Marketing and Pest Control share one unique quality—customers for both types of services view the process the same way you’d consider taking medicine when you’re sick.
They don’t like paying for it. They’d rather not have to do it. But they know that nothing good or something terrible will happen if they don’t.
Unfortunately, a certain level of risk is associated with spending or investing in a service when you don’t fully understand what you are paying for.
And to make things even more confusing, people who sell marketing-related products and services will all claim that their strategy is all you need to be successful.
In some ways, they are right. Everything in marketing works.
Orkin has successfully run TV ads and produced content for an audience on Youtube.
Terminix utilizes a team of research professionals to pump out research papers and infographics that generate a slew of backlinks from high-quality sources like Pest World and PCT magazine.
And plenty of mom-and-pop operations get new clients through door-knocking, subcontracting, print flyers and word of mouth.
But each strategy will only work if you’re willing to dedicate the time, resources and energy required to build an effective, efficient marketing strategy with measurable results.
Building a Strategy That Works
So, there are a few important questions you should ask yourself before choosing a marketing service;
What's My Timeframe?
Most marketing efforts require a time commitment before you’re going to see any tangible results.
PPC ads usually need at least three months to run before you can optimize and tweak them for better performance.
SEO-related services like writing a blog or updating your website can take 1-3 years to see the 10x results you’ve been promised.
If you’re looking for a quick boost in service calls two months from now, creating a comprehensive backlinking strategy will not get you the results you want.
What Am I Measuring?
Marketing and sales are related in the sense that Marketing raises awareness for products or services in a way that can drive sales. But they are not the same.
This is why it is essential to clarify what results you expect and by when before approving any spending.
For example, some customers seek out marketing services to;
- Improve their public image (Logo/Website redesigns, increased social media following etc.)
- Improve customer experiences (Responding to Social Media comments, Promoting Special discounts and loyalty programs)
- Increase phone calls, bookings or product purchases (Email marketing, Fine-tuning Sales Funnels etc.)
Can I Afford It?
This is a big pet peeve of mine.
Don’t let yourself be obfuscated by marketing buzzwords. If you aren’t getting clear answers about what problem a product or service solves, stop.
Yes, some marketing products are genuinely worth thousands of dollars. But there are plenty of ways to deliver results without bleeding a client dry by trying to sell them everything and the kitchen sink.
If you’re tight on cash, focus on short-ish term goals like increasing sales or fixing systems that cause your bounce rates to skyrocket.
If you have some extra money to think about long-term goals, that’s the time to consider a redesign or a new truck decal.
And if your margins tend to always be a little tight, building a website or blog in increments is always a possibility.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you set a marketing team up for success by providing clear expectations and constraints before a project begins, you are far more likely to get the results you want.
Whether you want to start producing TikTok videos, participating in community events or building a strong email marketing campaign make sure you have the time, people and resources to produce something of quality.
You’ve got this.