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How Much to Spend on Marketing Your Pest Control Business

Opening a pest control company involves major upfront investments - licensing, equipment, hiring, and more. But how can you expect to stay in business without a steady flow of new customers? Many pest control companies fail to plan for critical marketing expenses needed to transform an unknown startup into an established neighborhood provider.

Are you struggling to attract new clients without overextending your marketing budget? Do you find it challenging to determine the right marketing investment to fuel your pest control company's growth goals? You're not alone. Setting the ideal budget to achieve sustainable growth requires custom insights into your business stage, offerings, and market.

Establish Reasonable Growth Goals

Before determining budget numbers, clearly define the outcomes you want your marketing plan to produce. Setting S.M.A.R.T. growth goals serves as critical guideposts along your pest control journey.

SMART objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. When pest control businesses set S.M.A.R.T. goals, they can ensure they are:

  • Specific: Clearly defined service and revenue targets based on data-driven insights of your local market’s pest control needs and demographics.
  • Measurable: Quantifiable metrics like recurring revenue and new customers to track progress, monitor results, and gauge if you’re on track.
  • Achievable: Realistic targets for revenue, leads, and new accounts attainable within a set timeframe and resource constraints.
  • Relevant: Tied directly to your pest control operation’s overall customer acquisition and growth objectives.
  • Time-bound: Based on a clear monthly or quarterly deadline, lighting a fire under your team to execute the marketing plan.

For example, in your first year, aim to:

  • Increase revenue by 10-15% within the next 12 months
  • Gain at least 20 new monthly service agreements
  • Rank page one in local search results for key pest control keywords

These S.M.A.R.T. goals focus your efforts and set you up to calculate an accurate marketing budget.

The exact targets depend on your current customer base, quality of service, and competition’s market share. Yet the numbers must stretch your abilities while remaining realistically achievable.

Setting measurable growth goals might sound simple, but it is a step too many pest control companies rush past. Make this foundation a priority when planning your digital marketing strategy and budget for the year ahead. We find clients who undergo this exercise are far better equipped to allocate dollars to initiatives that move the revenue needle.

The Numbers

Understanding the typical benchmarks for marketing spending can provide valuable insights into how much to allocate for your pest control business. Here’s what you need to know:

Benchmark Spending

On average, companies allocate around 8% of their total revenue towards marketing efforts. This percentage can vary depending on industry, company size, and growth stage.

Correlation with Growth

Businesses that spend less than 5% of their revenue on marketing often struggle to achieve significant growth. Investing in marketing is crucial for attracting new customers and expanding your market presence.

Budget Allocation by Growth Stage

  • Startup Stage: For pest control startups, allocating between 2-5% of projected first-year revenue towards marketing is recommended. This initial investment helps establish brand awareness and attract the first wave of customers.
  • Growth Stage: As your business enters the growth phase, consider increasing your marketing budget to 5-10% of revenue. This additional investment supports scaling efforts and captures a larger market share.
  • Scaling Stage: Established and scaling pest control companies should allocate 10-15% of gross revenue to marketing. This higher budget allows for aggressive growth strategies, such as expanding into new markets or launching large-scale advertising campaigns.
  • Mature Stage: Even mature businesses require ongoing investment in marketing to maintain their positioning and sustain growth. Aim to allocate around 8-12% of total gross revenue to marketing activities.

Remember, businesses spending less than 5% annually on marketing struggle to grow. Track your budgets and results using tools like our agency’s proprietary dashboard. This allows you to adjust for the most efficient spending as your pest control company evolves.

The What

Now that you understand the importance of setting growth goals and have a guideline for allocating your marketing budget, let’s explore some effective marketing tactics for pest control businesses. Here are several strategies to consider:

  • Website Optimization: Your website serves as the digital doorway for your pest control business. Ensure it is user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and optimized for search engines to attract organic traffic.
  • Content Creation: Develop informative and engaging content related to pest control, such as blog posts, articles, videos, and infographics. Position your business as an authority in the industry and provide valuable information to potential customers.
  • Local SEO: Optimize your online presence for local search queries to target customers in your service area. Claim your Google Business Profile listing, solicit customer reviews, and ensure consistent business information across online directories.
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Implement on-page and off-page SEO techniques to improve your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). Focus on relevant keywords related to pest control services in your region.
  • PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Advertising: Supplement your organic traffic with targeted PPC campaigns on platforms like Google Ads. Bid on relevant keywords to display ads to users actively searching for pest control services.
  • Sales Promotions: Offer discounts, promotions, or referral incentives to attract new customers and encourage repeat business. Create seasonal offers or bundle deals to incentivize customers to choose your services.
  • CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Implement a CRM system to manage customer interactions, track leads, and nurture relationships over time. Personalize communication and follow-up with leads to increase conversion rates.
  • Analytics: Utilize data analytics tools to monitor the performance of your marketing campaigns and track key metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, and customer acquisition costs. Adjust your strategies based on actionable insights to optimize results.

By implementing a combination of these marketing tactics and aligning them with your growth goals and budget allocation, you can effectively promote your pest control business and drive sustainable growth.

Conclusion

Setting the right marketing budget for your pest control business is a process. One is grounded in defining growth metrics, understanding spending benchmarks, and allocating toward proven digital channels.

Yet, we find many companies fail to dedicate enough funding towards strategic advertising in their formative years. New pest control brands struggle to compete as customer acquisition costs continue rising across industries.

By taking the time to establish goals, dig into the numbers, and detail a budget-conscious digital marketing plan, you equip your company for scalable success.

Image of the author - Adam Bennett

Written By: Adam Bennett |  Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Adam is the president and founder of Cube Creative Design and specializes in private school marketing. Since starting the business in 2005, he has created individual relationships with clients in Western North Carolina and across the United States. He places great value on the needs, expectations, and goals of the client.