Almost One-Quarter of Pest Control Companies Use D2D Sales Professionals, PCT Poll Finds

CLEVELAND – Canvasing a neighborhood and knocking on doors to sell pest control has long been a popular strategy for PCOs to gain customers, but employing a team of seasonal door-to-door sales professionals for rapid growth is a practice that works for some pest control companies, but not for others.

Seventy-four percent of those who responded to PCT’s recent reader poll say they DO NOT employ door-to-door sales professionals, while another 26 percent said that they DO use D2D sales.

One company that has found success using D2D sales professionals is Evergreen Pest Solutions, Ogden, Utah, which ranked #57 on this year’s PCT Top 100 list with revenue of $15 million. Byron Gifford, co-owner of Evergreen said all of his D2D sales professionals must pass a phone verification and technician verification. “There is a checks-and-balance [procedure] in place to ensure the customer is onboarding with correct information and proper expectations,” Gifford said.

Kevin Pass, owner of Pass Pest Control, Evansville, Ind., did not use D2D sales professionals when he owned his former business, but he and co-owner Keith Smith decided to add a D2D sales team when they launched Pass Pest Control in March 2020. Smith’s son, Noah, who works on the Pass Pest sales team, recruited the company’s door-knocking leader.

Pass said that in his experience with D2D, initially the key is to get the service done in the first 24 hours after the sale — the sooner the better. “Because D2D sales are typically higher pressure you want to get the service done before the customer changes their mind. After that, and equally as important, is to deliver on the promises made by the salesperson. Quality of service must be high!”

One PCO who answered that he does not use D2D sales professionals is Rob Jackson, owner of Jackson Pest Management, Leo, Ind. Jackson said he has observed that members of his community have not been overly receptive to door-to-door sales professionals and, in some instances, turned off to what he calls an “in your face” approach to sales. 

Word-of-mouth referrals has, and continues to be, his top marketing strategy. “Number two is our trucks – and if you go to our website you will see why,” Jackson said. “I will park our trucks at car shows and home shows and pass out cards.” 

Jackson also said he also focuses on having a strong online presence. “If you look at Google, we are not number one or number two [on the first page] but I am at least top five behind all of the paid ads, which is exactly where I want to be.”

Our newest poll question asks: Which best describes rodent activity in your area during the last 12 months?