Florida PCO’s 15-Year-Old Son Designs Company’s Direct Mail Postcards

SANFORD, Fla. — In planning his company’s next marketing campaign Scott Milliron, owner of Bug Brigade, decided to he talents of his 15-year-old son Austin, an art enthusiast who also has experience using computer-generated graphics. The end-result is a catchy direct mail postcard that has proven to be a successful marketing tool for the Sanford, Fla.-based pest control company.

“He loves art, loves computers and has an interest in animation so this was an opportunity to support him with that,” said Scott Milliron.

The direct mail postcard Austin created has at its centerpiece the Bug Brigade logo, which is surrounded by graphics. The flip side includes the company’s contact information, a coupon and the catchy phrase “Some bugs belong in a collection…no bugs belong in your home.”

Scott Milliron said he began the direct mail campaign in January. He purchased from the county a list of homes valued at $250,000 and more. “Since we’ve been in business our service area has been within a 20-mile radius, so our goal has been to add customers to fill in this area,” Milliron said.

Milliron said another reason direct mail appealed to him was because Bug Brigade had some early success with online advertising, but that “it was beginning to become difficult to compete with the big guys.”

Direct mail has given his company a way to differentiate itself from competitors, Milliron said. Through April, Bug Brigades revenues were up 38 percent from last year and Milliron said the direct mail campaign is “a piece of that puzzle.”

“I was talking to (a homeowner) the other day and I explained that I was with Bug Brigade and he said ‘Oh yeah, I got your postcard. I put it in a drawer. We will call you if we need you.’ So I think it’s something that sticks in people’s memories,” Milliron said.

Milliron, a 15-year industry veteran, opened Bug Brigade in 2002. The company now includes his wife, Patty, and two other service technicians.