If there’s one thing that separates a profitable pest control company from a chaotic one, it’s route density. At Pest Badger, we’ve scaled to over $10 million in revenue largely by getting this one thing right.

Let’s break it down.

What Is Route Density?

Route density is simple: the more customers you have in a tight geographical area, the more profitable your business becomes.

Fewer miles means less gas, less windshield time, more jobs per day, and higher pay for your team. Your technicians are happier. Your customers get faster service. And your bottom line gets stronger.

But it all starts with knowing your target market. We serve 300,000+ homes, and 67% of our customer base is women — mostly moms with pets, kids, and active households. That’s who we market to. That’s who we build routes around.

Why Most Companies Struggle with Routing

The biggest mistake I see? Companies taking every job that comes in, even if it's 45 minutes apart. I’ve been there myself — hustling across town for just four stops in a day. It’s exhausting, inefficient, and not scalable.

When you’re first starting out, I get it. You need revenue. But once you know your ideal customer, it’s time to tighten things up.

All your marketing — postcards, door hangers, Facebook ads, door knocking — needs to focus on the same neighborhoods. That’s how you build true route density.

Market Saturation is the Goal

Once you’ve picked your ideal neighborhood, go all in. Here’s what I recommend:

• Postcards — Instead of hitting 1,000 random homes once, hit 200 homes five times throughout the year.

• Door hangers — Use them before and after service. It builds awareness and trust.

• Cloverleaf strategy — Two houses to the left, two to the right, and five across the street. Own that block.

• Facebook ads — Geo-target the same zip codes or neighborhoods your postcards go to.

• Yard signs and lawn signs — Drop them at every serviced home and at the neighborhood entrance.

People need to see you 7 to 20 times before they buy. The goal is full saturation — where the whole neighborhood knows who you are, and referrals start happening naturally.

Don’t Quit Too Early

Too many people try a strategy once and give up. They run one postcard campaign, get low results, and think it doesn’t work.

The truth? Most marketing doesn’t work the first time. You’ve got to stick with it. Build a marketing calendar. Plan your seasonal offers in advance. Watch the weather (yes, seriously — rain kills call volume). The results build over time if you stay consistent.

Start Small If You Need To

If you're on a tight budget, that’s okay. Door knocking is free. You can design your own postcards or door hangers online for cheap. Facebook ads can be dialed down to $5–10/day in a specific area.

You don’t need to hit the whole city. Focus your time and money on the few neighborhoods you actually want to dominate.

If I had just $1,000, I’d split it like this:

• $400 on postcards to one neighborhood

• $200 on door hangers

• $300 on Facebook ads to that same area

• $100 for yard signs and miscellaneous

Then I’d walk that neighborhood personally and knock doors with confidence.

The Power of Repetition

The best results I’ve seen came from running everything in sync — postcards, Facebook ads, door knocking, door hangers, yard signs — all at the same time in the same neighborhood.

People start saying, “Man, I’ve seen you guys everywhere.”

That’s exactly what you want.

Even if you’re paying your techs on commission or pay-for-performance, tighter routes mean more stops and bigger paychecks. One of our best days came from a tech who stayed within two miles all day and hit 25 homes.

That’s what route density makes possible.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t rocket science — it’s just focus and consistency. Pick your customer avatar. Pick your neighborhood. Then stack all your efforts in that area over and over.

That’s how we scaled fast. And if you stick with it, that’s how you will too.