Many of my friends and family know that I started an SEO company a few years ago, but when they go to my business website, it says, “pest control marketing”. The question I get quite often is, “why pest control marketing”?
In 2016 I started a company called Morningdove Marketing, focusing on SEO for any small to medium-sized businesses. SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization”, which is basically creating a Google-friendly site so it pops up at the top for given search queries. For example, if someone had a clogged drain here locally, they might type into Google “plumber in kuna”.
This is what they would see.
Ads, then a map section, then organic listings.
Which one would you click on?
Statistics say that most people would click on a map result or one of the first 3 organic listings underneath.
If a business were listed first, think of how many customers they’d get just from Google?
Businesses are willing to pay to make their sites appear higher in search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. This is done by creating a site that they can “crawl” and index, providing good user experience, and generating buzz online.
That’s the simple version, anyway. Most experts say that Google uses somewhere around 200 factors in their algorithm, and it’s constantly shifting, which is why you have nerds like me who get paid to stay up to date on it and provide results for businesses.
Personal Experience in Pest Control
I worked for three years in the pest control industry, primarily selling door-to-door. Although I have never owned a pest control company, I studied hard and asked lots of questions in order to have a deep knowledge of the industry in general. Not to mention, if you can “sell” something, you have to know how to explain it thoroughly to customers.
If I can sell to them in person, I should be able to sell to them online, right?
I can use my experience to my advantage while talking to potential clients- they love the fact that I have an intimate grasp on what they go through on a daily basis.
Marketing for pest control companies seems to be a perfect fit for my “particular set of skills”.
Simple Business Model
Get rid of bugs, and you’re a hero.
Wait, maybe that’s just with my wife?
No but really, pest control services are either preventative treatments or exterminating active pests. Those are really the only two options. If you can achieve the desired results for customers 95% of the time, you will have recurring customers that stick with you for years.
People hate bugs and rodents in and around their house, I know because I’m one of them. Instead of getting the chemicals/equipment and having to store them around my kids, I’m much more likely to call a professional if I experience an infestation.
Most typically offer:
- General Pest Control
- Commercial Pest Control
- Specialty Treatments
- Fleas/Ticks
- Termite Treatments/Warrantees
As I work with more and more pest control companies, my knowledge continues to grow and it makes each campaign that much smoother, and the results that much better.
Niche Specialty
I have clients in many different industries, but I subscribe to the Chinese proverb that says-
If you chase two rabbits, both will escape
Although I’ll take on businesses that aren’t in the pest control industry, our marketing focus will be on bringing more pest control operators to the table. “Niching down” creates a more specialized service, one for which clients are willing to pay a premium.
Future Plans
We are looking to GROW, just like any business. Once we feel we have exhausted this particular market, we will move on to an adjacent market, like HVAC, Plumbing, Lawn Care, Home Cleaning, Senior Home Care, Painting Services, or anything similar for that matter.
The opportunities are there, it’s up to us to reach out and grab them.
