The pest control industry is thriving, with research showing a steady increase in market size from 2005 and into 2021. Consequently, one would imagine that growing a pest control business would not involve much effort. But that’s where you would be mistaken. For those wondering how to grow a pest control business, it takes more than simply buying equipment, building a website and waiting for the phone to ring. Just like most other forms of business, how to grow a pest control business involves strategic planning and hard work to elevate your particular company above the many other competitors in your area. Here are some proven recommendations for how to grow a pest control business.

Work on Your Process

An efficient process for serving your clients will go a long way toward growing a successful pest control business. From how you obtain and qualify leads to your invoicing and requests for recommendations should have a specific process that is clear and workable. This enables everyone on your team to perform their respective functions with excellence, and pass off information and client work to the next team member smoothly. Your process evaluation should include the quality and number of service offerings your pest control company provides. Are you offering the absolute best products for your clients? Are they environmentally safe? Are they safe if encountered by pets? Do you provide complete product information about everything you use at a client’s location? Your service process should also be streamlined and efficient, wasting no time or efforts for you or your clients. Such things as arriving on time, performing contracted services quickly and without delay, integrity in pricing and billing and handling any special requests should all be prioritized with a smooth, clear process.

Work on Your Pitch

Of course, any advice on how to grow a pest control business should include the absolute best efforts at marketing and advertising your goods and services. In all your marketing and lead generation efforts, you should highlight your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). This is the specific reason why clients should choose you over your competitors.
● What do you do better than your competitors?
● What sets your pest control company apart from others?
● What unique value do you provide to your clients that is better than your competitors?
● Why should clients choose your company over the others?

Answering these questions will help you determine the main focus of your advertising and marketing messages. In an industry where essentially everyone offers the same basic service (killing off and preventing infestations from bugs), you need to ensure that your company stands out. It can be for a variety of different reasons or for just one – as long as it offers a real value that others do not provide, or do not provide as well.
● Emergency services
● Fast service
● Eco-friendly products
● Free emergency responses to regular contract holders
● Better pricing
● More industry experience
● State-of-the-art equipment

Whatever it is that you do better than others, make sure that is the primary message in all your marketing.

Work for the Right People

A vital aspect of how to grow a pest control business is to determine and effectively target the best demographic of clients. What category of clients will bring you the best chances of faster, sustainable growth? Are you set up to offer services for both commercial and residential clients? Should you specifically target Home Owner Associations (HOAs)? Which of these demographics in your geographic location are best situated to afford and desire pest control services? For example, if your pest control company is located in a low-income area, renters and homeowners likely view regular pest control services as a luxury and not a necessity. You may be more successful targeting commercial businesses, apartment buildings and HOAs instead of single homeowners.

Work on Your Proficiency

Any advice on how to grow a pest control business must address your proficiency. How well do you know your industry, your products, your process and your potential clients? Ongoing education and training are a must in any industry, including the pest control industry. Keeping up with the latest trends and product developments is key to maintaining a leading position among your competitors. One simple way to keep abreast of everything important that happens in the pest control industry is by regularly keeping up with The Boardroom Buzz podcast from the Potomac Pest Control Group. It is a superb resource for anyone connected with the pest control industry, and provides key industry insights on growth strategies, valuation and mergers and more. Get the data and solutions you need for how to grow a pest control business and more from leading industry experts across the United States and abroad.