Dear Mosquito Squad Franchisees,

In this month’s Squad Zone, I want to provide several updates for you.

First, as we approach the mid-point of the year, I want to update you on the goal to hit $125,000,000 in systemwide sales. Year to date, we have generated $93,650,000 in sales, and this is up 4% over last year. While this increase is slower than prior years, we are hopeful that this trend will reverse with better weather across the country. Stay sharp and be ready because the season is about to hit! Thank you for your hard work and dedication!

Second, we have completed our mid-year marketing and call audits. For the marketing audits, we compared your budgeted spend with your actual spend to see if you were “on track” to meet your required marketing spend for the year. Many of you are meeting your plan - thank you! Some of you are not and are not on track to meet your minimum required marketing spend. Please double-check your budgets; if you are not on pace to meet your spend, now is the time to market your business. Don’t wait until it is too late. 

For the call audits, we found that almost 18% of calls are going unanswered or going to voicemail. In times when competition is tough and we are having to fight for every customer, we cannot allow calls to go unanswered. Our close rate is almost 10% lower this year over last year and this high percentage of missed calls is contributing to the lower close rate. Please audit your own team. We will share our results with each franchise.

Finally, we have been working hard on the Annual Conference, and the agenda is shaping up nicely. As you know, we will be back in Orlando, Florida from November 1-3rd at a NEW venue - the Orlando World Center Marriott. Please block off these dates on your calendar. More information will be coming out soon.



Sincerely,

Tom Swift, COO

 In This Issue

• Scorpion Spend
• PulseM Cancellation Reminder
• USPS Postage Increase
• MSQ on TikTok
• Marketing Team Update
• Core Values Posters
• Squad Talks: Buzzworthy Wednesdays
• Ask Emma the Entomologist
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America Partnership
• Authority Brands' 2023 Annual Convention
• Authority Brands' Referral Program

Communications & Marketing Updates

Have You Checked Your Scorpion Spend Pacing?

Don't forget you can view your monthly digital marketing spend in the Scorpion Dashboard. As we get closer to the end of the month, you may need to add additional funds if you feel you are at risk of losing leads if your spending pace is exceeding budget. Take a look at the “fuel gauge” and your spend-by-day in your Marketing Dashboard in the Scorpion Platform.

PulseM 60-Day Cancellation Reminder

Remember, PulseM requires 60 days to deactivate. Right now, the Marketing Team has the last month of service based on what you have entered in the LMPBP on Franconnect.

If you need to make an adjustment or cancel your service, contact the Marketing Team so they can inform PulseM before the 60-day window.

USPS Postage Increase

Effective July 9, the USPS will be raising the rates on postage. For our EDDM saturation mail, the postage increase will be 1 cent per piece. BuyMax has negotiated with Spectrum to make sure the cost of our mailer will not increase by more than 1 cent per piece. This increase only applies to mail being delivered after July 9.

Core Values in The Marketing Shoppe

Mosquito Squad's Core Values are available for download in The Marketing Shoppe. The posters come in two different sizes and include:

• Accountability
• Customer Focus
• Environmentally Safe Products and Services
• Maintaining Integrity
• Superior Knowledge
• Respect
• Safety First

Below are two examples:

Mosquito Squad on TikTok

Round of applause to all the MSQ locations jumping on TikTok! Keep growing your social media audience by educating your followers, leveraging trends, and engaging with your followers. Stay creative and be persistent!

Marketing Team Update

Everyone’s favorite Marketing Manager, Harry Irving, will be taking parental leave beginning June 26^th. While Harry is spending time with his son, Sawyer, the MSQ team has implemented a comprehensive coverage plan to manage requests and support for the brand.

The marketing team is also adding a new team member, Jessica Steedman. Jessica will continue to work with the Mosquito Squad team even after Harry returns from his leave. Jessica has experience working with both Mosquito Squad and The Cleaning Authority to provide Local Marketing Program support to owners and vendors.

