How To Enhance Your Image With Strategically Designed Pest Control Uniforms

This past weekend I was going for a late afternoon walk with my wife and daughter when something peculiar caught my eye. I passed a pest control technician getting out of his truck wearing nothing more then shorts, sneakers and a tee-shirt (I’m in Queen Creek, Arizona). If it wasn’t for a small vinyl decal affixed to his truck window, I would have never of guessed he was a pest control technician.

Since this experience, I have been doing some digging. Come to find out, almost 37% of pest control professionals are not required to wear a standard uniform. These numbers vary somewhat depending on the reports you read, but not wearing pest control uniforms definitely raises several safety and image issues.

Uniforms Enhance A Safe And Secure Image

A survey conducted by J.D. Power and Associates found that 83% of consumers believe that uniforms make it easier to identify who can help them. The survey also found that 87% of business owners and managers want to see contractors in uniform to help confirm that they are who they say they are.

With this data the question must be asked,

“Why aren’t all pest control professionals wearing uniforms?”

Safety And Security Issues

Security issues can easily arise for pest control businesses when technicians visit residential and commercial customers. Although the right protective gear provides the most important safety measure against chemicals and equipment, other enhancements of employee safety helps protect both your workers and your customers. A strategically planned uniform program can be a strong solution to a variety of security and safety issues.

Uniform Suppliers

Uniform rental and service companies provide assistance to customers going beyond just providing new uniforms. Many will also pick up dirty uniforms, wash them, and deliver clean ones. These companies can also help ensure that uniforms are ideal from a functional standpoint. They can help you select styles, fabrics, designs, and colors. There are thousands of uniform companies across the country to choose from, so pick one that best fits your pest control business needs.

How To Enhance Your Pest Control Image With Strategically Designed Uniforms

If your pest control technicians are not wearing uniforms, make them start now. Here are some pointers to help you get started and get your company on its way to an enhanced secure image.

Brand your pest control business. Your company name, logo, slogan, and other unique identifiable business elements need to be incorporated into all possible items employees wear.

Be unique. Pick colors and styles that make your technicians immediately recognizable when out on service calls. Don’t go too crazy with colors and styles because you still want to have a high sense of professionalism. With that being said, you also don’t want your techs blending in with the crowd.

Design uniforms that would be difficult for competitors to copy. Use company logos, colors, slogans and other design elements as precisely and consistently as possible. Extend these across all job functions so they are clear to other employees and customers. I know this can be challenging for some techs in the field, depending on the specific pest you’re eradicating, but do as much as you can.

Make sure uniforms keep employees safe. This is a no-brainer in the pest control industry. Choose performance fabrics that wick away sweat and moisture as many techs focus on working in cramped, hot spaces.

Spread the word about your new look. If you get new uniforms, or change an existing design, let your existing customers know about it through an announcement. Hand out business cards or postcards with pictures of your techs in their new uniforms. This is also an effective marketing opportunity. “New look, same great service.”

Keep uniforms in good repair. A technician’s less-than-neat uniform may cause customers to feel uncomfortable with him or her, potentially impacting feelings of safety and security. A uniform supplier will ensure that needed repairs are made to your uniforms, stains are removed, and worn uniforms are replaced with new ones.

Keep track of uniforms. If your employees aren’t laundering their clothing at home, store uniforms collected for laundering in a secure location. Ensure managers collect all uniforms distributed to employees who resign or are terminated.

Get to know your suppliers. Just as your uniforms identify your people when they visit accounts, ensure that your office staff can easily identify uniforms of vendors who service your office. They should understand the need for caution if there’s any question regarding a worker’s identity.

Strategically Planned Uniforms

A strategically planned uniform program can be a strong solution to a variety of security and safety issues, not to mention aid in your pest control businesses’ brand awareness. There is no reason why your technicians should not be consistently wearing strategically planned uniforms. It’s just good business.

Your thoughts?

