With the economy in a continued state of slow recovery, pest management professionals (PMPs) are looking for added revenue. It might be time to evaluate ways to to expand your business.
McDonald’s would be out of business if management stayed with its original idea of exclusively serving hamburgers. On the other hand as the company expanded its menu, adding breakfast, salads, and most recently gourmet coffee, it was still able to stick close to what it’s always done best — serving fast food.
The pest management industry can follow a similar path. Business owners can try new things without venturing too far from the mainstream pest management ideas and practices that have served them well. Some PMPs are risk takers, but it’s important to know what risks are too risky. For example, in recent years some pest management business owners dipped their toes into the home security systems market and instead found themselves in over their heads. And that led to big losses.
Here are six suggestions for creating new income for your pest management business:
1. Rodent Proofing (Stoppage) can allow a business to promote both residential and commercial jobs. Rodent proofing is a “green” form of integrated pest management (IPM) and an effective one at that. With some of the new rodent proofing technologies now available, the possibilities are great and revenues, significant.
2. Bed bug treatment preparation requires using a separate crew or division than the ones providing the actual bed bug eradication. In some cities there are companies that do no bed bug work beyond prepping a location for the team that will follow to treat the area. Numerous PMPs and in-house pest management specialists call on companies that perform prep work. Those companies understand that by preparing correctly, you have a much better chance of achieving control.
3. The need for chimney cap installation work continues to increase annually. Wildlife will continue to gravitate toward urban areas. It’s interesting to note that the raccoon population in cities and suburban areas is more than double what occurs in nature.
4. Pest management for indoor ornamental plants continues to become a popular add-on as more office buildings continue to create complex indoor plantscapes. Aphids, scale, mosquitoes, ants, cockroaches and other arthropods do well in these indoor ornamental settings.
5. Wildlife trapping is not new, but goes hand-in- hand with the chimney caps. Afraid to get started? Hook up with a small wildlife company doing this work and learn the ropes.
6. Do small repair jobs that help pest proof a structure. The idea is to eliminate conditions conducive to pest infestation (leaks, faulty rain gutters, etc.).
None of this advice is revolutionary.
There are many PMP success stories to verify the great potential of venturing into these new business realms. So why not pick an idea and run with it? But remember — no matter which you select, proper training and placement of a sound marketing and sales plan is imperative. Start by pitching to your already-established customer base and be persistent.
You can reach Frishman, an industry consultant since 1967 and president of AMF Pest Management Services, at mypmp@northcoastmedia.net.
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