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Jose Rodriguez needed to comply with 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 begin Pest Brothers. Their robust bond set the tone for a thriving enterprise centered on constructing lasting relationships with prospects.
“I do not suppose there are a number of choices the place you get to work together with your greatest good friend and your greatest cheerleader,” Michael says. “For me, that was actually a very powerful factor.”
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It seems, going into enterprise together with your greatest good friend will be your key differentiator. The 2 exhibit glorious teamwork, which is mirrored of their buyer interactions and lots of five-star evaluations β securing their spot on Yelp’s High 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 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 completely different to the desk, together with recruiting, advertising and marketing and trade expertise.
Outdated-school relationship-building was key to their early development. The crew sponsors golf tournaments for native colleges and attends neighborhood occasions to not solely create visibility for Pest Brothers but in addition to honor their roots.
“We had been sponsors on the golf match for [my son’s] highschool, the place we get a number of leads,” Jose says. “We promote wherever we will as a result of these are the parents who’ve fed us once we weren’t essentially attending to Yelp’s High 100.”
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Nonetheless, the brothers knew there was extra they might 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 β virtually like we flipped a light-weight change, and [leads] tremendously began flowing in,” Michael says.
They acquired such an inflow of consideration from householders that they determined to cease sending out snail mail ads, which might have a low success fee.
“At any time when we obtain a lead on Yelp, it is about pace 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, nevertheless. It additionally builds belief and helps flip potential prospects into loyal, long-term regulars. Particularly within the pest management and residential service trade, a brand new buyer does not at all times imply one job. Each new lead is an opportunity to create a recurring buyer β and the alternatives are rolling in for Pest Brothers.
“These are people that in case you do a very good job, they’re gonna reward you for an extended time frame,” 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 β that is super. That is viral if I’ve ever seen it, so it has been superior for us.”
After getting your viewers’s consideration, Jose emphasised how necessary it’s to set clear expectations, equivalent to how lengthy a therapy will take or when the client will see outcomes. It is the sort 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 prospects to make issues proper. “If any individual calls you, you possibly can positively rectify their concern as quickly as you possibly can,” Jose says. “That is actually the entire level of being a small enterprise, [being] in a position to do this.”
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After constructing Pest Brothers from a two-man operation into some of the trusted pest management firms within the Miami space, co-founders Michael and Jose share what’s helped them succeed within the aggressive house service trade:
- Lead with belief. Clients 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.
- Spend money on relationships. Repeat prospects and referrals are the lifeblood of a service enterprise. Study folks’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 evaluations, expertise can save time, enhance effectivity and enable you to higher serve prospects. Leverage completely different platforms and instruments to remain organized, reply quicker and construct your repute.
- Keep adaptable. Each job is completely different. Be prepared to regulate your method and continue to learn new strategies to remain aggressive and environment friendly.
- Construct a repute that lasts. Dwelling companies are about greater than fixing a particular downside. They’re about creating peace of thoughts. When folks know you genuinely care about their house or enterprise, they’re going to belief you for years to come back.
Watch the episode above to listen to instantly from Michael and Jose Rodriguez, and subscribe to Behind the Evaluate for extra from new enterprise homeowners and reviewers each Wednesday.
Editorial contributions by Jiah Choe and Kristi Lindahl
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