Category Archives: Aerospace Marketing

Times Are Tough, But Content Can Help You Weather the Storm

Your clients (and people around the world, for that matter) are experiencing hard times right now. They might be sick, juggling homeschool and remote work duties simultaneously, or even dealing with income cutbacks or other financial hardships.

So, making a big sales pitch? That’s probably not the most sensitive move in today’s environment.

What you can do, though, is stay top of mind while they weather the storm. Because while clients might not have the budget to buy from you today, they will someday. And when they do, you want to be the first brand they think of.

Content Is the Key

Your clients are on the web, consuming content more than ever these days. In fact, several studies show internet usage surged after self-isolation orders were put in place, and by a lot.

That’s more hours of checking email, reading articles, and scanning social media – all valuable opportunities to connect with clients and increase your visibility.

To leverage these opportunities, however, you first need content to fill those channels. That means:

● Social media posts they can interact with and share on their favorite platforms
● Videos they can learn from or be entertained by
● Blogs and newsletters they can read to stay abreast of industry changes, trends, and other helpful guidance
● Sponsored and syndicated articles in their favorite publications and trade magazines
● Webinars they can participate in to grow their skills and strengthen their businesses
● White papers they can download for deeper dives into complicated topics and pain points they’re dealing with

Just remember: When creating this content, be extra cognizant of what’s going on in the world around us. Exercise empathy, and write knowing that your readers may be stressed, overwhelmed, or even scared right now. Be sensitive to these circumstances, or even address them outright. Let your customers know you’re there to support them and ease their burden during these trying times.

Stay Strong

We at Haley Brand Aerospace are deeply aware of how much the current health crisis has impacted the aviation industry, as well as the millions of people employed in it. If you or your business has been hurt due to the ongoing pandemic, please accept our sincerest sympathies, and know that we’re here to help when and if you need it.

Stay strong. We’ll get through this together.

 

Aviation Branding During COVID-19

We are living in extraordinary times. Even if you don’t spend a dime on your aviation branding or marketing when so many people are on lock-down, customers are going to have an opinion about your company and how you’re handling it.

Maybe they’ll think you’ve disappeared during the lockdown. Or maybe they’ll think your customer service is poor.

The truth is branding during the COVID-19 crisis isn’t just your best defense against inaccurate perceptions of your company; it’s also the most effective way to proactively shape customer opinion. It gets you ahead of preconceived notions and molds the impression clients have of your organization from the ground up.

It doesn’t take a whole lot of effort or resources, either. Just thoughtful planning, consistency, and a thorough understanding of your audience and what they’re looking for.

Using Smart Aviation Branding

Before you can use branding to shape perceptions of your brand, you need to answer three big questions first.

1. Who is your audience and what are they looking for?

Paint your ideal audience in broad strokes. What are their demographics and budget? What are their business needs and challenges? What are they interested in and what don’t they like? Are they working from home?

You should then couple that with cold, hard data. Conduct online surveys to really understand your audience on a deeper level. You need a good foundational knowledge of your customer mindset before you can ever begin any sort of branding initiative.

2. What do you want that audience to think about your company?

Next, Zoom with your team and determine what your ideal brand perception would be. Do you want to be known as the company with the best online presence during COVID-19? The most helpful? The most advanced technology? Really hone the image you want to convey, and get super detailed with it.

Remember: you can’t be everything to everyone, so focus on your strength and create a zeroed-in message you want customers to come away with.

3. What would convey that message?

Once you know the perception you want customers to have, then you need to determine the best way to portray that. If you want to be known as the best at customer care and service, building up an arsenal of positive reviews and happy customers is your best bet. If you want to convey that your brand offers the best value during this economic downturn, a more numbers-focused branding approach may be best. Can you pull client ROI data and use that in your slogan or advertising? Do you have analytics that can back up your efficacy? There’s no hard-and-fast answer when it comes to crisis aviation branding.

You’ll need to customize your efforts to the exact audience you’re trying to reach, as well as the image you’re looking to convey.

What Do Customers Think of Your Aviation Brand?

Want to get out ahead and shape customer perception during this global pandemic? The right aviation branding can help. Get in touch with our aviation agency today to learn more.

Thought Leadership: How Does It Work?

If you follow any marketing blogs or influencers, then you’ve probably seen the phrase “thought leadership” used in posts.

Is it something you should be using for your own brand? Could it help boost your bottom line or bring in new customers in 2020?

Here’s what you need to know.

The What

So, what exactly is thought leadership? Put simply, it’s any sort of content that positions you as a leading, knowledgeable voice around a particular subject matter.

For us at Haley Aerospace Marketing, it’s blogs about branding and marketing. For Nike, it’s content around proper foot support or running form. And for stores like Walmart and Target, it’s about saving cash, getting deals, and making the most of your money.

Exactly what thought leadership content is about varies based on your industry, your products, and the customer you’re looking to reach. The main point? Show off your knowledge in your specific niche.

The Who

Who is thought leadership good for? That would be anyone and everyone: B2B companies. B2C brands. Your executive team. Your customer service reps. Everyone who has some sort of expertise to share can offer up thought leadership and help establish your organization as an authority in its industry.

The When

When should you offer up thought leadership? More importantly, when is a topic worth your thought leaders’ efforts and time? As long as you have proven expertise in the field, there’s no wrong time to share your insights.

There are, however, some times when your content may get more views or traction due to outside circumstances. These include when a subject is:

  • In the news or somehow topical
  • Getting coverage from competitors or others in your space
  • Related to some sort of challenge or struggle your clients are currently dealing with

Keep in mind, consistency is key here. You don’t really need a reason for offering up your team’s thought leadership. In fact, you should simply have a regular, set schedule for providing it. Maybe it’s once a month on your blog or every other Tuesday via Facebook Live. Whatever it is, stick to it and be reliable about it.

The Why

Great thought leadership takes time. It requires careful planning, great writing, and a good marketing strategy to get it in front of the right eyes (or ears).

