Following up on potential flight student

[BoDEAN]

I've had a handful of "intro rides" that I have given to people over the last 3 months. None of them panned out to be students. Any suggestions on getting them back in the door? A Christmas card to them maybe, with a catchy phrase like "We hope you continue to follow your dream to fly?"

 

[labbats]

I applaud your effort, but you've got to realize there's a lot of window shoppers out there.

I'm guessing, but I believe it's common to have 2 or 3 people wash themselves out of training for every one that finishes. It's a big commitment of time, money and energy to become a pilot. Most people aren't as ready for that reality as they are a $35 intro flight.

 

[350DRIVER]

You are surely not lacking in the desire/ambition department but you need to realize that quite a few people who take the intro-flights will not pursue it any further for numerous reasons. The biggest and main reason that I have seen is the lack of funds, lack of the "want" to fly, etc, etc, etc. As much as you and I enjoy to fly we must also realize that others do not share in the same interest or desire. If it were me personally I would have your flight school be the one to send mailings out, etc. When I was instructing full time this was what would transpire after a given time frame had expired and we had not heard back from the person. There is a fine line between pestering someone and making a professional attempt to inquire whether or not they are still interested or not in pursuing flying. You are a "CFI" and I would tend to allow the office people to work out this when applicable since in reality that is what the marketing/office people get paid to do. I applaud your effort, desire, ambition(s), etc, but I would look at this very carefully and put things into perspective.

The winter months in Michigan are not going to produce "Florida type flight hours" so I would seriously consider the 135/91 gig that you mentioned in a previous post. These positions do not grow on trees.

good luck in whatever you so choose to do,


3 5 0

 

[BoDEAN]

The winter months in Michigan are not going to produce "Florida type flight hours" so I would seriously consider the 135/91 gig that you mentioned in a previous post. These positions do not grow on trees.

good luck in whatever you so choose to do,


3 5 0

Thanks guys

With 450 total, 30 multi, its going to be mighty hard to land those 135/91 jobs posted in the previous post

 

[English]

gizbug,

Did I read your posting correctly, that not a single intro ride led to a permanent student?

That sounds a little odd to me. Granted, I haven't been a flight instructor for years, but most of my intro rides signed up for lessons on the spot.

You might want to examine your intro lesson to see if you are putting anyone off. My first intro lesson was on my 18th birthday. The instructor flew me around on what I considered to be a sightseeing flight, and didn't offer me the controls once. I didn't start lessons, totally un-enamored with the experience. I didn't start flying until I was 27 because of it.

I'm not saying you are doing this, but many instructors don't realize the selling point in an intro lesson. The student must start the engine, taxi, take off, fly and take the landing as far as possible in that first lesson to hook them. Most people get very excited and enthusiastic about spending lots of money on learning to fly when they see what they can accomplish on the very first lesson with minimal intervention but lots of coaching.

There's a good book written by Greg Brown on this subject...I don't remember the title, though, sorry.

 

[na265]

gizbug, Lots of good advice here. I would say that of all the intro rides I did, many of them would sign up for another lesson. You have to wear many hats as a CFI. Teacher, salesman, mentor etc. My suggestion would be to get them on the schedule before they walk out the door. Make the ride fun, tell them about all the things they will be able to do and the things they will see. Try not to throw a bunch of books, rules and work at them in the first lesson. That will REALLY run them off. For most people this is their "fun money." They will either spend it with you, or go down to the local watercraft dealer and spend it with them. Keep working at it, I think you are on the right track!

 

[Timebuilder]

Gizbug, you have found a need. It's a need I wasn't aware of until I had been instructing for several months. I was surprised, but I shouldn't have been. It was "my bad".

I didn't realize that every experience with a student is a "sales" experience. I was literally selling flying, and I wasn't very good at it, at all. I was a good pilot, and I always bent over backwards to help my students learn. I was a good instructor. The problem was that I wasn't really "selling" my students on flying.

