PPMA Announces Availability of Consumer Research Studies

FAIRFAX, Va. — The Professional Pest Management Alliance has announced the availability of four in-depth consumer research studies on one user-friendly compact disc. Created to help industry professionals understand consumer attitudes toward pests and the pest control industry, the research provides a peak into the lives of current, former and never-users of professional pest control.

The CD includes four separate research studies in Microsoft Powerpoint files. Research studies conducted since 2001 include: How American Consumers View Household Pests (2001); Views on Common Pests (2003); Protectors of Health and Property (2004); and Pest Control Attitudes and Usage (2005).

“After conducting four separate research studies since 2001, we wanted to provide a premiere educational resource for industry professionals with the information they need to understand current users as well as non-users of professional pest control,” said Cindy Mannes, executive director of PPMA.

Although all four studies researched consumer attitudes toward pests and professional pest control, they each provide unique findings and together cover a wide variety of topics and issues related to the pest control industry. Also included on each CD are marketing tips that pest professionals can use within their own business to better market their services and reach out to current and potential customers.

A few of many interesting findings that can be found on the CD are:

• Less than 10% of total homeowners had a negative feeling towards professional pest control (2005).
• Respondents concern about certain pests rose significantly higher when associated with a health threat (2004).
• 72% of homeowners believe that professional pest control services are more effective than store bought home remedies (2003).
• Termites are the most likely pest to inspire Americans to call a pest control professional if they were bothered by them in their home (2001).

PPMA contributors help fund these extensive research studies each year and will receive the research series CD free of charge. “Purchasing the CD qualifies you as a PPMA contributor and entitles you to all benefits that come with that attribution,” noted Mannes. “PPMA contributors have access to the acclaimed Pride & Professionalism video series, reduced pricing for consumer brochures and billstuffers, and more.”

The CD is available for purchase for a minimum $250 donation and can be obtained by contacting PPMA Executive Director, Cindy Mannes, at cmannes@pestworld.org or at 703-352.6762. Proceeds collected from sales of the research CD will help fund future marketing initiatives on behalf of the pest control industry.