Why should you bother putting in all that time and effort when you’re already resource-strapped and busy? Here are just a few of the benefits thought leadership can bring about:

  • It establishes you as an expert in your field
  • It helps you start conversations with clients (new and old)
  • It shows your abilities and skills to potential clients
  • It improves your SEO and marketing efforts

There are more, but the general gist is simple: It makes you look good.

The How

There’s no right or wrong way to share thought leadership content, but there are ways to increase your content’s exposure and the impact it has on your business.

If you want to see the most results from your efforts, you should:

  • Be consistent. Deliver your thoughts often and reliably. You want to be someone your clients (and prospective clients) turn to for advice. You can’t be that unless you’re consistently showing you’re there, you’re available, and you’re ready to dive in deep.
  • Be thorough. When discussing a topic, answer your reader’s questions fully, even the most basic ones. Show you know your stuff inside and out.
  • Be clear and direct. Don’t throw in all kinds of industry jargon and lingo. Readers shouldn’t need a thesaurus or translator to get through your content. Make it approachable, easy to understand, and concise.

You should also have a system for thought leadership production. How will you generate ideas? Who will write, edit, approve, and post your content? What’s the plan for promoting it once it’s finished?

The Where

Thought leadership content can go just about anywhere: your blog, your social media accounts, your ads and marketing material, and more. Wherever there are clients or prospective clients interacting with your brand, there’s an opportunity to show off your knowledge and solidify your place as a trusted expert.

The Bottom Line

Great thought leadership content can set you apart from your competitors, and it could be what turns a casual onlooker into a longtime and profitable client.

Want help getting your aerospace brand’s thought leadership efforts off the ground? Then get in touch with Haley Aerospace Marketing today.

Common Lead Generation Mistakes: Are You Making Any of Them?

Common Lead Generation Mistakes: Are You Making Any of Them? | Aviation Marketing | Haley Aerospace Marketing

Leads equal sales and sales equal profits. But getting those leads in the first place – especially qualified ones – that’s where the problem lies.

It’s easy to slap an opt-in form on your website and call it “lead generation,” but the truth is, that’s no more effective than a postcard in the mail or an unwanted cold call on someone’s cell phone (i.e., not very effective).

Truly impactful lead generation is a delicate mix of marketing, targeting and timing, and many businesses – too many of them, in fact – get it wrong.

Want to make sure you’re not committing any cardinal sins of lead gen? Here are the most common mistakes we’ve seen in our line of work:

Using a singular landing page.

Landing pages need to be highly targeted and tailored in order to be effective. First and foremost, they should match up with the ad or link that brought the lead in – both in messaging and in intent. They should also coincide with whatever you’re offering for their opt-in. Are you giving away a white paper on fighting customer churn? Then that landing page needs to be all about the struggles of churn – its financial costs, the stress it puts on a company’s resources and team, etc.

Because these pages need to be so targeted, they don’t really work well for multiple campaigns. For the most part, you can pretty much expect to create a new landing page for every campaign, advertisement or promo you launch. It sounds like a hassle, sure, but it’s also the best way to deliver value to the lead – and earn their loyalty in return.

Too-long opt-in forms.

Today’s consumers are busy, and they’re used to lightning-fast speeds when it comes to their online experiences. Expecting someone to fill out a 5-minute form – especially if they have no preestablished relationship with you – is pretty much dooming your lead gen efforts for failure.

Think of the opt-in like a first date – or even a precursor to a first date – for your leads. They’re intrigued, and they want to know more, but they’re not going to give you their address, cell phone number and entire life story just yet. Prove your worth, show them why you’re worth their time, and gradually you can go for the big asks (and the big sales pitches).

Unclear CTAs.

Calls-to-action are the key to snagging the email address, phone number or other opt-in info. Knowing your CTA also helps guide your content, so that it always – at every turn – drives users to completing that action and making that connection.

CTAs should be clear, concise and highly visible on any page you’re driving leads to. They’re especially important on your high-traffic pages – places like your home page, your blog, any viral videos you have, etc. Like your landing pages, they also need to be highly tailored to what the lead is thinking, needing and expecting when they hit your content.

Buying instead of generating your leads.

It can be tempting to buy email lists, but in the end, it almost always hurts more than it helps. If you get flagged for spam (which you likely will, since the users didn’t actually subscribe to your emails!), the more your messages will go straight to spam folders – making them virtually useless and wasteful. On top of this, it also means you’re not connecting with very qualified leads. Those users haven’t shown any interest in your brand thus far, so trying to convert them into a sale? That’s an uphill battle.

You’re better off generating organic leads who actually want and need your services, and then delivering your products as usual. It’s a much easier sell when people actually want what you have to offer!

Forgetting the follow-up.

There’s no point in generating a lead if you’re not going to use it. If someone signed up for your emails or gave you their info, they were at least somewhat interested in what you have to say or offer. Find out what that something is, tap into it and start nurturing that lead until you close the sale. It might take a while, but if you put effort into building the relationship and earning their loyalty, you’ll have a customer for life.

How do you measure up?

Is your aerospace brand making any of these lead generation mistakes? Want help course-correcting and getting back on track? Contact Haley Aerospace today.

 

5 Quick Changes for More Effective Lead Generation

5 Quick Changes for More Effective Lead Generation | Aviation Marketing | Haley Aerospace Marketing

When it comes to your brand’s profitability, your lead generation efforts might just be the most important factor.

After all, more leads equal more sales potential. And more sales? Well, that means more money in the long run.

But lead generation is a tricky beast. It takes a mix of great, valuable content, highly targeted marketing strategies and stellar engagement to master, and few aviation brands have all of these assets (not to mention resources) to handle it all in-house.

Want to start ramping up your lead gen efforts to see better results? Here are a few quick changes you can make:

1. Add your opt-in forms everywhere.

Opt-in forms shouldn’t just be on the footer of your website. You also want them on the sidebar of your blog, embedded in your videos and gating your most coveted content. Make sure you’re asking for enough information to properly sift them into the right funnels too. Your messages will fall on deaf ears if they’re not highly targeted and relevant to the customer’s needs.