Now that I am back pursuing an acting and voice over career, I have discovered that I'd better learn how to sell myself or I'm going to sink. With that in mind, I purchased several books. One is on "cold calling techniques", and the other is on "new strategic selling". I'm sure there will be others. And, I'm a Dale Carnegie grad from several years ago, and I'm going to go back over that material, too.

If you want to attract and retain flight students, my advice to any instructor is to become aware of "selling aviation".

 

[acbarney]

Gizbug,

I agree wholeheartedly with English. It has been many years since I actively used my CFI, but when I did I managed to get 2000 hours in about 3 years. You have to be a salseman from the first moment they walk in they door, above all else the first day must be FUN!!! DO NOT talk about regs, studying, etc. you will have plenty of time for this later. DO NOT take them out and do stalls and turns around a point, DO let them start, taxi and takeoff and do most of the flying. Find some interesting landmarks to show them, perhaps fly over their neighborhood.

Do what it takes to find out what they want out of flying. Many just want the intro ride...thats fine, but you should take that as a challenge to get them hooked. Most people just want to get their private and fly for fun on weekends, remember this. Anything that takes the fun out of it will drive them down to the local jetski dealer. Get these types signed up for their next lesson before they leave. If you can, have them put down a substantial deposit now. Most schools offer a discount if you "buy in bulk" check with yours and see if they offer this. This guarantees that the student will return, it also helps with the currency problem most students have..ie. "I can't make my lesson this week, I spent my money on a new amplifier" The one or two who show up who want to be "airline pilots" still want to have fun and it should not be hard to get them hooked.

If your goal is to build time quickly and move on, you may want to consider moving. FL or AZ are great for building time fast, with lots of flight schools and great training weather year round. If aviation is your desired career, you will learn quickly that moving often, becomes part of your life. You have to go where the jobs are if you want to build time and progress.

Good Luck..

 

[brett]

Have you read the book, "The Savvy Flight Instructor" by Greg Brown? Lots of good ideas for getting students. Following up with cards, etc. is one of his suggestions.

- Brett

 

[English]

Ah! That's the book I was trying to recommend in my earlier post. Thanks Brett!

 

[MarineGrunt]

Have you read the book, "The Savvy Flight Instructor" by Greg Brown? Lots of good ideas for getting students. Following up with cards, etc. is one of his suggestions.

- Brett

Ditto. Excellent book (although this guy needs a new wardrobe).

I started offering students a "package deal." For $60, they get a Intro-flight (includes 1/2hr ground), a framed "First Flight Certificate," a framed photo next to the airplane and a "first flight" logbook from Sporty's.

Before the prospective goes out on the flight, we snap a pic with them next to the plane with my digital camera. While they are up flying, the picture is printed and framed, along with the certificate. When they get done with the flight, it's all waiting for them in the FBO.

We also had a big problem with retaining prospectives from intro flights, so this is the solution I created. We have had 10 people purchase these certificates as gifts so far, but no one has cashed them in yet (been selling them for only a few weeks). Unfortunately, I won't see the benefit to all this work since I'm moving in a week or two.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Any suggestions on getting them back in the door? A Christmas card to them maybe, with a catchy phrase like "We hope you continue to follow your dream to fly?"

This is one of those that is so obvious as to be almost silly. But Dr Phil has said to critics who call his advice obvious, "Yes, but no one else said it!"

When you finish an introductory flight, do you do a post flight briefing, make a logbook entry to memorialize the lesson (I have 1-sheet, 6-entry logbooks with my name, address, etc for the occasion) and then pull out your calendar and say, "When would you like to schedule your next lesson?"

As a few people pointed out, there is salesmanship involved here. And not every Discovery Flight candidate is a potential student (although there are ways to change those odds). But one of the biggest problems facing even those whose primary job is selling is closing the deal - you can make the best sales presentation in the world, but if you don't say the words, "can I take your order" it probably won't happen.

 

[BoDEAN]

What I/we (our flight school does now) is take them out for a 40 min ride. We do a preflight with them, showing them the in's/out's of the plane. They taxi, take off, and we fly out to Lake Michigan and back, and I assist with the landing.

When we get on the ground, I usualy say "Would you like to schedule your next flight?" A lot of them say "well, we have to think about it, etc etc" for money, family reasons, etc.

