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Why Private Label Marketing Can Help You to Build a Successful Brand in Your Community

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Private label marketing is a model where a business creates and sells their own custom-branded products that are manufactured by a third-party supplier. Private label products are not uncommon in the pest management industry, but in the past, the practice was reserved for the largest pest management companies for use around high profile businesses and restaurants.  

Private labeling has proven to be successful. Noticing private labeled pest control products around local trusted businesses acts like an endorsement of that pest control company by that business. The simple practice of utilizing private labeled products in commercial accounts helps to build their brand name, making it more recognizable in the local area. By placing private labeled products, these businesses are building customer loyalty, as customers are more likely to purchase products and services from a brand that others trust.  

Catchmaster is making private label marketing available to pest control companies of all sizes. Customization of glue boards, rodent traps and marketing tools, like doorhangers, are now available in order quantities and at prices that make private labeling available to the entire industry.  

Let’s take a look at the key benefits to private label marketing: 

  • Increased brand recognition: Placing private label products in local accounts that you service builds your brand in the community. Think of it like free product placement and advertising in local businesses that you service.  
  • Promotional giveaways that actually convert business: Do you attend local tradeshows, sponsor local events or purchase branded promotional items like pens, shirts or other items to giveaway to potential customers? Private label pest control products are the ideal promotional tool. Give your potential clients a tool to monitor for pests in their home or business. When that person catches a pest or rodent on the glue trap your company name and contact information will be readily available to them to make that call.  
  • Cloverleafing neighborhoods: Do you knock on doors or leave your business card for neighboring homes or businesses after servicing an account? The practice is known as ‘cloverleafing’ a neighborhood and Catchmaster’s private label doorhangers are the ideal tool to help you get the word out. Our doorhangers are more than a marketing piece, they’re a glueboard that every home and business owner will want to put to work to monitor what pests or rodents might be lurking in their home or business. And once a catch is made,  your business contact information will be readily available to them on the glue board.  

Private label products are the ultimate marketing tool for pest management professionals to increase their profits, build their brand, and create customer loyalty. Expand your marketing this season with Catchmaster’s private labels.  Learn more at catchmasterpro.com.  

Post-Flood Pest Prevention

Post-Flood Pest Prevention

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Post-Flood Pest Prevention Importance

Post-flood pest prevention takes on increased urgency as weather patterns fluctuate.  For example, summer 2021 ended in historic flooding as Tropical Storm Ida traveled a path from New Orleans up through New York state. Those in the wake of the storm experienced staggering rainfall amounts exceeding 10 inches in many parts of New Jersey and over 3 inches of rain per hour in Manhattan. The aftereffects of this historic rain event were felt from mold growth to increased pest infestations.  Additionally, the rain displaced rodent populations. As the region works to clean-up the aftermath, new pest problems are arising. Here are the most common pest infestations following storm damaged areas and what you can do about them.

Top 3 Post-Flood Pests & Treatment Options

1. Flies

Flies often increase after flooding. High winds and driving rains knock down garbage cans and spread debris across. For instance, as crews work to clean-up, downed trees, garbage and vegetative debris along with increased moisture attracts pests to these affected areas. Clean up trash and debris as quickly as possible after a storm. For increased fly popuations check out our flying insect jars and traps for use around your home, business and property.

2. Mosquitoes

As a result of increased water, mosquito populations can rise after a storm. Female mosquitoes need stagnant water to lay their eggs and the opportunity presents itself when excess rains hit an area. Floodwater mosquitoes typically lay their eggs in the soil just above the natural waterline. Eggs can lay dormant for years without hatching. Unfortunately, as floodwaters wash through an area that water can help those eggs hatch in masses causing large populations of mosquitoes in the weeks that follow. Fortunately, Catchmaster has a full line of mosquito traps for use in residential areas to control mosquito populations. Significantly reduce mosquito populations with our easy-to-use traps that cover up to an acre of property at a time.

3. Rodents

Rodent carcasses are washing up on New York City beaches as countless rodents in New York drown due to flooding rains. Displaced rodents rose from their underground shelters while others climbed vertically into living areas. If you are discovering a new found rodent presence in or around your property consider Catchmaster traps and glueboards to monitor, trap and capture mice and rats on your property before they take residence.

Post-Flood Pest Prevention - Mosquito Breeding Sites

Remember to take extra precautions with pests after a flood moves through your area. Just as humans are affected by high rain levels so are pest and rodent populations.