2. Leverage your most-seen real estate.

What is it that almost every customer (or potential customer) sees? Is it your email signature? Your Facebook page? The viral video you did a few months back? Make it work for you. Add a link or two to your most relevant, valuable content (maybe a free tool or template), and make sure there’s a way for clients to opt-in or learn more as well. Don’t let these high-traffic assets go unleveraged.

3. Start working with influencers in your industry.

Reach out to movers and shakers in the industry, and ask them smart, timely questions about what’s going on in the space. Weave their quotes into articles or resources (with their permission, of course), publish a full Q&A video or blog post, and retweet their content on Twitter. Not only does associating with these influencers give your brand more clout, but it could also mean added exposure if they share or post your work together with their own followings.

4. Always have a CTA.

Go through your webpages, blogs and other online content. Is there a call to action on every page? If not, there needs to be and fast. Every piece of content should have its own, custom-fit CTA that’s tailored exactly to what the customer is reading (and needing) at that point in time.

CTA options include things like:

* Contacting you for more information
* Downloading a free guide or content offer
* Signing up for your email list for more information/insights
* Liking you on Facebook or following you on Twitter

Just make sure it’s appropriate to the content on the page, and that it gives your brand another way to reach the customer after this initial interaction.

5. Check your analytics after every new effort.

After every one of these changes (or any other new marketing effort you take on), check your analytics. Was traffic up or down? How many opt-ins did you get? How many unsubscribes followed that? Did any sales result from the effort? Try to understand the full impact of the changes you made, and if they weren’t what you were hoping for, tweak your content, creative or targeting and try again. Use your metrics to help you hone a strategy that’s not only effective but lucrative.

Change Is Necessary

If your lead generation efforts aren’t delivering the results your aviation brand needs, then these quick changes can help. Want more advice on improving your lead gen strategy? Contact Haley Aerospace for a free consult today.

Earned Media vs. Paid Media: What’s the Difference (And Does It Matter?)

Earned Media vs. Paid Media: What’s the Difference (And Does It Matter?) | Haley Brand Aerospace

Both earned media and paid media can offer added exposure, more leads and increased sales for your aviation brand – but the two aren’t one and the same.

While both types work together to support your marketing efforts, effective earned and paid media opportunities grow from very different seedlings: the former from your brand’s reputation and influence, and the latter from your pocketbook and advertising know-how.

Cultivating both is key to a 360-degree marketing strategy that works for the long haul.

Paid Media

Paid media is the simpler one. It allows you to pay (via an advertisement, for example) to promote your message, brand or product in a certain space.

Examples of paid media include:

  • Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn ads
  • Magazine placements
  • Paid contributions to publications or websites
  • Google Ads and other search advertising
  • Public or corporate sponsorships

Paid media is a great way to amplify your message, while also being very strategic with who sees that message, where they’re located and how likely they are to become a customer. Paid media is also a great way to gain exposure for your “owned” media — meaning the content, blogs, videos and resources you’ve created internally for your audience.

Earned Media

Earned media, put simply, is media exposure. It’s when a publication, news organization or some other channel with an audience shares your message, products, content or anything to do with your brand. Earned media is especially powerful because it increases your credibility (it’s someone else saying you’re great — not just you tooting your own horn).

Examples of earned media include:

  • Press mentions (including quotes from your team members or mentions of your products)
  • Positive reviews and testimonials on third-party sites
  • Reposts, shares and retweets on social media
  • Shares and emails of your content, blogs, articles, etc.

Earned media is a little harder to come by, as it’s largely out of your control. You can help your case by connecting with well-established voices and influencers in your space. For our clients, that means aviation and aerospace magazines, reporters, trade shows and others within the industry.

Part of your marketing mix should be owned media, your produced content that is shared with your audience. Materials such as a website, blog, social media accounts, collateral and other materials can be used to build your brand image, promote your products and services, and educate your target audience. In addition, owned media can serve as a valuable tool to help rebuild your reputation after a crisis event.

A Three-Pronged Approach

Really, the best marketing strategy is one that combines earned media, paid media and targeted owned media. This allows you to reach potential customers at all points in their buying journey, as well as leverage key influencers and voices in your industry.

Need help crafting your aviation brand’s three-pronged marketing strategy? Haley Aerospace can help. Get in touch today for a free consult!

 

Want Staying Power? Here’s How Aerospace Brands Can Build Long-Term Loyalty

If you’re a true success story, long-term, loyal customers are your bread and butter.

Sure, new, one-time sales are great for cash flow, but they don’t make a thriving, future-proof business.

The key to that lies in loyalty.

Why Does Loyalty Matter?

In a high-dollar industry like aerospace, loyalty makes all the difference. Just one loyal customer could mean billions of dollars in sales – year after year after year.

It’s the gift that just keeps giving.

Loyal customers buy from you again and again, and even better, they’re more willing to increase their orders, try out the latest products, and refer you throughout their network. That means even more sales in the long run.

Unfortunately, like Rome, customer loyalty isn’t built in a day – especially when those customers have big money on the line. Do you need help building loyalty among your aerospace brand’s customers? These tips can help:

  • Make them feel something. According to a study by Facebook, “loyalty is thriving and rooted in emotion.” Loyal customers need to feel like you’re doing more than just going through the motions. They need to feel valued, and they need to feel heard. As the study states, loyal customers “prioritize more emotive and experiential qualities, like trust and service.”
  • Do more. On that same note, always make it a point to overdeliver. Doing the bare minimum isn’t an option if you want long-term business. Why? Because there’s always a competitor out there who will do more, be more, and deliver more – and your customers aren’t afraid to go out there and find them.
  • Think holistically. Go beyond just optimizing your sales and conversion processes, but look at the bigger customer lifecycle. Make sure they get an A-plus experience every step of the way – especially after they’ve put down their hard-earned cash.
  • Follow up and follow up again. You might have gotten the sale, but your work isn’t done just yet. Make it a point to check in with your customers, get feedback, and see if they need help. Show them that you want them to get the most from their purchase (and that they’re not just another notch on your belt.)
  • Customize. Nothing makes a customer feel more unimportant that a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all email that isn’t even relevant. Be careful to customize your messaging as much as possible, and avoid automating every touchpoint of the experience. You want some human element in every communication you have.

