Marketing as a CFI

[JBoDEAN]

Any suggestions on marketing as a CFI?
Currently I am mailing out letters to doctors, and hunting around my
town for public bulletin boards (which are harder to find then I
thought)...

[john price]

It's really hard to get started on your own... I suggest you
try ti find a local flight school and work there until you build
a reputation... If you build a good one, students will look for
you.

John Price
CFII/AGI/IGI
http://home.att.net/~jm.price


"JBoDEAN" > wrote in message
om...
> Any suggestions on marketing as a CFI?
> Currently I am mailing out letters to doctors, and hunting around my
> town for public bulletin boards (which are harder to find then I
> thought)...

[Al Gerharter]

John is correct, and this is good advice.

Once established a bit, get the flight school to lend you a 150 for a
weekend. Park it at a shopping center, or fairgrounds, or whatever for a
weekend, and handout Introductory flight coupons. I used a business
exposition, the sheriff flagged off the entry driveway for 15 minutes at
6:00am, and I flew it in. The school flourished for two years after that, I
had more students than I could fly, and I ran out of Intro coupons that
weekend. I just set up a table under the wing, displayed a "Cessna red bag
of obvious value", the training kit, and talked with folks.
Bring pictures of successful students and the local area. 18 months
later, the school slowed down, and the charter side picked up with all of
the students that never finished, or did not have the time/money to pursue
after the license. We flew business people for years after the "Expo".
Much like barnstorming, bring the airplane to the people. Let the kids
sit in it, and go home to tell dad about it. Send them home with a Polaroid
that has your name & number on it. Print business cards with a flight plan
form on the back, and hand them out at the airport. Sell the thrill, it's
your strongest card. Have fun doing it, it rubs off. Good Luck.

Al Gerharter CFIAMI

"john price" > wrote in message
...
> It's really hard to get started on your own... I suggest you
> try ti find a local flight school and work there until you build
> a reputation... If you build a good one, students will look for
> you.
>
> John Price
> CFII/AGI/IGI
> http://home.att.net/~jm.price
>
>
> "JBoDEAN" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Any suggestions on marketing as a CFI?
> > Currently I am mailing out letters to doctors, and hunting around my
> > town for public bulletin boards (which are harder to find then I
> > thought)...
>
>

[Rick Pellicciotti]

"Al Gerharter" > wrote in message
s.com...
> John is correct, and this is good advice.
>
> Once established a bit, get the flight school to lend you a 150 for a
> weekend. Park it at a shopping center, or fairgrounds, or whatever for a
> weekend, and handout Introductory flight coupons. I used a business
> exposition, the sheriff flagged off the entry driveway for 15 minutes at
> 6:00am, and I flew it in. The school flourished for two years after that,
I
> had more students than I could fly, and I ran out of Intro coupons that
> weekend. I just set up a table under the wing, displayed a "Cessna red bag
> of obvious value", the training kit, and talked with folks.
> Bring pictures of successful students and the local area. 18 months
> later, the school slowed down, and the charter side picked up with all of
> the students that never finished, or did not have the time/money to pursue
> after the license. We flew business people for years after the "Expo".
> Much like barnstorming, bring the airplane to the people. Let the kids
> sit in it, and go home to tell dad about it. Send them home with a
Polaroid
> that has your name & number on it. Print business cards with a flight plan
> form on the back, and hand them out at the airport. Sell the thrill, it's
> your strongest card. Have fun doing it, it rubs off. Good Luck.
>
> Al Gerharter CFIAMI
>
I couldn't agree with this more. Take it to the people and get them
excited. Join the local EAA chapter and do so Young Eagle flights (possibly
in a borrowed airplane or with the flying school's airplane). Find a ride
operator in your area and hook up with them. We do biplane rides and aerial
sightseeing in our area. A lot of people get out of the airplane asking
about learning to fly. We refer people to some young but enthusiastic CFI's
in our area all the time.

Our city is the headquarters for "Ducks Unlimited". Every year they have
"The Great Outdoors Festival". We always take the airplane and we do really
well.

Rick Pellicciotti, Belle Aire Tours, Inc.
http://www.belleairetours.com

[MRQB]

I am not a CFI but a student if you hook up with a school make sure they are
a stable school. make sure they dont change owners and get rid of of their
rental plane just befor a student check ride. thats what i am going through
now!


"john price" > wrote in message
...
> It's really hard to get started on your own... I suggest you
> try ti find a local flight school and work there until you build
> a reputation... If you build a good one, students will look for
> you.
>
> John Price
> CFII/AGI/IGI
> http://home.att.net/~jm.price
>
>
> "JBoDEAN" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Any suggestions on marketing as a CFI?
> > Currently I am mailing out letters to doctors, and hunting around my
> > town for public bulletin boards (which are harder to find then I
> > thought)...
>
>
>