Bug Zero podcast aims to educate the public

Bug Zero podcast aims to educate the public

The driving force behind Bug Zero Pest Control’s “What’s the Buzz?” podcast is educating existing and prospective customers on pests in the vast area the Springfield, Mo.-based company serves: southwest Missouri, southeast Kansas, northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas.

Co-hosts Shawn Patterson, ACE, and Jordan Hicks are licensed technicians for the locally owned and operated company, which has been in business since 1990. Education is important to the pair, who each received advanced training through Purdue University. Hicks, the company’s director of sales and service, started at Bug Zero in 2015 when he was 20 years old, making pest control his lifelong career. Patterson joined the company in 2018 and is certified in food safety and sanitation integrated pest management.

Key takeaways

• Filling the education void: “What’s the Buzz?” is specifically designed for customers and those with no prior pest control knowledge, providing a rare consumer-facing resource.
• The preventive mindset: The hosts emphasize that pest control is a year-round necessity, teaching listeners that it is always better to be proactive than reactive.
• Strategic identification: The podcast helps customers understand the critical importance of providing specimens or photos for accurate species identification.
• Integrated digital learning: The podcast works alongside Bug Zero’s blog and photo library to create a comprehensive educational ecosystem for the community.

Creating a resource for the customer

The idea for the podcast was sparked in 2024, when Patterson was studying for his Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) exam. Although there were plenty of podcasts for pest control technicians and company owners, he and Hicks realized that few were geared to pest control customers or people with no pest control knowledge at all. “What’s the Buzz?” fills that void in their markets.

Advice for listeners

Patterson and Hicks have a laid-back, relaxed rapport and avoid using technical terms listeners may not understand. For instance, in a recent episode, they discussed how to stay a step ahead of seasonal pest pressure, with tips that included looking for entry points, removing leaf litter and checking attics and crawlspaces for mouse droppings and wasp nests. They also advised signing up for Bug Zero’s preventive maintenance program.

“We hope our listeners take away that pest control is a necessity year-round, not just when they are actively seeing pests, and that it’s always better to be preventive than wait until you have a pest issue,” Hicks says. “We also hope they take some of our tips each episode, apply them and make steps toward a pest-free home or business, which benefits not only them, but us as well.”

Most episodes of “What’s the Buzz?” also feature questions from customers. They are intrigued by the variations in pest species, Hicks says, and typically do not understand why they are asked for a specimen or photo. Once they learn it’s needed for identification purposes, they get it.

An educational online tool

Bug Zero’s website is designed to help educate existing and prospective customers. Blog posts, a frequently asked questions page, a photo-heavy library of common pests and, of course, a link to the podcast all offer accurate information to site visitors who cannot tell the difference between a tick and a bed bug.

“Once the podcast was established and gaining momentum, Michael Woodring, one of Bug Zero’s owners, worked with our marketing partner, BOLD, to make sure the podcast was accessible through the Bug Zero website,” Hicks adds. “It was a great way to connect the content we were creating with customers and visitors already engaging with our company online.”

The pair will continue to help keep listeners’ homes and businesses free of pests, one episode at a time. “We have just been enjoying the journey, trying to provide value to our listeners, and having fun while doing so,” Hicks says. “It’s rewarding to provide a resource that helps people in our community.”

What’s the buzz? is hosted by Shawn Patterson and Jordan Hicks. Listen on: YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music. Watch on: BugZero.com/whats-the-buzz-podcast