Across the country, PMPs are complaining about the softness of the economy. However, there are five proactive steps you can take to minimize the impact of the recession.

As the past year exits and the New Year unfolds, our minds are filled with an army of thoughts fighting for our attention. We ponder where we have been and where we want to go. We search for answers and look for opportunities.

As an industry consultant, I spend a great deal of time traveling around the country providing customer service, sales and leadership training for technicians, office staff and management.

Successful pest management companies allocate 6 percent to 9 percent of their revenues for advertising and marketing — in up and down economies.

Pay-per-click ads may supplant phone directory advertising.

Vertical marketing is a great way to expand your current customer base. It is an underused, but immensely profitable marketing opportunity for pest management professionals (PMPs). Simply put, vertical marketing is the promotion of products or services to targeted industries, businesses or consumer segments. Messages catering to vertical markets typically:

Even if only one out of every six customers provides you with a referral that culminates in a sale, your customer base will grow more than 16.5 percent (internally) annually.

When first visiting a company, there are a number of questions I ask to gauge its operational status.

Marketing Matters: Building Lifetime Customer Loyalty Jun 1, 2006 By: Harvey F. Goldglantz

Short-term sacrifice brings long-term benefits.