CNBC Interview on Business Jets--Memorial Day Edition

I just had a great experience with CNBC. Thanks to LaBov & Beyond's crack PR ace, Sonya Beckley, I was given the opportunity to spend 60 seconds on CNBC's show "Street Signs" on why I believe that a business jet can be valuable.

CNBC provided an opponent that due to his broadcast talents, was given three times as much airtime - maybe I should have interrupted him? But, setting that aside, I spoke from my experience and feel good about the message.

To illustrate the real-life value of a business jet, when we were told CNBC wanted to interview me in the New York area, we set up two additional client appointments and took a total of five LaBov & Beyond employees. Our pilot checked to see how much commercial flights would have cost--it turns out we saved $3,ooo flying on our jet versus commercial.

The other thing I shared in the interview is that a business jet helps preserve the home life of your employees - they can be home with their family at night (after a business trip).

Here's the clip. Did I do okay?

Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond Marketing Communications
http://www.labov.com/

Thank the Big Three for Destroying the image of Biz Jets: Part Three

With all the bad press about private jets, I believe we need to think rationally before deciding that a business jet is evil.

My company, like thousands of others, uses a business jet. Why?

• The business jet can be a money maker, a business grower, a business saver. We use it to visit prospects as well as serve clients. It builds business.
  

• The business jet can allow a business to be located in a small city and still do business nationwide. My company is located in the 85th largest metro area in the country, Fort Wayne, Indiana. How in the world are we going to be able to work for great clients like VW, Audi, Ferrari, Freightliner, Suzuki, Schwab, and U.S. Trust without being able to serve them ASAP or whenever needed? We use our jet to help.

• We use our business jet to help protect our employees' family lives. If we used commercial flights, my employees would spend hundreds of days and nights away from their families a year. Instead they hop in the jet, spend a day with the clients and are home for dinner with family. Families are happy, employees are happy, clients are happy - and all of that makes me happy.

The current bad press press won't dissuade us from flying our business jet. There is only one thing that has changed in the six months that affects our business jet: Jet fuel is cheaper. That makes me happy, too.

For those of you who may have missed these yesterday, below are a couple of ads we felt inspired to create to help people better understand how our business jet plays a crucial role in our business operations. It's not an extravagance; it's a necessity. I'd love for you to view the ads and offer any thoughts you may have on them.

Barry LaBov, CEO
LaBov and Beyond
www.labov.com

Thank the Big Three for Destroying the image of Biz Jets: Part Two

In my previous post, I focused on the current private jet "feeding frenzy." This is part two.

Thanks to the Big Three, Congress now has a rallying cry against corporate greed - "Down with the Private Jet."

First of all: For most, it's not a private jet. It's a business jet. Here are some facts:

• Most fliers on business jets are non-executives (85%)
• Most owners of business jets (over 80%) are small- to medium- size businesses
• Most business jet flights utilize smaller airports, not the main, commercial ones - they reduce congestion and give companies out of small towns an option to fly direct to clients
  

It's an American success story - the US makes the bulk of aircraft and is the worldwide leader.
There are millions of miles flown on business jets yearly for charitable causes ranging from "Make a Wish" to the Special Olympics.

In my next post, I'll share the reasons why my company invested in a business jet and view it as a smart investment.

Please review the ads that my company created from the standpoint of a business jet owner, I'd love your feedback on them - they are shown below.

Thank the Big Three for Destroying the image of Biz Jets: Part One

Until a few months ago, it was a positive reflection of a company if it had a business jet. Now, it is viewed as a negative, some kind of lavish, wasteful use of corporate dollars. We can thank--I mean blame--The Big Three automakers for that. And we can give an "assist" to congress for continuing to push this idiotic mantra.

I do NOT believe in private jets--I do support business jets. I do not agree in a fat cat executive being flown around in a 747-sized jet all alone. That's wasteful.

I DO believe in utilizing a business jet to bring in more business--to visit clients and to meet new prospects.

Why didn't the congressmen and congresswomen grill the Big Three execs on whether they owned $20k Rolex watches or if they were chauffeured in limos or if they stayed in luxury hotels or if they owned custom tailored suits? None of those extravagances can bring in business or add employees to a corporation.