They don't usually have a "logbook" for their into ride, so I can't really sign anything. I do tell them that their intro flight can be recorded towards their private pilot certificate though.

 

[AV1ATRX]

We have dandy postcards that we send out a few days after the intro flight that say something to the effect of "Thanks for flying with us, but don't let it stop there, blah blah blah." We got them for free through Cessna because we are a CPC, but they wouldn't be hard to make with Print Shop or a similar program. We have a fairly high success rate with intros, so I don't know how well this might work for you, but anything is worth a try.

Good luck, I remember how hard it was to get students at the beginning.

 

[Timebuilder]

As a minimum, I'd get a certificate layout that could be individually printed for each intro flight with their name and the type of aircraft.

I'd look into the idea of the "first flight logbook", with a spot for your business card.

After asking the right questions about why the person came out to the airport (possible answers: dad flys for an airline, hubby just left and I want to try something new, you name it) try to close the deal, like Mark said. In sales, "the closer" is difficult for many people. Customers rarely volunteer to buy if you don't ask for their business.

You might try "I'd like to teach you to be a pilot" or something like that.

Ask.

 

[English]

When we get on the ground, I usualy say "Would you like to schedule your next flight?" A lot of them say "well, we have to think about it, etc etc" for money, family reasons, etc.

Next time, say instead, "I can schedule our next lesson on Tueday at 4 pm or Saturday at 10 am. Which would you prefer?" See the diffference? You need to sound as if it is the logical next step and assume that EVERYONE wants to sign up. Geez, why wouldn't they? By giving a choice in your question above you leave room for doubt on the prospective pilot's part.

There's alot to be said about closing the sale and how to do it, but just buy the greg Brown book instead.

 

[bobbysamd]

CFI Salesmanship

They don't usually have a "logbook" for their into ride, so I can't really sign anything. I do tell them that their intro flight can be recorded towards their private pilot certificate though.

You have to go beyond telling them that the flight counts towards their Private. This is another situation in which you must be proactive.

You should have a bunch of the cheap, ten page or less student logbooks on hand. After the flight, you take one and write up their flight time, and make a big deal out of how this is bona fide flight time that counts every bit as much as an airline captain's time. You then present the logbook, which, of course, will be FREE, and you point out that what the person has just accomplished is something few people in the population ever experience. Then, as the others recommended, schedule the person for the next lesson as soon as possible.

It really is all about salesmanship. You have to ask for the order, but you must quantify it in terms of actually scheduling the lesson.

One other idea for prospects. Try to tap into the high school/young adult crowd. Bear in mind all the posts you see here from younger people who want to know about the career. If you can find a high school type who is excited about flying, you just might find yourself with a ready-made sale and a student who might stay with you for all of his/her ratings.

Hope that helps some more. Continued good luck with your efforts.

 

[BoDEAN]

Where can I find these "cheap" logbooks at?
Maybe I can convince my boss to pick some up.

About the certificate idea, would you mind pm'ing me or emailing me a sample of what your certificate looks like that you made? I do have a digi cam so that may work.

Do you use regular paper or special paper?

 

[bobbysamd]

Cheap logbooks

I recall from years ago that manufacturers made paperbound logbooks available. That may not be true today. You may have to do some legwork to locate them. Or else, the commercial vendors sell small student logbooks. Maybe you can get a commercial discount if you buy them in bulk.

New student logbooks are really a cost of doing business for FBOs that offer flight training. Small logbooks, such as the ones I've mentioned, really should be handed out as a momento for any introductory flight. They may be the last free thing a student receives after beginning flight training.

 

[MarineGrunt]

Where can I find these "cheap" logbooks at?
Maybe I can convince my boss to pick some up.

About the certificate idea, would you mind pm'ing me or emailing me a sample of what your certificate looks like that you made? I do have a digi cam so that may work.

Do you use regular paper or special paper?

Sporty's has the "first flight" logbooks for $1.70ea if you order 10 or more. PM or email me tomorrow (Monday) and I will email you a word doc with the certificates I use.