Talking about money with prospective students can feel uncomfortable—but it’s also one of the most important conversations you can have. Nearly half of all students (41%) drop out of flight training because of financial barriers. Not because they don’t have the passion or the skill, but simply because they can’t figure out how to pay for it.
If you’re already partnering with Stratus Financial, you’ve got a powerful way to help students get past that hurdle. The question is: are you actually showing them how it works?
Too many flight schools treat financing like an afterthought—a brochure on the counter, or a small link tucked away on the website. But when you know how to talk about Stratus loans the right way, it changes everything. Financing stops being a touchy subject and becomes one of your strongest tools for boosting enrollment.
Why How You Talk About Financing Actually Matters
Think about the last time a prospective student said, “I just need to save up a bit more first,” or told you they’d “think about it” and then disappeared. Odds are, they weren’t really going to save that money. They were just overwhelmed by the cost and didn’t realize there was another option.
Here’s what the data shows:
When students get the right guidance about financing, 59% say it’s what made it possible for them to keep going with their education.
Even better, students who use financing tend to finish at higher rates than those paying out of pocket. They’re more focused, more consistent, and not constantly pausing every time money gets tight.
When you clearly explain financing options, you’re not just helping students start training - you’re giving them a real chance to finish it.
Understanding What Your Students Are Really Thinking
Before we get into tactics, it’s important to talk about who you’re actually communicating with. Your prospective students aren’t all the same. They vary a lot in how comfortable they are with money, debt, and even how they like to get information.
Some are brand new to borrowing and get anxious as soon as they hear the words “credit check.” They’ve never applied for a loan and have no idea if they’d even qualify. Others are Gen Z digital natives who would much rather watch a short video or read a quick text than scroll through a long PDF. You’ll meet students with:
- Great credit
- Limited credit
- Students who’ll need a co-borrower
- Some who aren’t sure if financing is right for them at all
Because of that, one generic conversation or a single brochure isn’t going to cut it. You need several ways to talk about financing, using formats, timing, and language that meet each student where they are, not where you think they should be.
Meeting Students Where They Are: The Multi-Channel Approach
Students need to hear about financing through at least 2-3 different channels before they truly absorb the information and take action. Let’s break down how to use each channel effectively.
Your Website: The 24/7 Salesperson
Your website should do the heavy lifting. Create a dedicated financing page—not buried under “Admissions” or “FAQ,” but prominently featured in your main navigation as “Financing” or “How to Pay.”
Here’s what that page needs:
Video content: Record a short 3-4 minute video that walks students through the Stratus application process step by step. You do not need any special equipment or polished editing. Just talk to the camera and explain what really happens, from filling out the application to getting approved and receiving the funds.
Students often feel anxious about financing because they do not know what to expect. A simple, friendly video helps make the process feel approachable and transparent. It builds trust in a way that text alone cannot because they get to see and hear someone guiding them through it.
Student testimonials: Feature 2-3 short video clips from current or former students who successfully financed their training. Have them answer simple questions:
- “What were you worried about before applying?”
- “How did the process actually go?”
These peer testimonials are extraordinarily persuasive—students trust other students more than they trust you.
A clear FAQ section: Answer the questions you hear most often:
- What credit score do I need?
- Will checking hurt my credit?
- How long does approval take?
- Can I defer payments while training?
- Do I need a co-borrower?
A prominent application link: Make it ridiculously easy to apply. Big button. Obvious placement. One click to Stratus’s application portal.
Comparison table: Show the different loan options Stratus offers side-by-side. Some students want the 12-month deferment. Others prefer to start paying immediately. Lay out the options so they can choose what fits their situation.
Email: Your Strategic Nudge System
Email is still one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to reach students at critical moments in their decision journey.
The welcome email (when someone first inquires): Mention financing right up front. Use warm, reassuring language: “Becoming a pilot shouldn’t depend on having cash on hand. Let us show you how financing makes flight training accessible.”
