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Jose Rodriguez wished to comply with in his father’s footsteps and construct a profession within the pest control trade, so it was a dream come true when his brother, Michael, teamed up with him to begin Pest Brothers. Their robust bond set the tone for a thriving enterprise targeted on constructing lasting relationships with prospects.
“I do not assume there are loads 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 an important factor.”
It seems, going into enterprise together with your finest good friend will be your key differentiator. The 2 exhibit wonderful teamwork, which is mirrored of their buyer interactions and plenty of five-star critiques — securing their spot on Yelp’s Top 100 Local Businesses 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 feel 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 completely different to the desk, together with recruiting, advertising and marketing and trade expertise.
Previous-school relationship-building was key to their early progress. The workforce 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 had been sponsors on the golf match for [my son’s] highschool, the place we get loads 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 High 100.”
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Nonetheless, the brothers knew there was extra they might do to spice up online 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 obtained such an inflow of consideration from owners that they determined to cease sending out snail mail ads, which may have a low success charge.
“Every time we obtain a lead on Yelp, it is about pace to steer,” 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 generation, nonetheless. It additionally builds belief and helps flip potential prospects into loyal, long-term regulars. Particularly within the pest management and home service trade, a brand new buyer does not at all times 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 people that for those who 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.”
After getting your viewers’s consideration, Jose emphasised how essential it’s to set clear expectations, similar to how lengthy a remedy will take or when the shopper will see outcomes. It is the sort of transparency that builds credibility, prevents confusion and earns five-star reviews.
When errors inevitably occur, the brothers acknowledge them with grace, reaching out personally to prospects to make issues proper. “If any individual calls you, you possibly can undoubtedly rectify their situation as quickly as you possibly can,” 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 vital trusted pest management firms within the Miami space, co-founders Michael and Jose share what’s helped them succeed within the aggressive residence service trade:
- Lead with belief. Prospects lengthen belief after they allow you to into their properties and workplaces. Be dependable, present up while you say you’ll and deal with each house with respect.
- Put money into relationships. Repeat customers and referrals are the lifeblood of a service enterprise. Study individuals’s names, keep in mind their issues and deal with each job as a chance to strengthen the connection.
- Use instruments to work smarter. From routing software program to online reviews, expertise can save time, enhance effectivity and make it easier to higher serve prospects. Leverage completely different platforms and instruments to remain organized, reply quicker 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. Dwelling companies are about greater than fixing a selected drawback. They’re about creating peace of thoughts. When individuals know you genuinely care about their residence or enterprise, they’re going to 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 Review for extra from new enterprise house owners and reviewers each Wednesday.
Editorial contributions by Jiah Choe and Kristi Lindahl