It sounds like a lot of extra work, but it’s work that can directly translate to more sales, more profits, and more long-term business. Need help building customer loyalty for your aerospace brand? Reach out to Haley Aerospace today.

 

3 Mistakes New Aviation Marketers Make

3 Mistakes New Aviation Marketers Make | Haley Aerospace Marketing

If you’re new to being an aviation marketer, you’ll quickly find that it’s a unique beast.

Not only are we selling high-dollar parts, products and machines, we’re also selling experiences. Doing all of these things take a powerful grasp on both our audience and the values and priorities that matter most to them.

Are you new to the aviation marketing world? Just want to brush up on your skills and make sure you’re on the right track? Here are the biggest mistakes newbie aviation marketers make (and how to avoid them):

Not measuring and tracking

Marketing without metrics is just shooting in the dark. If you want to ensure your strategy is an effective one, it needs to be based in cold, hard data. What areas are you failing in? Where are your efforts working and where is there room for improvement? What past efforts have been successful and what led to their success? Analytics can help you answer all of these questions and more.

It’s not just about watching your analytics, though — it’s about watching the right ones. As with anything, not all metrics are created equal, and if you want to drive more sales and get more clients, you have to watch the metrics that are tied to those numbers — the conversion rates on your content offers, the engagement on your social posts and the leads you keep in the funnel after a trade show. Know what your key performance indicators are and keep a good gauge on them at all times. Let them drive your strategy and move your brand forward.

Skipping social

Many aviation marketers feel social media is a waste of time. Are high-dollar buyers really watching your brand on Facebook? Could a Twitter post really bring a new B2B vendor into the fold? You bet it could. In aviation marketing, it’s all about choosing the right social channels to focus on.

For B2B brands, LinkedIn is king, and Twitter can bring in some healthy sales as well. For B2C organizations, visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat are great options if you’ve got amazing aviation photography because they really draw people to your brand. (You just have to know how to convert them and turn those leads into a sale after that!)

Marketing to the wrong person

You also need to know who you’re marketing to. If you’re a B2B aviation brand, you’re not marketing to the CEO of a company. Instead, you’re trying to reach a buyer for that brand — someone lower on the totem pole, with less of a financial stake and more to prove. They want you to make them look good and they want you to show them how.

For B2C brands, you need to dive into the psyche and demographics of your target audience. What’s their income level? Do they have kids? What stage of life are they in? What’s important to them and what are their values? These should all play a role in both how you market to them and what venues you use to do it.

Always keep the end-buyer’s unique scenario in mind when crafting your marketing efforts. What are their challenges and struggles? What are their pain points? How can you, specifically, help them solve and overcome them? More importantly, how can you convince them of your abilities and earn their trust?

You’re Not Alone

You don’t have to go it alone in aviation marketing. Our experts are here to help point you in the right direction — both on metrics and on strategy. Contact Haley Aerospace today for help with your 2019 aviation marketing.

 

How to Capture (And Nurture) More Leads at Heli-Expo

How to Capture (And Nurture) More Leads at Heli-Expo | Haley Aerospace Marketing

Lead capturing should be the ultimate goal of any trade show exhibitor.

Sure, a splashy booth and an amazing demo will get you some foot traffic, but if those visitors don’t know how to reach you after the fact or, worse yet, you don’t know how to reach them, what’s the point of it all?

Without an adequate lead capturing strategy — not to mention a nurturing one to follow it up — your trade show efforts aren’t just ineffective, they are downright pointless.

Want to make sure you’re well-positioned to capture and nurture valuable leads at 2019 HAI HELI-EXPO next month (or whatever your next trade show may be)? Then make sure to heed these tips:

Make It Easy

The faster and easier you can make your lead capturing process, the more likely visitors will be to do it. Don’t make them fill out an entire page of information by hand. They either won’t do it, or they’ll walk away annoyed (and with a cramping hand to boot). Instead, set up a laptop with a simple form on the screen. Require only the bare minimum of info — their name, company and an email address — items they can type in and enter in under 30 seconds. You can also go the old-school route and set up a box for business cards. This takes little to no effort at all and gives you more information than a basic form would.

Integrate It Into the Booth’s Experience

Your lead capture process shouldn’t be an afterthought. Instead, work it into the overall set-up and experience of your booth. Set up your form at the entrance of your booth and require visitors to sign in before seeing your demo, grabbing a brochure or stepping into your display. At the very least, have the form at your booth’s exit, so visitors who were genuinely interested in your products can give you their info.

Give Them Something Useful and Unique

You want to be able to reach your leads, but you also want them to know how to reach you, too. While a brochure or flyer can be nice, they’re not likely to stand out in the crowd — especially once those visitors arrive home with piles upon piles of them.

Want to make sure they think about your brand and your services after the fact? That they can connect with you when you do come to mind? Then send them home with something useful and unique. Maybe it’s a portable coffee cup with your logo and web address on it, or maybe it’s a set of branded earbuds to use on the plane ride home. Whatever it is, make sure it’s something the visitor will use and that it has some form of contact info on it.

Follow Up Quickly

Within a week of the show, follow up with the leads you captured at the event via email. Make sure to include a short reminder of what your booth (and your business) brought to the show, and then detail any show-related discounts or specials you’re running. You might get some bites and you might also get some unsubscribes. Use this to hone your list.

Assign sales reps to the leads you get responses from, remove the unsubscribes, and put the remaining leads into an email drip campaign. Send them valuable content, tips and guidance over the coming weeks and months, and keep your business top of mind. (You never know when they might need your services.)

The Lead Generating Marathon

Remember, lead generation is a marathon, not a sprint. Think of your booth as the initial starting line — the point where it all begins. It’s not until much later, after you’ve built up trust and delivered value, that the leads become loyal, paying customers.