Related articles

• Make Your Uniforms Stylish and Safe with BLT
• Police trial ‘professional’ uniform
• How to Expand your Service Offering

Anthony Ball

Common Pest Control Marketing Mistakes

It’s no secret that the pest control industry is cutthroat. With so many competitors out there, industry success often comes down to marketing. My strategic management instructor constantly drilled that specific concept to the class. Without product or service differentiation, business success always comes down to marketing. I can still hear his voice, “Marketing, Marketing, MARKETING!” After all, pest control, is pest control, is pest control… At least in the eyes of our customers.

With a pest control company’s success often coming down to effective marketing strategies, it’s critical that mistakes are avoided. Here are the three biggest marketing mistakes pest control companies make:

1. Having No Concept of Your Target Customer.

Most of us pest control operators know our businesses up and down. We know what chemicals work best on each and every pest we treat. We know that our customers want pests out of their homes and away from their families. What we are not always clear on is who our ideal customers are.

Example: You’re sending out a coupon mailer about cockroach control, but to a zip code that is comprised mainly of apartment complexes. The problem? Apartment renters are not your ideal customers for cockroach control. Cockroach control is generally left up to a landlord, and those receiving your mailer just don’t sign pest control service agreements. Many pest control professionals don’t identify their target market because they believe their methods and products are the best, and they simply sell themselves.

Bottom line: If you are marketing to someone who is not your ideal customer, they will have no interest in what you’re selling. You don’t want to market your pest control services at a PETA rally.

2. Not Listening to Your Target Customer’s Needs.

Even if a pest control operator spends the time and money identifying their target demographic through market research, many don’t listen to what those ideal customers really want. This actually happens quite frequently when a pest control company has too many add-on services.

Example: The target market for pest control in Texas is a customer in need of bee control. If a customer is looking for help with their bee problem, and you begin to tell them about all the other services you have through sales and advertising (i.e. bedbug prevention, lawn and pool care, etc.), then you have sidetracked their thought process. Instead of listening to your customer’s primary need of bee control, you have created what is known as cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance occurs when the brain receives two or more conflicting signals. When this happens, the brain shuts down and you have likely lost a customer.

Bottom line: Focus your marketing efforts primarily on one specific customer need. Show customers the benefits of a pest control service agreement, and how it will alleviate their pain, their fears, and their pest problems. Once you get your foot in the door, offer other services.

3. Having an Insignificant Value Proposition.

A value proposition is a pest control operator’s promise of the worth to the customer. A customer must believe that the value of your service, and the products you use, will actually work. Simply stated, customers must believe you can effectively solve their pest problem. It’s best to keep your value proposition short and to the point.

Example: On the side of your pest control truck you have the name of your company, “Tony’s Pest Control” in big, bold, vibrant lettering. Your customers really don’t care all that much about the name of your company. They really want to know what your value proposition is, or what you can do for them. When a potential customer sees your pest control truck, or gets an advertisement in the mail, always make your value proposition with a guarantee the main headline. Make your company name or logo a little smaller on any advertisement, and ensure it’s not the main attraction.

Bottom line: If a customer wants what you are selling, then they will make an effort to find out the name of the company selling it. Remember, a customer wants to know what you can do for them first and foremost.

Improve Your Marketing

By identifying your target customer, listening to their needs, and delivering a significant value proposition, you will avoid costly marketing mistakes made some pest control operators and will be more successful by increasing your sales and growing your business.

Source: inc.com and ezinearticles.com
Related articles

• Top 5 Facebook Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
• Marketing Mystery
• How Traditional Marketing Strategies Are Still At A Business’ Core Of Success

Written by Anthony Ball

This was my first SMAZ event, so I didn’t really know what to expect.  Besides, I work for a pest control company, so how much is really applicable to killing crickets and scorpions, right?  Sure, we posted our “Black Widow vs. 27 Scorpions” video on YouTube last week, but even I understand that’s barely a drop in an enormous ocean.  For me, the SMAZ event was tremendously fascinating and motivating.  Here are the five most interesting ideas on my notepad. (A notepad! I know…ghetto huh? Next year I’ll be the guy next to me yesterday tweeting on the iPad in one hand, and tweeting from a different handle on the iPhone in the other hand.)

