Taking flight in bird control

For professionals, it’s a lucrative segment of the pest control industry. But take note: selling bird control jobs requires a different set of sales skills. Here’s what you need to know before jumping in with both feet.

The bird control industry in the United States continues to grow rapidly as the bird population in urban areas comes in conflict with people and businesses. A successful bird control operation can capitalize on this growth and has the potential to be an enormous profit center for today’s professional pest control operator.

With building owners more willing to spend money to solve bird problems, and a new generation of long-lasting, truly effective bird control products available, everything points to a bright future. And with their reputations as experts at eliminating pest-related problems, PCOs are in a prime position to capture the majority of this burgeoning market.

But all is not yet roses for PCOs trying to capitalize on this opportunity. The selling of an average bird job ($5,000 to $10,000) can be anything but a slam-dunk, and for many PCOs, a $50,000 sale can be almost terrifying. If the customer is desperate, convinced of the solution being offered, and has confidence in the company making the offer, he or she may be willing to write a purchase order and give the go-ahead.

More often than not, however, the process of selling and closing a bird job is a drawn-out process that requires different skills than those involved in selling a monthly treatment for other pests. In some cases PCOs are actually scared or even feel guilty about submitting a large bid for a project. In fact, we’ve seen PCOs talk themselves out of submitting a $9,000 bid only to see someone else win it for $11,000.

One of the main problems for pest control salespeople is that bird work is typically project-based work, comparable to a contractor adding on a family room to a house. It demands a significant effort and combination of resources, such as manpower, access equipment, tools, materials and much more. These ingredients must come together at the same time to guarantee a successful installation. Before that can happen, an experienced estimator must evaluate the site carefully, measure ledges and openings, make recommendations, and know exactly which products and how much of them to order when the customer gives the ‘OK’ to proceed. This entire process is more akin to roofers estimating and bidding a roof replacement project than it is to a PCO selling a monthly service program.

To implement a successful, full-service bird control program, a pest control company should appoint at least one mechanically inclined person to run this "division" within the company. Ideally, the person should have both sales and supervisory skills. And it is incumbent upon this individual to have a working familiarity of all products available and more than a passing knowledge of general construction.

There are numerous products on the market today, each offering its own unique features. Product durability and effectiveness range from short-term solutions such as plastic owls, to long-term solutions like spikes, coils, electrified tracks and exclusion netting. You can present both options to your client, but remember, it’s your reputation on the line. If you want to solve the problem for the long haul, you need to choose products that will do the job.

Also, many customers are concerned with the visibility of the product on their buildings, so you will need to know which products are the most appropriate options for them. There are an inordinate number of new products, videos and training programs, such as the Van Waters & Rogers/Bird Barrier two-day training class, available to assist you in learning about products and their installation so that you can become a player in the lucrative bird control market.

SELL YOURSELF FIRST. In addition to learning the mechanics of bird control, PCOs interested in the bird control market also need to understand the principles of selling bird control services. The following are tips that may help you become a successful bird control salesperson.

The first rule-of-thumb is confidence. Let’s face it, confidence sells. Therefore, when meeting with the client, focus on your knowledge and experience at solving problem bird situations. Let them know that you understand their particular problem and are the right person to solve it. Other companies may be bidding on the same job and you need to sell the client on why you are the best choice. Tell them about the training you have received, including any bird control certifications, pest control licenses and special college training courses you have taken. Be sure to tell them about prior bird problems you have solved, especially if they are similar and in the area. It is a good idea to carry with you a photo album of successful installations; this lets the customer know that you take bird control very seriously.

Next, let the client show you what they consider to be the main problem areas. They usually see only the most obvious problem areas and not the source of the problems or the additional damage that is being done. With this information, demonstrate your knowledge of bird control by explaining why the birds are attracted to the building and how your knowledge of "bird pressure" is going to help you select the proper products to permanently solve their bird problem. Remember, anyone can slap down a product, but it takes a professional to properly evaluate the situation and correctly implement the proper integrated bird control technique. Informed customers know this and will expect nothing less.

