover", we began to look into the pricing on chartering a medium size business jet for a round trip, of course using the dead leg flights as our starting points to save cost.
In a matter of 2 seconds our hopes and dreams of flying to Vegas on our own private jet were shattered in our faces and laid amongst our feet like broken shards of glass. Upon researching the limited options we had to choose from, fuel prices and ranges seemed to be the debilitating factor to our dream of "Hangover dome"................So we all just got out our lap tops and quickly and efficiently purchased first class tickets on a big box airline....
INSIGHT #1: If I work in this (business aviation) industry and a large box airline can make it more efficient for a large group of gentlemen loaded with cash to gamble and shove down infinities big dark whole to spend their money on them than the much more luxurious option all because of fuel....something is not right....just saying....
WHEW! Anyways....where were we....oh yes.....updates.....
Ever noticed when you join a new group of people or you have the privilidge of having an outsiders viewpoint how easy it is to think that a problem can be solved so easily if people would just think outside of the box????
Well, you guessed right....I did have that opperitunity this past week, and It would be a pleasure to share it with you now... ;)
All too often in our industry I (and others who are young) encounter those who wonder why business is booming for others and not for themselves. And the one thing we all do first when we detect a problem is look to outer sources that may have caused the problem...I have seen a few sources overblamed... but here is the major source that has been wrongfully blamed as the true casue of a business aviation firms failure.
1. The Economy: Yes, companies will usually make sure that the corporate aircraft is the first victim of the economic chopping block...why? Because it's largely visible and people see it as a projection of an extensive unnecessary expenditure that the company could easily continue to do business without. However does this mean that the economy is entirely to blame for a business avaiation firm who is struggleing to keep it's feet on the pedals as its evil brother "the economy" pushes him down the steep hill in the neighborhood?....NO!....At some point a firm has to be responsible and ask the question..."Have I been reaching the customers I need to be reaching with the right tools and at the right time?" "If I'm not, then who is getting the business that I am missing, other than the airlines?"
The Questions that must be asked in order to decipher what the cause of this downturn was are as follows: Have you been reaching the right customers, with the right tools and marketing methods at the right times? Answer: Somewhat....in fact it is such a somewhat answer that the customers that you are loosing are the most important ones....the younger generation of business aviation professionals who are largly cncentrated in such high tech areas where your marketing is not, that they never even know that the firm exists, and it therefore looses that customers busness to a firm that is in the right place, medium, and time.
2. The inability of a firm to adapt to the changing marketplace conditions, regulations, operations, communications, and yes....the largest of them all....the inability to adapt to changing marketing conditions in the new market. This is the largest problems most firms have. Not long ago the aircraft advertising industry was dominated by print publications that was flooded with listing after listing, hoping to catch the wondering eye of a buyer. A largely innefficient and unproductive method.
So how do the firms that have survived the "economy" manage to thrive even in rough weather?
Simple answer, they conform, react, readjust to the technological marketplace and social medium of retailers.
To put it into a little more simple terms...firms must be able to...
So...This past weekend my girlfriend was out of town and I of course had plenty of time to relax by the pool with my close brother Blair and his Faience. We had a blast going out up-town in charlotte and figuring out exactly how and where we were going to stay in Vegas for my brother's bachelor party that is cumming up in a month or so. The option of taking a small business jet from Charlotte, NC to Vegas was tossed around between us and of course being young guns wanting to top any and every scene in the movie the "Hangover", we began to look into the pricing on chartering a medium size business jet for a round trip, of course using the dead leg flights as our starting points to save cost.
In a matter of 2 seconds our hopes and dreams of flying to Vegas on our own private jet were shattered in our faces and laid amongst our feet like broken shards of glass. Upon researching the limited options we had to choose from, fuel prices and ranges seemed to be the debilitating factor to our dream of "Hangover dome"................So we all just got out our lap tops and quickly and efficiently purchased first class tickets on a big box airline....
INSIGHT #1: If I work in this (business aviation) industry and a large box airline can make it more efficient for a large group of gentlemen loaded with cash to gamble and shove down infinities big dark whole to spend their money on them than the much more luxurious option all because of fuel....something is not right....just saying....
