What’s the most potent sales tool for your pest control business? A large Yellow Pages ad? The latest radio jingle? Think again.
According to research, nearly 97 out of 100 homeowners consult online testimonials when selecting an extermination service provider. Customer advocates are your best salespeople.
Yet out of over 32,000 pest control companies nationwide, according to Gartner, only 1 out of 10 actually use the feedback to improve, and only 5% tell people what they are doing in response to what they heard. That’s an enormous missed growth opportunity.
Let’s say a homeowner discovers used mouse droppings dotted along recently installed kitchen shelves. Their minds race to past neighbors complaining of unwanted rodents after nearby construction. So they turn to online reviews for confidence that an exterminator can competently eliminate the health hazard before it multiplies.
With some strategic planning, you can leverage the experiences of the people you serve to shape decisions like this daily, build trust in your expertise, and drive more calls. This post explores tips on spotlighting delighted customers across channels to grow your bottom line.
Traditional pest control marketing relied heavily on promoting services and expertise through ads and mailers. While useful for brand building, this one-way communication lacks the authenticity modern consumers crave when inviting a company into their home or business.
Today’s purchasers seek proof that a pest control provider can solve their problem. This is where customer testimonials become critically valuable as a marketing tool. They provide transparency into how you’ve handled exact issues like bed bug infestations, termite damage, wildlife invasions, and more for other customers.
According to BrightLocal surveys, over 9 out of 10 people read testimonials when researching local businesses like pest control. Homeowners and business owners want to hear directly from customers like them why your services were effective and delivered actual value. Testimonials build confidence in your knowledge and experience, eradicating their unique situation where more traditional advertisements cannot.
Instead of blanket promises of general expertise, testimonials allow you to showcase tailored solutions you’ve designed and implemented for customers struggling with the same pest problems. This level of proof is far more convincing than any slogan. For example, suppose new customers can read how you created an integrated pest management (IPM) program to eliminate roaches in an office building kitchen without any toxic chemicals. In that case, they’ll be more apt to trust you to do the same for their friend's restaurant.
Modern purchasers value this transparency and desire to form authentic connections before inviting services into their homes and businesses. Having readily available testimonials is table stakes for earning trust in an increasingly crowded pest control market.
Why Testimonials Are So Important for Pest Control Companies
Testimonials provide inside looks at how you’ve solved pest problems for other homeowners, property managers, and businesses. This transparency helps new prospects make informed decisions about your services and builds trust in your expertise.
When a homeowner sees how you quickly and effectively handled a bed bug infestation for their neighbor, they will be far more inclined to hire you as well when they face the same headache. Or when a business owner learns through a testimonial on your site about how you created a customized integrated pest management (IPM) program for another company while safely avoiding toxic chemicals near their inventory or staff, that social proof showcases your ability to design tailored solutions that balance efficacy and safety.
In the pest control industry, services often seem indistinguishable to consumers on the surface, giving you a way to set your business apart by openly sharing the exact problems you’ve solved. This provides a level of credibility that generic marketing speak could never achieve on its own, helping attract more customers to your door.
Revenue Growth from Testimonials
According to Porch.com, a survey showed that 97% of homeowners turned to online reviews when searching for home service professionals like pest control. Given nearly universal reliance on testimonials during vetting, continually encourage satisfied residential, commercial, and property management customers to leave detailed reviews and monitor your star ratings. Prominently displaying shining reviews across your website and other marketing materials makes new prospects pick up the phone and call you to address their spider infestation, termite damage, or other pest-related crisis with greater confidence in your ability to help them. Then when you swiftly solve their problem, you’ve nurtured another happy customer who can continue fueling the positive word-of-mouth growth cycle.
Strategically Amplifying Your Reputation
Here are tips on spotlighting delighted customers as unpaid brand advocates to reinforce your quality:
- Request reviews from pleased customers right after you successfully and quickly deliver the pest elimination service they hired you for. Capture their excitement immediately when satisfaction is highest.
- Feature flattering testimonials and five-star ratings prominently across your website, mailers, and coupons. Social proof in the buying research phase drives calls.
- Reply professionally to reviewer feedback showing you welcome constructive commentary as you constantly refine services. This responsiveness and care for each customer as an individual also market you favorably.
The Power of Testimonials: Facts & Figures
- According to one study from BigCommerce, the regular use of customer testimonials can help you generate roughly 62% more revenue from every customer and every time they visit your brand.
- According to a BrightLocal survey, 92% of people said that they read testimonials when considering a purchase.
- As stated by BrightLocal stated that eighty-eight percent of consumers trusted these reviews just as much as personal recommendations.
- 72% of consumers say positive testimonials and reviews increase their trust in a business. (Source: Big Commerce)
Creating a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Testimonials create a cycle: Happy customers leave them, encouraging more sales and, in turn, greater happiness + reviews. This compounds like a flywheel.
Fictional Testimonial Examples: What to Strive For
Testimonials using an emotional story like these can create deeper connections with readers. While facts and figures are important, real stories spark feelings and relationships.
Homeowner Testimonial:
My attic had an awful rodent problem. I could hear them scampering day and night. Bug Off Pest Control came out, identified entry points, set humane traps, and sealed up holes, and the noise stopped entirely in less than a week. Their rodent exclusion service solved my frustrating issue quickly and effectively.
Property Manager Testimonial:
We occasionally dealt with bed bug complaints from tenants. This can rapidly escalate into an expensive problem in a multi-unit rental property. We haven't had a single sighting since hiring Dream Weaver Pest Control for the initial treatments and inspections after a tenant has moved out. It’s a relief not to worry about infestations negatively impacting occupancy.
Business Testimonial:
As a restaurant, we are careful about using chemicals around food prep areas. When we noticed fruit flies becoming an annoyance, we called Green Pest Elimination. Their organic IPM treatment completely ended the issue with no toxic residuals. Safe, effective commercial pest management is critical for our business reputation.
Strategically Showcase Testimonials
Combine compelling testimonials with other effective marketing tactics like unique print design. This further amplifies your messaging and turns happy customers into vocal advocates.
Conclusion: It’s Time to Harness the Power of Testimonials
Customer testimonials provide immensely valuable social proof for pest control businesses to leverage in their marketing. Yet, while over 90% of consumers rely on reviews when choosing service providers, according to BrightLocal, only about a third of companies actively collect testimonials.
Don’t leave free advocacy for your brand untapped. Tactically highlight raving client experiences to shape every prospective customer’s pest remediation buying journey. Testimonials establish trust and credibility that more traditional advertisements simply cannot match.
Now is the time to get strategic with showcasing delighted customer voices prominently across your website, emails, mailers, and all other materials. If you need any help designing an integrated digital marketing and testimonial strategy tailored for your pest control business's unique needs, please reach out today!
