Importance of Marketing Fixed Base Operators (FBOs)
A fixed base operator is an organization that an airport permits to provide aviation-related services like fuelling, parking, tie-down, hangar services, aircraft maintenance, aircraft rental, catering services, etc.
Every business deals with its own unique challenges and obstacles; however, effective marketing has always been a significant challenge for all Fixed Base Operators. This hurdle stems from the fact that competition in price and commoditisation has become a substantial focus of the FBOs.
FBO’s can struggle due to;
- An inability to control or deal with their geographic reach
- Providing the same services and products as their competitors
- A failure to influence the demand for services
Improper marketing strategies have been a significant problem for many aviation businesses, especially when they market their products as commodities. When your product is advertised as a commodity, your business will remain in pricing opposition with competitors. It may interest you to know that as long as you are in the market to compete with product prices, there will always be one company looking to make their price lower than yours, and that will result in a dip in price.
With the right marketing strategy in place, FBOs can have their services and underlying goods as commodities without joining the price battle with competitors – your FBO can be unique and can also be marketed uniquely.
What we Recommend for FBO Marketing
This is a simple marketing concept that needs to be executed by the right marketing professionals. Branding is not just about the logo or graphics; instead, it is about your FBO’s identity, message, and prospects that would be converted to customers.
Using a professional aviation marketing service can help redefine your brand’s story by ensuring that a rich branding experience is always delivered with the aid of different media channels.
Our marketing can give your FBO a branding strategy that is solid, effective, and efficient. With the right branding strategy in place, your brand will do the talking for your FBO.
Creating a Connection
With the right strategy in place, your FBO marketing can experience a paradigm shift from the noise and clutter of commodity-based business marketing. This can be achieved by taking the services several notches higher, by providing a level service and experience that only a few competitors may be able to match.
Marketing your FBO the right way will create a connection with potential customers based on internalized and perceptual value, which will, in turn, create a gratifying experience for your customers.
After creating a connection with potential customers, they must be converted into long term clients. It may interest you to know that experiences are the forces that determine the direction of a relationship. If a good relationship is formed from the connection, it becomes easy for such bonds to be converted into customers that will remain loyal to your FBO, as long as standards are not dropped or compromised.
Personalized Reach
Your FBO brand needs to connect to the right set of potential customers, and the right marketing strategy and the process can help you deliver your Fixed Base Operation brand to the target audience. Remember, you are creating an unforgettable experience for your prospective customers, and one reliable way that marketing helps achieve that experience is by personalizing it.
Multi-channel Marketing
Creating an excellent experience for your prospective customers should not be a tedious process, and interestingly different channels can be employed to take your FBO marketing to the next level. Some channels include websites, email newsletters, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), social media engagement, paid adverts, etc.
Your FBO needs to step out of the fight for the best price and instead aim at delivering unforgettable and pleasant experiences that will endear the customers to your FBO brand. As long as your services are top-notch, your customers will remain loyal, even if your competitors drop their prices.
Let’s Make Things Happen!
Our marketing experts are jet fuel junkies, with a passion for all thing’s aviation and it’s this combination of marketing and aviation that makes us great at what we do.
If you’re looking to dive straight in, this is the best place to start.
“The team at Off the Ground Marketing is fabulous. They helped us unlock our potential online and offline. We have experienced year on year growth due to their progressive approach.”
George Anderson
FlyIt