It’s been more than two decades since we started in the aerospace PR and marketing business. And in that time? We’ve seen our fair share of successes and failures.
The majority of those failures happened in the digital age – when social media, websites and texting were the norm. Not only did these developments bring down those typical customer-business walls, but they have also allowed customers to reach brands more directly, and more publicly.
As those shifts have happened, aerospace brands have struggled to adapt. A fairly traditional industry in terms of PR and marketing tactics, there have been some growing pains for sure. Here are some of the worst mistakes we’ve seen — no names or specific details mentioned, of course!
- Ignoring a call-out from a customer on Twitter or Facebook – Did a customer tag you in a bad review or post on your wall about bad service or products? Ignoring it won’t make it go away. In fact, it only makes the problem worse. Not only can other customers (and potential customers) see that customer’s post, but they can see your lack of response too, and that says a lot about the service they can expect from your brand should they choose to do business with you.
- Pretending other brands in the space don’t exist – Just because you and another company might overlap on a product or service doesn’t mean you can’t work together. You actually probably have a lot of followers and customers in common, so retweeting their content, tagging them in the occasional post or partnering them in some way is actually a boon to business — not a hindrance.
- Not using SEO – Search engine optimization (SEO) isn’t just for your website. You should also use your search terms in social posts and on your social profiles as well. This can help your account rank higher in Google searches and, by association, your main website as well. Social and search strategies should work in tandem together toward the same goal from the very beginning.
- Ignoring the money – Let’s face it, aerospace is a big-budget industry. You’re not dealing with people purchasing $10 lipsticks. It’s million-dollar planes, parts and services in a global economy. As such, aerospace PR requires a little extra finesse. You need to recognize that your client is on the high end of the market and that those with deeper pockets deserve a little more attention. Don’t brush them aside and treat them like any old customer; make them feel unique, one-of-a-kind and important.
Great aerospace PR is really an art form, especially in today’s digitally driven world. Need help or not sure how to traverse things in today’s digital landscape? Haley Aerospace PR pros are here to guide you.
