Test – White Orchid Insights

Vertis Aviation launches partnership with Four Seasons flagship private island.

Sarah Keates — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 04:51:40 +0000

Press Release - Vertis Aviation

Vertis Aviation, the Switzerland-headquartered boutique jet consultancy is marking ten years of business with the introduction of an exclusive selection of prestigious travel experiences. Today sees the launch of a new partnership with one of Four Seasons flagship destinations: Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah, the world’s first exclusive-use hideaway in a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve

The premier brands formed the agreement to satisfy a growing demand for safe, flexible and private travel to distinguished destinations. A heightened demand for spending time with friends and family, relaxing at leisure, and enjoying natural beauty has been stimulated by the restrictions resulting from the global pandemic, and has resulted in a rise in leisure charter flights. “The combination of a private jet flight reducing travel times, limiting exposure to other travellers and minimising airport transfers, with a remote, tropical private hideaway, only accessible to a single group of guests, is very powerful in our current climate,” says James Foster, COO for Vertis Aviation. “We anticipate this is going to be a popular product with existing clients who regularly use our private jet solutions for their leisure needs, as well as new clients seeking exceptional experiences. The benefits of flying privately are truly amplified in our current climate and our aim is to deliver customers a variety of options to satisfy their wanderlust securely and safely.”

With first-class commercial flights to the Maldives much reduced Vertis is using its extensive network to provide access to exceptional private aircraft to convey customers from across the globe directly to Male, the capital of the Maldives. From here passengers transfer to the vibrantly liveried Four Seasons Triggerfish luxury seaplane for a 30-minute flight to the secluded, seven-bedroom island resort. Sleeping up to 22 guests, the island offers the ultimate in social distancing, an on-island security team and a staff of up to twenty-five according to client needs. As a truly private island, available to just one couple, family or group at a time, Voavah combines legendary service, ultimate seclusion and limitless living. A private yacht, an on-site dive center, water sports, a kids’ program and elevated Lead With Care safety protocols, for the most reassuring of stays, also form part of the offering

The partnership firmly puts customer service, attention to details and discretion at the heart of each journey. It also epitomizes the Vertis boutique approach which extends beyond simply organising the flight portion of the trip by providing a range of concierge services from each passenger’s point of departure to destination arrival. Vertis and Four Seasons Resorts Maldives management anticipate that the benefits derived from private jet travel and time spent on a secluded island will also bring new customers to the business aviation sector, as well as to the Four Seasons group.

“We continue to focus on the imperative of safe travel and are working hard on providing a variety of charter solutions to meet this need. Our customers are demanding unique and one-of-a-kind experiences away from it all and this type of partnership allows us to satisfy these requests,” adds Foster. “We’re excited to launch this flagship partnership and look forward to delivering more incredible experiences to our customers,” concludes Foster. The new agreement follows hard on the heels of a new partnership between Vertis and the Raffles hotel group which sees Vertis conveying passengers to the Raffles Meradhoo Maldives villa resort.

You may also be interested in reading: Vertis Aviation Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary

www.vertisaviation.com

Media contact:
Arena Group
Jane Stanbury
+44 7803 296 046/+1 438 998 1668
jane@arenagroupassociates.com

How to boost revenue through affiliate programmes

Sarah Keates — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 03:28:04 +0000

What is an Affiliate Programme?

A partnership between you and a business/influencer (the “Affiliate”), an affiliate programme is the easiest way to boost traffic to your company’s platform.

By partnering with an affiliate, you are able to advertise your products on optimised platforms, increasing the outreach and online presence of your brand. The partnership helps to enhance the online traffic to your brand’s website and online platforms and for every purchase of your product from a user originating from the affiliate’s platform, a commission fee is given to the affiliate.

Once the partnership agreement is officially signed, the affiliate will be given a unique affiliate link that tracks the number of clicks from their online platforms to your company. This tracking is most commonly done through cookies that will track the activity of the user for a period of time. If the user makes a purchase within this period of time, the affiliate will earn a commission fee.

Such affiliate programmes serve as a win-win situation for your company and the affiliate. Your company benefits from the increase in customer base, online presence and positive branding image, while the affiliate is able to earn a passive income and promote your products.

Determine the Type of Affiliate Programme Best Suited for You

There are a number of classic affiliate programmes. This list will help you have a better understanding on the type of affiliate programmes out there and the ones you should be looking at in order to maximise your company’s product outreach and online presence

Prior to this, you should engage in customer research and market evaluation in order to best understand the types of buyer personas and consumer behaviours. This enables your company to optimise the type of affiliate programme you choose and partner with the right groups of affiliates to maximally boost sales.

1. Bloggers/Influencers

This targets affiliates that engage with a target audience that best matches your buyer personas and consumer behaviours. Such platforms would usually have a wide influence on their viewers, therefore, it is important for your company to research on the different types of bloggers and influencers in order to maximise the business partnership.

2. Coupon Sites

Meant for products that have promotion codes or promotional pricing bundles, this will incentivise potential consumers that are considering your product and having affiliate links from coupon sites can greatly increase the conversion of potential consumers to actual consumers. This form of programme is best for companies with promotional pricing strategies or new product releases, enticing new customers to purchase.

3. Email Marketing

This method can help to increase brand awareness by partnering with subscription companies that have a strong email subscription base.

4. Review Sites

Such partnership is the best for companies that sell products that have similar key competitors in the market. Potential buyers tend to scour the internet to find reviews on the different brands of the same or similar products. Therefore, this is the best way for your company to optimise online traffic from review sites. However, do take note that this form of affiliate programme should not reduce the credibility of the reviews for the sake of increasing profits.

