How Do I Start a Business
Opening a Pest Control & Exterminators Business
Opening a pest control and exterminators business? Failure rates are high. These tips give you a jumpstart on success.
Thinking about opening a pest control and exterminators business? We tell you what you need to know to get started.
Industry Forecast for Pest Control & Extermination
The pest control and extermination business is enjoying a relative boom, largely thanks to environmental factors and the public's growing awareness of infestation-related health concerns. Present estimates indicate that the demand for professional pest control services will rise by as much as 15% over the next decade.
While large brands clearly have a presence in pest control and extermination (e.g. Orkin), independent exterminators comprise the bulk of the industry. Both brand name and independent pest control providers face the same competitive pressures and growth challenges as well as the potential to benefit from the industry's rising demand.
As an emerging independent pest control provider, your biggest challenge may be to gain market visibility beyond the shadows cast by brand name providers. But remember: National brands have a geographically dispersed audience. Your startup, on the other hand, only needs to gain enough visibility to dominate your local territory - at least for now.
Top Marketing Channels in Pest Control
New pest control and extermination companies need to feature several different types of marketing vehicles in their marketing mix. Traditional marketing vehicles like brochures and print ads have their place. However, word of mouth is still the most effective way to market your extermination services, especially if it is promoted with an aggressive referral marketing campaign.
You'll also need an active online presence to properly market your pest control startup in your community. These days, large volumes of consumers use the Internet as their primary resource for locating an exterminator. So you'll need a quality business website with a solid, local SERP (Search Engine Results Page) ranking to turn up on their radar.
Selling Tips for Exterminators & Pest Control Specialists
Every serious pest control provider knows they need to be licensed and comply with DEC guidelines. But what many don't realize is that good service and regulatory compliance alone won't drive profits. They also need to become adept at selling their services to prospective customers.
In pest control and extermination, consumer education can be a powerful selling tool. The idea is to equip your customers with the knowledge they need to take their pest and rodent problems seriously. Armed with this information, consumers have a tendency to avoid procrastination and hire a professional before their manageable pest control problem quickly spins out of control.
With that in mind, you'll want to feature education and information content in your marketing. The company website, sales consultations, brochures - everything should include educational content about common household pests.
How to Write a Top Quality Pest Control & Exterminators Company Business Plan
If it includes hard numbers, a pest control and exterminators company business plan can become the catalyst for an executable business strategy.
But from an outsider's perspective, your business plan is also a reality check. Third-party stakeholders want to make sure that the most important parts of your plan are based on real world information, including your business plan's market analysis section.
Early in the process, it's worth your time to learn how to write the market analysis section of a business plan. While a robust market analysis can be a selling point for a pest control and exterminators business startup, weak market research is a sure giveaway for a business that hasn't invested adequate effort in planning.
Don't Overlook Competitors
Prior to launching a pest control and exterminators business in your area, it's worthwhile to see what the competition looks like. Try our link below to find competitors in your city. After clicking on the link, type in your city, state and zip code to get a list of pest control and exterminators businesses near you.
Before you open up shop, make sure you know what you will offer to your customers that provides a significant advantage over your competition's offering.
Learning More About the Industry
As part of your due diligence on opening a pest control and exterminators business, the next step is to talk to somebody who is already in the business. It's very unlikely that the local competition will talk to you. The last thing they want to do is help you to be a better competitor.
However, a fellow entrepreneur who has started a pest control and exterminators business on the other side of the country can be a great learning resource for you, once they realize that you are not going to directly compete with them in their community. In that case, the business owner may be more than happy to discuss the industry with you. Our estimate is that you may have to contact many business owners to find one who is willing to share his wisdom with you.
Do you know how to find a pest control and exterminators business founder in another city who you can speak with?
Easy. Find them using our link below and start calling until you are successful.
Entry Options for Pest Control & Exterminators Businesses
Would-be pest control and exterminators business business owners can either launch a new business or acquire an existing operation.
Startup pest control and exterminators businesses can be attractive because they allow the entrepreneur to have more control and greater influence. Yet startups are also more difficult to finance because their nature is inherently risky.
Acquired pest control and exterminators businesses are known quantities - and are less risky for lenders. On the whole, buying a business minimizes uncertainty as well as many of the objections lenders use to disqualify startup entrepreneurs from financing.
Consider Buying a Franchise
Time and time again, we see inexperienced entrepreneurs stumble during the first few months of pest control and exterminators business ownership. Why? Primarily because the dream of small business ownership doesn't always factor in the challenges involved with getting a new company off the ground.
Franchise startups streamline startup requirements and give new business owners a head start on growing their businesses. Our pest control franchise directory offers a variety of pest control and exterminators business franchise opportunities, many of which may be the perfect fit for your personal and professional goals.
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