Pestworld Magazine Focusing on the Business of Pest Management
Today, with the evolution of technology and social media, there are constantly new tools available for marketers to take advantage of. Already in 2017, Instagram announced its new albums feature to expand ways for users and marketers to share multi-part stories on the app, Facebook updated its algorithm in an effort to deliver more authentic and timely stories, and Snapchat is growing with more than 100 million daily active users—and is even selling Snapchat-connected sunglasses.
As pest control marketers in a technology-driven world with new and exciting marketing trends at your fingertips every day, it’s easy to forget about basic marketing tactics that remain effective and should not be ignored. The best recipe for marketing success is staying in tune with the latest and greatest digital marketing capabilities, while continuing to pursue tried-and-true tactics to heighten and diversify marketing efforts and make goals more achievable. Whether your goals are to increase sales and brand awareness, drive website traffic, recruit great talent or to increase engagement on social media, below is a checklist to make sure you’re covering the basics:
Get the most out of your content. Having great content or data to share is one of the most important parts of a successful marketing program. One piece of content could go a long way. For example, your pest control company writes an interesting blog post for the website with new pest insights. As a marketing best practice, the information shouldn’t simply live on the blog. Repurposing this content to speak to various audiences is key—think about an upcoming e-newsletter, information to be shared at a future tradeshow, a series of social media posts across various platforms—the list goes on. Not only will repurposed content allow you to push out the same call to action to your customers and potential customers, but it’s also a perk when you can avoid starting from scratch when you’re in a pinch and need content to share.
Merchandise as much as you can. You’ve found out that your company recently won an award for “excellence in pest control.” But what do you do next? Do you simply place the award logo on the company website and call it a day, or do you consider the best ways to merchandise this news? Regardless of the news—from an award win, a new pest control service or a job posting—maximize efforts by promoting across all marketing channels to reach various audiences. This may be in the form of a press release announcement, new website content, social media posts, your next blog post, a direct mail piece or an article for an upcoming e-newsletter. Start a list of existing marketing channels that you should consider when you have news to share to make sure no stone is left unturned.
A handwritten note can still go a long way. Combine digital marketing collateral with printed pieces that stand out in the mail. A direct mail piece that can easily be hung up on the fridge with contact information for quick pest control services is still useful. Consider including a note with a handwritten message. In this digital day and age, it will stand out in a stack of mail and could be just as effective as a flashier marketing approach.
Don’t forget to cross-promote. When working on new collateral, be sure to think about relevant content that you can cross-promote. From a digital standpoint, include two to three reference links within your piece to relevant articles or website content that your audience might be interested in. It’s an easy way to provide a wealth of information to consumers and drive visibility to additional content and can increase web traffic.