WHEW! Anyways....where were we....oh yes.....updates.....
Ever noticed when you join a new group of people or you have the privilidge of having an outsiders viewpoint how easy it is to think that a problem can be solved so easily if people would just think outside of the box????
Well, you guessed right....I did have that opperitunity this past week, and It would be a pleasure to share it with you now... ;)
All too often in our industry I (and others who are young) encounter those who wonder why business is booming for others and not for themselves. And the one thing we all do first when we detect a problem is look to outer sources that may have caused the problem...I have seen a few sources overblamed... but here is the major source that has been wrongfully blamed as the true casue of a business aviation firms failure.
1. The Economy: Yes, companies will usually make sure that the corporate aircraft is the first victim of the economic chopping block...why? Because it's largely visible and people see it as a projection of an extensive unnecessary expenditure that the company could easily continue to do business without. However does this mean that the economy is entirely to blame for a business avaiation firm who is struggleing to keep it's feet on the pedals as its evil brother "the economy" pushes him down the steep hill in the neighborhood?....NO!....At some point a firm has to be responsible and ask the question..."Have I been reaching the customers I need to be reaching with the right tools and at the right time?" "If I'm not, then who is getting the business that I am missing, other than the airlines?"
The Questions that must be asked in order to decipher what the cause of this downturn was are as follows: Have you been reaching the right customers, with the right tools and marketing methods at the right times? Answer: Somewhat....in fact it is such a somewhat answer that the customers that you are loosing are the most important ones....the younger generation of business aviation professionals who are largly cncentrated in such high tech areas where your marketing is not, that they never even know that the firm exists, and it therefore looses that customers busness to a firm that is in the right place, medium, and time.
2. The inability of a firm to adapt to the changing marketplace conditions, regulations, operations, communications, and yes....the largest of them all....the inability to adapt to changing marketing conditions in the new market. This is the largest problems most firms have. Not long ago the aircraft advertising industry was dominated by print publications that was flooded with listing after listing, hoping to catch the wondering eye of a buyer. A largely innefficient and unproductive method.
So how do the firms that have survived the "economy" manage to thrive even in rough weather?
Simple answer, they conform, react, readjust to the technological marketplace and social medium of retailers.
To put it into a little more simple terms...firms must be able to...
- Confront their customers directly in the context of other similar options, and must be the best choice for the users needs.
- Internet Search Engine Placement is an absolute must. If I were to be looking for a CJ1 aircraft, other than, Controller Mag, and word of mouth from my buddies, where would I look to find a CJ1? BINGO....The internet, specifically the click through ads, and different brokers who have their websites up to day.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
A New Day...A New Begining....
Ever heard the sound a jet makes when it is spooling up it's enginges on the end of a runway just before take off? The sudden bulding of excitement until the throtles are shoved forward into full power? It's a time of excitement and expectation... No matter where you are sitting, inside the airplane or out, you know something BIG is about to happen. Until finnally the plane builds more and more speed....tearing down the runway...until...Physics take over and the plane wants to fly...it needs to fly...it's natural instincts tell it that it belongs in the air....and like second nature....it lifts off of the ground because so much forward thrust was applied to it that it can't possibly stay on the ground.
Right now I feel exactly like the plane at the end of the runway. Ready to race down the runway and commit myself to excelling in the business aviation industry. BUT, with all of the built up excitement I have, I know that like any successful flight, the most important part (other than the actual flying) is the pre-flight preparations that go into planning the flight. WHY? Because not only do I need to know what actions I should take now, but I need to evaluate where I have been, where I am going, and why.
Stay Tuned....More to Come...
Right now I feel exactly like the plane at the end of the runway. Ready to race down the runway and commit myself to excelling in the business aviation industry. BUT, with all of the built up excitement I have, I know that like any successful flight, the most important part (other than the actual flying) is the pre-flight preparations that go into planning the flight. WHY? Because not only do I need to know what actions I should take now, but I need to evaluate where I have been, where I am going, and why.
Stay Tuned....More to Come...
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Welcome To My Business Aviation Blog!
Glad you found me! Expect new updates in the day and weeks to come about exciting new happenings in the business and commercial aviation industry and what it's like being a "young gun" in the business!
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