How to Build a Bullet-Proof Lead Follow-Up Process for Pest Control

Building a follow-up process for outbound pest control sales is very different from other industries. In the last ten years, buying habits have changed dramatically.

Consumers research pest control companies on Angie's List, Home Advisor, or Google and quickly choose a competitor if you don’t provide the information or response they need. For this reason alone, your outbound team’s internet lead response must have a bulletproof follow-up cadence.

For B2C, specifically pest control, there is urgency in contacting a prospect on the first day and within seconds. Your ability to reach and close this opportunity diminishes with each passing minute, let alone an hour or a day. You need to utilize a combination of phone calls, emails, and text messages to reach each prospect in the first three days.  

See: Outbound KPI's that Make or Break Pest Control Lead Gen Campaigns

Bulletproof Pest Control Cadence

Write scripts for phone calls, emails, and texts that will compel your prospects to engage with your outbound team.

Email Copy That Creates Urgency and Shows Your Team is Attentive and Empathetic

Nailing the first email is all about connecting with your prospect on a personal level while creating urgency. Even if they miss your phone call, the first email should convey that contacting your company first was the right choice. Here is an example email that has worked very well for our pest control clients:

Hello {FirstName},

My name is {User:FirstName}, I appreciate your interest in ACME Pest Control. I am a residential specialist with ACME, and I am responding to your inquiry regarding the pest issue at your 5340 West Elm St. address. I understand the urgency of these types of pest issues, and I want to assure you that our experience over the past ten years will quickly help rid you of your pest problem.

I have just left you a voicemail and want to also provide you with my direct number {User:Phone}; I will also send you a text message if it is convenient for you to communicate that way. I hope you do not mind the outreach; we want to make sure we connect to help you with your urgent pest problem.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Very Best,

{User: Signature}  

Email Copy Strategy for 60% or Better Open Rates

In this email, your salesperson has shown they are informed about the prospect's location. The salesperson empathizes and understands that this is a distressing problem and provides multiple communication outlets to assist the customer quickly and professionally.

See: Why an Outbound Call Center is Critical for Your Pest Control Company

If the salesperson cannot make contact, the cadence will remove the lead after the first voicemail from active calling, with a recommended two-hour time block. This cadence ensures you do not harass the person but reach out just enough to show them you are diligent in assisting them with their problem.

Over the next three days, the prospect will receive additional emails that create credibility. The second email should feature customer reviews and how specifically your company provides an advantage over your competitors. The second and third emails are just as important as the first. They should inspire confidence that your company is the best suited to handle the task at hand.

As you can see from the email copy and strategy, each step is critical in the internet lead follow-up process. As time goes by, your potential customer is slipping away. The only thing that will save them is your ability to convey sincerity, professionalism, and empathy in the hope that they change their mind and decide to initiate contact for a scheduled inspection.

Next Up – Text Messages, Scripts, and Voice Mail to Complete the Follow-Up Process