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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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://catchmhttps://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/asterpro.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/
