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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 begin Pest Brothers. Their sturdy bond set the tone for a thriving enterprise targeted on constructing lasting relationships with prospects.
“I do not suppose there are lots of choices the place you get to work together with your finest good friend and your largest cheerleader,” Michael says. “For me, that was actually crucial factor.”
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It seems, going into enterprise together with your finest good friend might be your key differentiator. The 2 exhibit wonderful teamwork, which is mirrored of their buyer interactions and lots of five-star opinions — 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 idea 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 trade expertise.
Outdated-school relationship-building was key to their early progress. The crew sponsors golf tournaments for native faculties and attends neighborhood occasions to not solely create visibility for Pest Brothers but additionally to honor their roots.
“We have been sponsors on the golf match for [my son’s] highschool, the place we get lots 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 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 shortly. “We tried out the free trial [of Yelp Ads], and it was an absolute success — nearly like we flipped a light-weight change, and [leads] tremendously began flowing in,” Michael says.
They acquired such an inflow of consideration from owners 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 era, 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 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 when you do an excellent 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 discuss market consciousness — 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 vital it’s to set clear expectations, equivalent to how lengthy a therapy will take or when the client will see outcomes. It is this kind 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 person calls you, you’ll be able to positively rectify their situation as quickly as you’ll be able to,” 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 one 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 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, expertise can save time, enhance effectivity and make it easier to higher serve prospects. Leverage totally different platforms and instruments to remain organized, reply quicker and construct your repute.
- 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 repute that lasts. House companies are about greater than fixing a selected drawback. They’re about creating peace of thoughts. When individuals 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 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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