Mesinger Pulse: Plant and Payoff

Maybe you have never noticed what makes for a good ad in publications that will both catch the eye and make the sale. There is a name for such a structure, and it is called the Plant and the Payoff, writes Jay Mesinger, CEO and founder, Mesinger Jet Sales.
The headline ‘plants’ an idea as the hook, and then somewhere in the body copy, often the final line, the text incorporates or repeats – pays off – some aspect of the headline. Last week, our advertising agency guru was visiting us and I heard him use this terminology. It really resonated with me. I realised I use this without even knowing it as I describe our services to clients verbally or talk about aircraft we have for sale. It seems like such a logical discussion format.
Politicians use this as well when they describe new ideas for policy. Hit them with the plant then follow up with the payoff. There has never been a time that I can remember that rising above the political fray is more appropriate. In fact, staying focused on our service offerings and the equipment we want to buy or sell is such an obvious place to concentrate.
One thing that is becoming abundantly clear is our world, as we know, it is looking more and more like a tabletop puzzle. As an industry, we are always looking for where the pieces fit. Often the outside edges are the easiest to solve but the inside the boundary areas are most difficult to fit. We can use similar design details to find matches or colours that seem to fit together but large thousand-piece puzzles are complicated.
As we all look at the first 100 days of this administration to add new colours or designs to our puzzle, we struggle at times to understand the outcome of the initiatives being mandated by the executive actions. Will staffing restrictions hinder the FAA and will budget cuts across the board halt spending in aviation centric agendas?
I have decided that being a prognosticator for the future of our industry or our economy is not where you will find me with respect to my articles or my speeches or my webinars. I intend to bring relevant, non-political topics to us all. I will leave the national news to the reporters. This does not mean that we do not intend to make hay while the sun shines. We are all going to enjoy that. My fellow aircraft professionals, our clients and all the ancillary service providers that make up this robust industry we all call home will enjoy the current economic euphoria.
I am just now building the topic ideas for my 2025 webinars. I intend them to be a pleasant, often light-hearted, completely informative and a great place to spend an hour with your friends and fellow associates. I will have a total of seven more this year – four for the NBAA NewsHour and three more for CJI Town Halls. I sincerely welcome your ideas for topics that you would enjoy learning more about.
In the meantime, let’s talk a minute more about the Plant and the Payoff. What fun to rethink your presentation style and delivery format. Brevity and accuracy can be nicely woven into that format. Keeping conversations light is also important in our current very serious global environment. There is also enough seriousness in the transaction process that we all work within, including major inspection navigation, damage discovered and staying within the boundaries of the contracts we all negotiate.
My intent going forward is certainly not to negate the depth of the daily tasks we enter into as we complete these complex transactions, but rather to be a beacon of fun and entertainment. Again, please send me your ideas, then join me and my panellists as we explore the lighter side. See you all soon around the puzzle table. How was that for a Plant? I promise it will Pay off.