The pre-enrollment nudge (2-3 weeks before their intended start date): Send an email specifically about financing. Include the application link and ask directly: “Are you concerned about the cost? Here’s how we make it affordable.”
The enrollment reminder (one week before start): Follow up with specifics: “Apply for Stratus financing today—most approvals happen within 1-2 business days. You could be funded and ready to train by next week.”
Keep your subject lines benefit-focused. “Make Flight School Affordable Today” beats “Important: Student Loans” every time. Use concrete numbers when you can: “80% of our students finance their training.” And always, always include a specific next step.
Text Messages: The Overlooked Power Tool
If you’re not using text messaging to communicate about financing, you’re missing out. Text messages have a 98% open rate compared to email’s 20-30%. Students respond faster—often within minutes. And you can break complex information into manageable, bite-sized pieces.
Here’s a simple text strategy:
Welcome text: “Hi [Name]! We’re excited you’re considering flight training. Many of our students use Stratus Financial to make training affordable. Questions? Reply FINANCING and we’ll help!”
Application reminder (3-5 days before start): “Your flight training starts in 5 days. Stratus approvals take 1-3 business days. Apply now: [link]”
Follow-up nudge (if no response after 48 hours): “Still thinking about financing? Let’s connect. Call [number] or text HELP.”
Keep messages simple and direct. Always provide a clear call-to-action. And limit frequency—about 8 weeks of messaging is optimal before it starts feeling like spam.
Social Media: Show, Don’t Just Tell
Most flight schools underutilize social media for financing communication, but it’s where your prospective students are spending their time.
On Instagram:
- Create a “Financing 101” carousel post explaining basic concepts in simple language
- Share student testimonial Stories: “I thought I couldn’t afford flight training. Here’s how Stratus made it possible.”
- Post before-and-after photos of students at different training milestones with captions like “She financed her training and earned her license in 6 months.”
On Facebook:
- Share educational content: “5 Things to Know Before Applying for a Flight Training Loan”
- Drop links to your financing page
- When someone comments on your posts asking about cost, respond publicly with helpful financing information—it answers the question for dozens of other people reading along
If you’re targeting career-change pilots on LinkedIn:
- Share content about aviation career growth and income potential
- Post statistics: “Students with financing complete 70% more efficiently than those paying as they go.”
Timing Matters: Three Stages of Financing Communication
Different messages work at different stages of the student journey. Here’s how to match your messaging to where students are in their decision process.
Stage 1: Awareness (“I’m Interested in Flight Training”)
At this stage, students are researching whether flight training is even achievable for them. Your goal is to establish that affordability isn’t a barrier.
Key messages:
- “We make flight training affordable for everyone”
- “80% of our students use financing”
- “Fast approval means you can start training almost immediately”
- “No prepayment penalties—pay off your loan early without extra fees”
Best channels: Website, social media ads, blog content, discovery flight conversations.
Content examples:
- Blog post titled “5 Financing Options for Aspiring Pilots”
- Video explaining “How Much Does Flight Training Cost? And How to Afford It”
- Social media graphic: “Only 20% of our students pay cash. Here’s why financing works better.”
Stage 2: Consideration (“I’m Seriously Looking at Your Flight School”)
Now students are evaluating your school specifically. Your goal is to explain how easy and fast the Stratus process actually is.
Key messages:
- “Approval in as little as 24 hours”
- “Soft credit pull doesn’t hurt your credit score”
- “Multiple payment options to match your situation”
- “Deferment available—don’t pay while you’re training”
- “Our staff can walk you through the entire process”
Best channels: Email sequences, one-on-one phone calls, discovery flights, campus tours.
Communication template:
“Many students ask about financing. Here’s the good news: we partner with Stratus Financial, a lender specifically built for aviation training. Most applicants get approved within 1-2 business days. There’s a soft credit pull first, so it won’t ding your credit score. And if you need flexibility, Stratus offers a 12-month deferment period while you’re training. Want to learn more? I can walk you through it, or you can apply directly here: [link]“
Stage 3: Decision (“I’m Ready to Enroll”)
Students are committing. Your goal is to remove final barriers and encourage application submission.