1.  96% of Y Generation interacts with social media.  Think about that.  That’s amazing!  The presenter immediately followed that stat up with “that’s more than Boomers watched television.”  Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare.  Didn’t blogging just come out like 6 years ago?!?  That’s an incredible statistic. Social media isn’t just some fad or popular wave.  It’s now a lifestyle.  My 12 and 14 year old nephews both have Facebook accounts.  My wife, both sister-in-laws, sister, brother-in-law and both brothers all have accounts.  As I think about it, other than our family relationship, that’s probably the one feature that we all commonly share.

2. Complete strangers are interested in my life. Take Twitter for example.  Some people follow 5,000 people, and may be followed themselves by 7,000 others.  Obviously your Ashton Kutchers and Paris Hiltons of the world are going to have hundreds of thousands of followers, but even Joe Shmo can build quite a crowd of listeners.  And I haven’t even specified if his tweets are anything of significance or value.  Maybe he’s tweeting what cereal he’s having in the morning.  Jane Nobody, who lives 1,500 miles away, might actually tweet back regarding his bowl of Cinnamon Life (which I had this morning, by the way). Seeing people connect is cool.

3. Keep your social mediums, company website and newsletters separate. This was a great point!  Keep in mind that while many people tend to gravitate towards one particular medium, there are many others that want all of them.  It’s possible, and likely, that one of your customers is also your Twitter follower, Facebook fan, website visitor, newsletter recipient, rewards member, VIP customers and your free walking billboard when they wear your company t-shirt.  Not everything that appears on your website needs to be a tweet or status update.  You also don’t need to re-post all your tweets and updates back into your monthly newsletter.  While there is a time and place to repeat things, your content should vary from one medium to another.  This reminds me of being a kid, and not wanting my food to invade each other on the dinner plate.  It may all be going to the same place, but I’d at least like to enjoy the flavors individually. Broccoli and hot-dogs shouldn’t be blended together.

4. The press release is still alive. I’ll admit, this was my inner-PR degree speaking from the shadows.  It’s fascinating to think how much the press release has changed and evolved in the last 5 years.  Before we had our list of media contacts, email bombed everyone, and followed up a few days later.  While this is still one way of doing it, the online press release has really changed the game in more ways than one.  Services like PRNewswire can get your release looked at by thousands of gatekeepers.  On top of that, it’s already online, which makes it searchable and viewable by potentially millions more.  On top of THAT, it’s great for SEO, given the fact that once it’s reposted it’s given your website a friendly backlink.  It’s like the gift that keeps on giving.

Shown by Sheila Kloefkorn of KEO Marketing (Phoenix, AZ)

And 5. Optimize EVERYTHING! I’ve even seen this work in pest control.  Last month we had sales close via the company blog.  We also closed sales via Facebook.  And, my boss even brought in a trackable sale via Twitter.  Whether it’s a Facebook post, a blog entry, a tweet, a video or even a photo, make sure all those items are properly optimized with the appropriate keywords.  Photos might be at the bottom of everyone’s “Need to Optimize” list, but just as important as your blog post.  Do This: Go to SERP, type in the name of your company, hit “search”, then hit the “images” option.  What’s on the first page?  I just did this for my favorite Mexican grill, Costa Vida.  All but two images on the first page belong to the Costa Vida restaurant.  (I’m all about the sweet pork salad. Do yourself a favor this weekend and try it out.)  Simply put, you never know how your next loyal customer is going to find you.  So it’s vitally important to make sure that they actually find you.  Imagine that!

Special thanks to everyone that made the SMAZ event a success.  Breakfast and lunch were great, the speakers were all great and it was fun to meet other locals within the same industry.  I even want to give a shout out to the parking garage guy that let us out of the garage for free.  See you all next year.

Steve Bitter
@stevebitter
Bulwark Exterminating

A