[Mosquito Market] M.I.S.T. Conference offers a roadmap to PCO profits

PCOs interested in breaking into the mosquito control market or expanding their footprint in this rapidly expanding field should mark their calendar for the 3rd Annual MGK M.I.S.T. Conference, scheduled for Feb. 7 in Houston, Texas, and Feb. 21 in Atlanta, Ga.

Sponsored by MGK, the M.I.S.T. Conference — Misting Insecticides Solutions & Technology — boasts an extensive array of educational sessions, as well as a product showcase featuring vendors serving the mosquito market, providing attendees with an opportunity to learn about the latest technology advancements.

“The M.I.S.T. Conference is designed to be the industry’s one-stop location for all the latest news and technology advancements in the mosquito market,” said Monika Morris, misting market manager, MGK. “It’s a way for PMPs to learn about state-of-the-art treatment techniques as well as the science of mosquito control, while sharing real-world experiences from the field with one another.”

The one-day conference, which MGK launched in 2010, has continued to grow in attendance and scope, providing PCOs critical sales and marketing tools they need to establish and grow their business.

The conference is geared towards distributors, equipment manufacturers, misting company owners, pest control operators and key players involved in the market. Breakout sessions and speakers include:

• The Art of Selling: Closing the Deal — Russ Jundt and Tom Olson, Mosquito Squad of Minnesota. From traditional barrier spray programs and automatic misting systems to special event services, Mosquito Squad of Minnesota has a proven track record of success. Jundt and Olson will share some of the secrets to their success.
   
• Equipment Overview and Installation Tips — Steve Elkins and Tom Burgess, Coastal Mosquito Control. Learn the “tricks of the trade” for properly placing, installing and maintaining mosquito misting equipment from Steve Elkins and Tom Burgess, sales managers for Coastal Mosquito Control.
   
• NPDES Permit Update — Charles Maguire, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division. Maguire will update attendees on the finer points of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) to ensure that applicators are in compliance with this important provision of the Clean Water Act.
   
• Mosquito Education — Mike Mclean, Metropolitan Mosquito Control District. Learn about the breeding and feeding habits of mosquitoes, disease transmission and site eradication.
   
• Social Media for Small Business — Pat Furey, Consumer Sphere. Furey, a respected technology executive who has worked with such well-known brands as General Mills, Procter & Gamble, Yum and White Castle, shares his strategies for helping your pest control business effectively engage customers via the rapidly changing world of social media.

The cost of the seminar is $30 per person, which includes a continental breakfast, lunch and networking reception. “If you’re involved either directly or indirectly in the mosquito market, the M.I.S.T. Conference is a cost-effective way to learn about key trends and new technology in this rapidly expanding field,” Morris said. For more information, to register or to reserve a tabletop, visit www.mistconference.com, e-mail conference@gie.net or call 800/456-0707.