How to Grow a Pest Control Business

Growing a pest control company is both rewarding and demanding, requiring constant adaptation as the industry evolves. Whether you’re launching a new operation or looking to strengthen an established business, success depends on more than just delivering great pest control services. Today’s leaders must focus on effective pest control marketing strategies, things like search engine optimization and social media marketing, while also finding ways to retain existing customers and drive steady growth. Here are practical steps to help your company build resilience and stay competitive in a changing market.

1. Don’t Charge Too Little

A sustainable pricing strategy is critical when running your own pest control business. Charging too little might seem like a way to attract potential customers, but it can actually hurt your growth and reputation just as much as charging too much.

Many owners underestimate the value of their pest control services. Focusing only on price can undermine your brand and leave your company competing on razor-thin margins. Instead, shape your pricing around the quality and reliability you offer, especially when your team uses the right personal protective equipment and follows all safety protocols.

Position your company as a quality provider, not just a budget option. Over time, this attracts repeat business and builds trust, especially if your company maintains a strong reputation through positive online reviews and a verified business license. Potential customers often look for these signals before choosing a provider.

Have a bidding strategy for commercial pest control contracts and residential pest control jobs. Each will be completely different, and you want to be confident in your pricing for each.

2. Improve Your Training

Make sure that you have solid ongoing training for your technicians and other staff.

One of the most important factors in customer retention is well-trained technicians. Thirty-two percent of loyal customers will choose another provider after just one negative experience. Consistency in service is paramount. Each technician should be as professional as the last. They should also all be capable of the same level of service.

Each of your employees should be a part of regular training meetings that are well prepared and well presented. These meetings should be engaging and informative. They should empower your employees with knowledge to help them continue to improve and provide better service to your customers.  

3. Go Digital & Generate New Leads

The advertising landscape is shifting. Developing new channels to market your business is important.

Customers are changing their buying habits. People are shopping online more and more. You’ll be left behind if you aren’t making digital and social advertising a major part of your marketing strategy.

Your website is one of the central components of a sound digital advertising strategy. A good website highlights the services you offer. It should also showcase customer testimonials, if possible. And make sure your contact information is visible and easy to use.

It’s a good idea to recruit competent help in getting your website right. The central purpose is to create action or drive leads.

A few important rules to remember for your website are the following:

• Start content on all pages before the fold line.
• Create an easily navigated top menu.
• Do not create tabs or pop-ups with content. Each page of content needs to be its own landing page.
• Make sure your site is mobile and SEO-friendly.

Contact local contractors, home builders, property management companies, and all other local businesses in your area that can help you build strategic partnerships and generate new leads. Persistence and creativity is the key to building these relationships.

Be willing to experiment with new advertising options. Stay current on available options. There are always new ways to add to a solid digital advertising strategy.

Digital Marketing Tools and Strategies

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Use relevant local keywords throughout your website and service pages. Optimize your title tags, meta descriptions, and page content for local search results. Claim and update your Google Business Profile to improve your visibility in Google Search and on Maps.

Online Reviews & Reputation

Encourage satisfied customers to leave online reviews on Google, Yelp, and industry-specific platforms. Feature positive customer testimonials on your website and social media. Respond promptly to all feedback—both positive and negative—to build trust and credibility.

Social Media Marketing

Set up business profiles on Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor. Post regularly with pest control tips, team highlights, and customer success stories. Experiment with targeted social media ads to reach potential customers in your service area.

Digital Advertising

Run Google Ads and Local Services Ads to target new leads who are actively searching for pest control services. Monitor your ad spend and refine your campaigns to maximize your return on investment.

Email Marketing & Referral Programs

Grow your email list by engaging existing customers with updates, seasonal advice, and exclusive offers. Launch referral programs to reward loyal customers and generate word-of-mouth and repeat business.

Direct Mail Linked to Digital

Send postcards or flyers that include QR codes or unique URLs leading to dedicated landing pages on your website. This bridges offline and online marketing for increased engagement.

Ongoing Market Research

Regularly review which marketing strategies competitors use in your market. Stay current with new digital tools and marketing trends, and keep track of what delivers the best results for your company.

4. Cover Your Assets… You Know, CYA

If you haven’t already, make sure that you have all the right state and industry-specific licensing to provide the services you offer. It’s also wise to make sure you have redundancy where possible with industry-specific licensing. Overkill is underrated.

Meeting with a few different commercial insurance agents regularly is a good idea. Thoroughly explain your services and how you operate. This process will help uncover any insurance gaps. You’ll sleep a little better at night knowing that you are properly insured.

