BUSINESS | PPC112 September 2023
Marketing plays a crucial role in the success of any pest control business, especially for small companies in the UK.
BPCA supports many members with their marketing efforts; the marcomms team has put together an action list for pest control companies to spot-check their presence and keep their phones ringing.
Big picture stuff
To ensure a steady flow of leads, it’s essential to understand your customer segments, establish a strong brand, utilise various marketing channels, and provide exceptional customer service.
Customers
- I understand what types of customers I want
- I know where my customers search for information
- I understand what my different types of customers want from their pest controller
- I create information specifically for the different types of customers I want
Identify the diverse customer segments you can serve, including businesses, landlords, domestic users, etc. Each segment may have unique needs and preferences.
Tailor your marketing messages and services to address their specific pain points. For example, businesses may prioritise fast response times and discreet service, while landlords may seek ongoing pest prevention solutions to protect their properties.
Branding
- I have a simple, memorable, timeless logo in all the file formats that I need
- I know my brand colours and fonts
- I have high-quality images I can use across my channels
The following are consistent with my brand colours and contain my logo:
- Website
- Social media channels
- Stationery
- Uniform
- Van
- Marketing materials
Little or large, having a simple, identifiable brand will save you time and effort across all your channels.
Not sure where to start? A professional designer will be able to provide a branding overview sheet, logos in a variety of formats and colour palettes. Symantec reportedly just spent $1,280,000,000 on their rebrand – however, you’ll find local designers and those on sites like UpWork far more reasonably priced!
“Consider your brand voice, decide if it’s corporate, friendly, or quirky, and ensure that it resonates with your audience.”
Messaging
- I have a clear and straightforward brand message/mission statement
- My mission statement is attractive to my target customers
- All of my channels incorporate our brand message
- 100% of our team understands our brand message
- 100% of our team knows how they can help deliver our brand message
A brand message or mission statement is about telling your target market what you’re about in the least possible words.
- BPCA’s is “driving excellence in pest management”.
- Google’s is “organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”.
- A favourite belongs to TED Talks, which simply states “spread ideas”.
A mission statement helps bring all your marketing messages together; it states your purpose. For example, “your partner for problem pests”, “using cutting-edge technology to protect your business from pest distress” or “experts in protecting homes from pests”.
Consider your brand voice, decide if it’s corporate, friendly, or quirky, and ensure that it resonates with your audience. Communicate your unique selling points, such as expertise in dealing with specific pests, environmentally friendly practices, or exceptional customer service.
Legal
We’ve written about GDPR before but, in short, obtain explicit consent for marketing communications and ensure the security of customer information. Compliance with GDPR builds trust with your customers and demonstrates your commitment to data privacy, fostering positive relationships.
BPCA members have access to GDPR templates and checklists through BPCA Quest (log-in required) bpca.org.uk/quest
Channels
Free Marketing
- Google My Business page is claimed and set up
- I have a Facebook page
- I have a personal LinkedIn profile
- I have a LinkedIn page for my business
- I have a relationship with the local press
Google My Business
Claim and optimise your business listing on My Business to appear in local search results. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews, as positive ratings enhance your reputation.
LinkedIn
Establish a professional presence on LinkedIn with both a personal and business profile. Connect with potential business customers, and share informative content to showcase your expertise in the pest control industry.
Facebook
For domestic work, join local Facebook groups and keep an eye out for people looking for pest advice. Be helpful and responsive. Encourage friends, family and existing customers to tag you in posts and recommend you.
Public relations and press releases
Have you done something newsworthy, such as rehoming a massive swarm of bees? Utilise local newspapers by sending press releases about new services, achievements, or noteworthy projects.
Position yourself as an expert and reliable source of pest control information.
Your Website
- I have a simple website with my contact details
- My website captures leads through a simple form
- My website looks great on a mobile phone
- My website is well-formatted with headers, lists and relevant imagery
- I have local information available on my website
- My website has separate pages set up for all my target customers
- My website contains reviews and testimonials
- My website is linked to my social media pages (and vice versa)
- I post one case study/blog post every month
- Other people link to my website
- My website has a sitemap
- I have submitted my sitemap via Google Search Console
Invest in a user-friendly and informative website that highlights your services, expertise, and contact information.
Single-page website builders are simple to set up with providers like Wix and Squarespace. Alternatively, look at a hosted WordPress website if you want something a little more substantial.
Implement search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies to improve your website’s visibility in search engine results. In short, SEO is about providing information and formatting it in a way that is most helpful for a potential customer. Search engine algorithms will always be looking to reward websites that make their sites as useful as possible.
Print materials
- I have a leaflet explaining my services to potential customers
- Technicians have business cards I can leave with existing customers and encourage them to share them with friends
- I drop leaflets through doors when doing a treatment in a specific area
- My marketing materials make it clear how to contact me
Design informative leaflets highlighting your services, expertise, and unique selling points. Drop them at neighbouring properties while you’re out on a job.
