Jeremy Bar-Illan: new initiatives

Student initiative as Bar-Illan broadens client base

New York headquartered Bar-Illan Jets has launched new initiatives to broaden its appeal and client base. “We believe the desire for cutting edge entertainment packages can be marketed effectively to fraternities and students at high end universities,” says the president and ceo Jeremy Bar-Illan. “We have found opportunity in the leisure niche by offering travel packages to ‘party’ groups travelling to Las Vegas and other festive destinations. By developing relationships with hotels and creating package deals, we have managed to market an affordable per person price for affluent individuals.”

Most clients at present, though, are still corporate. He adds: “The sparkle of private jet charter helps immensely in the sale process of these packages and while only a fraction of the trip is spent on board, we have found that this is indeed the strongest selling point of the deal.”

Bar-Illan Jets, he says, was launched in September of 2007 to complement the company’s corporate liability insurance business, Bar-Illan Corporate Insurance Brokerage, which specialises in director and officer liability insurance and errors and omissions coverage.

“Our insurance client base consists mainly of public corporations and we saw an opportunity to offer a service to the same decision makers to whom we sold insurance. My personal experience of 20 years on Wall Street helped us formulate a marketing plan that would emphasise the need to enhance shareholder value by creating a more efficient process for executive travel.” Bar-Illan also offers corporate investment services.

The company, which focuses on the domestic United States and Middle East markets, has a major marketing focus on added value. “We currently offer complementary limousine service and on board catering,” says Bar-Illan. “In our continuing effort to discover new incentives for new clients to use our service we are likely to offer spa gift certificates as well. We will introduce this once we finish our effort to develop cost efficient relationships with spas in the cities that we service most often.”

He adds: “Another, even more crucial, initiative is our effort to counter the concern for the added pollution for which private jet charter is responsible and the resulting reluctance of ‘green’ individuals and corporations to become clients.”

By the second quarter of 2010 Bar-Illan Jets plans to be planting a tree for every 2,000 to 3,000 miles flown. It also plans to donate private jet charter service in conjunction with The Purple Hat Foundation, a non-profit organisation that benefits paediatric cancer care and research.