Need help capturing and nurturing leads at your next trade show? Want help in other areas of marketing? Contact Haley Aerospace today or connect with us at HELI-EXPO next month.

 

Four Aerospace Marketing Trends for 2019

Four Aerospace Marketing Trends for 2019 | Aviation Marketing | Haley Aerospace Marketing

Somehow, 2018 is coming to a close, and it’s already time to start mapping out your marketing budget for the new year.

Do you know what you’ll pour your resources into? What platforms and tools to purchase? Where to augment your staff and what trade shows to send them to?

If not, look to current aerospace marketing trends to guide you. Here’s what our clients have been up to in the past few months — and what we expect to see more of as 2019 plows forward:

1. Customization and personalization.

Today’s consumers expect a more targeted, personalized experience than ever before. No more cookie cutter, catch-all marketing campaigns or vague billboard ads that speak to no one in particular. Now, it’s all about speaking directly to the customer — addressing their exact needs, wants, desires and struggles.

It sounds hard, but thanks to the huge amount of data we marketers have access to, it’s not as far-fetched as it might seem. You just need the right measurement tools (analytics platforms, customer interviewing strategies, polls, surveys, etc.), as well as the right team members to watch that data, analyze it and act on it.

2. Embracing the unique.

Instead of trying to be the best or the most expensive or the most luxe, today’s aerospace brands are focused on being their most unique. Rather than touting their awards and high-profile clients, they’re honing in on what makes their products and services different from their competitors — and then using those differentiators to position their brand for better-qualified customers and B2B partners.

3. Going back to square one.

What made your brand successful in the first place? It might have been 75 years ago, but those same things that made you popular then can make you popular again. Take Disney’s recent reboot marathon lately. Why do you think they’ve taken to re-doing every single animated film the company’s ever made? Because those films were their foundation — the thing that got them where they are today.

When in doubt, go back to square one and look at what brought you here. Sometimes, improving your business doesn’t have to mean a total 180-degree change. Small tweaks and incremental alterations in approach can do wonders.

4. Pushing quality over quantity.

Aerospace customers are discerning ones. They know a cheap Facebook ad from an expensive placement in a trade show booklet or industry magazine. Instead of trying to get “more for less,” pouring all your resources into hundreds of unqualified clicks on Facebook or Google, focus your efforts where you know your customers are — even if it means spending a bit more (or bringing in fewer leads) in the process.

2019 is Almost Here

We understand these aerospace marketing trends and can help you create a winning marketing strategy for your aerobrand in 2019. Contact the team at Haley Aerospace Marketing today.

 

The Power of Keywords…Or Maybe Not

The Power of Keywords — Or Maybe Not | Aerobrand Company | Haley Aerospace Marketing |

So-called “keywords” play a big role in SEO strategy — and sure, they can bring in leads and customers by helping people find your website.

But traditionally used, they’re just not enough to get you the business you want.

The Problem with Certain Keywords

In an overcrowded place like the web, packing your aerobrand website with keyword phrases like “best autopilot device” or “top aviation company” might seem like a good idea. But this strategy often serves up disappointing results.

Think about how many other brands are trying to rank for those common keyword phrases. Then ask yourself, how many of the users searching for those terms are actually looking for your specific products and services?

Probably only a small fraction, right?

Here’s a crazy thought: instead of labeling your aerobrand with broad terms and phrases that might bring in qualified leads, why not include ones that will only bring them in?

I’m talking about brand-specific, nitty-gritty, deep-dive terms — things like “HeliSAS” (perfect for our friends over at Genesys Aerosystems) or “aerial luxury” (a great phrase for AERIA Luxury Interiors).

These are simple, succinct words and phrases that push users directly to what they’re looking for. Ultimately, that means a higher chance of a real conversion or sale and a much more effective use of time, energy and resources, marketing-wise.

What’s Your Word?

Do you have one of these words or phrases you could include, rather than just relying on big-bucket keywords?

Here at Haley Aerospace, our word is aerobrand. It’s a term that works two-fold for us: one, it speaks to our clientele, aerospace and aviation brands. Two, it explains our services, aerospace branding and marketing.

Once you’ve determined your word, you need to own it. Use it in marketing materials, in blogs and on social media. Work it into your tagline, motto and even email signature. Be known for something uniquely you — something other companies can’t touch and something your future customers will seek out specifically from your brand.

Need help determining a unique search term for your aerobrand? Let us help. Contact Haley Aerospace Marketing today.

 

How Aerospace Brands Can Stay Relevant in Changing Times

How Aerospace Brands Can Stay Relevant in Changing Times | Haley Aerospace | Aerospace and Aviation Branding

Thanks to technology, consumers are in more control than ever. They can research and compare brands in an instant, price-shop with just a few clicks and make a purchase even faster.

And as this control grows, brands get lost in the shuffle.

They’re easily cast aside. Overpowered by the next big thing. Deemed behind-the-times or boring.

How do you keep your brand from falling victim, too? It all comes down to relevance.

Building Relevant Aerospace Brands

You don’t need the best technology or the latest, greatest innovation to stay relevant. In fact, if that’s all you have to offer your customers, that pretty much guarantees only flash-in-the-pan success at best.

The true staying power lies with relevant aerospace brands. Brands that know how connect with their customers on a deeper level – how to engage them, excite them and keep them interested over and over.

To do this, brands need to:

  1. Know their purpose. What’s your reason for being? Your purpose for existing? Brands that know their purpose are able to singularly drive their efforts toward that goal. Every product is made with it in mind, and every marketing message is written for that reason as well. Think of Disney. As a brand, its purpose is simple – and one likely shared by millions of parents who buy its products annually: to make kids happy. Hone in on your simple, singular purpose and let it drive you.
  2. Offer an experience. It’s not just about selling products or services. It’s about delivering an all-encompassing experience that gives customers more than just one-off satisfaction. They will buy your part or system now, and later down the line, they’ll come back for repairs, maintenance, replacements or other needs. Brand loyalty develops when a customer’s need is always met – and met to its fullest – time after time. So use data and tech to anticipate those future needs and deliver on them seamlessly and with the same passion as the first go-round.
  3. Inspire internally. Great brands aren’t made by great marketing (of course it doesn’t hurt!) The most impactful aerospace brands are ones where internal culture has created employee-advocates – people who invest their time, energy and passions wholeheartedly into the company. They believe in the brand’s purpose and they want to share its message with the world. Invest in your people, and they invest in you. It’s a simple mantra all the best organizations operate by.

