THE HIGHER STANDARD. Millennials. Mastering

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1 THE HIGHER STANDARD AN E-ZINE FOR CERTIFIED SENTRICON SPECIALISTS Mastering A groundbreaking study sponsored by Dow AgroSciences identified why and how purchase professional pest control services. The results may surprise you. A Dow AgroSciences publication brought to you by the PCT Media Group Custom Publishing Division

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3 A national study sponsored by Dow AgroSciences identified why and how buy professional pest control services. The results may surprise you. illennials have the greatest lifetime M value of any customer you can acquire today, period, said Jason Dorsey, chief strategy officer at The Center for Generational Kinetics. At nearly 80 million strong, are the biggest cohort since the Baby Boomers, the largest currently in the workforce, and the fastest-growing group of home buyers. As consumers, they will outspend Baby Boomers in the U.S. this year and they re just getting started, said Dorsey. From here on, will drive growth in the pest management industry. They are literally the sweet spot, the customer that is up for grabs; whoever gets the wins and wins big, said Dorsey. Yet they remain the most misunderstood customer group, he admitted. That s why Dow AgroSciences teamed up with The Center for Generational Kinetics to conduct Marketing Pest Control Across Generations, a first-of-its-kind study that surveyed more than 1,000 adult homeowners who currently have, are shopping for or shopped in the past 12 months for professional pest control service. The goal was to identify the hidden drivers that motivate (as well as Baby Boomers and Generation X) to buy this service, why they choose a specific provider, and how Certified Sentricon Specialists can influence these behaviors. Dorsey presented the study findings at a webinar in February. Meet the Millennial Pest Control Customer When faced with a pest issue, 52 percent of Boomers and 45 percent of Gen Xers call a Generations by Birth Year Traditionalists Baby Boomers Gen X Gen Z 1945 and earlier present Source: The Center for Generational Kinetics Fall 2017 THE HIGHER STANDARD 3

4 1 Leverage 2 Use 3 Educate Takeaways your relationship with mom-and-dad customers who have home-owning children. requests for ant control as an opportunity to sell termite protection. on the value of professional pest control service to protect their new homes. 4Offer a lower-cost initial service visit to hook Millennial customers for the long term. 5 Make 6 Use 7 Bolster sure your website uses search engine optimization, has a mobile-friendly design and features photos, testimonials and clear pricing and contact information. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to describe your process, chemical safety and to boost search engine optimization. your Facebook presence. It will raise your company s visibility in this key demographic. 8Create sales materials and teams to reflect Millennial diversity. pest control professional first compared to only 26 percent of. In fact, 35 percent of millennial homeowners call their spouse first and 18 percent call their parents, according to the Marketing Pest Control Across Generations study. No surprise, 27 percent of said their parents are their most-trusted source for pest control advice while 44 percent said pest professionals filled this role (compared to 64 percent of Boomers, a difference of 20 percentage points). This begs the question: How are you using mom and dad to drive business? with their home-owning children, asked millennial expert Jason Dorsey, citing the huge opportunity to leverage this relationship to build trust with this generation. Seeing pests namely, ants prompted all homeowners to shop for professional pest control service, but termites cause the most anxiety so you have to make sure you message both pests in your marketing and outreach efforts, advised Dorsey. And while moving into a new home caused Boomers (25 percent) and Gen Xers (23 percent) to shop for pest 4 THE HIGHER STANDARD Fall 2017

5 control, only 14 percent of did so. This generation isn t thinking about pest control at this point, which may reflect their life experience and necessitate a different kind of messaging, Dorsey explained. Just remember, are the most diverse generation in U.S. history. Yet a lot of the marketing in this industry is not very diverse and neither are pest control companies, said Dorsey. do not see diversity until it s absent so design sales materials and develop teams that reflect what this generation looks like, he suggested. How Shop Nearly 30 percent of more than any other generation start shopping by researching pest control providers online, according to the Marketing Pest Control Across Generations study. Unfortunately, many company websites don t play well Who do you call first if you find bugs in your home? Boomers and Gen X are more likely to call a professional first if they find bugs or pests in their home. are most likely to call their spouse. Professional 52% Boomers 2% 45% 23% 23% 21% 17% with Google, aren t mobile friendly and don t integrate ratings and reviews. Having a recognized brand is helpful but not the immediate win that people assume, counseled Jason Dorsey of The Center for Generational Kinetics. (And for, a good brand reputation almost always means your digital reputation.) While 28 percent of Gen X Spouse Handle it myself Mom or dad 4% 26% 35% 16% 18% Boomers place a high value on service guarantees, find guarantees and the cost of initial service equally important (16 percent each) in deciding which pest control provider to hire. A lower-cost initial service call may help hook Millennial customers, said Dorsey. Digital Must-Haves Showing up in online search results is absolutely critical Watch the webinar Jason Dorsey of The Center for Generational Kinetics discussed these study findings at a February webinar for Certified Sentricon Specialists. To access the webinar, visit the Dow Authorized Operator website or contact your Dow representative. Fall 2017 THE HIGHER STANDARD 5