5. Search Affiliates

Targeting freelancers and entrepreneurs, these groups of affiliates tend to pay their own money in order to promote your products and services on search engine platforms or advertising platforms. This form of partnership is ideal when the affiliates understand the inner workings of SEO (search engine optimisation) and test out different forms of advertisements.

Top 8 Affiliate Programmes

1. ConvertKit

Commission: 30% commission for every person who signs up to ConvertKit through your affiliate link

Cookie Life: 30 days

Perks: VIP access to helpful resources to help you boost your landing platforms as well

ConvertKit is a company that is interested in ensuring creators get the most optimised ideas and strategies to boost their publicity. By sharing ideas and designs with like-minded creators, as well as connect and build an audience base.

2. Fiverr

Commission: USD$15-50 for Fiverr CPA, $10 CPA + 10% RevShare for Fiverr Hybrid. There are more affiliate plans that can be found here.

Cookie Life: 30 days

Perks: Gain access to professional support, tutorials and a dedicated Affiliate manager.

Fiverr is a freelancing platform that connects freelance talents with businesses. It boosts quality freelancers for every budget price point with no hourly rates, focusing on a project-based pricing. Additionally, there is a protected payment channel that allows businesses to pay upfront and freelancers are only paid when the work is done and completed.

There are different tiers of Fiverr ranging from Fiverr, to Fiverr Business, Fiverr Pro and Fiverr Learn.

3. Pabbly

Commission: 30% recurring commission on every sale

Cookie Life: 30 days

Perks: Lifetime recurring payments with brisk online payouts and transparent analytics. Track your commissions with a single cookie, reducing the need for separate cookies, reducing the hassle!

Pabbly is a unique and powerful suite of software to run your entire business, brought to you by a company with the long term vision to transform the way you work. Create, manage and promote your entire business with just one login. One username and password connects you to all the apps like form builder, email marketing, subscription billing & much more.

4. Constant Contact

Commission: $5 for each referral that signs up for a free trial, $105 for referrals that pay for a new account

Cookie Life: 120 days

Perks: unlimited commission, there is no cap on the commission. Constant Contact provides a wide selection of market-tested creative assets to use on your website

Whether you’re launching an email marketing campaign to engage customers, building an awesome website in minutes, uploading products to your online store, generating awareness on social media, or boosting sales with Google Ads, Constant Contact have all the tools and guidance you need to achieve the results you want, all in one place.

5. Typeform

Commission: 10% off your typeform subscription from traffic generated from your affiliate link and unlimited referral discounts

Perks: Your affiliate link and discount will never expire, therefore, as long as there is at least one subscriber from your affiliate link, your discount is applicable.

Typeform helps you to turn collection into an experience, by engaging your audience through conversational forms and surveys. Through customisation and personalisation, create the best suited forms and surveys made just for you.

6. Coursera

Commission: 20% to 45% through the promotion of selected courses from their available 4,000 and more courses

Cookie Life: 30 days

Perks: Get your hands on clean, professionally-designed Coursera banners and text links to add to your site and access to their monthly affiliate newsletter, including curated content recommendations and fresh advertising creative.

Coursera helps you to build skills with courses, certificates, and degrees online from world-class universities and companies, completely remotely and online. With affordable and flexible pricing strategies, Coursera caters to the aspiring student to the employees in top organisations.

7. Shopify

Commission: 200%

Cookie Life: 30 days

Perks: one of the highest commission offerings, affiliates are able to earn up to $2,400 per customer converted from their affiliate link. Additionally, your own Shopify account will get priority support and free Shopify content to promote to your audience.

A key presence in the drop shipping industry, Shopify is trusted worldwide with over 500,000 stores and proves itself as an all-in platform that lets you easily set up and start your company. A trusted and well-established name in the e-commerce industry, especially for startups.

8. Zegal

Commission: $5 USD per free trial signup and an additional $55 USD per paid subscriber.

Cookie Life: 120 Days

Perks: Increasing affiliate linked traffic will unlock VIP bonus commissions

Zegal’s vision is a world where the business of law works for everyone. Companies that are connected to knowledge, their advisors, and use workflows to run their organisation are smarter and more profitable. Zegal aims to make this the new normal for millions of businesses across the globe.

Zegal accepts leads from USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland.

Start your own Affiliate Programme

The perks and benefits of having an affiliate programme are considerable. By creating relationships and ties with related industries, and having a stronger online presence in the online community, this ultimately puts the word even further out there about your company.

Zegal is the fastest growing LegalTech company operating across Asia Pacific and Europe. Today, business users and lawyers across the globe trust Zegal’s software to solve legal problems in an affordable and efficient way. Zegal’s vision is a world where the business of law works for everyone.

Inspiring Leader Series – UAS CEO, Omar Hosari

Sarah Keates — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 03:29:57 +0000

Inspiring Leaders series:

Omar Hosari, Co-Owner/Founder and CEO, UAS International Trip Support

WOI Founder, Sarah Keates interviews UAS Founder and CEO, Omar Hosari to learn about views on sustainability, his vision for the future of aviation, and his advice for the next generation

1. How did you first get started in business aviation?

My passion for business aviation came straight from my earliest years of childhood in Syria. Our family is steeped in aviation as my father, Hisham, was involved in the development of civil aviation in the Middle East. It was this inherited passion from our dad that inspired my brother and I to partner with two entrepreneurs and set up a service provider giving operators what no one else had before…. That was in 2000, and over the past twenty years we’ve developed our vision into a successful global aviation solutions provider. Having started out with a small office and handful of employees in Dubai, serving clients from the Middle East, we were setting up continental headquarters in Houston, Texas, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Hong Kong by 2015. This expansion was followed by regional offices in Lagos, Nairobi, and Beijing. My beginnings in aviation is really marked by a lot of hard work and dedication to realizing my vision, and this is something that still motivates me to this day.