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/

Post-Flood Pest Prevention – Additional Resources

First, get more great content like this in your inbox – sign up for our mailing list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

Next, learn more about our rodent management tools here: https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/rodent-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about your pest management professional options from the National Pest Management Association here: https://npmapestworld.org/

Top Rodent Control Target Markets

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Knowing the top rodent control target markets can give you a leg up on your competition. There is a great need for rodent management in both residential and commercial settings. As a pest management professional, consider the following target audiences for your non-toxic rodent management offerings.

Rodent Control Target Markets - Mouse

Top 5 Rodent Control Target Markets

  1. Residential, single family homes – single family homes with children or pets are an ideal target for rodent control services.  Although rodents infest homes in the city and suburbs, homes near wooded areas may be under more pressure from rodent infestations.
  2. Property Management – housing managers of apartment complexes, condo associations and homeowner associations are responsible for ensuring a pest-free environment for their tenants. Rodent management is ideal as to ensure the safety of children and pets who may inhabit some units.
  3. Education Facilities – such as child-care facilities and elementary schools, colleges and universities are required to follow Integrated Pest Management (IPM) guidelines and use IPM rodent management techniques.
  4. Restaurants, Food Service & Food Processing Plants – rodent control is critical to restaurant operations. The food industry has very strict guidelines and no tolerance for rodents in their establishments. A rodent sighting in a restaurant can be extremely damaging to their reputation. Beyond that, rodents are dangerous pests known to carry food-borne pathogens and disease. Rodent management is critical to any restaurant and food establishment
  5. Warehouses – rodents can be very difficult to control in a large environment such as a warehouse but doing so is critically important in order to maintain a safe work environment for employees and ensure that products stored within the warehouse do not become contaminated from rodent pests.

Rodent Control Target Markets - Rat

Rodent control is important to many businesses but particularly to the one’s above. Keep these top rodent control target markets in mind as you develop your marketing materials!

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

First, get more great content like this in your inbox – sign up for our mailing list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

Next, learn more about our rodent management tools here: https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/rodent-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about your pest management professional options from the National Pest Management Association here: https://npmapestworld.org/

Top 5 Mosquito Prevention Tips (aka the 5 Ds)

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Mosquito Prevention Tips

Mosquitoes bugging you?  Take back your yard by following the ‘5 Ds’.

Top 5 Mosquito Prevention Tips - Fun Facts

Top 5 Mosquito Prevention Tips

  1. DUMP – Mosquitoes require water to complete their life cycle.  Once a week, carefully inspect your property and dump out any water in containers such as tires, plant drainers, wheelbarrows, buckets, etc.  Remember that mosquitoes can develop in a bottle cap!  Remove or cover containers if possible.
  2. DRAIN – Things such as kiddy pools, clogged gutters and bird baths can produce hungry bloodsuckers in a week.  Drain them regularly.
  3. DRESS – When practical, wear clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible.  Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and socks.  Some kinds of mosquitoes just LOVE biting around the ankles!  Some stores sell clothing that is factory-impregnated with insect repellent.
  4. DEET – When needed, use insect repellent that has an EPA-registered active ingredient.  Read more here:  https://www.cdc.gov/zika/prevention/prevent-mosquito-bites.html
  5. DUSK/DAWN – Peak mosquito biting activity occurs around dusk and dawn.  Avoid being outside at these times if possible.  If you can’t, dress appropriately and use repellent.  Note, however, that some kinds of mosquitoes, especially those that transmit Zika, chikungunya and dengue prefer to bit during the DAYTIME hours.

Captain Stan Cope (aka the Mosquito Man) is our Vice President of Technical Services, learn more about him here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/stan-cope-phd/

Mosquito Prevention – Additional Resources

Get more content like this daily when you follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catchmasterPRO/

Sign up for our mailing list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

For help with mosquito season 2020 & beyond, discover Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about mosquitoes from the NPMA here: https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/mosquitoes/

Holiday Rodent Inspection Tips

By | Rodents, Tips & Inspirations, Trapping Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments

Don’t give rodents a home for the holidays – arm yourself with some holiday rodent inspection tips.

Holiday decorations, whether you are getting them out or putting them up, provide a great opportunity to check less-traveled spots for signs of rodents.

Why do rodents visit during the holidays?

Rodents invade our areas searching for the same things we do – food, warmth and shelter.  In addition, they prefer undisturbed areas like attics, closets and crawl spaces.  Undoubtedly, your holiday decorations are stored in a similar spot.  Utilize your time in storage to deploy these holiday rodent inspection tips.

