The Royal Aero Club Case Study Analysis

Introduction

The Royal Aero Club is a flying training club that is based at Jandakot Airport, Western Australia. Moreover, though the core purpose of this club is to offer training skills and knowledge concerning piloting (such as runway circuit practices, navigation practices, ground handling skills of aircrafts, meteorological theory, and others), the club also operates a bar and a restaurant. These facilities enable the club to offer additional leisure activities to its customers, such as watching outgoing and incoming aircrafts. Nevertheless, the idea of developing this club arose from three wealthy motorists: Hon Charles Rolls, Frank Hedges Butler, and his daughter Vera Renault, during the onset of the 20^th century. At this time, the club started operating through the use of balloons, but later upgraded to the use of aircrafts in 1909, with Muswell Manor being its first flying ground (Royal Aero Club Inc., 2014). Apparently, this club was incorporated as Aero Club of Australia in August 1929, and its operations were first situated at Maylands Aerodrome, then moved to Guildford Aerodrome in 1959, and finally to its current location, Jandakot Airport in 1965 (Prime, 2011). Currently, the club has more than 35 professional flight instructors, a fleet of 40 planes, a membership base of almost 1600 pilots, and numerous training fields including Jandakot Ground, Southern Apron, Cessna 172, Charlie Whiskey Foxtrotetc(Martin, 2013).

Possible Target Market for the Royal Aero Club

The Royal Aero Club has never encountered real market competition in its entire history, and this made its management relax in formulating feasible marketing strategies, especially when the club purchased the Western Australia Aviation College in 2007. This provided a golden opportunity for the growth and increase of its competitors, both within and outside Australia, especially due to the fact that the flying training industry had limited or no entry barriers. By good luck, this club`s management realized the need for effective and strategic marketing strategy in 2010, such as advertising, in order to regain its competitive edge in this industry (Martin, 2013). Nevertheless, the Royal Aero Club can achieve its competitive advantage if this marketing strategy targets the specific and potential customers. For example, the club should target individuals who want to learn how to fly aircrafts. These customers may include those who already have or are intending to buy their own aircrafts (those who want private pilot licenses), or those who want to acquire commercial pilot licenses.

Moreover, the club should target individuals who want to fly to various locations within and beyond Australian boarders, for example, tourists who wish to use aircrafts as their means of transport, as well as employees who wish to travel to their places of work using aircrafts. Consecutively, the club should target aircraft-enthusiasts (individuals who like to watch various aircraft operations such as listening radio traffics for both outgoing and incoming aircrafts, touching aircrafts, watching landing and flying aircrafts both physically and with the help of binoculars, observing the performance of pilot students, among others (Martin, 2013).

Possible Objective of Royal Aero Club`s Strategic Marketing Plan

A strategic marketing plan refers to a written document that describes the current situation of an organization with respect to its competitors, customers, and the external environment (Walker, 2012). The management of Royal Aero Club adopts and implements an advertisement campaign as its marketing strategy. Moreover, the possible objective of this marketing plan is to increase awareness concerning the club`s aircraft flying training services,within and beyond Australian borders (Business Resource Software Inc., 2014). This would not only increase the club`s customers base, but also will increase the club`s net revenue.

Means of Measuring the Market Performance of the Royal Aero Club

There are numerous strategies that the management of Royal Aero Club can use in order to establish the club`s market performance before the implementation of the advertising campaign. For example, the managers can assess the number of students who enroll for training in this club, and compare with those who enroll in other organizations. When the number of students who enroll at Royal Aero club for flying training is less or at par with those of its competitors, then the club is performing poorly. This can also be contributed by the increasing number of competitors in the industry. In addition, the performance of the club in the market can be established through analyzing its net returns. If the club is poorly performing, its current returns decrease each year mostly due to the reduction of its market share (Martin, 2013). This club can also analyze customer`s feedback, whereby poor feedback would mean poor market performance.

Measuring the Performance of the Club`s Advertising Campaign

The performance of this advertising campaign can be measured in various ways. First, the club`s management can compare the club` net returns before, during, and after the campaign. If the campaign is successful, the net revenue should be higher than during and before the campaign (All Business Editors, 2015). In addition, the number of customers visiting the club tends to increase if the campaign is successful.

The Club`s Plan for the Next 1 Year

If this advertising campaign is successful, Royal Aero Club should expand the advertisement campaign in order to attract more customers, especially from other countries. For example, the club can use the social platforms (such as a web site, Facebook, and Twitter) to advertise the services that it offers. In this case, the club should guide potential applicants on how to submit their application online. In addition, the club can focus on increasing the number of lessons for students such as offering additional related skills such as computer courses and driving. This would help in attracting more customers.

The success of these marketing plans can be measured through numerous ways. For example, the club`s management can analyze its market share. If its market share is more than that of its competitors, then the plan is successful. Moreover, the management can analyze the type and number of students who enroll for training at this club. For example, more students (both local and foreign) would mean the plan is successful. The success of this plan can also be determined through analyzing the number of application downloads and those that are submitted online by international students.

Recommendations

The club should redesign its bar and restaurant in such a way that the club should also be offering sites for holding social functions such as wedding ceremonies, company meetings, among others. This would help the club to increase its customer base. In addition, the club should also focus on other companies as its market segment. For example, the club can convince various companies to use its facilities as retreats for its employees. This would enhance its attractiveness as well as its returns.

Conclusion

It is, therefore, evident that the success of any company is greatly influenced by its marketing plan. Marketing plans that fail to focus on its target customers can negatively influence its performance, and this gives its competitors an opportunity to succeed. Royal Aero Club can achieve its initial target of being the largest company that offers aircraft flying training across the globe through the adoption and implementation of effective marketing plans, and proper focusing of students` as well as other segments that increase its customer base.

References

All Business Editors. (2015). Metrics for Measuring Advertisement Campaign Effectiveness. Retrieved from, http://www.allbusiness.com/metrics-for-measuring-ad-campaign-effectiveness-1415-1.html

Business Resource Software Inc. (2014). Marketing Plan. Goergetown Publishers, Texas

Martin, R., (2013). Royal Aero Club Spreads Its Wings in 2011. Retrieved from, https://prezi.com/kymgtliggmhm/royal-aero-club-spreads-its-wings-in-2011/

Prime, M. W. (2011). Royal Aero Club of Western Australia Inc.-Our Heritage. Retrieved from, http://www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au/content/page/our-heritage.html

Royal Aero Club Inc. (2014). The Official Publication of Royal Aero Club of Western Australia. retrieved from, http://www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au/useruploads/files/2014april-4apr.pdf

Walker, E. (2012). Market Oriented Strategies. McGraw-Hill Publishers, Australia.