The Bottom Line

Aerospace brands that can accomplish these three tasks will consistently remain relevant – no matter what tech or developments go on around them. Want to ensure your aerobrand stays relevant in the changing times? Haley’s aerospace branding experts are here to help.

 

Top-down or bottom-up: Which branding strategy is right for you?

Top-down or bottom-up: Which branding strategy is right for you? | Haley Aerospace Marketing

For large aerospace and aviation organizations, there are two options when it comes to branding: You can brand from the top down or from the bottom up.

Each option comes with its unique pros and cons, and the best choice really depends on what the company’s overall goals are, how well known and established the organization is, and the differences between its unique branches and product lines.

Not sure which branding strategy is best for your specific aviation company? Let’s examine both to find out.

Top-Down Branding

With a top-down branding strategy, everything starts with the branding of the larger, all-encompassing organization.

Google, for example, is a top-down branded company. All its unique product lines and services – no matter how different they may be – have some sort of Google connection to them. There’s Gmail, Google Drive, Google+, Google Documents, etc.

The reason for following this strategy? It’s likely to leverage Google’s known clout in the tech world. Why create a new brand name and style, when the current one is already so well known and successful? Google can give its new products a leg up on the competition simply by lending its namesake.

Bottom-Up Branding

On the opposite end of the spectrum is bottom-up branding, which has an overarching brand, as well as several sub-brands that stand alone.

A good example of bottom-up branding can be seen with the candy company Mars. Unlike Hershey, which has products like Hershey Kisses and Hershey Chocolate Bars, the Mars company’s products have names and brands all their own. M&M’s, 3 Musketeers, Snickers and Twix are just a few of the sub-brands under the Mars name.

Though Mars itself is certainly well known in the candy world, many of its sub-brands are, arguably, even more established. This is common with consumer brands – particularly ones where products vary greatly. It’s also often a result of mergers and acquisitions.

Need Branding Guidance? Let Us Help

In the aviation world, it’s not uncommon for companies to have numerous product lines or services branching off. But should those carry the same name or stand alone as brands in their own right? The question is a hard one – and it varies from organization to organization.

Want help honing in on what strategy is most appropriate (and profitable) for your aerobrand? Get in touch. Our branding experts are here to help.

 

Does Your Aerospace Brand’s Website Speak to Millennials?

 

Does Your Aerospace Brand’s Website Speak to Millennials? | Haley Aerospace Marketing

Millennials aren’t kids anymore. They make up the bulk of the U.S. workforce, and likely the majority of your clients as well.

As such, it’s important you tailor your efforts to their needs, their style and their way of thinking.

Pivot your marketing strategies to include more SEO and social media, use PR to tout the values and social causes you believe in, and most importantly, revamp your website to fall in line with their tech-savvy expectations.

Because many Millennials are digital natives, growing up with a phone in one hand and a laptop in the other. That last one is the most crucial. To a Millennial, your web presence is the only marketing tool that matters – and if it’s not up to snuff, they’ll look elsewhere to find what they need.

Not sure where to start in revamping your aerospace website to speak to Millennials? Here’s how to do it:

  • Make sure it’s mobile-friendly. This doesn’t just mean it merely functions on a mobile phone, with a bare-bones menu and a few paragraphs of copy. It needs to offer the full scope of your web experience, only on a small touchscreen phone or portable tablet. Keep in mind: About a third of all Millennial internet usage is on mobile devices. If your site’s not mobile-friendly, you’re losing a huge chunk of potential customers every day.
  • Localize your SEO. Optimizing for a few general keywords isn’t enough to reach Millennials through search engines. They’re a savvy bunch, and they know how to craft a search to find exactly what they need in a matter of seconds. If you’re not optimizing specifically enough, you won’t even show up on their radar (but your competitors might).
  • Add a blog to your site – Millennials love blogs, subscribing to them, sharing them on social media, and putting their tips and tricks into action. Blogs can also help enhance your SEO efforts, meaning you’ve got an added shot at showing up in search results when those tech-savvy customers come calling.

In the end, a smooth, seamless online experience is what Millennials are looking for, no matter what device they’re using or from where they’re accessing your site. Make sure they’re getting just that, and you’ll be one step closer to winning them over – and their potential business.

Want help getting your aerospace brand’s website in line with Millennial expectations? We can help. Get in touch with Haley Aerospace Marketing today.

 

What Journalists Want: How to Up Your Aerospace PR Game & Get More Traction

What Journalists Want: How to Up Your Aerospace PR Game & Get More Traction | Haley Aerospace Marketing

Journalists are the gatekeepers for us PR folk. They have the power over which press releases make the news, what latest developments see a wider audience and which of your competitors get valuable print real estate.

As such, cultivating great relationships with them is crucial – particularly ones who specialize in the aerospace industry.

But journalists are busy. They don’t have time for networking, schmoozing or chatting on the phone. They want to get down to business, and they want those bylines.

So how do you build great relationships with them? You give them just that.

  • Keep it concise. Journalists are big on brevity. They don’t want to read three pages of PR jargon, nor do they want to sift through spreadsheets and dozens of data points. Make your pitch as concise and to the point as possible, and don’t waste their time.
  • Know their niche. If Alice specializes in covering helicopter news, don’t inundate her with press releases about passenger planes or other info she’s not able to cover. Keep an updated list of all your contacts, with detailed information on what types of stories they cover. Try to keep your pitches and press releases as in line with these interests as possible. You don’t want to end up on any spam lists!
  • Make their job easy. Don’t make journalists jump through hoops just to give you coverage. Make their job easy by giving them the who, what, where and why up front. Use bullet points, and break down why your story is important and should be covered.
  • Give them quotes. Chasing down interviews is the worst (and most time-consuming) part of a journalist’s job. If you can give them prewritten quotes or, at the very least, a few preestablished interview times when your subject matter experts are available, that’s a great way to endear them to your brand and get them to cover you.
  • Offer them exclusives. Most journalists don’t want to cover the exact same news as Joe in the next building over. They want something unique – something that stands out and makes their story a step above the rest. Consider giving certain journalists exclusive or early access to your news, so there’s something in it for them.