Holiday Home Rodent Inspection

4 signs of rodents to look for during the holidays

  1. Droppings – A mice infestation is often accompanied by droppings. Mice droppings are typically one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch long with pointed ends. Larger problems, like Norway rats, have larger droppings with blunt ends.
  2. Strong odors – attics, basements and storage areas have distinct smells. Mice see poorly but use urine to mark their territories and navigate new surroundings. The urine leaves behind an undeniable scent that smells like ammonia.
  3. Gnaw marks – rodent’s teeth never stop growing and they gnaw in order to keep their teeth at a comfortable length. An often-overlooked sign of a rodent infestation is gnaw marks or shavings found on or around baseboards, doors or cardboard storage containers.
  4. Tracks or rub markets – mice do not see well and hug the walls during travel. Eventually they will memorize the route creating a “marked trail”, the result of body oil and dirt being rubbed against walls or baseboards. A strong flashlight may help you to uncover these rodent markings in the attic or basement.

After inspecting your home talk to a pest management professional about year-round monitoring with the Catchmaster® brand.  Monitoring is a sure way to get ahead of pest infestations.  In addition, monitoring is an important part of an integrated pest management program.

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster® brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/

Additional resources – holiday rodent inspection tips

Get more great content like this in your inbox – sign up for our mailing list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

Learn more about our insect glue boards and monitors here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product/insect-traps-monitors/

Get more winter pest tips from the experts at Redfin here: https://www.redfin.com/blog/winter-pest-control-expert-tips

Learn more about your pest management professional options from the National Pest Management Association here: https://npmapestworld.org/

 

Keeping Your Home & Pumpkins Safe from Pests this Halloween

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Halloween pest control can help keep your holiday festive.

Halloween Pest Control - Cota

It’s October, a chill is in the air and homeowners are busy decking their halls with spiders, rats and other creepy crawlers in preparation for Halloween.  It is about the only time of the year that pests are an acceptable décor choice around the home.  Holiday displays aside, here are some tips for keeping the real pests at bay this year.

Spiders – better out than in

Did you know that spiders can actually be a beneficial pest, particularly in your garden? Perhaps not the best news if you suffer from arachnophobia. It’s true though, spiders in your garden play a pivotal role in keeping down the number of plant-killing bugs and may also prevent you from being stung while working in your garden. However, very few of us want to share our homes with these creatures.

Spider pest control tips

  1. To keep spiders out of your home, consider performing some exclusion work, filling cracks and crevices, sealing gaps and openings around the home and replacing door sweeps that may no longer provide a strong seal.
  2. Another great line of defense against indoor spiders is your vacuum cleaner. Suck up any visible spiders and be sure to remove cobwebs around your home as well.
  3. Finally, consider monitoring your home for spiders with our glue traps and boards. Place our glue trays or boards in out of the way areas to find what’s really creeping around your home this fall.

Halloween Pest Control - Rat Facts

Halloween Pest Control – Keeping the Rats at Bay

Much like spiders, rats can enter your home through relatively small cracks and holes. Did you know that a rat can squeeze its body through a hole the size of a quarter? There are a couple of actions you can take to keep rats away. First, fill any holes or gaps you find around the perimeter of your home. Second, keep your plumbing in tip top shape. Like many other pests, rats are drawn to moisture and a leaky pipe can be the water source needed.

Beware the Pumpkin Eaters

Lastly, be careful where you place that seasonal pumpkin. Pumpkins are a huge component of Halloween Pest Control.  Pumpkins left outdoors are a great food source for rats, mice and other rodents and will also draw pests to your home particularly as the pumpkin begins to rot.

Pumpkin pest prevention

  1. Display pumpkins in a cool, dry place to prevent mold and rot from setting in early and attract insects.
  2. You can protect your pumpkins with a simple mixture of bleach and water. Simply spray this mixture on a carved pumpkin each day before Halloween for an easy, effective pest management practice to keep fruit flies and other insects at bay.
  3. To avoid your pumpkin serving as a food source for rodents and squirrels in the area, try coating the pumpkin inside and out with hot pepper sauce.

We hope these tips help you to enjoy the Halloween season where the only pests you see are a part of your seasonal décor.

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster® brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/

Additional Halloween Pest Control Resources

Looking for more Halloween pest tips?  Gest some mosquito tips from our own Captain Stan (aka the Mosquito Man) here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/halloween-mosquito-prevention/

Learn more about pests at Pest World, the official site of the National Pest Management Association here: http://pestworld.org/

Catchmaster Pestimonial – Envirosafe

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Catchmaster Pestimonial – Envirosafe

In this edition of our Catchmaster Pestimonial series, Veteran PMP Gary Pietrucha says the Catchmaster® brand listens to its customers, creating a corporate culture that values relationships and drives innovation.