SHOW THEM IT’S AN INVESTMENT. Many customers are unaware of the costs of different solutions to their problem, and when they find out the cost of correctly solving the problem, they can be reluctant to move ahead. This is where you need to educate the customer on the problems that birds can create for their business, and the related costs.

Birds can be carriers of diseases that are responsible for ailments, viral infections and food poisoning. They contribute millions of dollars in property damage every year by defacing buildings and structures with droppings and nesting material. Give the customer an idea of how installing these products will actually save them money in the long run since they will need less of the following services: repainting; cleaning of gutters and drains; window washing; high pressure cleaning; replacing roofs, air conditioning units and exterior signs due to bird damage, etc. On loading docks or in other packaging areas, droppings that land in or on boxes can mean repackaging of entire shipments, and contaminated food products can mean a shut-down or worse from the health inspectors.

Try to get a handle on the customer’s bird-related costs by asking questions. For example: How many hours per week do your employees clean up this mess? What are the costs of repairing or replacing equipment? What are the long-term liabilities?

One PCO in California was asked to quote on a job for a city school bus maintenance facility. The pigeons in the rafters of the parking bays were making a horrible mess of the buses and the mechanics’ work areas. Twenty bus roofs had to be repainted every year, and five mechanics spent a total of 15 hours per week cleaning up the mess. The PCO added up the painting charges, and extended the 15 hours of labor out over five years, and came up with a bird-related cost of $100,000 over five years. His proposal for $14,000 of StealthNet was accepted in less than one week — extremely fast for city government.

DEMONSTRATE YOUR SOLUTIONS. Demonstrating solutions is perhaps the most important part of the process. If you are willing to put up a few feet of product on the customer’s building to prove its effectiveness and discretion, you will go a long way toward closing the deal.

Many people have a problem imagining the netting will disappear on their building, so it’s a good idea to apply a few feet and let them see for themselves. If you are proposing a ledge product, a sample application will show them just how unobtrusive they are. By doing this, you’re not only proving the products are not an eyesore, you’re also spending extra time with the customer and coming across as an expert. Your ability to put up a few feet of product in a few minutes will be impressive to them.

Perhaps the ultimate form of demonstration is to pick up your customer and take him or her to another similar installation. Let them get up close and also stand far away. Prove to them that it works, that other companies are spending money on this type of system, and that it looks great on a real building.

If you’re smart, you’ll time this visit around lunchtime so you can buy the customer a meal on the way back to their office. At the lunch (which of course you’ll pay for), talk about bird and pest work some of the time, but also get to know the person. Ask about their job, upbringing, interests, children, etc. You’ll form a friendship that will go a long way to getting you this deal and perhaps many others down the line.

SUBMIT A PROFESSIONAL PROPOSAL. Big and small customers deserve to have the facts explained to them. This is where you can really differentiate yourself from the rest of the bidders. Also, who knows if the person you will make the presentation to is actually the decision-maker. A quality proposal will ensure that the decision is made by someone who has all the facts.

The proposal should start with a description of the client’s problem and what products and means you propose to use to resolve it. Some jobs can result in substantial cost savings to the client; be sure to point out that repairs and services such as cleaning won’t be needed as often, if at all. Put it all in dollar figures. Explain that you only use quality, long-term products from reputable companies.

Show them color brochures, but not catalogs, of the products you will use. When appropriate, guarantee the results. Also, be sure to include photos of similar areas or other projects that you have successfully completed to give the client a "before" and "after" idea of how their building or area will look. Most people feel more comfortable about purchasing bird control services when they can see other installations and visualize the finished results. If you don’t yet have a "portfolio" of previous bird control jobs, check with the manufacturer of your bird control supplies and equipment. Some manufacturers, such as Bird Barrier, may be able to provide photographs of comparable bird control jobs.

Also, a client reference list with contact names from previous satisfied customers should help build your customer’s confidence in you as well. Additionally, make sure the report is printed on good quality paper and is bound together in an attractive booklet to create a professional image. All of this will help to ensure that you are the "expert" to hire for the job.