Here at Haley Aerospace, many of our aerospace PR and marketing experts are former journalists – so they know what it takes to get noticed and put in print. Want help getting your brand valuable news real estate? Get in touch today.

 

The Biggest Aerospace PR Mistakes You Can Make

The Biggest Aerospace PR Mistakes You Can Make | Aerospace Public Relations | Haley Aerospace Marketing

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.

 

Are You Committing Any of the Online Reputation Deadly Sins?

Are You Committing Any of the Online Reputation Deadly Sins? | Haley Aerospace Marketing

How well do you know your online reputation? How closely do you monitor it? If you’re iffy on either question, you’re likely killing your online reputation without even recognizing it.

We’ve seen it time and time again with our aviation and aerospace clients. Maybe they ignore a certain aspect of their online presence or they fail to put the right resources behind their social media accounts. Maybe they avoid Facebook or Twitter altogether just to steer clear of potential conflict.

There’s no doubt their intentions were good: They simply wanted an easier operation to manage or they wanted to avoid conflict in the public eye.

Sadly, in the end, these actions hurt more than help. In fact, they could even ruin your online reputation altogether.

Want to safeguard your online reputation? Here are just a few of the deadly sins you’ll want to avoid:

  • Failing to respond on social media – Social media platforms are as much for entertainment as they are for plain old customer service. If someone calls you out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or another social platform, don’t just ignore it, even if it’s bad or nonsensical. Remember, these are public forums. Everyone can see how you respond (or if you fail to respond altogether). No response gives potential customers insight into how you operate. If they do business with you, will you ignore their calls for help too?
  • Not being transparent online – Don’t have your team members listed on your website? Do you avoid posting photos from the office or behind the scenes? Is your voice bland and impersonal on social media? Today’s consumers are tired of those old walls between brand and customer. They want to get to know you. To understand your voice and your vision. Your values and your goals. If you don’t use your digital arsenal to give them a glimpse behind the curtain, you’ll come off as cold, sterile and unapproachable, the exact opposite of what today’s buyers want.
  • Ignoring bad reviews and ratings – You should be checking your reviews across Google, Yelp, Facebook, the Better Business Bureau and other major sites regularly. If you see a common thread of dissonance, address it head-on and quickly. You’d be surprised at how much weight those reviews and ratings hold; take action now, and start turning things around as soon as possible before they snowball.
  • Not staying on trend with design and layout – If your website looks like it’s straight out of 2002, with vertical menus and flash intros, then your online reputation’s shot already. If it doesn’t work on mobile devices, you might as well stop doing business. Clean, functional, mobile-friendly web design isn’t just nice to have nowadays; it’s a downright precursor to doing business. Work with an experienced agency ASAP to fix your site if you think it may be lacking. In today’s digital world, that’s your No. 1 marketing tool, so make sure it’s sensational.

If you’re guilty of any of these deadly sins, you could be hurting your online reputation right this very second. Want to fix it and get back on track? Get in touch with us today.

 

Meet Ken Koester: Haley Aerospace’s Branding Design Extraordinaire

Meet Ken Koester: Haley Aerospace’s Branding Design Extraordinaire | Haley Aerospace Marketing

It’s time for another behind-the-scenes peek at Haley Aerospace. Today, we’re sitting down with Ken Koester, senior design director and creative extraordinaire. He’s the talent behind much of the branding, advertising and marketing collateral we produce for our clients here at Haley, and he’s got more awards than we’ve got room to list!

Read on to learn a little more about Ken and what makes him tick.

Q. Where do you get your inspiration?

A. Generally, I get inspiration from anything that has a great idea behind it and is exceptionally well done. From fine art and graphic design to movies and music. Creatively, I like to immerse myself in the world of the client and the people who will encounter what we are creating.

Q. What design trends do you see coming down the pipeline in 2018?

A. I was glad to see, in the last year or so, the return to simplicity in identity design. Simple shapes, lines, type and forms either converged or played solo to create solid, lasting logos that are easily interpreted – and reproduced. I think we’re going to see a continued upswing and more attention given to those really simple elements in the coming year.

A fairly new result from the trend of responsive web design is companies refreshing their brand identities into modern, simplified versions. Creating a logo hierarchy that can meet the user demands of an endless assortment of devices and screen sizes. For instance, there’s Disney’s hierarchy of the “Walt Disney” full lockup logo with castle, just the “Walt Disney” logotype, just the “Disney” logotype and, most simply, just the “D” from the logotype.    

Q. What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever designed?

A. An invitation to the grand opening of a unique shopping mall built on the location where John Philip Sousa and his band originally played. The invitation was a small box that you were instructed to place on a flat surface. Then you opened it by pulling a side of the box down, and a marching band wind-up toy walked out. It took a lot of engineering and test mailings, but it resulted in a very successful mall opening.

Q. What are your biggest design pet peeves? The deadliest sins of design, in your opinion?

A. Using bad photography. Nothing can mess up good design quicker than having to use poorly photographed, low-resolution images. It is always better for a client’s brand image to shoot new professional photography that is unique to them, rather than relying on stock images.

Making a brand look like everybody else in an industry is a pet peeve too. The point should be for the company to be more memorable than the competition and stand out, not be camouflaged within the market.

Q. What’s the best part of being a designer?

A. Being a designer in the creative brand marketing business allows me to work in hundreds of different industries. I get to learn all about the operation, management, sales process and customers of completely different, but equally interesting, companies.

