Study examines PMPs and marketing practices

Kristen Matthews

Do you operate a pest control business but struggle with marketing attribution, digital strategy, and/or retaining clients?

I’m the senior marketing director at Overit, a disruptive agency specializing in marketing home services brands. One area that falls under the umbrella of what we do is our work with pest control companies.

So many pest control companies seem to be shooting in the dark with their marketing strategies. Because we are a creative, but also data-driven agency, I decided to gather some statistics about digital marketing in the pest control space

I surveyed over 300 pest control brands and tapped into some of our internal data, and created a robust report that dives into all things marketing for pest control brands. You can get your free copy here, and in this post, I will go over some of the key takeaways.

Google local service is ripe for pest control marketing

Google Local Services steals the show regarding digital strategies for pest control companies.

A whopping 77 percent of pest control companies used Google Local Services in 2022. And I can see why: The cost per lead (CPL) from Google Local Services averages $30 to $35 per lead, which is lower than the CPL on Facebook.

Our clients report that CPA is also extremely high via Google Local Services. Compared to Google Ads, Google Local Services converts leads at a much higher rate. The caveat is that Google Local Services places a lot of restrictions on localized brands, but if you can meet their requirements, it’s a perfect avenue for you to go down as it is less competitive.

What’s working and what’s not working for pest control brands and their marketing efforts

We wanted to hear straight from pest control companies about which strategies they implemented in 2022 and which ones are more effective than others. The data is fascinating.

The biggest pain point that pest control companies are experiencing when it comes to their marketing strategy is brand awareness. In fact, 40 percent of pest control companies cite this as their biggest pain point. Other, but less common pain points include lead generation, bandwidth, and creating marketing assets.

Regarding the type of marketing that pest control owners say is the most effective, social media marketing is in first place, with 70 percent of owners reporting they implement this strategy. Just behind social media marketing, pest control companies cite leveraging video as the most effective asset of their marketing strategy. Advertising on TV and print marketing came in as third-place contenders.

Pest control brands and social media marketing

When it comes to the social media channels that pest control brands see the most success on, Facebook takes the cake, with over 50 percent of businesses saying it gives them the best return on investment (ROI).

In second place is Instagram, with 21 percent of pest control business owners reporting they see the best results from this platform.

Only 3 percent of pest control companies do not use social media at all. If you fall into that 3 percent, data clearly shows that, at the very least, your company should be on Facebook and Instagram. 

Retaining current clients in the pest control industry

We all know that keeping a current client is more cost-effective than landing a new client. Having a strategy in place to improve customer retention is crucial, so let’s look at some data.

About half of the surveyed pest control companies retained 30 percent to 50 percent of their past clients this year. This number clearly has room for improvement, because only 17 percent of pest control brands retained 75 percent or more of their clients in 2022.

Communication is key when it comes to retaining customers. Fifty-four percent of pest control companies report that phone calls and text messages were the best way to keep current clients engaged.

Notably, in-person or virtual events and email marketing were not far behind phone calls and text messages.

Final thoughts: Data-driven insights

So I just threw a lot of data at you. And believe it or not, it’s only some of the data from the report I just released.

How do we take all these insights and make them actionable for your pest control company? I have a few suggestions.

First, implement a multi-channel approach to how you market your brand and reach potential customers. Research shows that after a consumer hears about a brand three or more times, conversion rates soar.

Some great client-touching places to start are through social media (particularly Facebook), run an active blog to establish thought leadership, utilizing Google Local Services, marketing via print assets is still viable, and leading with video content.

Don’t forget about retaining your current customers. They are likely more open to your brand’s communication than you realize, so be sure to nurture them with thought leadership emails and special offers so they feel like they’re a valued part of your brand.

Lastly, keep in mind that consumers do want to hear about your brand — but not until they’re ready. This is why it’s important to be promoting yourself on multiple outlets.

Want to absorb even more data about pest control marketing trends? Download my free report here.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2023/01/06/study-examines-pmps-and-marketing-practices/
Sacramento CA