Please see below for direct contact information:

Jessica Steedman - will be assisting with LMP questions, budget updates, LMP vendor support, and resolving help desk tickets.

Toni Walker - will continue to be the primary contact for artwork requests, marketing shop assistance, and other design-related needs.

Melissa Powell - will continue to be the primary contact for any communications, social media, and content needs while also managing additional website responsibilities (content updates and support).

Chris Neal - will be managing the strategic brand initiatives and primary NAF-funded projects.

During this time, Chris Neal and the Marketing Team will still work directly with the Mosquito Squad Executive team to put together strategic recommendations for the Mosquito Squad brand.

Harry will return in September, at which time we will be finalizing our 2023 convention planning and key 2024 initiatives, many of which are already underway. 

If you need assistance with marketing, please continue to direct your questions and requests to [email protected] and our team monitoring the Help Desk will get your email to the correct person.

Have you checked your LMP Dashboard?

The LMP Dashboard has been updated for the 2023 season to give more insights into the key performance indicators of your PulseM, Scorpion, and Spectrum Spend!

The Dashboard can be accessed by clicking the “Authority Brands Analytics” button in Franconnect.

Please contact Sam Sorenson if you have any issues accessing your LMP dashboard. 

Changes To Facebook Jobs

Facebook recently announced the shutdown of its Jobs feature, which allowed businesses to post job listings and receive applications directly through the platform. The shutdown took place on February 22, 2023.

There are still many other ways franchise owners can utilize Facebook and other social media channels for recruitment efforts, such as directing job seekers to active job links on their Careers Page, Indeed, CareerPlug and any other job board they may use. Please see below for a list of resources.

Social Media on FranConnect

Don't forget: You can find the monthly social media package on FranConnect. Log in to FranConnect and follow the path below to locate social media assets.



Mosquito Squad Documents > Marketing > Online Marketing and Social Media Assets > 2023 Social Media and Online Marketing Assets

Have questions about the content? Please email Communications Manager, Melissa Powell, at [email protected].

Squad Talks: Buzzworthy Wednesdays with Mosquito Squad

MSQ's new webinar series officially kicked off last month. It's where members of the team as well as guest speakers share insights and best practices on various topics each week. These webinars provide valuable information to benefit you and your business as we keep you updated on the latest Squad happenings.

Squad Talks: Buzzworthy Wednesdays with Mosquito Squad is every Wednesday at 3PM/EST. After you register, you'll receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to join the webinar. You don't want to miss out!

Ask the Entomologist!

Question: Where are the mosquitoes? How do weather patterns influence mosquito pressure?

Mosquito trends have been slow to start this season, and weather patterns across the US are to blame. If you tuned into our Buzzworthy Wednesdays at the end of May, Dr. Vandock covered why weather patterns are important indicators for mosquito pressure and what to expect as the season goes on.

To recap:

If you are located in the Eastern US, you know first-hand the differences in temperature, climate, and pests this season compared to summers past. A mild, wet winter that led into a cool, wet spring has kept temperatures below the average. These cooler temperatures have kept mosquito pressure low as it’s been too cool for them to emerge, fly about, and host find. Though mosquitoes have been slow to emerge, the wet season has created lots of breeding sites, and according to Dr. Vandock, once temperatures rise to warmer degrees, these breeding sites will explode with mosquitoes.

If you are located in the Western US, spring temperatures have been fairly normal. However, heavy snowpack and low drought has also allowed ample mosquito breeding grounds to establish throughout western regions. Though mosquitoes may still be overwintering or waiting for summer heat waves to trigger emergence, Dr. Vandock assures that the mosquitoes are there and ready to swarm.

Regardless of your region, it’s important to understand that while weather and climate have been unusual this year, it has not been unpredictable. Phasing of temperatures, precipitation, and pest pressures is normal in the pest control world. While there is little we can do to control the weather, there is much we can do to be prepared for spikes in mosquito populations once the weather warms up.

