Sell on products, a revenue stream for the professional?

Monday 09/01/2023

Our strategic business executive Anna Mollins, examines how sell on products can provide a revenue stream for pest control business and actually secure future work

"I have been at PestFix for coming up to 8 years and have worked with professionals and end users in thousands of scenarios. There is a continual push and pull between the pest management professional and the general public.

The pest management professional should always, in my opinion, be the first point of call for anyone who has a pest control problem. But in the majority of cases, particularly the general public, small businesses, landlords etc this is not what happens.

In an age of instant information, google is the first point of call. How often have you turned up to a job, to find that someone has 'given it a go' first. Some will admit this to you but those that don't, the professional can see the evidence.

So lets say that you sort out whatever issue this customer has attempted to handle on their own. No matter how effective you were and how outstanding your customer service was, can you say hand on heart that that customer won't make their own attempts at pest control the next time they have an issue?

This is where sell on products come into play. Items that you can provide to your customer that, whilst you would prefer they come to your first, they will likely go shopping to DIY the fix.

Now I'm not suggesting by any means that you start handing out professional pesticides or undervalue your skills as a professional. But let's put out some examples out on the table to highlight what I mean.

Scenario: You attend a domestic user for rodent issues in their home. You treat the pest problem, proof the home and provide advice to prevent the issue arising again. BUT you sell that customer the bait boxes and snap traps you used on the job, plus some disinfectant so that should the issue arise again, they can start attempting to manage themselves.

Or, as you finish your paperwork you are discussing what other pest issues have occurred in the home in the past?

• Ants? Ok lets leave them with a bottle of diatomaceous earth to start treating the problem whilst they wait for you to visit and professionally treat the source.


• Flies? What about having a small EFK in the kitchen that you can install, provide bulbs and glue boards for the next year.


• Wasps? Leave your customer with a wasp trap.


• Moths? Leave your customer with some lured glue traps.


• Nothing specific? Some Amateur Use spray for instant kill of pests on hard and soft surfaces for those unwanted intruders

And the most important bit, leave your company details on these products. When that person goes to use these products, you're right there to be contacted when their problems need a professional. You're leaving your business card in the one place that requires no searching."