WELCOME TO 2014!

Welcome to the first issue of D.O.M. magazine for 2014. Looking back, 2013 was a successful year for us. We continued to grow, adding pages to the magazine and creating more content for our readers.

We also expanded with enhanced digital distribution — D.O.M. magazine is now available on most smart-phones, tablets and computers. We have apps for practically every phone and tablet. D.O.M.magazine is available in iTunes (for Apple products), Google Play (for Android products) and
in the Kindle App Store (for Amazon Kindle devices).

An added benefit to our expanded app offering is an increase in international readers. We are seeing readers from around the world downloading our apps and reading our content on their phones, tablets and computers.

But regardless of our growth and advancements in 2013, we, and many in the industry may need to re-double our efforts to grow in 2014.

A recent report by Aviation Business Strategies Group (ABSG) predicts a “Flat Market with Spotty Increases in Fuel Sales” for the general aviation industry.

According to that report, presented at the NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers’ Conference in New Orleans by ABSG Principals John Enticknap and Ron Jackson, “The FBO Industry is currently operating in a very static marketplace,” Enticknap told a group of FBO industry leaders at the conference. “Results of our annual FBO industry survey indicate a market that is yet to catch traction . . .”

So where should you re-double your efforts if these predictions hold true?

First, I would like to share a word of caution. Don’t let the tail wag the dog. Some companies focus on today’s profitability without looking down the road towards long-term growth. If revenues are down, they slash expenses. If they would only realize how their Draconian budget cuts hinder their employees from setting the company up for long-term growth, they might consider that challenging times sometimes require increased investments. Good leaders recognize that tough times mean opportunities to gain market share away from their competitors by investing
in areas of the company that can allow them to grow.

So where can these investments be made?

Hit the Road. Regardless of the fact that there are multiple ways to communicate, it’s more important than ever to visit clients face to face. You need to develop personal relationships in order for people to understand and trust you. I’ve heard it stated that you need to meet someone at least three times before they feel comfortable doing business with you. There’s no better way to be clear about the level of customer service you offer than by showing up on your customers’ doorsteps.

Trade Shows. Trade shows aren’t as good as showing up at your client’s business, but they can still be effective — and they’re quite economical. What would take months of travel and tens of thousands of dollars in airline tickets, hotels, rental cars and other travel expenses can be accomplished in two or three days at a trade show with the purchase of one round-trip ticket, a few days at a hotel, a rental car and a few meals along the way! Trade shows offer an opportunity to visit dozens of your clients, discover new potential clients, network, learn about new products and services and just have FUN!

Marketing.Whether your marketing plans include interactive advertising, print advertising, direct marketing or exhibiting at trade shows, be sure that you do the research to determine if the method you choose puts you in front of your intended audience. For example, if you know that directors of maintenance purchase your products, why advertise in magazines or on websites that target pilots?

Finally, there is one lesson that I’ve learned that trumps all else. As we have done with D.O.M. magazine, always strive to deliver the best product and settle for nothing less than excellence.  If you deliver a product that is great, your product will be bullet-proof in any economy.

About D.O.M. Magazine

D.O.M. magazine is the premier magazine for aviation maintenance management professionals. Its management-focused editorial provides information maintenance managers need and want including business best practices, professional development, regulatory, quality management, legal issues and more. The digital version of D.O.M. magazine is available for free on all devices (iOS, Android, and Amazon Kindle).

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More Info

Joe Escobar (jescobar@dommagazine.com)
Editorial Director
920-747-0195

Greg Napert (gnapert@dommagazine.com)
Publisher, Sales & Marketing
608-436-3376

Bob Graf (bgraf@dommagazine.com)
Director of Business, Sales & Marketing
608-774-4901