2. You quickly rose through the ranks to reach the position of CEO, was that something you always wanted?

I have been managing from the beginnings of UAS, which is fortunate as I have always been uncompromising in my vision and determined to be my own boss! I am mainly focused on strategic management, but I also take a great interest in the operational side of the business, so it affords me 360-degree involvement. From my youngest years, I have always put incredible importance on setting personal goals and challenging myself because I knew this ensures constant progress as well as elevating me to new possibilities. I’ve always maintained that nothing can be achieved without both vision and goalsetting. Also, I’ve always believed that a willingness to do more and to go the extra mile is essential… so it was probably inevitable that I would end up in a leadership role.

3. You speak passionately about sustainability, what is your vision for UAS’ contribution to a more sustainable industry?

I think sustainability is something we all must be passionate about. This is a time of great challenge where climate change, the depletion of natural resources, and the damaging effects of carbon emissions all pose massive threats to our planet, its nature and wildlife, and to the future of humankind. Although aviation has often been a target for negative press due to its heavy carbon footprint there has been great efforts and strides made within the aviation community to identify ways of becoming more carbon neutral and reducing any damaging environmental impact. However, the aviation industry is making good progress to drastically cut the carbon emissions of its pollution and it is organizations like IBAC, IATA, ICAO, and, of course, the SAF Coalition that are leading the charge. The industry is doing all it can to find alternatives and make itself as green and sustainable as possible. UAS and I are committed to supporting this endeavour in any way we can, through raising awareness, raising funds, and incentivizing sustainable practices where they are available. This is a topic we cover a lot in our blog and on our social media platforms.

4. What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago?

The best advice I could my younger self would be to always trust your intuition. Intuition is a natural gift to us all, and it rarely guides us in the wrong direction. However, it’s vital to learn how to listen to it. Not all choices based on logic alone prove to be the right ones, so understanding the power of intuition and how it can provide an even greater advantage can help us make better business decisions. Making decisions based on logic alone can have several potential drawbacks because often data is non-exhaustive, or we receive inaccurate information. So, we may very well be missing the bigger picture and therefore, decisions that are based solely on cold hard data may not be the best ones. However, our own gut feeling – developed through our evolution as a species – have been refined to warn us of oncoming trouble or give us a peaceful feeling… this is what we must tune into. By incorporating intuition into decision-making, we can use our rational minds and our instinct together. This is the best advice I could give anyone!

6. COVID-19 has changed the world, but the desire to travel and explore will always exist. What does business aviation need to do to stay relevant and evolve?

Exactly what it has been doing; innovating. This year has challenged aviation more than any other time in history. Yet, despite all of the fear, confusion, and uncertainty, we managed to keep essential supplies moving around the world, we managed to evacuate people out of bad situations, we managed to repatriate people back to their loved ones. It is extraordinary what operations teams, suppliers, flight dispatchers, flight planners, ATC, aircrew, and airport authorities have accomplished through the lockdown periods and their aftermaths. We have had to innovate – find our way around obstacles, find cleverer ways of doing things, respect social distancing requirements in close quarters, make sure sanitation was on point… So, now that many countries have reopened and the wheels of industry are slowly taking off again, this is the vein in which we must continue to evolve. Also, if the COVID pandemic highlighted anything it is just how much safer and healthier it is to fly private. So, if anything, business aviation is more relevant now than it ever was before… and more people know it.

7. What are the biggest frustrations about the industry?

I think the biggest frustration in aviation today is the difficulties occurring from different countries having their own rules and regulations tackle the spread of COVID. The lack of similar regulations on all continents (and during lockdown periods many regulations were changing daily) causes huge obstacles and challenges for operations to function efficiently. More congruity and standardisation amongst governments and airport authorities would make the process would be so much more efficient if there was more congruity and standardisation amongst countries. If we can all work together to develop SOPs that everyone can adopt, this will greatly expedite industry recovery everywhere.

8. When possible, where do you hope to travel?

Mountaineering is a personal passion of mine. Two years ago, I set myself a goal – that I would complete the seven summits of the world before the age of 45. That year, I did an expedition of the Himalayas. In 2019, I conquered Kilimanjaro to raise awareness of aviation sustainability with the support of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA), and the Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA). So, as soon as it is feasible to travel, I would like to head for the next summit on my list – Europe’s highest mountain, Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia.

9. What do you enjoy in your spare time?

My priority is spending quality time with family as well as my extended family. This bond is the most important part of life. We enjoy a lot of outdoor activities together, as well as just hanging out at home. Traveling would have been a big part of our time together, though of course, this must wait for the time being. I do a lot of reading, all kinds of books such as bestsellers about business, biographies of people I respect, culture, psychology, etc. Staying active is also important to me, whether it’s at the gym or on the tennis court. Finally, I love to indulge my passion for mountaineering and the great outdoors when I get the opportunity.