MAKE A PRESENTATION. More often than not the decision-maker would rather just read the proposal than hear a presentation. If your proposal is good, then you’re OK, but you’ll always be in a much better position if you can present yourself and your solutions to the decision-maker or makers. This is where you tie everything together — your knowledge, experience and dedication.

Show up at the meeting prepared to help the client solve a problem, not to pull a fast one. If you know an easy solution that will not cost the client very much money, tell them. This will gain you respect from the client and referrals in the future.

Explain to the client what their problem is and how you propose to solve it. Try to explain any terms that they may not be familiar with, such as "bird pressure" or "histoplasmosis." Lay it all out for them and then be prepared to answer questions. Ideally you should put together a photo album of as many jobs as possible to bring to your meetings with clients to show them visibly what you plan to do to their building and gain credibility with the number of jobs you have already completed. It also helps to bring samples of these products whenever possible so that you can demonstrate how durable these products are and give the client a better idea of how they work. Sometimes for board or larger group meetings, a slide presentation can be very effective. And be sure to have multiple copies of your proposal on hand.

CLOSE THE DEAL. You have put a lot of time and effort into this sale, and this isn’t the time to sit back and wait for the phone to ring. Keep in contact with the customer and be persistent, but not annoying. Ask what it would take to close the deal. If money is the stumbling block, offer to break the job into smaller parts — this spreads out the cost, and lessens its potential of interfering with the operation of the business. Another solution is to offer to finance the labor costs of the job over time and let the customer make payments — maybe ask for your material costs up front and then schedule the balance into payments. You can also concentrate on solving the worst problem-area first and handling the rest of the job at a later time.

You should encourage the client to contact your customer references to ask about your previous installations. Sometimes it takes hearing the information from an uninvolved third party to cinch a deal.

After you’ve won the bid and installed the products, your job is not completely finished. You should make sure to follow-up with the client a few weeks, a few months and even a year after the product is installed, to make sure the job was done to their satisfaction and that the products are doing what they are intended to do. They may have additional work in a new area or on another property that needs to be done and you’ll find out about it first. Also, following up with your clients after the job affirms their wise purchase decision. Furthermore, they will appreciate your consideration and be more likely to refer you to others in the future because of your excellent service.

Always remember that as you gain more experience you will also gain more referrals from these successful jobs and win more jobs as your confidence and portfolio grow. Keep working at it and you can carve a nice niche in this new and growing industry. Good luck.

Mark Thorsell is a salesman at Bird Barrier America, Inc., Redondo Beach, Calif. Cameron Riddell is president of Bird Barrier America.

Sidebar: BIRD CONTROL GUIDELINES AND PITFALLS

Treat the entire SALES process as it should be treated: like a very big deal.
A $15,000 bird job will probably require several meetings and follow-up calls. Don’t take a meeting or two, then drop the ball. Stay involved until you receive a definitive answer. Be prepared to make follow-up calls periodically. Some bird jobs take a year or more to sell.

Don’t talk negatively about birds.
Most customers like birds and don’t want their birds hurt, just moved. Your jokes about "rats with wings" will not be appreciated. Make it sound like you’re at least a bird-liker.

Be prepared. Have ALL THE MATERIALS you need at your evaluation meeting.
You should plan on getting all the information about the problem site at your first meeting. Take your meas-uring device, camera, worksheet, ladder etc. with you. Don’t bother the customer a second or third time because you didn’t get everything you needed on your first meeting.

Don’t badmouth your competition.
No matter how you say it, you just end up looking like a chump anytime you speak badly about a competitor. You know the old saying, "If you don’t have anything nice to say..." The bird control business in your city will grow faster if you and your competitors maintain a professional attitude about each other.

Know what you’re talking about.
You’re used to being the expert with rats, roaches, ants etc., but may not be comfortable with birds yet. Don’t go out to sell until you really understand what you’re selling; your lack of knowledge and confidence will be obvious to customers. Bird Barrier’s how-to videos (almost three hours of installation techniques) may help you out, and Bird Barrier’s two-day class will certainly help too. — Mike Killian of Bird Barrier