Q. What can clients expect when they use Haley Aerospace’s design services?

A. Integrity. Creativity. Friendliness.

Q. When did you know you wanted to be a designer?

A. My parents said it was when I tried to paint pictures with my baby food. However, my first recollection of being aware of good design was watching television and the opening titles to the great Stanley Kubrick movie Spartacus. I remember just being awed by the iconic and dramatically lit photography, along with beautiful typography (and, of course, the music). It wasn’t until I was in college that I learned it was designed by one of the greatest graphic designers of all time, Saul Bass.

 

We’ll be introducing you to more of the team here at Haley Aerospace in the coming months, so stay tuned to the blog and watch for our emails. You won’t want to miss it!

 

How to Get the Most From Your Aerospace Marketing Agency (And Be Their Star Client!)

How to Get the Most From Your Aerospace Marketing Agency (And Be Their Star Client!) | Haley Aerospace Marketing

Every relationship is a two-way street, even the ones you pay for.

Just like your marriage, your friendships and your work clique, you get what you give in marketing, and the more you put into your partnership with your agency, the better results you’re going to get.

Now that doesn’t mean you need to do all the work – not by any stretch. It simply means there are some ways you can make your aerospace marketing agency’s job easier and more effective.

Because at the end of the day, YOU are the expert in your company. We rely on your input, your experience and your team as key resources in our strategies, and by working together, we can produce better results in the long term.

Enabling Your Agency’s Efficacy

If you’re paying for a marketing agency’s help, you want to get the most from it, right? The most results, the most sales and the most revenues?

Though a lot of an agency’s efficacy depends on their team, expertise and experience, you play a role too. And the better, more effective client you are, the better your agency can perform on your behalf.

Here’s what you can do as a client:

Be constructive – not destructive.

When your agency produces something that misses the mark, by all means tell them. But simply saying “no,” “that’s not it” or “I don’t like it” is not helping anyone. Be specific with your feedback and about what you like and don’t like. This is vital for your agency to land on deliverables you can approve and stand behind.

Be responsive.

If your agency has a question, needs more information or wants feedback on a project, do your best to respond quickly and efficiently. Just like with your internal workflows, delays from one party can cause bottlenecks, slowing down the entire assembly line. Any holdup will push back how quickly you can receive your deliverables.

Be honest.

There’s no reason to beat around the bush with us. We want you to be happy with the services we provide and the projects we deliver, so be honest about what you do and don’t like. You won’t hurt our feelings – we promise.

Be clear.

As much as I wish we were, we marketers aren’t mind readers. Though we do have a certain knack for knowing what others want, we can’t predict exactly what our clients will or won’t like. So try to be as clear-cut as possible with each product brief, and set expectations early on, before work begins. This will prevent delays and ensure you’re happy with the deliverable the first time – not 10 revisions later.

Be trusting.

At the end of the day, you hired an agency for a reason. We’re experts in our craft, and we’ve helped others in your place see success and achieve their goals. Trust in our expertise and experience, and rely on us when things get murky. We will always have your best interest at heart. 

An A+ Client = A+ Results

Being a responsive, honest and constructive client allows your aerospace marketing agency to do the same. And that means better results for both parties in the long run. Want to learn more about using an agency to spearhead your marketing and branding efforts? Reach out today.

 

 

Does Your Logo Have $$ Value? A Lesson in Great Aerospace Branding

Does Your Logo Have $$ Value? A Lesson in Great Aerospace Branding | Haley Aerospace Branding

We tend to create logos and then forget them.

That’s likely why some long-standing aerospace brands still have the same logos and branding they did decades ago.

They might not think we notice … but we do.

Like anything, design trends come and go. And when a logo is outdated, old and passé – it’s noticeable, big-time. And it can have huge impacts on a brand’s perceived value and worth, especially with new and potential customers.

Think of it this way: A logo is usually someone’s first impression of your brand. If you sell high-tech aerospace systems but your branding screams of the 1960s, do you think customers will see you as a leading, tech-savvy company? Likely not.

Do you think they’ll deem you worthy of their hard-earned dollars and business? Another big no.

And that’s because it’s pretty simple. Your logo conveys your value. Your worth. Your virtue.

How Much Should Your Logo Cost?

Knowing that your logo plays a huge role in how your brand’s value is perceived, it’s pretty obvious that you should devote some serious effort and resources when creating yours.

But how much should you spend? And how often should you spend on it?

There’s really no way to quantify how much you should spend on a logo, but there is one thing that’s certain: It should never be a one-off commitment. Having a current, high-quality and relevant logo requires regular upkeep, and you’ll want to have an aerospace branding designer on hand (or at least on retainer) to make that happen.

Try to give your logo a refresh every few years to keep it in line with current trends – even if it’s just a minor change of fonts or hues. You should also consider updating your logo if you’re pivoting your services or products, or if you’re making any major changes in the organization. Your logo should always reflect your brand in its current state, giving potential customers an honest, transparent peek at what you have to offer.

Giving Your Logo Value

So how do you ensure your logo conveys the right value proposition for your brand? And that it’s worth the consistent investment of time and personnel resources over time?

Here are a few tips:

  • Know what different colors convey – Different colors convey different meanings, so be sure to choose your logo colors carefully. Here’s a quick and dirty guide.
  • Make sure your logo effectively and accurately represents your products/services – Don’t mislead or steer customers in the wrong direction. They should be able to glean who you are and what you do just by looking at your logo.
  • Make it stand out – You want to be accepted by your target audience and the marketplace, but you don’t want your logo to look exactly the same as everyone else’s. Your logo should be your differentiator, telling customers why they should choose you over a competitor.
  • Be consistent – Use your logo consistently across all your marketing, advertising and branding efforts. Consistency is key in improving brand recognition and value.

In the end, your logo is one of the most important elements of your branding, so don’t brush it off. Whether you’re a brand just starting off or you’ve been around for decades, devote some time and energy to really perfecting your logo and aligning it with your products, services and value proposition.

Need aerospace branding or logo guidance? Haley Aerospace is here to help.