6 Steps to a Successful Business Hoax

The Times recently published a feature article about a teenager from the UK who spent six months creating a fake airline, only to be caught at the last minute when officials became suspicious. Although I’m not advocating the creation of fake airlines, I think the article gives an insight into the requirements for creating and starting a business – and they are not all as difficult to implement as you might think.

Learn about the industry – By gaining an extensive knowledge on the airline industry, Tait managed to convince high powered airline executives that he was a serious player in the market. He talked the talk. He had the confidence to approach the top brass and conduct meetings. This type of confidence only comes about when we have the ability to discuss a subject with the aplomb of an expert, expressing details, rather than generalities. In other words, to be successful we need to convince others we know what we are talking about. To have the confidence to convince others, we need to actually have a knowledge of the subject, whatever it may be.

The boy’s father described his son as “a phenomenal individual who is enterprising and creative” with an ability to recall the exact detail of every airline’s flight schedules.

All well and good, but how can you actually gain that knowledge? Well, if there is anything we can learn from this story, it is that knowledge doesn’t necessarily come from experience. Tait had no experience, yet he convinced these airline execs (who presumably had a wealth of it!) that he could and would start his own airline. Research your market, read, listen learn. Do anything you can to stay abreast of the current developments in your chosen industry. Trade magazines, fairs, books, newspapers, stocks and company press releases all give a wealth of information about an industry. Read these over period of time and you’ll find yourself learning all about your new subject!

Be passionate – To excel at any given task, we must have passion.

“He has been passionate about aeroplanes for about two years and his whole bedroom is plastered with them,” he said.

Tate had a passion for aeroplanes, so set about creating an airline of his own. His passion drove him to create a super ruse which nearly paid off, he nearly started his own airline! What drives your passion? Is there the potential to make money from it? There are loads of internet guru’s, all trying to sell the secrets to success. Despite the seemingly millions of different tactics they suggest, they all seem to advocate one thing – the creation of business from your passions. After all, if you are not passionate  about your product or service, how can you sell it effectively?

Create an image – By establishing a company profile, getting some exposure and making some outrageous claims, Tait got himself into the door. Apparently, we all make our initial assessments about people we meet within five seconds. The way we appear is therefore crucial if we are  out to impress. The same is true in business.

Tait began his elaborate hoax by buying up websites in the name of American Global Group and Island Airways. He then approached various established airlines to ask whether they wanted to give him a franchise agreement.

He claimed that the American parent company had a readily available fleet of 12 jets of varying size. His e-mails, like his telephone patter, were impressively well informed and persuasive. Each ended with the sign-off “American Global Group, 35 Countries, 22 Languages, One Team”, followed by a list of all the states in which it supposedly had offices.

Whilst a good image will probably not guarantee a sale, a poor image will almost certainly guarantee no sale! Concentrate on creating interest with your image, after all a good image is crucial to your success. Your image should not just focus on one aspect of your business, it should cover the entire spectrum. A good website, a polite and efficient telephone matter, a tidy personal appearance and anything else related to or connected with your business should portray a professional image.

Aim high and promote shamelessly. Be honest. 35 Countries, 22 Languages, One Team sounds impressive. Whilst I am not suggesting you blatantly lie, or claim to be operating in 35 countries, giving yourself an opportunity with small exaggerations won’t do any harm.

Establish credibility – Although Tate is only 17, he was able to gain credibility by getting publicity from a well established source within the industry.

Tait gained some initial credibility with an article about his supposed airline which appeared in Airliner World.

Richard Maslen, the deputy editor, said: “We spoke to a few contacts in the industry and they had also heard whispers about this proposed start-up and as a result we ran a small news piece in the magazine.”

Reading between the lines here, this credibility came about from rumour and speculation, rather than hard fact. A few contacts had heard whispers. Perhaps these contacts didn’t want to appear ignorant and out of touch with the latest developments, so pretended they knew something about the company. It goes to show – get the right people talking about you, and they will do a lot of the hard work for you. Viral marketing at its best!

Make your company beneficial -All companies are in business to make a profit. If your company can help other companies to increase profits, it is likely they will want to do business with you. Perhaps they were blinded by the potential of profits, but Tate managed to convince these airline execs that his service would be beneficial to them. By achieving this, he created interest in his product.

“Some of the things he said were the sort of things that were indicative that there might have been some substance to his claims,” said Coupar. “If they were real then there would have been opportunities for us to expand our business and that’s not the sort of thing we are going to ignore.”

Concentrate on how the service or product you offer can help others, and market it as such.

Be persistent – Tate had the patience to spend six months creating this elaborate hoax. He created websites, placed ads in trade journals, approached airlines about partnership opportunities, and even had discussions with airports. Not every airline fell for it. But some did.

The Yorkshire teenager’s six-month-long ruse, which included placing articles in industry magazines, foundered only after one publication, Airliner World, became suspicious.

If he can spend six months creating nothing but a charade, why can’t you spend six months creating a real business that may change your life forever?