What should I do in the meantime?

As mosquito season becomes more delayed this year, now is an excellent time to make sure your team is well versed in the insect pests native to your region. “No one should know the mosquitoes in your backyard better than you,” said Dr. Vandock, and he’s absolutely right. Mosquito species differ from coast to coast and even within regions. Take this time to review the pests in your region and the current news and trends in your neck of the woods.

Also, keep your team informed on new and emerging insect pests in your region. Google Alerts is a great resource to get scheduled emails containing current news stories and media pieces based on the topics you want to be informed on. You can enter your districts, counties, mosquito species, and other region-specific information as keywords, and Google Alerts will parse through current news pieces and compile them into an email that you can look through.

Finally, while mosquitoes are slow to emerge, wet, cool climates are the perfect temperature for our other target pest… ticks!

Ticks are At Large!

Ticks are thriving across the US as temperatures remain damp and cool. Like other arthropods, ticks are susceptible to drying out and dying when exposed to dry, hot climates, and during warmer seasons ticks tend to hide in dense foliage or with and on animal hosts. However, with current weather patterns being cooler than normal, ticks have been able to increase their breeding cycles 4-5 times their normal rates this year. Animal host migrations have also allowed ticks to spread further south and west than usual, making ticks more of a nation-wide pest than in years past.

While you and your team prep for mosquitoes, don’t be surprised by requests for tick services this summer. In fact, keep a close eye on tick trends in your area so you can be proactive in your treatment initiatives.

Want to know more about current pest trends?

Reach out to Emma the Entomologist at [email protected] !

P&L Reports Due On the 5th

DON'T FORGET! Your monthly P&L is due to Monthly Reports on the 5th of the month. If it's not received by the 10th of the month, it will be considered late. 

We will be enforcing a late fee charge of $100 per report per month. We ask that you please send in your reports on time.

Operational Leaderboard

Congratulations to the highest grossing locations!

(Based on a trailing 365 day unit of measurement.)

For live, searchable and sortable results, click below. 

Questions? Email Business Advisor, Hugh Jones, at [email protected]. 

Mosquito Squad's Re-Sale Listings

Thinking of expanding your business in 2023? Click the link below to see a current list of Mosquito Squad units available for sale.

Partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America



Mosquito Squad is now an official partner of Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). We encourage each of you to consider how you can help local Boys & Girls Club members develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the workforce. If you are looking for new ways to tap into the communities you serve, teaming up with BGCA is a great option. Start by telling us you’re interested.

SAVE THE DATE!

Authority Brands 2023 Convention

November 1-3, 2023

Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida 

We hope you’ll join us this November for the Authority Brands 2023 Convention! All franchise owners from Authority Brands will be gathering together to learn and share, hear crucial business updates, and maximize our future growth together. Mark your calendars now and be on the look out for registration and hotel booking this summer. Do you have an idea of what you’d like to learn or see or experience at Convention? Let us know! 

As a reminder, please do not book your hotel room directly through the Orlando World Center Marriott. Rooms at our special rate can be booked during registration!

You could earn $15,000 if you refer a friend, family member or colleague to the Authority Brands family! 

We are happy to continue the Here We Grow franchise owner referral program in 2023. From now until September 1, 2023, when you refer a friend, family member or colleague to one of our brands, you become eligible to earn the following rewards:

• A $100 Visa Gift card for your first three qualified leads
• Entry into a “jackpot” raffle at our next Convention. Each referral that closes on or before October 31, 2023, adds $5,000 to the “jackpot”
• If one of your referral leads becomes a franchise owner, we’ll write you a check for $15,000 within 10 business days

The process is simple, submit the information for your qualified candidate and a little bit about you in the form below.

Tell Us More

Hey owners! What would you love to hear about in future newsletters? Tell us by emailing [email protected].



Mosquito Squad Owner Newsletter

June 2023| Website