Like most people, we read our email each morning with one finger poised over the “delete” button.

The good news. Email is a wonderful tool. Several email providers, like Aviation Broadcast, provide an outstanding service. They do an excellent job of “getting your name out there,: and can be an excellent tool when used as part of a results-oriented marketing system that measures performance at each step.

Now, for the bad news.  Email broadcasts are just about legendary for low open, click and response rates.

  • Statistically, how many of the recipients are even in the market for your product or service?
  • Again, statistically, how many are ready to buy now (or soon?)
  • Again, statistically, how many are sufficiently convinced to make contact based on the contents of a single email?

The answer- not many get to the green square in this process.

email broadcast decision tree

Email Broadcast Decision Tree- Click to Enlarge

Fewer than 1% of email recipients even click a link to find out more. Fewer than that will make a phone call, complete a we form, or otherwise attempt to contact you.

We know companies that have sent a series of three to five email broadcasts to “highly targeted” lists of hundreds of thousands of aviation prospects, resulting in “one or two phone calls but no sales.”

Sound familiar?  How can this result be improved?

We have four suggestions:

  1. Have a clear, low-risk “call to action.”  For example, offer a downloadable report or video with a high perceived value.  An ebook that explains a concept or solves a problem works very well.   As an example, ABCI produced an ebook for Dallas Jet International, Anatomy of an Aircraft Sale –
    (see www.AircraftSalesInsights.com/Freebook to download this example.)
  2. Use the call to action of the email broadcast as the beginning of a long-cycle sales process, rather than a “random act of marketing.” In the aviation industry, we find that even qualified prospects may take weeks, months, or even years before they are ready to make a purchase. The challenge is to build a pipeline of a sufficient number of such contacts, and to keep in contact with them in a cost-effective way. In the process, provide materials that help them become an educated, confident customer by the time their budget, regulatory or bureaucratic roadblocks are cleared.
  3. Use a diversity of media. Email has its advantages – we use it because it’s fast and inexpensive. But it’s also the least credible media with decision-makers in the aviation industry.  We know it often takes MANY contacts with a potential customer to make a sale, so we use marketing automation technology and a variety of media, including email, postal mail, magazine advertising, trade shows, social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and marketing joint ventures with noncompeting companies as appropriate for the prospect and sales objectives.
  4. Use the phone, and personal contact!  Sales in aviation industry also take a lot of relationship building on the phone and often one or several sales presentations in person. 

Therefore, we use lead scoring tools to help our sales folks know where their time and travel budget is spent most productively. We also provide mystery shopping and sales coaching to role-play and help your team get even more effective with powerful sales techniques.

Email Broadcasts are great as a part of a results-oriented, performance-based marketing system. Click to enlarge

Email Broadcasts are great as a part of a results-oriented, performance-based marketing system. Click to enlarge

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