BPCA has free marketing templates available for leaflets, so be sure to check those out for inspiration.
bpca.org.uk/printshop
Paid Advertising (optional)
- Try Google Local Service Ads (BPCA members are preapproved for Google’s guarantee)
- Try Google Search Ads targeted at your ideal customer
- Try reputable local directory adverts/newspaper ads
Paid advertising is tricky to recommend for pest management companies. Google Search Ads can work when properly targeted, however the new Google Local Service Ads give more consistent results (and you only pay for the leads you actually get).
Facebook Ads are too hard to target towards people who are actually looking for a pest controller, so we’d suggest this isn’t money well spent. Some companies have varying degrees of success with LinkedIn adverts, but again it wouldn’t be the first place we’d look to spend money.
Upgrading your personal LinkedIn account so you can proactively contact business leaders through InMail might be worth the investment if you can put the time in.
Regardless of the platform, for paid advertising, always make sure you’re tracking:
- How much you’ve spent per channel
- How many leads you’ve had from the channel
- The cost-per-lead of each channel (‘spent’ divided by ‘leads’).
Knowing this information lets you make informed decisions about where to invest your advertising spend.
Others to consider
- I engage with local business networks such as the Chamber of Commerce and participate in relevant events or networking opportunities
- I explore opportunities for local TV or radio appearances to discuss common pest control issues
- I partner with local businesses and trades to get and share work
- I have an email list for current and potential business customers to share pest advice and best practice
- I have joined the BPCA Contract Sharing Network (CSN) bpca.org.uk/csn
Reputation
Customer service
- Potential customers are responded to quickly
- I use an auto-responder to reassure potential customers
- The person answering our phones understands pest control
- The person answering the phone is courteous, enthusiastic and reassuring
- Technicians leave information on how to ask follow-up questions
- Technicians are courteous, enthusiastic and reassuring
- My documentation is clear and informative
Good customer service is a massive part of marketing but is often overlooked.
Satisfied customers are more likely to refer your services to friends, family, and acquaintances. Happy, appreciated employees always are the best at customer service, so don’t underestimate the power of investing in your team.
Reviews and testimonials
- I ask for reviews from every satisfied customer
- I ask my customers to recommend me to friends and leave them with my card
- I incentivise existing customers to refer me to their friends (optional)
- I publish the best reviews as testimonials on my website
- My print materials contain testimonials
Every satisfied customer should be asked for a review, and it’s best to strike while the iron is hot.
A polite email asking customers to review their service on Google My Business, Facebook, Trustpilot, Which?, etc is a great way to build ‘social proof’. Social proof is what we call the confidence built when we see that many other people have already bought something.
Leverage positive customer testimonials to showcase your quality service and build trust with potential customers. Display the best reviews as testimonials on your website and marketing materials.
Associations and accreditations
- I display my BPCA membership logo proudly across my channels
- I explain why I choose to be a member across my channels
- My BPCA Find a pest controller listing is up-to-date
- I explain my technicians’ qualifications on my website/in my documentation
- I display any awards or accreditations on my website/in my documentation
If you’re a BPCA member, shout about it to enhance your professional reputation. Membership demonstrates your commitment to high industry standards and provides access to valuable resources, training opportunities, and networking events.
It also serves as a trust signal for potential customers seeking reliable pest control services.
Use the member logo on your website, van, stationery and uniform. Writing a short blog about why you choose to be a part of your trade association can be a great way of showing customers that membership is more than a badge for you.
“If you’re a BPCA member, shout about it to enhance your professional reputation. Use the member logo on your website, van, stationery and uniform.”
Top tools to help with your marketing
| Tool |
Purpose |
Cost |
Link |
| Canva |
Create beautiful images, documents and flyers from templates |
Free with some paid premium features |
canva.com |
| Pexels |
Free stock images |
Free |
pexels.com |
| Pixabay |
Free stock images |
Free |
pixabay.com |
| 123RF |
Reasonably priced stock images |
~80p an image |
123rf.com |
| Buffer |
Social media scheduler |
Free with some paid premium features |
buffer.com |
| Wix |
Simple website builder |
~£10-25 per month |
wix.com |
| Squarespace |
Simple website builder |
~£17 per month |
squarespace.com |
| GoDaddy hosted WordPress |
Hosted website platform (more complex than the other options) |
~£6-25 per month |
godaddy.com/en-uk/hosting/wordpress-hosting |
| Hemingway Editor |
Simplify your written copy for clearer messaging |
Free |
hemingwayapp.com |
| Grammarly |
Advanced spelling and style checker |
Free with some paid premium features |
app.grammarly.com |
| ChatGPT |
Brainstorm articles, blog posts and case studies with an AI |
Free |
chat.openai.com |
How’s my marketing?
Need help to shout about your fantastic service? Book free consultations with our award-winning marketing and communications team! Our in-house team can advise you about anything related to your marketing activity and signpost you to other valuable resources.
bpca.org.uk/book