Before starting your pest control business, you probably had only a vague idea of how you were going to promote it. After all, marketing may not be your forte and, as an owner-operator, you’re not exactly thrilled about being on the front foot in terms of advertising.
But marketing is just as important as any other aspect of running your business. Without a clear strategy or clear message, potential customers may be turned off by the sight of your company’s logo and drive past without stopping. So how do you get started? Here are some key insights that will help you along the way.
What Should Be in a Marketing Plan?
A marketing plan is a roadmap for your business’s marketing strategy. It will include an overview of your business, its challenges and opportunities, and the marketing plan for your company. A marketing plan also includes your marketing strategy, tactics, and how you will measure the effectiveness of these strategies.
The marketing strategies for your pest control business may include any or all of these methods: digital marketing, SEO, blogging, email marketing, social media marketing, programmatic advertising, and traditional media.
Develop a Brand Voice
Your brand voice is the tone and style you use when speaking about your business. You’ll want to consider what kind of personality you want to project. In pest control, this could be the friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and unbiased service you want to provide. Your brand voice will also help you determine your logo design and visual branding.
For example, pest control companies that use bright and colorful logos tend to have a more youthful feel, whereas pest control companies that use more muted colors and logos tend to have a more trustworthy feel. As you develop your brand voice, make sure you consider your target audience and their needs.
Keep in mind that someone unfamiliar with your pest control company might hear the tone you’re using in your company’s voice and assume you’re the same way in all situations. If you want to be taken seriously as a business, you need to keep the voice consistent.
Define your target market
To know who you want as your customer, you must first understand who you are as a company. Target market demographics will help you determine your pricing strategy and will also help you to decide which marketing methods will be most effective for your company.
Marketers often talk about different market segments, but they often don’t define which one they’re talking about. You can easily look down the Yellow Pages and find dozens of pest control companies. You need to be sure that your marketing is directed toward the people in your target market.
The majority of pest control companies are in the business of killing pests. This market segment is almost entirely focused on controlling insects and rodents, not weeds or mosses. And a significant percentage of these companies are in the exterminating industry, where people don’t just want to get rid of their pests they want to get rid of their pests permanently.
Create an email marketing campaign
One of the easiest ways to grow your customer base and increase leads is with an email marketing campaign. Many pest control companies find success by using email marketing to communicate with existing and potential customers. You can use email marketing to communicate with both current and potential customers. When building your email marketing strategy, consider these factors:
Who are your target market? What do they like? What do they dislike? What’s new in your company?When are their attention levels highest? What social media channels do your target market follow? What blog articles have your target market read? What does your brand look like through email?
Holding Events Is Always An Option
Next, you’ll want to consider holding events. Public speaking has been a part of many pest control companies’ histories for years, and it’s still one of the most effective ways to reach new customers and increase brand awareness. Depending on your industry and the type of event you’re hosting, you may want to consider holding an event other than a traditional conference.
For example, a service expo or a career expo may be more relevant to your target market. Publicizing these events on social media can help you gain new customers, gain brand recognition, and generate leads.
Conclusion
Marketing your pest control business can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. To succeed, you need to have a clear strategy, a defined target market, and a brand voice that represents your company. These three components will help you create a successful marketing plan for your pest control business. Once you have them figured out, you can start reaching out to potential customers and building your brand through social media marketing, email marketing, and more traditional channels.
