[Mosquito Control Supplement] The Buzz on mosquito control

Industry supplier MGK continued its commitment of service to the mosquito control market by hosting its 2nd Annual M.I.S.T. Conference, i.e. Misting Insecticides Solutions & Technology, earlier this year.

The company hosted day-long seminars in Houston and Atlanta, an illustration of its commitment to this increasingly important market for PMPs.

While last year’s conference focused heavily on the technical and regulatory aspects of mosquito misting programs, this year’s program emphasized how PMPs can grow their business by offering a range of mosquito control services.

Monika Morris, mosquito misting market manager, said MGK’s goal was to assist companies in marketing their mosquito services and building their businesses. “With that in mind we spent a lot more time on those topics and they were very well received,” Morris said.

Besides the marketing insights presented at the seminar, the conference also included a social media “Mini Boot Camp” designed to help PMPs enhance their knowledge of digital marketing. Other educational sessions focused on managing liability, health implications of mosquitoes and misting equipment. This year’s conference also featured numerous tabletop displays from vendors serving the mosquito market. “That was one of the things that was requested from the year before,” said Morris, “and those went over really well.” As a result, attendance at this year’s conference was up 25 percent, with about 75 attendees at each location.

The conference kicked off with a welcome address from Steve Gullickson, president of MGK, who expressed thanks for the opportunity to share his company’s insights about the mosquito market with those PMPs in attendance. “We’ve had a commitment to controlling mosquitoes for the life of the company,” he said. “First and foremost our objective is to provide the best products possible.”

Gullickson also cited the ongoing work of MGK’s  formulation chemists, who are dedicated to serving this important niche market. “Every day they think, ‘How can I build a better solution for controlling insects?’” he said.

GRASS-ROOTS MARKETING.
One highlight of this year’s M.I.S.T. Conference was the wealth of marketing tips and ideas presented by Russ Jundt, co-owner of Mosquito Squad of Minnesota, during his well-attended session.

With a grass-roots networking approach forming the basis of his marketing efforts, Jundt has employed numerous tools and creative strategies to raise the profile of Mosquito Squad of Minnesota and its popular mascot, “Dread Skeeter.” Besides his presence on YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook, Jundt boasts a “killer” website; has formed trade alliances with local businesses; invests in home and garden shows throughout his market area; implements creative referral programs; and employs a seasonal sales team. Jundt says Mosquito Squad’s success lies in its long-time commitment to marketing. Unfortunately, he said, “People don’t invest in their business through marketing. This is the (industry’s) number one downfall.”

First and foremost, Jundt knows his customers and what’s important to them. He says the majority of his clients are between the ages of 25 and 55, are married with children, own a home, are actively employed and have recently invested in their outdoor living space, making them ideal candidates for his company’s services. “If they put $100,000 in their backyard, why not $105,000?” he asked, investing an additional $5,000 in a misting system. Comparatively speaking, it’s a small investmen that allows homeowners to use their outdoor living space in the early evening hours when mosquitoes are most active. Jundt also has expanded his focus to include vertical markets such as event planners, restaurants, caterers and other groups that could benefit from mosquito control services.

Staying in tune with customer concerns is a priority for Jundt, who utilizes an automated customer relations management system, or CRM, to track leads and customer data, and document people’s experiences with the company. All this information leads to superior customer intelligence and better decision-making.

Jundt’s sales plan depends on simple networking to get the job done. Every spring the company hires a team of college students to canvas residential neighborhoods and distribute promotional flyers in targeted neighborhoods.

Vehicle signage has been another effective tool in raising the company’s profile, Jundt says. “We have eight,” he says, but “people in the state of Minnesota think we have 800” due to the visible nature of the vehicles, which criss-cross the Minneapolis metro area on any given day.

Referrals are yet another component of the company’s approach to networking. Jundt says his number one lead source are the $7 yard signs he asks customers to post on their properties following service, informing others that their home is protected by Mosquito Squad. And his $25 coupons for customers who send neighbors to Mosquito Squad also have proven effective.

