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Jose Rodriguez needed to observe in his father’s footsteps and construct a profession within the pest management business, so it was a dream come true when his brother, Michael, teamed up with him to begin Pest Brothers. Their robust bond set the tone for a thriving enterprise targeted on constructing lasting relationships with prospects.
“I do not assume there are a variety of choices the place you get to work along with your greatest good friend and your largest cheerleader,” Michael says. “For me, that was actually an important factor.”
It seems, going into enterprise along with your greatest good friend may be your key differentiator. The 2 exhibit glorious teamwork, which is mirrored of their buyer interactions and lots of five-star opinions — securing their spot on Yelp’s High 100 Native Companies of 2025.
“[Customers] discover us well-tempered, well-mannered,” Michael says. “And the explanation for it’s we’re having fun with what we do and who we do it with. I feel that is actually the premise for all of it. After which from there, good issues come.”
Joined by their brother-in-law, John, every member of the Pest Brothers brings one thing totally different to the desk, together with recruiting, advertising and marketing and business expertise.
Previous-school relationship-building was key to their early progress. The crew sponsors golf tournaments for native faculties and attends group occasions to not solely create visibility for Pest Brothers but in addition to honor their roots.
“We had been sponsors on the golf event for [my son’s] highschool, the place we get a variety of leads,” Jose says. “We promote wherever we will as a result of these are the parents who’ve fed us after we weren’t essentially attending to Yelp’s High 100.”
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Nonetheless, the brothers knew there was extra they may do to spice up on-line visibility. They noticed Yelp as a chance to draw extra leads, and the funding paid off shortly. “We tried out the free trial [of Yelp Ads], and it was an absolute success — nearly like we flipped a lightweight swap, and [leads] tremendously began flowing in,” Michael says.
They obtained such an inflow of consideration from householders that they determined to cease sending out snail mail ads, which may have a low success fee.
“Each time we obtain a lead on Yelp, it is about velocity to guide,” Michael says. “The extra shortly we will attain out, the extra shortly we will get to that home, service it and win that lead.”
Its Yelp presence does greater than lead technology, nonetheless. It additionally builds belief and helps flip potential prospects into loyal, long-term regulars. Particularly within the pest management and residence service business, a brand new buyer does not all the time imply one job. Each new lead is an opportunity to create a recurring buyer — and the alternatives are rolling in for Pest Brothers.
“These are of us that if you happen to do a superb job, they’re gonna reward you for an extended time period,” Michael says. “By way of the Yelp leads I noticed on our dashboard, views on our web page have elevated by 576% over the previous 30 days [since winning Yelp’s Top 100]. You speak about market consciousness — that is great. That is viral if I’ve ever seen it, so it has been superior for us.”
After you have your viewers’s consideration, Jose emphasised how vital it’s to set clear expectations, corresponding to how lengthy a therapy will take or when the shopper will see outcomes. It is this sort of transparency that builds credibility, prevents confusion and earns five-star opinions.
When errors inevitably occur, the brothers acknowledge them with grace, reaching out personally to prospects to make issues proper. “If any individual calls you, you may undoubtedly rectify their challenge as quickly as you may,” Jose says. “That is actually the entire level of being a small enterprise, [being] ready to do this.”
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After constructing Pest Brothers from a two-man operation into probably the most trusted pest management firms within the Miami space, co-founders Michael and Jose share what’s helped them succeed within the aggressive residence service business:
- Lead with belief. Prospects prolong belief after they allow you to into their properties and workplaces. Be dependable, present up whenever you say you’ll and deal with each house with respect.
- Put money into relationships. Repeat prospects and referrals are the lifeblood of a service enterprise. Be taught individuals’s names, keep in mind their considerations and deal with each job as a chance to strengthen the connection.
- Use instruments to work smarter. From routing software program to on-line opinions, know-how can save time, enhance effectivity and provide help to higher serve prospects. Leverage totally different platforms and instruments to remain organized, reply sooner and construct your fame.
- Keep adaptable. Each job is totally different. Be prepared to regulate your method and continue to learn new strategies to remain aggressive and environment friendly.
- Construct a fame that lasts. House companies are about greater than fixing a particular downside. They’re about creating peace of thoughts. When individuals know you genuinely care about their residence or enterprise, they will belief you for years to return.
Watch the episode above to listen to immediately from Michael and Jose Rodriguez, and subscribe to Behind the Evaluation for extra from new enterprise house owners and reviewers each Wednesday.
Editorial contributions by Jiah Choe and Kristi Lindahl
