Consumer Data is Reshaping Pest Control Marketing, Fredericks Says

CHICAGO - Today's consumers are making decisions about pest control companies long before they ever pick up the phone, and that shift is changing how PCOs market their businesses. During the PCT Top 100 Executive Summit, Professional Pest Management Alliance Executive Director Jim Fredericks explained how consumer research, artificial intelligence and real-time data are helping companies better understand customer expectations and tailor their marketing strategies.

Fredericks said today's consumers research companies online long before making contact, relying on Google reviews, social media and digital content to guide purchasing decisions. As a result, trust, expertise and transparency have become more influential than price.

The Alliance combines artificial intelligence, consumer surveys, quarterly Harris Poll research and audience profiling tools to monitor public conversations and identify emerging trends. Those insights help the organization develop messaging that addresses consumers' concerns about health, property protection and peace of mind.

Research presented by Fredericks showed more than half of higher-income U.S. homeowners have used professional pest control services within the past year, reflecting steady growth in consumer adoption over the past two decades. He also highlighted opportunities to educate customers about preventive services, noting many homeowners recognize risks posed by termites and ticks but fail to take preventive action.

Fredericks encouraged companies to tailor messaging for distinct audiences, including health-conscious families, commercial facility managers, Gen Z renters and do-it-yourself homeowners, emphasizing that data-driven, audience-specific marketing is now essential to reaching modern consumers.

Fredericks reminded attendees that the Alliance handles much of the research and marketing groundwork, which allows members to focus on making smarter, more effective marketing decisions and achieving stronger business growth.