Pest Management Professional, June 2018

Photo istock com skynesher along with various marketing tips for engaging with all audiences 1 Focus online All generations are consuming and sharing information online at some level actively seeking out company websites reading online reviews and engaging on social media Younger generations put more emphasis on social media asking for recommendations via Facebook and vetting a companys page in their search for a service Baby Boomers are a little more leery of social media and say it is untrustworthy Matures are more likely to ask a younger person to do the online legwork on their behalf But no matter how you slice it in this digital day and age it is critical for companies to engage with customers online Where do you begin Start with updating your company website with timely and helpful content and embrace social media According to PPMAs research Facebook was the top social media site for searching for company reviews Havent joined the Facebook world yet Consider the following Create a page where you can post engaging content like pest control tips interesting pest facts visuals and video that will be valuable to current and prospective customers On that page launch a Facebook poll tied to a timely topic that may resonate with Baby Boomers who enjoy interactive elements Or post about mosquitoes and Zika virus which is a key concern of Millennials when it comes to pests and public health 2 Brag a little Our research found that Millennial Gen X and Boomer generations agree that pest management professionals PMPs save them time energy and money and are typically called in for tasks deemed unfamiliar or especially concerning Market that Focus on the convenience and time saving aspects of hiring a pro in advertising messages website content and more Social Media Today reported that Gen Xers have the second largest disposable incomes after Baby Boomers and are at a stage in their lives where luxury and comfort take precedence Take advantage of this by reminding your customers that your company is here to handle their pest problems so they can focus on the things that matter most to them instead of relying on do it yourself methods that can cost more time money and angst in the long run 3 Remember the basics While social media and new digital applications are important dont let tried and true marketing initiatives fall by the wayside E blasts brochures newsletters direct mail pieces and print newspaper ads complement new online initiatives for an impactful marketing mix Baby Boomers for the most part will welcome traditional marketing tactics which to them appear more trustworthy If your company is Continued on page 36 Survey Methodology PPMA commissioned MARC a third party market research firm to conduct a survey across Millennial Gen X and Baby Boomer generations with the goal of understanding similarities and differences related to pest control needs and perceptions The research was conducted in September 2017 and consisted of two parts qualitative and quantitative The qualitative portion included 45 in depth interviews IDIs via webcam with a moderator which were split evenly across the three generational groups These were conducted nationally among pest control users The quantitative portion consisted of more than 1200 online surveys and interviews that met PPMAs key criteria of homeowners between the ages of 26 and 75 with a household income of 60000 or higher The respondents identified themselves as the decision makers of the home and personally used professional pest control services within the past five years or would be likely to use professional services in the future To purchase the full research study contact Cindy Mannes at cmannes@ pestworld org pest Management professional June 2018 33