The Value of Relationships

Relationships are important to Gary Pietrucha, owner and president of Envirosafe Pest Management, Itasca, Ill. Upon launching his company in 1988, the veteran PMP knew he wanted to operate a “boutique business” providing high-quality, environmentally sensitive pest control services, but one which also maintained close ties with its customers and employees as it grew.

“From the day I started, I wanted to be directly involved in the business,” he says. “I wanted to be large enough to handle major accounts, but small enough to know what was going on in every facet of the business. I didn’t want to lose track of my customers or employees. I wanted to be that ‘go-to’ person for both of them, and I think I’ve been successful.”

Catchmaster Pestimonial – The Value of Glue Boards

Those are also qualities Pietrucha values in his vendor relationships, which is why he thinks so highly of AP&G, manufacturer of the popular Catchmaster® line of products. Pietrucha says one of the reasons AP&G has been successful for so many years (the company was founded in 1952) is they listen to their customers.

A longtime proponent of glue boards, Pietrucha says he uses these valuable IPM tools in a variety of accounts, from warehouse and distribution centers to food-service facilities.

“Glue boards are an amazing pest control resource,” he says. “Us old-timers remember taking a gallon of bulk glue and making giant glue boards designed to capture large numbers of rodents. They were effective in reducing populations, but they looked unprofessional.”

Thanks to companies like AP&G, however, glue boards have become more sophisticated and increasingly effective over time. Today, the New Jersey-based company offers a comprehensive line of adhesive products, including rat glue boards, mouse glue boards, custom glue boards and glue trays.

“Glue boards are a very simple devices with multiple uses,” Pietrucha observes. “We use them in a variety of different applications and they also offer a number of public health benefits. Rodents not only get stuck on the boards, but the pathogens and parasites that reside on those rodents also get stuck.”

Catch Zone™ Pest Boundary Roll – A Timely Innovation

Catchmaster Pestimonial - Catch Zone

“I also use Catch ZoneTM in a number of accounts,” Pietrucha says. Perfect for clean outs and protecting large, sensitive areas, Catchmaster® Catch ZoneTM comes in 60-foot by 12-inch rolls that can be cut easily to conform to virtually any space, providing a first line of defense against both rodents and insects.

Pietrucha was so impressed with the product that he wondered if it could be adapted to control rats by applying a thicker layer of glue. “I asked Dave Johnson, my sales representative, and he listened,” Pietrucha says, shaking his head in amazement. “I’m small potatoes, just a little pest control guy from Itasca, but they listened to me! They took my comments to heart and helped me out. Now I can level the playing field against rats. I can put this long strip of glue out there and provide very effective rodent control.”

Catchmaster Pestimonial - Pallet Image

Learn more about our Catch Zone™ Pest Boundary Roll here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product/catch-zone-pest-boundary-roll/

Learn more about Envirosafe here: http://www.pestmgmt.com/

Read other stories in our Catchmaster Pestimonial series here: https://catchmasterpro.com/?s=pestimonial

Special thanks to the team at PCT Magazine for their contributions to this article: https://www.pctonline.com/

Mosquito Control Services 101

By | Mosquitoes, Uncategorized | No Comments

Mosquito control services are one vertical that many pest control companies have been on fence about offering. That is, until just a few years ago when the recent scare and media flurry over Zika, West Nile Virus, Chikungunya virus and more seems to have changed all of that. Homeowner interest in controlling mosquitoes and other vectors around lawn and gardens is at an all-time high. And a slew of national mosquito control chains have responded!

This has led many local, family-owned pest management firms to decide whether to pursue the vertical or not. Beyond that, small business owners wonder how can they possibly compete with these national chains, who seem to have unlimited marketing dollars and a nationwide presence.

It is possible to successfully compete with the big boys in the world of mosquito services. Here are five ways to own your local market when it comes to mosquito control.

