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Jose Rodriguez wished to observe in his father’s footsteps and construct a profession within the pest management business, so it was a dream come true when his brother, Michael, teamed up with him to start out Pest Brothers. Their sturdy bond set the tone for a thriving enterprise targeted on constructing lasting relationships with clients.
“I do not assume there are plenty 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 glorious teamwork, which is mirrored of their buyer interactions and lots of five-star critiques — securing their spot on Yelp’s Prime 100 Native Companies of 2025.
“[Customers] discover us well-tempered, well-mannered,” Michael says. “And the explanation 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 completely different to the desk, together with recruiting, advertising and marketing and business expertise.
Outdated-school relationship-building was key to their early progress.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 match for [my son’s] highschool, the place we get plenty of leads,” Jose says. “We promote wherever we will as a result of these are the oldsters 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 lightweight swap, 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 charge.
“Each time we obtain a lead on Yelp, it is about pace to guide,” Michael says. “The extra rapidly we will attain out, the extra rapidly we will get to that home, service it and win that lead.”
Its Yelp presence does greater than lead technology, nonetheless. It additionally builds belief and helps flip potential clients into loyal, long-term regulars. Particularly within the pest management and residential service business, 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 of us that if you happen to do an excellent 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 — that is great. 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, similar to how lengthy a therapy will take or when the client will see outcomes. It is any such transparency that builds credibility, prevents confusion and earns five-star critiques.
When errors inevitably occur, the brothers acknowledge them with grace, reaching out personally to clients to make issues proper. “If someone calls you, you’ll be able to undoubtedly rectify their challenge as quickly as you’ll be able to,” Jose says. “That is actually the entire level of being a small enterprise, [being] ready to do this.”
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After constructing Pest Brothers from a two-man operation into probably the most trusted pest management corporations within the Miami space, co-founders Michael and Jose share what’s helped them succeed within the aggressive dwelling service business:
- 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 area with respect.
- Put money into relationships. Repeat clients and referrals are the lifeblood of a service enterprise. Study folks’s names, bear 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 critiques, expertise can save time, enhance effectivity and make it easier to higher serve clients. Leverage completely different platforms and instruments to remain organized, reply sooner and construct your status.
- 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 status that lasts. Residence providers are about greater than fixing a particular downside. They’re about creating peace of thoughts. When folks know you genuinely care about their dwelling or enterprise, they will belief you for years to come back.
Watch the episode above to listen to immediately 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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