RELATED ARTICLE: A Crash Course on Pest Control Liability Insurance

You should also periodically talk to different accountants and attorneys. See what they could do to help your business. A quick conversation ensures that your contracts and taxes are handled correctly.

Too often, business owners don’t pay enough attention to these issues. When something big goes wrong, it’s too late. Make it an annual event on your calendar to review these critical areas of your business. Then, you know your assets are covered.

5. Automate More

All business owners understand their time is valuable. Automating tasks can help create new efficiencies and save time. It can be easy to make the mistake of losing money because you were trying to save money. In other words, the old business adage of stepping over dollars to get to dimes. Spending money on the right pest control business management software can be a great way to grow your business.

A successful marketing strategy for any small business in the pest control industry now relies on a mix of automation, digital tools, and data-driven decisions. Start with a strategic marketing plan that includes automated campaigns, such as service reminders, follow-up emails, and targeted messages for new customers or prospective clients. This helps you build customer loyalty, streamline your day to day operations, and stay top of mind when seasonal pest issues arise.

Leverage Pest Control Software for Automation and Growth

Today’s best pest control software isn’t just about scheduling, it powers smarter marketing, digital invoicing, and real-time customer feedback. The right solution helps your team stay organized, automates service calls, and tracks every step of the customer journey, from their first online inquiry to their next repeat business. Automated tools can even segment your audience for more effective marketing strategies, targeting specific neighborhoods or property types dealing with issues like termite control or bed bugs.

Increase Online Visibility and Trust

Modern marketing campaigns go far beyond basic advertising. Use automation to boost your online visibility, for example, automatically requesting online reviews after service calls. Consumers trust online reviews almost as much as personal recommendations, and these can help you rank higher in local seo and search engine results. Encourage your team to highlight customer successes and satisfied clients, especially in neighborhoods dealing with complex pest infestations.

Reach the Right Audience on Every Platform

Your social media accounts and social media platforms can be managed more efficiently with automated posting and response tools. Build a consistent presence to reach potential customers and stay engaged with property managers and other service providers in your area. Share timely updates about battling bed bugs, new pest control techniques, or tips for preventing seasonal pests, content that both educates and builds authority.

Never Miss a Service. Automate Reminders and Communication.

Integrated software helps you send timely service reminders, ensuring customers never miss a treatment. Automated reminders reduce missed appointments, boost customer retention, and support word of mouth referrals, a key source of new business in the pest control market. Make sure your reminders are optimized for mobile devices and keep communication clear, so every customer interaction feels effortless and professional.

Automation is changing the way business is done. It’s elevating customer expectations. With the right software solutions, you can automate communication tasks, invoicing, payments, marketing, and more. Automation can improve your margins and help keep your employees and customers happy.

Studies show that millennials would rather not be called. They prefer digital communication.

This is an emerging and very large purchasing group in our economy. You want to keep these customers happy. Incorporate software that gives them access to their account. Your software solution should also make it easy to communicate with you. Choose integrated software that allows you to set up automated SMS, email, and pre-recorded phone calls for reminders, collections, marketing, surveys, and follow-ups.

If you’re still using paper for invoices, service records, renewals, or reminders–stop. There is a huge opportunity for you to cut costs and improve the image of your company. Find and leverage software that can help you automate these processes. Get out of the dinosaur-era of using paper.

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: What Is Field Service Automation? 

6. Offer Greener Options and Service

The trends are continuing to move the industry towards greener solutions.

The desire for environmentally safer options, like Integrated Pest Management (IPM), is on the rise. IPM accounted for over $17 billion in revenue in 2021. That number is expected to increase to $34 billion by 2031.

We recommend that all PCOs work with the NPMA become both QualityPro Certified and GreenPro Certified. Earnestly working through the process to gain these two certifications is a great way to refine your processes and services.

Additionally, having these certifications can give you extra credibility. Include them on your website and in your marketing efforts.

RELATED ARTICLE: The 9 Latest Trends in Pest Control Technology

7. Consider New Software Options

Using the right tools is essential to getting work done right. Software should be intuitive and easy to use. It should provide end-to-end solutions that can help your company work smarter and more efficiently.

Briostack pest control software was designed by Top 100 pest control owners specifically for the pest control industry. It offers an entire suite of tools designed to help pest control businesses. You’ll be able to add more customers and increase margins. But most of all, you’ll keep customers and employees happy.