Homeowners associations are another point of entry to affluent neighborhoods, and trade alliances also have paid off, with 20 percent of the franchise’s business last year being triggered by relationships with local pool companies, landscaping firms, deck companies, caterers and others. For Mosquito Squad it has meant partnering with a leading pool and spa company in Minneapolis. Jundt printed 2,500 post cards for the pool company’s clients, offering them a complimentary barrier spray if they tried the service. In all, the company gave away 26 free sprays, 15 became clients, and one misting system was sold, gemerating total revenue of nearly $10,000. Even more important, however, is the lifetime value of those clients, who typically purchase mosquito control services year after year once they’ve had a positive experience with the company.

MOSQUITO EXPERT.
Another of Jundt’s strategies has been positioning himself as the local expert on the topic of mosquito misting and control, having done numerous radio and TV interviews in the Minneapolis area. “We want to be the ones they’re quoting in the magazines or the newspapers,” Jundt said. Having a regular presence at local home and garden shows contributes to this goal.

The numerous marketing efforts Jundt uses are designed to reach potential customers more than once. In fact, he says most of his customers have been exposed to the company’s marketing message three times, from such sources as lawn signs, Valpak ads and trade shows. “It’s not a one-time touch,” he observed. “It’s usually a combination of three.”

Repeat business is another revenue source Jundt depends on, with his Mosquito Squad franchise retaining 92 percent of its clients from year to year.

After all of this, Jundt is also acutely aware of what it costs to generate leads and run his business. “We don’t compete on price,” he notes. The annual service plan, at a cost of $635 for start-up, repair and winterization of a mosquito misting system, isn’t the cheapest in Minneapolis, but Jundt says, “I will out-service you ten to one.” So far the company has installed close to 300 misting systems, providing a valuable source of recurring revenue and hundreds of satisfied customers. However, that does not represent the bulk of his company’s revenue. Jundt says 90 percent of his business comes from barrier sprays, which yield an excellent return on investment. Special events make up a significant part of these: last year the company was hired to spray in advance of 108 weddings, providing an important customer service for one of the biggest days of a couple’s life. And what could be more gratifying than that?
 

To learn more about Jundt and his company, visit www.mosquitosquad.com or call 877/667-7823.
Additional coverage of the MGK M.I.S.T. Conference will appear in the May issue of PCT magazine.

MGK Misting Products Versatile, Effective
MGK Mosquito Misting Market Specialist Andy Sturgis provided an overview of the company’s product portfolio during the company’s 2nd Annual M.I.S.T. Conference, held earlier this year in Houston and Atlanta.

MGK’s misting products are made specifically to work with professional misting systems to effectively kill mosquitoes, flies and other flying insects, according to Sturgis. The line includes a number of different products and formulations designed to control mosquitoes in both a cost effective and responsible fashion.

According to Sturgis, the most commonly used misting system insect control products rely on pyrethrum, a botanical extract from a chrysanthemum flower that is highly effective against mosquitoes. Pyrethrum features several characteristics that make it an ideal choice for use in mosquito misting systems including:

• Pyrethrum is fast acting; it quickly knocks down and kills mosquitoes.
• Pyrethrum irritates/excites insects, increasing the probability of exposure to the mist solution.
• Pyrethrum quickly breaks down in sunlight, leaving no residues.

“This rapid degradation makes pyrethrum an excellent choice for control of many insects in a wide variety of situations, including mosquitoes,” he said.

MGK is involved in every aspect of pyrethrum production, according to Sturgis, from growing the plants to harvesting the crop to refining the active ingredient. As a result, they are considered an industry leader in pyrethrum-based product development. The company’s misting product line includes:

Riptide Waterbased Pyrethrin ULV: Designed to deliver fast knockdown and kill of mosquitoes, Riptide features an optimized ratio of pyrethrum and synergist (1:5) in a polymeric water-based formulation that is easy on ornamental plants.

Sector Misting Concentrate: Featuring a combination of permethrin with the synergist PBO, Sector is well suited for controlling large mosquito populations.

VamPyre Misting Concentrate: Ideal for use where insecticide resistance is suspected, VamPyre featurees the highest performing ratio of pyrethrum to synergist (1:10) in a superior water-based formulation. To learn more about any of the products in MGK’s mosquito misting product line, visit www.mgk.com or contact your local distributor.