For pest control businesses looking to grow revenue and scale, digital marketing isn't just important—it's essential. In a recent episode of Pest in Class from FieldRoutes, host Amanda Salvatore spoke with Kirby Oscar, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Scorpion, about critical digital marketing strategies pest control operators should adopt to attract new customers, retain existing ones, and ultimately drive higher return on marketing investment.
Here's what every pest control business owner should know:
1. Create a Strong Digital Presence
Oscar pointed out that one of the most impactful ways to differentiate your pest control business is through a compelling, professional website. “The first thing any small business owner can control is their website,” he emphasized. Your website must clearly communicate your unique value and provide an excellent user experience to convert interested visitors into customers.
Actionable takeaway: Ensure your website tells your brand story clearly, reflects customer demographics you aim to attract, and provides easy pathways for inquiries and bookings.
2. Leverage Digital Marketing Channels
The digital marketing landscape presents opportunities far beyond traditional door-to-door methods or mailers. Oscar highlighted a survey conducted by Scorpion indicating that 54% of homeowners still manage pest control themselves—a significant untapped market for professional services.
Businesses can effectively reach this audience through targeted digital marketing. “There's so many more effective ways to get in front of new customers or current customers than sending people door-to-door,” Oscar noted.
Actionable takeaway: Incorporate pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and targeted social media ads to increase visibility in specific zipcodes and neighborhoods, particularly when launching into new territories or promoting new services. These digital channels are a great complement to door-to-door efforts by helping you appear online to the same customers you're reaching in person.
3. Use Social Media and Retargeting
Social media isn't just about posting frequently, it's about strategic paid campaigns. Oscar stressed the value of retargeting, emphasizing how top pest control businesses remain consistently visible online. “I see advertising directly for a new doggy daycare, smoothie shop, or gym opening in my neighborhood,” said Oscar. “Pest control operators have a huge opportunity to leverage similar tactics to build brand trust.”
Actionable takeaway: Move beyond organic posts. Allocate budget to social media to expand your reach and retarget website visitors with relevant, timely ads. This keeps your brand top-of-mind and can significantly increase conversions.
4. Maximize Customer Marketing with Email and Direct Mail
Your existing customer database is a goldmine but only if you use it to add value for your customers. According to Oscar, many businesses fail to fully utilize their databases. “We really need to use that information to empower your marketing strategy,” Oscar said. Through Scorpion’s partnership with FieldRoutes, businesses gain tools to effectively target and market additional services to existing customers, dramatically increasing lifetime customer value.
Actionable takeaway: Launch customer email and direct mail campaigns promoting complementary services like wildlife control, mosquito treatments, or lawn care—services your customers already trust you to handle.
5. Measure Real Results and Optimizing Spend
Effective marketing depends on measuring success accurately. Oscar emphasized the shift from simply counting leads to tracking real revenue generated from each campaign. This approach provides a clear ROI, allowing pest control businesses to invest confidently in proven strategies.
“We can follow leads from their first contact through multiple service visits and clearly show the return on ad spend,” Oscar explained, highlighting Scorpion’s RevenueMAX.
Actionable takeaway: Implement a marketing analytics solution like RevenueMAX to measure campaign effectiveness in terms of actual revenue, ensuring every marketing dollar contributes directly to growth.
6. Understand the Growth Hurdles
Many pest control businesses face common hurdles when scaling, including customer service capacity and resource management. According to Kirby Oscar, the initial step for growth-focused businesses often involves moving beyond the owner being the primary contact. “We're really trying to get our customers to the point where the owner can stop being the key person in the entire operation,” Oscar explained. By building out a dedicated customer support team, business owners can shift their focus toward strategic growth.
Actionable takeaway: Consider using tools like Scorpion Connect, which provides 24/7 AI-driven chat responses, to ensure timely engagement with potential customers any time of day or night. and free up internal resources for strategic tasks.
Check Out the Full Podcast for More Insights
Want to dive deeper into these strategies and hear directly from the experts? Listen to the full podcast episode (or watch it) featuring Kirby Oscar and Amanda Salvatore to learn exactly how your pest control business can attract more customers, maximize marketing ROI, and achieve sustainable growth.
Pro Active Pest Control saw a 46% drop in cost-per-lead and a 25% revenue increase after implementing targeted campaigns with RevenueMAX.
Ready to scale your pest control business? Talk to our Scorpion team to learn how RevenueMAX and our digital marketing expertise can support your growth objectives.