How to Start Your Own Pest Control Business

Pest control in the United States is a $17 billion industry. It’s forecast to keep growing over the next decade, fueled by increasing home sales and residential construction.

If you have a nose for business, you’re certainly smelling an opportunity in this industry. You’re not wrong. Starting a pest control business is a smart, potentially lucrative move.

However, not all pest control businesses are successful. In fact, the failure rate of small pest control businesses is just as high as the national average. This is why you need to take your time to plan your moves and build a company that can succeed.

Continue reading for a brief guide on how to start a pest control service.

Identify a Suitable Location

Unless you’re planning to start a national pest control service, which is unlikely given the resources involved, the first step would be to identify an ideal location. This is where your business will be serving.

Focus on finding a location that has a high density of homeowners. This is your target market.

You must also consider the level of competition in that locality. If there are already several established pest control businesses, you might be unable to penetrate the market and give the competition a run for their money.

Another important factor to consider is the ease of setting up a pest control service in the area. What permits and licenses do you need to obtain? How easy is it to obtain those permits?

Draw a Business Plan

With a location identified, the next step is to draw a business plan. This document fleshes out key details about the business, including the services you’ll be offering, financial projections, and how you’ll market it.

The plan will also help you establish the amount of money you’ll need to set up the business. It can also flesh out the various funding strategies you’ll pursue.

Set Up Your Premises

A pest control business can be home-based, but unless you’re on a shoestring budget, it’s best to set up a commercial location. This is key to attracting walk-in customers, and you’re also going to hire a few workers to start off.

As such, find an ideal commercial space and set it up. Most of the work involves installing signage so that people can easily recognize your business and the services you offer.

You also need to purchase or rent pest control equipment and other supplies. The equipment you need will depend on the specific type of pest control service you’re offering. For example, if you’re specializing in mosquito control, you’ll need, among other things, a mosquito fogging machine, like this on invatechitalia.com.

Get Marketing

Without a proper marketing campaign, your target market isn’t going to know that there’s a new pest control service in town. Don’t rely on the walk-in customers who will see your signage.

Advertising on search engines and social media is ideal for quick business, but you need a long-term strategy that focuses on search engine optimization. The vast majority of consumers look up pest control businesses on search engines like Google.

It’s advisable to outsource your marketing to an agency as your business grows.

Build a Successful Pest Control Business

Where there’s human cohabitation, there’ll always be pests and bugs. As such, the demand for pest control services will always be there. Use this guide to build a pest control business and capitalize on this demand.

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