Key messages:
- “Apply today—approval could happen by tomorrow”
- “We handle all the paperwork. You just train”
- “Funds go directly to our school—no waiting for disbursement”
- “Questions? [Your name] can help you through the process”
Best channels: Phone calls, in-person meetings, email follow-ups, text reminders.
Action-oriented script:
“We’re thrilled you’re ready to start! Here’s the next step: Stratus Financial handles the financing. It typically takes 1-3 business days from application to approval. Once approved, they fund us directly within 3 business days of you signing documents. You could be in the air within a week. Want to get started? Here’s the application link: [link]. I’m also available at [phone] if you have any questions as you fill it out.”
Handling the Objections You’ll Hear Most
Students will raise concerns. How you respond determines whether they move forward or walk away. Here’s how to handle the most common objections using a simple framework: acknowledge, relate, and reframe.
”My Credit Isn’t Good Enough”
“I hear that concern often, and it’s actually one of the reasons Stratus exists. Unlike traditional lenders that focus only on FICO scores, Stratus evaluates the whole person. They consider your income, assets, and aviation commitment alongside credit history. We’ve had students with credit scores as low as 550 get approved, especially with a co-borrower. The soft credit pull means you won’t hurt your score by applying. Would you like to try the application and see what happens?”
Why this works: You validate their concern, explain why Stratus is different, provide concrete evidence, and reduce risk by noting the soft pull.
”I Can’t Afford a Monthly Payment”
“That’s exactly why Stratus offers multiple payment structures. You can choose a plan with up to two years of interest-only payments while you’re training—meaning minimal monthly payments. Then, once you’re earning as a pilot, you move to full principal and interest payments. Some students also use the 12-month deferment, meaning zero payments while you complete training. Let’s look at the different options and see which fits your timeline.”
Why this works: You show understanding, prove options exist, and offer to problem-solve together.
”I Don’t Want to Start School with Debt”
“I understand the concern about debt. Here’s the perspective that changed many of our students’ minds: yes, you’d have a loan, but you’d also complete training significantly faster than students paying as they go. That means you start earning as a pilot that much sooner. Think of it as an investment—you spend money now to earn significantly more starting months earlier. Most of our financed students say the loan paid for itself within their first year as a professional pilot.”
Why this works: You validate emotion, reframe the context, provide data, and use social proof.
”What if I Don’t Finish Training?”
“It’s a fair question. Here’s what we do: First, our completion rate for financed students is significantly higher because they’re committed and funded to finish. Second, if life happens and you can’t complete, you’re responsible for repaying what you borrowed—just like any loan. We support you through the training process to help you succeed. And honestly, the commitment of having financing actually increases completion likelihood. Students with loans finish training because they’re motivated not to waste that investment.”
Why this works: You acknowledge the valid concern, provide statistical reassurance, explain terms clearly, and highlight the psychological benefit of commitment.
Training Your Team to Talk About Financing
Your enrollment staff are your frontline communicators. They need confidence, consistency, and clear messaging. Here’s how to equip them.
Create a financing toolkit: Develop a one-page reference guide with:
- Key talking points
- Common objections and responses
- FAQs with answers
- Stratus contact information for questions your team can’t answer
Practice through role-play: Conduct monthly training sessions where staff practice handling financing questions. One person plays the hesitant student, another practices responses. This builds confidence and reveals knowledge gaps.
Track what students ask: Create a simple system noting what financing questions come up most frequently. If many students ask “What if I don’t finish?”, you need to address that concern more proactively in your initial communications.
Empower your team: Give your enrollment staff the authority to help. Rather than “You’d have to call someone about financing,” empower them to say: “I’ll personally walk you through the application and answer any questions as they come up.”
