3 Common And Costly Mistakes Made Setting Up A Pest Control Business

Today’s post runs down the top-3 most common and costly mistakes we see start-ups make when setting up a pest control business for the first time. Find out how to avoid all 3 with Pestmaster.

Mistake #1 – Setting Up A Pest Control Business Without The ‘Big 3’ Services

Pestmaster was originally founded in 1979 by Jeff Van Diepen in the small community of Bishop California, and after an incredible first year in business, it was clear that we had developed a winning model that was focused on three major areas of service: pest control, vegetation management, and health related/vector control. These ‘Big 3’ services are still the foundation of the company today, and continue to drive business to owners across the country.

Though it makes sense to focus on niche markets and smaller service packages in certain industries (namely those where branching into other services is a high-cost endeavor), that’s simply not the case when setting up a pest control business. You need very little equipment to run a full-service pest control business; the difference between what’s required to offer vegetation control, vector control, and pest control is minimal. So as long as you’ve got the right training, there’s really no reason not to offer the ‘Big 3,’ particularly when there’s so much money to be made!

If the company you’re currently considering falls short in any of these service areas, it might be time to look elsewhere.

Mistake #2 – Setting Up A Pest Control Business Without A Website

In 2020, the Digital Age, it’s critical that you invest in building a strong online presence that includes a professional website and active social media channels. Studies show that between 70-80% of people research a company online before contact or visiting the small business in question.

Your website functions as a lead generation portal, a customer service desk, an online billboard or business card, and a primary branding tool for your business. Setting up a pest control business without one is a big mistake. That’s why Pestmaster helps owners create a website and manage social media marketing campaigns on their own, while also driving leads to local businesses via our national franchisor site.

Mistake #3 – Setting Up A Pest Control Business That’s Too Much, Too Soon

It’s critical that your pest control business grows with you. Don’t feel tempted to bite off more than you can chew with new hires and a fancy brick-and-mortar location in the opening months just because you think that’s what you’re supposed to do as a business owner. Setting up a pest control business gives you the luxury of expanding at your pace, on your terms.

Take the Pestmaster model, for instance. We start most of our owners off operating their business out of the home, with minimal equipment and no salaried employees. From there, most owners build their businesses–and it usually happens pretty fast. But it’s never a case of “too much, too soon”–you only expand once you’re taking on more clients than your current operation can handle.