10. When life gets hard, what should we do?

Struggles are an inevitable part of life, although be ready to face them. Always stay optimistic and positive and work through it. It’s often at times of the greatest uncertainty or even difficulty that the power of positivity is the most crucial. Since positivity is an attitude that dictates the way we live, it informs all our actions and reactions to situations, as well as our perceptions; it moulds our experiences. Therefore, it’s not really what happens to us that matters, it’s our interpretation of its meaning. This is what will determine success or failure… how we meet challenges and how we internalize our experiences. Sustained positivity and optimism go hand in hand. The business icon Henry Ford had a famous quote, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” I have found this to be completely true in all aspects of life and business. Our minds are incredibly powerful and can sustain us through any hardships. Challenges become more surmountable when we change our attitude. Remember, our thoughts dictate our words and our actions, so choose your thoughts carefully.

https://whiteorchidinsights.com/news/women-in-aviation-and-stem/

How Schools can Improve SEO

Sarah Keates — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 00:21:29 +0000

Improving SEO for Schools Marketing

The COVID-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption in the education sector, affecting 1.6 billion students the world over (1). Hong Kong schools have suffered their fair share of disruption owing to the protests in 2019 and the multiple waves of COVID-19 forcing school closures. However, schools and students shown remarkable resilience, flexibility and have been innovative in ensuring best in class education is provided via online means where possible. The worst may be behind us, but in the event it’s not, how can we manage this.

How can schools improve SEO:

There is no better time than now to improve your school’s brand-awareness especially in the new normal of blended learning
Improve SEO by integrating right key words, images, blogs on your school’s website while ensuring website is optimised for mobile use
Blended or hybrid learning is here to stay. What is your school’s reputation in this space? Where possible become a thought-leader and develop best in class framework which may be marketed to other schools.
Share the success stories, promote your school’s academic and extra-curricular achievements on your website and social media
Use social media effectively, consider standardising hashtags that are have strong hit points
Community is key- foster a community, promoting loyalty where the brand then speaks for itself- think online zoom bingo nights, trivia or games night for the parents, students and teachers
Engage in the local community

Internal stakeholder management:

Teachers have no doubt been thrown into this situation ‘cold turkey’ and have had to develop innovative methods to deliver learning while grappling with the added challenge of keeping the students engaged across a screen.

Be clear and consistent in communications to all staff members and teachers.
Offer clear guidance on how teaching is to be provided- methodology and mode of delivery, number of contact hours, articulate role of teaching assistants and support staff. Get creative in how support staff can best support teachers
Explore technology where classes can be made more interactive and flexible to support online learning
Where possible standardise methodology of delivery and resources to ensure consistent service is provided
Encourage learning, provide the resources needed and take on board all feedback obtained

External stakeholder management:

Parents and caregivers switching between the various hats and attempting to be home educators will appreciate guidance on teaching methods, curriculum and resources. Offering a sense of the school ‘holding their hands’ on this unprecedented journey may provide them a sense of support and comfort.

Ensure communication is calm, clear, concise and consistent (the 4 C’s)
Where possible, provide sufficient clarity and where that is not possible, a ‘placeholder’ note or better yet videos from the school leadership and teachers in the environment is likely to build trust
Providing resources ahead of time, example having a weekly learning plan with resources communicated ahead of time will enable parents to plan the week ahead
Keeping close contact with the parent community is key. Undertaking surveys to understand concerns, priorities, challenges and tailoring programmes to ensure concerns are alleviated
Identifying the needs of students and families particularly disadvantaged families and ensuring no student or is left behind for lack of resources

How to prepare for the next crisis

While the last year has encouraged schools to think outside the box, here are a few tips to ensure the next wave if any is better managed.

There is no better time than now to explore what technology will ensure a continued smooth, secure and effective delivery in this potentially ongoing new normal of hybrid or blended learning- what is working, what can be improved?
Invest in a communications specialist and have a clear crisis communications plan. More often than not, crisis communications tend to be reactive and fall on the lap of the principal or leadership with little professional communications experience
Consider offering additional pastoral or counselling support for students and families as a safe way to share concerns in a confidential manner
Set up a planning team early and make parents and stakeholders part of the planning team

Being in such a pivotal sector where the education and empowerment of an entire generation is in play, we are in this together to ensure no child gets left behind. To quote Gandhi, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

Policy Brief: Education during COVID-19 and beyond

Written exclusively for WOI by Lisel Varley

https://whiteorchidinsights.com/news/managing-the-return-to-school-communicating-the-new-normal/

Sino Jet Opens FBO at Nanchang Changbei International Airport

Sarah Keates — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 00:06:34 +0000

Ahead of Expected 20% Year-on-Year Growth over Three Years

Press release
Nanchang, China, 12 October 2020

Sino Jet, Asia’s largest and fastest-growing business jet operator has entered a strategic partnership with the Jiangxi Airport VIP Service Company to build and manage the first fixed-base operator facility (FBO) at Nanchang Changbei International Airport. The grand opening of the FBO took place on September 24. The investment forms part of Sino Jet’s expansion into mainland China ahead of an expected a 20% year-on-year increase in business jet use in Jiangxi Province over the next three years.

Business jet movements in China exceeded 27,000 in 2019, with Nanchang Airport accounting for less than one percent of the total flights. “Despite the strong demand for business aviation in Nanchang, growth is slowed by a lack of facilities when compared with other regional airports. Sino Jet’s investment stems from our confidence in the growth potential of Jiangxi Province as part of China’s growing business aviation ecosystem.” a spokesperson of Sino Jet said.

