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Jose Rodriguez needed to observe in his father’s footsteps and construct a profession within the pest management trade, so it was a dream come true when his brother, Michael, teamed up with him to start out Pest Brothers. Their robust bond set the tone for a thriving enterprise targeted on constructing lasting relationships with clients.
“I do not assume there are a whole lot of choices the place you get to work together with your greatest pal and your greatest cheerleader,” Michael says. “For me, that was actually an important factor.”
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It seems, going into enterprise together with your greatest pal might be your key differentiator. The 2 exhibit wonderful teamwork, which is mirrored of their buyer interactions and plenty of five-star evaluations — securing their spot on Yelp’s Prime 100 Native Companies of 2025.
“[Customers] discover us well-tempered, well-mannered,” Michael says. “And the rationale for it’s we’re having fun with what we do and who we do it with. I believe 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 trade expertise.
Previous-school relationship-building was key to their early progress. The crew sponsors golf tournaments for native colleges and attends group occasions to not solely create visibility for Pest Brothers but additionally to honor their roots.
“We had been sponsors on the golf event for [my son’s] highschool, the place we get a whole lot of leads,” Jose says. “We promote wherever we are able to as a result of these are the parents who’ve fed us once we weren’t essentially attending to Yelp’s Prime 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 rapidly. “We tried out the free trial [of Yelp Ads], and it was an absolute success — virtually like we flipped a light-weight change, and [leads] tremendously began flowing in,” Michael says.
They obtained such an inflow of consideration from owners that they determined to cease sending out snail mail commercials, which might have a low success fee.
“Every time we obtain a lead on Yelp, it is about pace to guide,” Michael says. “The extra rapidly we are able to attain out, the extra rapidly we are able to get to that home, service it and win that lead.”
Its Yelp presence does greater than lead era, nevertheless. It additionally builds belief and helps flip potential clients into loyal, long-term regulars. Particularly within the pest management and residential service trade, a brand new buyer would 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 people that in the event you do an excellent job, they’re gonna reward you for a protracted time period,” Michael says. “When it comes to 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 super. That is viral if I’ve ever seen it, so it has been superior for us.”
Upon getting your viewers’s consideration, Jose emphasised how vital it’s to set clear expectations, resembling how lengthy a therapy will take or when the shopper will see outcomes. It is this kind of transparency that builds credibility, prevents confusion and earns five-star evaluations.
When errors inevitably occur, the brothers acknowledge them with grace, reaching out personally to clients to make issues proper. “If any person calls you, you may positively rectify their concern as quickly as you may,” Jose says. “That is actually the entire level of being a small enterprise, [being] in a position to try this.”
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After constructing Pest Brothers from a two-man operation into some of the trusted pest management corporations within the Miami space, co-founders Michael and Jose share what’s helped them succeed within the aggressive dwelling service trade:
- Lead with belief. Prospects lengthen belief once they allow you to into their houses and workplaces. Be dependable, present up whenever you say you’ll and deal with each house with respect.
- Put money into relationships. Repeat clients and referrals are the lifeblood of a service enterprise. Study individuals’s names, keep in mind their issues and deal with each job as a chance to strengthen the connection.
- Use instruments to work smarter. From routing software program to on-line evaluations, expertise can save time, enhance effectivity and aid you higher serve clients. Leverage totally different platforms and instruments to remain organized, reply quicker and construct your fame.
- Keep adaptable. Each job is totally different. Be prepared to regulate your method and continue learning new strategies to remain aggressive and environment friendly.
- Construct a fame that lasts. Dwelling providers are about greater than fixing a selected downside. They’re about creating peace of thoughts. When individuals know you genuinely care about their dwelling or enterprise, they’re going to belief you for years to come back.
Watch the episode above to listen to straight from Michael and Jose Rodriguez, and subscribe to Behind the Evaluate for extra from new enterprise house owners and reviewers each Wednesday.
Editorial contributions by Jiah Choe and Kristi Lindahl
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