The Power of Transparency
Transparent, honest communication builds trust—the foundation of enrollment decisions. Here’s what transparency looks like in practice:
Use specific dollar amounts: Rather than “training costs money,” say “Our program costs $42,000. Most students finance $40,000-$42,000 with Stratus.”
Explain the timeline clearly:
“Here’s exactly what happens: You apply (15 minutes). Stratus reviews and responds in 1-2 hours. If approved, you sign documents within 1 business day. They fund us within 3 business days. Total time from application to you starting training: 5-7 business days.”
Acknowledge trade-offs: “Yes, you’ll have a loan to repay. You’ll also complete training 6-12 months faster than paying as you go, which means you start earning sooner.”
Provide real examples: Share anonymized stories: “Student A financed $35,000 at 7% interest. Her monthly payment during deferment was $0. After training, she moved to full payments of about $400/month. Within 18 months of becoming a commercial pilot earning $80,000/year, she paid off the loan.”
Admit limitations: “Stratus requires a U.S. bank account and either a 1st or 2nd Class Medical Certificate. We can’t finance training for international students without TSA verification.”
This transparency actually increases enrollment. Students appreciate honesty and are more willing to move forward when they understand exactly what they’re getting into.
Measuring What’s Working
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Track these key metrics quarterly:
- Application rate: What percentage of enrolled students submit a Stratus application?
- Approval rate: Of those who apply, what percentage get approved?
- Time to completion: How many days from inquiry to financed enrollment?
- Student satisfaction: Ask financed students: “On a scale of 1-10, how well did we communicate the financing process?”
- Objection tracking: Which objections come up most frequently?
- Channel effectiveness: Which communication channel drove the most applications?
Review this data quarterly. If email isn’t driving applications, shift resources to text messaging or in-person conversations. If students consistently express confusion about one aspect of the process, create content addressing that specific concern.
Getting Professional Help with Your Marketing
Building a comprehensive financing communication strategy takes time, expertise, and resources. If you’re looking to optimize your entire enrollment funnel—from website content to email campaigns to social media messaging—consider partnering with specialists who understand the flight school industry.
At Right Rudder Marketing, we specialize in helping flight schools attract and convert more students by creating integrated marketing strategies that address enrollment barriers including financing. Our services include:
- Content strategy development: Creating a comprehensive content calendar that addresses every stage of the student journey
- Email marketing campaigns: Automated sequences that nurture prospective students through the financing decision
- Website optimization: Redesigning your financing page and student journey to remove friction and drive applications
- Social media strategy: Developing targeted content and ad campaigns that address financing concerns
- Sales training: Equipping your team with scripts, objection-handling techniques, and communication frameworks
Rather than building these capabilities in-house, partnering with a marketing firm specializing in aviation allows you to focus on what you do best: training pilots.
Making Financing Your Competitive Advantage
In a competitive flight training market, how you communicate about financing isn’t just nice to have—it’s a business necessity. Flight schools that effectively talk about Stratus Financial’s loan options remove the primary barrier preventing qualified candidates from enrolling.
When students understand that financing is fast, accessible, and flexible—and that your school believes in them enough to help navigate the process—they enroll. They complete. They become professional pilots. And they become your most powerful marketing asset, sharing their success story with the next generation of aspiring aviators.
Start with one communication channel. Perfect your website financing page, or develop an email sequence, or begin using text reminders. Measure the results. Then add the next channel. Within a few months, you’ll have created a comprehensive financing communication system that becomes a significant competitive advantage in attracting committed, well-informed student pilots.
The conversation about money doesn’t have to be awkward. When you approach it with clarity, honesty, and genuine desire to help students achieve their dreams, talking about Stratus financing becomes one of the most powerful tools in your enrollment toolkit.
Need help developing your financing communication strategy? Contact Right Rudder Marketing to learn how we can help you attract more qualified students and grow your flight school enrollment.