Demand for business aviation at Nanchang Airport has grown in parallel with Jiangxi Province’s economic expansion and an increase in international trade. For example, Jiangxi Airport VIP Service Company reported that 20% of business aviation flights over the past three years at Nanchang Airport were taken by local passengers and first-time users of business aviation. Data from Sino Jet’s Flight Operations Centre mirrored this trend, reporting a surge in movements from 66 in 2019 to a (projected) 100+ in 2020.

“We believe that there is a great opportunity in the optimisation of China’s 2^ndtier city aviation infrastructure. According to Asian Sky Infrastructure Report 2019, just 12 of China’s 250 airports have FBO facilities, indicating an extensive opportunity for improvement and development as the region works towards economic recovery. Demand from Jiangxi has grown significantly and has huge future potential because there is a growing understanding of the benefits of business aviation. In addition, the government supports general aviation development, and recognises it is an enabler for economic development.” Said Sino Jet’s spokesperson.

Despite global economic challenges, according to the “Review of China’s Aviation Industry Development and Market Outlook Forecast Report (2020-2026)”, China’s business aviation sector is the most likely global market to achieve growth in the next six years and is expected to expand to become a top-three global business jet market by 2026.

Under Sino Jet’s partnership with Jiangxi Airport VIP Service Company, the new FBO will be developed in an independent terminal building with exclusive jet parking facilities. Sino Jet will provide extensive ground handling services, an advanced flight operating system, and a highly personalised customer service platform. “With the appropriate investment, Nanchang can become a regional hub for business aviation in south-west China. With Sino Jet’s global resources, and highly experienced, international team, we can flexible business jet management solutions to the region’s growing community of businesses and high-net-worth individuals.” Sino Jet added.

About the Sino Jet FBO at Nanchang Changbei International Airport

New FBO to be fully equipped with 7/24 ground handling services, FBO facilities, and equipment, information systems, aircraft services, passenger and crew lounge, baggage services, safety management with a standard operating procedure (SOP). FBO to be developed with international standards throughout. Sino Jet to deliver fully integrated business jet management and ground handling services.

About Sino Jet

Sino Jet, founded in 2011, is a business aviation operator, management and charter company, and provider of bespoke travel services. Sino Jet manages and operates approximately 45 business jets in Greater China and around the world. Sino Jet’s

approach to safety is continually re-evaluated and developed with the industry’s leading safety and training experts. It is the fastest growing business aviation management company in Asia, characterised by its industry-leading one-stop business jet-travel suite of solutions. Sino Jet has dual headquarters in Beijing and Hong Kong. The company is also rapidly expanding in Mainland China and South Asia with bases in Shanghai; Shenzhen; Guangzhou; Xiamen; Zhuhai, Chengdu, Jiangxi, and Singapore. Sino Jet holds the OTAR part 39 Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization (CAMO) approved by Cayman Island CAA (CAACI), to provide comprehensive maintenance oversight and was the first operator in mainland China to achieve IS-BAO III.

You may also be interested in reading JetClub, an intelligent approach to business aviation.

Issued on behalf of Sino Jet by White Orchid Insights

For queries or high-resolution imagery, please contact
White Orchid Insights
info@whiteorchidinsights
www.whiteorchidinsights.com

Vertis Aviation Celebrates a Decade of Highly Personalised Jet Services

Sarah Keates — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 10:33:00 +0000

Vertis Aviation Celebrates a Decade of Highly Personalised Jet Services

Vertis Aviation celebrates first decade of business

Zug, Switzerland/5 October 2020 – Vertis Aviation, the Switzerland-headquartered charter specialist, is today celebrating a decade of delivering charter services to an international set of customers. Vertis partners Jeffrey Emmenis and Julian Burrell are marking the occasion by pivoting the business towards its foundations of curating highly personalised charters of large-cabin, long-range jets and executive airliners for some of the world’s most influential and affluent businesses, families and individuals.

The decision of the Argus Certified Broker business to solidify its niche as Architects of Charter has been driven by the needs of its loyal clientele. “Before the global pandemic we had been analysing our client behaviour and recognised that we have a core set of customers that consistently request large-cabin, long-range aircraft and welcome our qualified advice and guidance when organising their often-complex journeys. During the summer season we welcomed a new set of customers equally excited to discover the tangible benefits of our service when compared with first class commercial travel,” explains Vertis Chairman Julian Burrell. “Our customers value our safe, efficient, discrete service, and our emphasis on treating them in a very personal way in an increasingly digitised world. This differentiates us from many other charter sales companies.”

A boutique private jet consultancy

Vertis has built a reputation as a customer-centric boutique private jet consultancy which shines a spotlight on every detail ensuring customers enjoy seamless travel experiences. Its buying power, supplier support and an extensive, meaningful global network built over the last ten years underpins the strategy. Vertis is also adding a new set of features specifically designed for discerning Vertis customers, including augmentation of existing Vertis technology to enhance the overall customer experience in relation to flight management, invoicing and communication flow. In true Vertis style the occasion will be marked by personal outreach to customers, suppliers, and partners, and will be celebrated with the launch of an exciting new programme of defining travel experiences in partnership with leading brands from around the globe.

Vertis Aviation expands to new markets

The Vertis Charter Management Program (VCMP) is also expanding with the imminent addition of new aircraft in Africa and the USA. One of the original pillars of the Vertis business model the VCMP has proved highly successful in supporting owners and/or operators looking for outsourced professional charter sales management. The arrangement enables operators to maintain focus on the core competency of aircraft operations while generating revenue through the agreement with Vertis. Customers benefit from access to a wider range of aircraft available through the Vertis boutique charter service.

