Marketing to your CFIs

Most flight schools have gotten pretty good at the basics of marketing. They have a good website, do a nice school tour, keep the airplanes in good shape and, yes, make sure the restrooms are sparkling (most of the time). For many schools, marketing is targeted at the customer directly, and that's a good thing. It might be useful, however (especially now) to target some of your school’s marketing toward your CFIs. After all, finding and keeping good CFIs can be as difficult, if not more so, as developing a good customer base was not too many years ago.

CFIs are leaving flight schools in droves for what is seen as bluer skies at charter companies, corporate flight departments, or even the airlines. The shortage of good CFIs is affecting the entire industry, causing some schools to pare back on growth plans or even close altogether.

Finding and keeping CFIs can be a daunting challenge, taxing even the most savvy flight school managers. Applying fundamental principles of marketing could help. Just as part of your marketing budget is devoted to keeping your customers, so should some of those dollars be devoted to retaining some of your most valuable (and necessary) assets—your flight instructors. Here are some ideas to get the juices flowing.

1. Pay them what they're worth. This will vary from region to region, but do a little market research from time to time to make sure you’re competitive with your compensation package. Money isn't always the most important factor in an employee's decision to stay or leave, but it can be a powerful motivator when all other factors are considered equal.
2. Consider adding a benefit package. Health insurance is expensive, and, at the rates most schools charge, there isn't enough left in the kitty to pay for a health plan for everybody. But consider doing something. How about offering access to a group plan with the school kicking in 25 percent of the premium for full-time instructors? Insurance isn't the only benefit attractive to young CFIs. Consider providing reduced-cost or free advanced training to instructors who agree to stay on for a year or more. Offering to pay for CFII training, or to add a multiengine rating or MEI, could provide an incentive for your CFIs to stay longer than they had planned. Everybody needs more training. Helping your CFIs reach their next goal could keep them in the fold.
3. Manage your CFIs by their strengths, not their weaknesses, to limit frustration and burnout. Not all instructors are equally good at everything. Try distributing the workload around which instructors are best at certain areas of the curriculum, and get them to focus on those things while working to improve areas that can stand improvement. You probably already do this with phase checks, assigning those to your chief or assistant chief instructor; why not extend it to other areas of your training program?
4. Be a leader, not a boss. Leaders show the way. Cast yourself and your managers as resources, helpers, there to assist your CFI team in getting the job done. Nothing pushes CFIs away like a bad chief or manager, especially when there are hundreds of other schools out there eager to hire that disgruntled instructor in a heartbeat. Like the T-shirt says, wag more/bark less.
5. Pick up the tab. Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch? How about adding a taco bar or sandwich platter to the benefit plan? Can't afford it? How about doing it two or three days a week? People socialize better over food, and socializing is a big part of creating the best school environment possible. Studies show that employees report that the vibe at their job is what keeps them wanting to stay, even more important than pay alone. Do a little something extra for your CFIs and it can pay handsomely.
6. Pop for some team-building activities. Take your CFIs white-water rafting, arrange a two-hour fly fishing lesson, sponsor a skydiving day, or go kart racing. Make it a quarterly event so that everybody gets a chance to go, with no talk of airplanes or lesson plans. Be sure to include a meal in the day and leave plenty of time for conversation.
7. Look at your own management style. Some CFIs leave because they believe they're not being treated fairly, or the management at the school is too chaotic and inconsistent. A common complaint is that leaders play favorites or are harder on some CFIs than others. Be sure you don't fall into any of these traps. An open-door policy is a good idea, as is letting your employees vent without fear of reprisal or criticism. It's hard to be an effective manager, but good, honest, and calm communication skills—along with a sincere desire to understand the thoughts and feelings of your crew—can go a long way toward resolving retention problems before they begin.
8. Give them a reason to puff out their chests a little. Build a school your team can be proud of, eager to show to their friends and associates. Create an environment where your team members feel good about walking in the door. Keep the conversations positive, the mood professional but light. Make the physical environment a pleasant place to be, with comfortable furniture and clean, bright colors. Avoid looking and feeling like the DMV.

Keeping good CFIs in this business climate is tough at best. Gone are the days of too many instructors and not enough students, of layoffs and furloughs, and that “I'll call you when I need you” scheduling system. To keep the best instructors, flight schools must bring a little more to the table than in the past, applying some basic marketing ideas to the task of employee retention. The good news is that, if done well, it makes everybody a little better at what they do, improves the student experience, and keeps the cash flowing. And that's the goal of any good marketing program.

William Woodbury is a flight instructor and freelance writer in Southern California.