6 as nearly three-quarters of said this influences their hiring decision, said Dorsey. In fact, it is the top consideration across generations, found the Marketing Pest Control Across Generations study. In-home sales, billboards and radio ads are fine, but online is where people are finding who they re going to work with, said Dorsey. Online is where the marketplace is made and how you present yourself digitally makes all the difference in the world, he explained. That means websites should feature clear pricing for primary services. While some CSSs don t like to post prices, the survey found that 89 percent of Boomers and 82 percent of both Gen Xers and said this was most essential. Also important: easy-tolocate contact information. Dorsey suggested placing the phone number, and physical address in the top right corner of the website. Use a stand-out color and links so visitors can click to call, or map your location from mobile devices. Other essential website elements include a description for how the process Who do you trust most when it comes to pest control advice? Professional Parents Online sources 5% 14% 13% 11% 14% 27% Boomers Gen X 44% 52% 64% works and information about the safety of chemicals used: issues that can be addressed in the Frequently Asked Questions section of your website. Seventy percent of said website photos and testimonials influence their shopping decision so show employees helping customers and volunteering in the community and highlight positive reviews written by real people, Dorsey suggested. Nearly 60 percent of value endorsements by third-party websites; more than half want to see likes, photos and testimonials on a service provider s Facebook page. Due to its ad targeting ability, Facebook is the best social media platform to reach for this industry, said Dorsey. You re not going to close sales on Facebook but you ll absolutely lose sales if you re not on Facebook because people won t think you re legitimate or trustworthy if you re not active here, he explained. Digital is the pathway to win this generation and if you are not driving leads through digital then it s time to revisit your marketing, said Dorsey. This will influence Boomers and Gen Xers as well. If you win, you win everybody, he assured. 6 THE HIGHER STANDARD Fall 2017

7 When did you decide to shop for professional pest control services for your home? 27% 25% Boomers 15% 31% 23% 29% 29% 14% 12% Gen X 1st time noticing pests Moving to new home After DIY didn t work What resources do you use for finding a professional pest control service provider? (multiple answers) 23% 16% 18% 20% 15% 22% 23% 21% 15% 13% 29% 22% 21% 17% 14% Boomers Gen X Online search Friend recommendation Recognized brand Neighbor recommendation Family member recommendation What aspect of professional pest control service is the most important to you? 28% Guarantee of service Cost of ongoing service Safety of chemicals Reputation of provider Cost of initial service visit 16% 14%14% 19% 15%15%13% 16%16% 15% 9% 11% 4% 8% Boomers Gen X Fall 2017 THE HIGHER STANDARD 7

8 The Sentricon System Solution operate differently when making pest control decisions, found the Marketing Pest Control Across Generations study. Here s why the Sentricon System for termite baiting is such a good fit for this generation: BEHAVIOR: conduct online research when selecting service providers, including pest control companies. SOLUTION: If you do not have a Facebook page, you need to get a Facebook page and keep it fresh and relevant as more than half of use this social media channel to research pest control providers, said Mark Neterer, Pest Management and Turf & Ornamental Business Leader, Dow AgroSciences. The Sentricon System launched a Facebook page in July 2016 with 700 followers; within 8 months that number grew to more than 11,000 followers. People are hungry for information about the system and how it works. BEHAVIOR: After finding pests in their homes, 18 percent of millennial homeowners call their parents first. SOLUTION: The Sentricon System resonates extremely well with Mom and Dad so encourage them to tell their home-owning children, Yes, you are making the right choice by selecting the system for termite protection, said Neterer. Do this by offering a family discount, referral or bundling plan or simply asking Boomer customers, How can I help your children protect their homes from termites? Have you told them about the Sentricon System, and that we re your trusted pest management advisor? BEHAVIOR: A guarantee against future pest problems encourages consumers across generations to choose a more expensive pest control service. SOLUTION: The Sentricon System with Always Active technology delivers the highest level of trust because it s always protecting your home, said Neterer. And when consumers learn it protects the Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty, The Alamo and other national treasures, they trust its ability to protect their most valuable asset, as well. BEHAVIOR: The safety of chemicals used is a top-three consideration across generations when shopping for professional pest control service. SOLUTION: Sentricon is the only chemical in the termiticide market that has won a green chemistry award, reminded Neterer. 8 THE HIGHER STANDARD Fall 2017

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