The Vertis team works from an international network of offices located in Zug, London, Beverly Hills, Dubai, and Cape Town marketing a select portfolio of business aircraft including a Global 6000, Global 5000, Gulfstream G450, Challenger 604 and a Challenger 350.

www.vertisaviation.com

Media contact:
Arena Group
Jane Stanbury
+44 7803 296 046/+1 438 998 1668
jane@arenagroupassociates.com

You may also be interested in reading 10 Questions with JetClub, an intelligent, modern approach to business aviation.

Dreams Soar Founder, Shaesta Waiz Shares her Round-the-World Journey

Sarah Keates — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 10:27:56 +0000

Dreams Soar Founder, Shaesta Waiz Shares her Round-the-World Journey

WOI Founder, Sarah Keates, interviews Shaesta Waiz, Founder of Dreams Soar, a US founded a non-profit organisation that encourages and supports women and girls to enter aviation and STEM careers.

In 2017, Dream Soar launched a round-the-world solo flight, piloted by the youngest woman to do so in a single-engine airplane. Shaesta Waiz’s solo flight included outreach at 17 of the 30 stops around the world. Now that it’s “mission accomplished”, we find out what’s next for Shaesta and her outreach, funding, and scholarship initiatives for girls and women around the world.

You are the youngest woman and first Afghan American to fly solo around the world in a single-engine airplane: are you feeling the pressure of this title?

Yes and no. I feel great responsibility and pride because I respect and honour my heritage and there is a perceived disconnect in where I come from and my life now. My Afghani roots are deeply important to me and it’s challenging to be asked, “Are you really Afghani?”.

I understand why people are curious: they have an image in their mind of the typical Afghani woman, living in incredibly challenging conditions. She looks and behaves in a certain way; this is the stereotype. I look and speak differently because we left Afghanistan when I was a small child, and I was raised in the US. Whilst we always planned and wanted to return to our home in Afghanistan, sadly, this was not possible due to the ongoing conflict and safety issues in the country.

When you peel back the layers of our cultural or geographical identities, we are all women desiring to achieve something special in our lives and to achieve aspirational goals. During the conversations I had with women and girls in Afghanistan, I was thankful that they saw that there is little difference between us on that level. Yes, my life and my experiences are different now because of the opportunities I had and the career I have made for myself. This is why education and outreach are so vitally important: I want more girls and women to have opportunities via careers in STEM and aviation.

You crossed five continents, making thirty stops in twenty-two countries across nearly 25,000 nautical miles. What were the most thrilling moments?

During my first ocean crossing from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Santa Maria, Portugal, I became very aware of the seriousness of flying over the North Atlantic. The ocean is so cold that the survival time is 3-10 seconds, with up to 10 minutes if wearing an immersion or “gunny” suit. My only form of communication while flying over the ocean was my high-frequency HF radio. During the crossing, the antenna snapped and was dangling from the aircraft. I had to turn back to Canada, travelling 2 hours in complete silence and filled with fear.

That experience really put what I was attempting into a sharper perspective, and it began to make more sense why only 7 women have done this. The magnitude of being the 8^th woman ever to complete this mission really struck me, along with a harsh reminder that the odds were stacked against me. It was thrilling, scary, awe-inspiring, and lots of other emotions all at once.

Did you visit Afghanistan?

My insurance company advised against me against landing in Afghanistan. It was unthinkable however for me to even consider not visiting my homeland, and, fortunately, my team and I found a way to make it happen by travelling via Dubai. I was honoured to be welcomed by Afghanistan’s President, Ashraf Ghani, and a whole cohort of women, who displayed great warmth and excitement about my arrival. The community and leadership in Afghanistan could not have been more welcoming and helpful, offering so much support and assistance. Encouragingly, the President also fully endorses Dream Soar in our mission to help more women access education and careers in STEM and aviation.

When meeting with these women and girls, I was reminded of my life as a child in Afghanistan: our home was taken away, we were poor, life was hard. This may sound trite, but even then, I genuinely dreamed of flying, of adventure, and seeing the world; that is where my determination was born. I saw that the same drive for a better life in the girls that I met, and spending time with them was one of the greatest privileges of the mission. Above all else, I was honoured to be making connections with them, encouraging them, and letting them know they can achieve great things.

While flying solo around the world, what did the solitude and challenges you faced teach you?

Solitude prompted a full spectrum of emotions from fear, to loneliness to awe. At night, I could not even see the stars. I knew the ocean was below and the stars were above, but it was so quiet and so dark, I had to keep checking my instruments to be certain I was still airborne. You learn a lot about yourself when faced with such extreme conditions, emotions, paired with solitude. I realised that I can be afraid but still focused and determined. I can feel lonely and worried but still purposeful. I can be tired but still able to get past that because of my commitment to the mission. In essence, I learned that humans are capable of overcoming adversity, we just need a purpose.

I also learned that I don’t like silence, so I talked to myself and lightened the mood by listening to lots of music on Bose A20’s. Finally, I learned that flying around the world alone is hungry work, so I also snacked; I snacked a lot!

We know that the world needs more female aviation and STEM professionals. Why is progress slow in this area?

All the obvious cultural reasons are still very real barriers to progress in this area. Women in many parts of the world are still expected to be the primary or sole caregiver to children. There are family and societal pressures on women that prevent them from accessing education and careers in STEM (or other areas). There is a perception that STEM is for males, which I hope is beginning to change. Women have to fight for their place in aviation, that needs to change. They have as much right as any man to claim their role and live their dream.