Competing with the Big Boys in the World of Mosquito Control Services

  1. Keep an eye on your competitors. Start by taking a step back and observing what is happening in your marketplace. What marketing tactics are the “big boys” employing? What do their service offerings look like? How are customers reacting? As a small business owner, you can make quicker decisions, change up your offerings and move your marketing dollars around quickly.  As a result, you make be able to really own one marketing channel, like social media, instead of spreading your marketing dollars too thin. While billboards and TV ad campaigns may not be in your marketing budget, you can ensure you’re remaining competitive with the national chains by offering similar services to customers in your territory.
  2. Upsell Your Current Customer Base. You already have a great base of customers who trust your company to protect their home.  Chances are they view you as their pest expert. Ensure that you are making your customer base aware of your other services and up-sell them on mosquito control. Make it easy for customers to simply add-on this extra service to their current contract.  Let them know of this opportunity via email, door drops and having your sales person or technicians make the offering at the time of service. Incentive your sales people or technicians for every home that adds mosquito control onto their contract.
  3. Community Involvement. Go ahead and sponsor that little league baseball team, coach your daughter’s soccer league and get involved in your community. Offer a free mosquito service prior to a community event in turn for publicity. People love to support those they know and those who give back to their community.
  4. Deliver a Great Customer Experience. Customer service is perhaps the best way to stand out from the national chains. Train your employees to go above and beyond when servicing an account. Take the time to consult with homeowners on ways in which they can minimize mosquito activity on their property.  Offer handouts on overlooked mosquito breeding areas. Work closely with customers and respond quickly to complaints to earn that reputation of offering excellent service.
  5. Own the referral. Once you have a happy customer, ask for the referral and train your employees to do the same. Put customer referral programs in place that offer a free or discounted mosquito treatment to anyone your customer refers. Plan a block party and offer a discount to any block in your town that has three or more homes that buy into your mosquito services. Having more homes to service in a small geographical area will help to make your company more efficient and organically get the word out about your services.

Putting it All Together

While offering mosquito control services to compete with the “big boys” can seem daunting remember that you have tools at your disposal.  And the common thread in your tools should be how you differentiate your brand.  No doubt you have had success in differentiating yourself in other areas – mosquito control doesn’t need to be any different.

Mosquito control services are in high demand. Stay top-of-mind with customers in your territory and own your local market for mosquito services. Get started today!

Learn more about how mosquito control tools from the Catchmaster® brand can help you grow your mosquito control business here: https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

Learn more about mosquitoes from the National Pest Management Association here: https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/mosquitoes/

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster® brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/

5 Pest Tips for Log Cabins

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Many people stay at log cabins to get closer to nature.  Unfortunately for some, this also means that nature gets closer as pests of all kinds are attracted to cabins.  Managing pests in and around your log cabin can seem like a daunting task but it doesn’t have to.  These 5 pest tips for log cabins will help you protect your turf.

5 Pest Management Tips for a Log Cabin

  1. If you are fortunate enough to build your cabin from scratch be sure to use pre-treated wood. Popular tree types for cabins include many trees that produce sapwood that is an attractant for pests.  Treating wood will help make it as resistant as possible to pests.
  2. Keep the exterior of your log cabin as clean as possible, paying particular attention to the areas between the logs.
  3. Keep all outdoor trash far away from your cabin. Leaving trash close to your cabin will only increase the likelihood they venture inside.
  4. Seal all possible entries, including roofs, joints and individual logs. Pests seek the same things human desire, including shelter and food.  Don’t leave the door open for them!
  5. Monitor inside your  cabin for pests with glue-based monitors. Monitors will allow you to notice the presence of pests before they become an infestation and set up shop in your cabin.

Getting Cabin Control

Being closer to nature in your log cabin doesn’t mean nature has to be a house guest.  Remember, pests are a lot like humans in that they need shelter and food.  The more you can reduce their access to these staples the better.  If pests remain a nuisance in your log cabin after you have acted be sure to contact your pest management professional.

Learn more about log cabins from the Log and Timber Homes Council of the NAHB here: https://loghomes.org/

Learn more about the Catchmaster® brand’s 72TC glue-based monitors here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product/72tc-series-mouse-insect-glue-board/

AP&G Co., Inc. Announces the Promotion of Ed Dolshun to Vice President of Business Development

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For Immediate Release

January 17, 2016 (Brooklyn, NY) – AP&G Co., Inc. recently announced the expansion of their leadership team with the promotion of Ed Dolshun to the position of Vice President of Business Development. “Our commitment to growth and dedication to developing innovative products for the pest management industry led to the need for this additional role,” says Jonathan Frisch, VP of Global Sales and Marketing.

In addition to his current duties as Technical Director for the company, Dolshun will now focus on expanding the company’s product line. In his new position, he will research new markets, manage the development of new products and provide product validation for AP&G’s growing family of products. Finally, Dolshun will work with AP&G’s Marketing Department to cultivate new messages and serve as a technical/educational resource to the Sales Team.

Dolshun says he is, “Looking forward to learning even more about pests and pest issues around the world and how AP&G can help to address those issues.”

Dolshun has ten years of pest management industry experience. Prior to joining AP&G Co., Inc. he served many years as Environmental and Regulatory Specialist at Bergen County Community Development and also taught an Environmental Issues course at Fairleigh Dickinson University as part of their Masters of Administrative Science Program.

Ed can be reached at:
Email: edolshun@catchmaster.com
Ph: 347-525-8493

Ed Dolshun

Vice President of Business Development