What is the mission of Dreams Soar?

The idea for Dream Soar came together when I was studying at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Daytona Beach. I realised how fortunate I was to have reached that point but conversely, despite having worked extremely hard to get there, I knew that it should not be this hard. I decided I wanted to be part of the drive that supports more women entering careers in aviation and STEM.

Later, I joined the Women’s Ambassador Program, mentoring the incoming class. During this time, through team effort, female enrolment increased from 13-24%. This is very encouraging, but aviation remains a largely inaccessible and intimidating field for women globally. Through relentless determination, I created a job that I only dreamed of previously, and now it’s my mission to inspire the next generation of STEM and aviation professionals to do the same.

Our core mission is to provide critical information. Outreach is at the core of this effort and so far, we have reached 12,000 kids in 22 countries. This is only the beginning!

Were you surprised at the benevolence of the aviation community in its support of your flight around the world?

Not at all. Something unique about the aviation industry is that it’s full of deeply passionate professionals. That said, it was a 5-year project to get the support we needed for the round-the-world mission. In year 1, I networked at every industry conference to make connections. In years 2, 3, and 4, I followed up, nurturing relationships and explaining my vision to bring more talent into the industry. By year 5, the industry had noticed my persistence and conviction and they started getting behind Dream Soar and the round-the-world mission. I am deeply grateful for all the individuals, companies, and organisations that got behind Dream Soar; it wouldn’t have been possible without that support.

Some young women may feel that the odds are against them when approaching a career in aviation. What is your view on this?

It may feel like the odds are against women, but trust in the fact that the industry wants this to change too. Change and evolution are inevitable, however slow progress may feel. Through my journey founding Dream Soar, speaking with hundreds of leaders of the aviation industry, awareness is increasing that if we don’t adapt and embrace women in aviation and STEM, we will all miss out on a multitude of development opportunities.

How can women access guidance and advice via Dreams Soar?

Remember that every woman in this field is a great mentor – mine them for advice. Don’t be intimidated, go, and talk to these women to get support; we all have the same goal and most women are very happy to help you access guidance. Make use of resources and organisations such as the National Business Aviation Association NBAA, Women in Corporate Aviation WCA, the Women in Aviation Asia Project WiAA. Make connections, believe in your dream, and be relentlessly persistent in building a supportive and aspirational network.

Best foot forward ladies!

You may also be interested in reading Resilience is your Superpower – Job Hunting through COVID-19

8 Quick Tips for Defining Services on your Website

Sarah Keates — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 09:41:59 +0000

Be clear, concise, and specific about the unique benefits your potential client will benefit from by engaging with you.
Outline your ‘signature package’ and how it meets their needs.
Leverage case studies with testimonials to demonstrate your work in action and to demonstrate what clients expect to receive, gain or achieve.
Outline the steps that guide your process so that the potential client can decide whether this meets their needs. Help them to decide if you are a good fit.
If the potential client is not ready to commit to your ‘signature package’, can you offer other services that recognise their interest and keep them engaged?
Include FAQ’s as part of the customer journey to address potential queries and address doubts and concerns.
When defining your offering – be constantly aware of your mission statement and your story when engaging with potential clients. All services should come back to your mission and values.
Always close with a call to action to guide the client to take the next step. Make it easy for your customers by adding a live chat function, or instant appointment booking.

What Does Your Mission Statement Say About Your Organisation?

Sarah Keates — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 09:37:40 +0000

Strategies for living company values and building customer loyalty

We all know that for brands to survive and thrive, they must evolve to meet customer expectations. Most of us have several go-to brands that we trust, would happily recommend to friends, and are willing to share on social media. What is it about them that makes us return to them again and again? It is almost certainly because we feel a connection with them and how they consistently treat us as their customers.

Customers will not buy from brands that do not align with their values. Whether social, political, moral, or environmental, issues that matter to consumers must now stand on enterprise agendas. Neutrality just won’t cut it in 2020, meaning that your mission statement means more to your bottom line than ever before.

If customers are drawn towards companies whose mission statement is clearly enacted through the whole customer experience (CX), what can you do to stay competitive?

A good mission statement is

Authentic
- It should and must always speak to the truth of the company’s values.
Differentiated
- Does it define your unique reason for existing?
Eye-catching
- Is it brief, memorable, and inspiring?
Accurate
- Does it clearly link to your values in terms of quality, commitment, integrity, accountability, and respect for all in the process?
Up to date
- Do you revisit your mission statement and values regularly and in line with unexpected developments such as COVID-19?
Transparent
- Is there total transparency and clarity in what you offer and what you deliver?

A mission statement is the roadmap that drives your company forward. It guides you in staying true to your core values and growing a loyal customer base that’s proud to be associated with you.

If you need help writing or defining your unique selling proposition, mission statement, or competitive angle – please get in touch.

The Ultimate Guide to Influencer Outreach

Sarah Keates — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 09:34:33 +0000

The Ultimate Guide to Influencer Outreach

Influencer marketing is no new thing. We have been influenced by others for as long as the human race has existed. It is not influence itself that is new, but the advent of the social media influencer which has changed the way in which businesses leverage influence to their benefit.

Before, those with significant influence were few and far between and insanely difficult to reach. But social media has changed the entire landscape, drastically increasing the networks of previously ‘uninfluential’ individuals AND making them significantly easier to reach (DM’s, comments, emails etc).

Those that jumped on the trend for influencer marketing early saw HUGE success as a result – check out GymShark or Daniel Wellington if you want a couple of examples.

However, as more businesses join the influencer marketing party, influencers attention is becoming stretched, making it increasingly difficult to grab their attention and get them to collaborate with your brand.

In this article, we take a detailed look at how to get influencers to engage, how to write an awesome influencer outreach email and what to do next…

>>CLICK HERE TO GET 2 X FREE INFLUENCER OUTREACH EMAILS<<

Do your influencer research and engage

When it comes to successful influencer outreach, the better you know your target, the higher your chances of success.

Spend time researching and understanding the influencers you want to work with:

Follow their accounts
Read their blogs
Like their stuff
Post relevant comments
Share their content with others
Reach out with questions and ideas
Basically, make sure they know you exist before you reach out with an unsolicited proposal. This process is time-consuming, but you would be surprised by how much of a difference it really makes. Plus, on occasion influencers will spot you and your brand and reach out about collaborating – ultimately putting you in a much stronger position.

The information you gain from these types of interactions not only makes the influencer familiar with your brand but allows you to further screen the influencer and assess their suitability to work with.

Kiss (just a little) influencer butt

Nobody likes a suck-up, but everyone loves being recognised and praised for their efforts and creativity.

When communicating with influencers don’t shy away from mentioning some of their achievements, some of the content you love or something they have achieved that you would also love to do.

Note: If you can’t find anything nice or relevant to say – do you really want them representing your brand?

Don’t go too far with this, but be specific.

“I love your stuff”

Doesn’t quite have the same clout as…

“I was just reading your latest blog post on why dogs are better are humans…I have to say I totally agree and you present it in a way which I am sure is going to convince others to think the same – great job”.

Align your goals and vision

So you have caught the influencer’s interest by giving genuine praise of something you love. Now you need to convince them of the values of your brand and why they align with their own values and goals.

Ask yourself what you are trying to achieve as a business. Perhaps you have a mission or vision statement which will help you do this. Then ask yourself how you can align with what the influencer is looking to achieve.

Take for example that you are a male skincare brand, that has a mission to spread the word of ethical and organic skincare products amongst men. Are you looking to work with influencers that have the same or similar goals? Perhaps they are trying to build a name for themselves in the same space.

Make it clear in the email why you think there is good alignment between your business and the influencer. Again, if you can’t match your mission to the goals of the influencer you should really question whether they are the right influencer for your business.

Don’t (always) show them the money

Whether you should be paying an influencer is a subject that deserves its own series of blog posts. For now, let’s assume that you have a budget that can be used to facilitate influencers to create content with your brand.

This may be a controversial point, but from our experience, we VERY RARELY mention money in the first email. The initial email should be used to judge the suitability, availability, alignment and willingness of the influencer to work with your brand.

This gives you the opportunity to test whether the influencer is in it for the art or the dollar. Although a reply email will very rarely not mention payment or value exchange of some sort, there are two common replies to the initial outreach email which are cause for concern:

Their reply does not contain any mention of your brand, why they agree with your points on partnering or even any effort to highlight why partnering would be a good idea.
They simply send you their rate card and very little else.

This being said, if the influencer makes some effort in the email, it Is less concerning if they ask about your budget or what other value you bring to the table. One statement that we often use in initial influencer outreach emails is:

“We do have a small budget for this project, but we are currently just judging interest at this time”

This allows influencers to naturally mention potential fees or ideas in the reply but also acts as a subtle way to remind them that is they do not show some interest then they aren’t the right match for you.

Again, whether you should pay influencers or work on other exchanges of value is a whole topic which we could (and will) go much deeper into detail on. Understanding the value that you bring and that the influencer brings will help you at this point.

For example, when working with micro-influencers who may be starting in their content creation journey, you are likely to be able to find a reasonable value exchange. Working with larger or celebrity influencers will almost certainly require some sort of financial incentives.

Be clear on what you are looking for

What do you want to achieve from working with an influencer? Is it to leverage their expert knowledge, their highly relevant content or their reach into your target audience?

You need to make it very clear in your initial outreach email what your motivation is to work with them. Some of the wider elements of this will become clear when aligning your values. However, you should also take the opportunity to explain the specific steps you are hoping to take with them.

This saves both you and the influencer a considerable amount of time. They can review your thoughts and weigh up whether they have the time, energy and inclination at this point in their journey.

REMEMBER: When working with influencers for their expert skills in content generation, it is a bad idea to maintain too much control over the content they generate. Although it can be a good idea to present some ideas, make it clear that they will maintain a good level of creative control over the content and that you would love to hear their ideas.

What next?

This is an obvious one which so many people seem to forget.

At the end of your email include a call to action highlighting exactly what the influencer needs to do next. It may be as simple as:

“Please reply to this email with your ideas for moving forward”

“Please give me a quick call on [….] as we need to get this project moving asap”

If the next step isn’t clear, you are going to lose the interest you have fought hard for through the initial outreach email.

Influencer Outreach: In Summary

Writing effective influencer outreach emails is a fine art which requires constant adaption, research and testing to get right. Influencers tend to be very busy people and you will often need to reach out a number of times before they get back to you.

By following the influencer outreach principles we have highlighted in this article you give yourself the head start you need to get the job done.

Want a helping hand? We have included a link below to two influencer outreach examples which we have tried and tested with great success. If you have any questions or need any support with your influencer marketing campaigns get in touch: hello@makeitmana.com

>>CLICK HERE TO GET 2 X FREE INFLUENCER OUTREACH EMAILS<<