2024 Curated Content*
Our editorial philosophy is focused on helping industry professionals do their jobs more effectively, efficiently and profitably by providing a balance of business-and technical-related content.
*Editorial Calendar is tentative and subject to change.
January/February
The Legislative Issue
Features:
- Busy Season for State Legislatures
- In last year’s sessions, our industry accomplished significant victories by working diligently to prevent any negative or burdensome outcomes in states with unfavorable political dynamics.
- The Importance of State-Level Pesticide Preemption
- Many state legislatures have considered rolling back their system of state-level pesticide preemption, impacting the ability of our industry to do business by creating a patchwork of local laws.
- NPMA Grows Relationship with EPA
- NPMA has grown our relationship with EPA through continued dialogue with the agency on the importance of our industry as stewards of public health and safety and the impact of proposed rules.
Deadlines & Distribution
Ad Space date: October 20, 2023
Materials deadline: October 23, 2023
Ships: December 2023
Bonus Distribution:
- Eastern Conference | January 18-19
- Wildlife Conference | February 6-8
March/April
Team Development
Features:
- Taking Your Company Culture to the Next Level
- How can you truly connect with your employees and build a company with a rock-solid culture? This article will look at ways to maintain a consistent culture and keep people engaged, even with multiple branches and remote employees.
- Sidebar: Creating a “culture club”—a group of non-manager employees who pick social events the company will participate in.
- How can you truly connect with your employees and build a company with a rock-solid culture? This article will look at ways to maintain a consistent culture and keep people engaged, even with multiple branches and remote employees.
- Developing Your Leadership
- Picking the right leaders and giving them the best training is crucial to your success as a company. We will look at how to select the strongest managers and how to groom employees towards a management path, as well as providing effective leadership training.
- Sidebar: NPMA’s Executive Leadership Program, which identifies and trains aspiring association leaders to establish a pipeline of engaged members.
- Picking the right leaders and giving them the best training is crucial to your success as a company. We will look at how to select the strongest managers and how to groom employees towards a management path, as well as providing effective leadership training.
- Bridging the Gap Between Operations and Administration
- A connected workforce can break through communication barriers. This article will show you how to ensure all departments understand what each job entails through training and transparency. We’ll show the benefits of communicating common company goals and providing insight into all departments, as well as setting up ride-alongs with tech staff to increase transparency.
Deadlines & Distribution
Ad Space date: December 27, 2023
Materials deadline: December 23, 2023
Ships: February 2024
Bonus Distribution:
- Legislative Day 2024 | March 10-12
May/June
Technology
Features:
- Measuring ROI on Technology
- Technology improvements can be vital to your business, but how do you know the technology you choose will truly make a difference? We’ll look at maximizing the use of technology through picking the right new tech and effectively training your employees.
- Communication Compliance
- Privacy laws for consumer data vary across states and countries (California, Connecticut, Canada/CASL, Europe/GDPR, for example). These laws have several provisions in common, such as the right to access and delete personal information and to opt-out of the sale of personal information. This article will discuss who is responsible for ensuring compliance.
- What’s the Time and Place for AI?
- Artificial intelligence has taken the world by storm. But how can you use this new technology to benefit your business? We will look at practical applications that are possible with AI, including pest detection, creating effective treatment plans, greater safety and accuracy, and more.
Deadlines & Distribution
Ad Space date: February 26, 2024
Materials deadline: February 27, 2024
Ships: April 2024
Bonus Distribution:
- Women’s Forum | May 7-9
- Workforce Summit | May 9-10
- Executive Leadership Forum | June 11-13
July/August
Customer Service
Features:
- Providing A+ Customer Service to your Clients
- How can you provide A+ customer service for your clients? This article will look at ways to create a real connection with both external and internal customers (your employees) so that you overdeliver on a daily basis and really wow your clients.
- How to Say No
- It’s never easy to say no, but at times, it’s needed. This article will look at how to turn down accounts if requests fall outside of your normal scope of work, finding the right clients that fit with your operation, and couching “no” in a way that allows you to retain integrity and your community standing.
- Sidebar: Saying no to employees who push for things that don’t work for you.
- It’s never easy to say no, but at times, it’s needed. This article will look at how to turn down accounts if requests fall outside of your normal scope of work, finding the right clients that fit with your operation, and couching “no” in a way that allows you to retain integrity and your community standing.
- Dealing with Customer Attitudes
- We’ve all dealt with it: some clients have an attitude problem, especially after the pandemic. How do you handle these customers? We’ll look at equipping your employees with the tools to handle problem clients while protecting them mentally, and possibly providing emotional training for your team.
- Sidebar: Soliciting client feedback through different channels.
- We’ve all dealt with it: some clients have an attitude problem, especially after the pandemic. How do you handle these customers? We’ll look at equipping your employees with the tools to handle problem clients while protecting them mentally, and possibly providing emotional training for your team.
Deadlines & Distribution
Ad Space date: TBD
Materials deadline: TBD
Ships: TBD
Bonus Distribution:
- Academy | July 16-18
- Mid-Atlantic Summer Conference | July 25-27
September/October
Employee Management
PestWorld Show Issue
Features:
- The Generation Gap
- With Generation Z entering the workforce, the divide between generations is growing. Recognizing the differences between generational work styles can help bridge this gap. This article will help you to recognize the differences and manage to each generation.
- Sidebar: Training entire workforce on technology vital to your business.
- With Generation Z entering the workforce, the divide between generations is growing. Recognizing the differences between generational work styles can help bridge this gap. This article will help you to recognize the differences and manage to each generation.
- The Current Workforce Shortage
- As in many industries, there’s a workforce shortage in pest management—but it’s a shortage of the right people. This article will look at hiring the right employees through rigorous vetting and recruiting practices, and how to avoid deviating from your core values while bringing in new employees. We’ll also look at effective onboarding, as well as working with your employees’ skill sets, putting the right person in the right position, and coaching for the skills you need.
- Sidebar: Evaluating employees with personality tests such as DISC
- Sidebar: NPMA’s Workforce Development Program
- As in many industries, there’s a workforce shortage in pest management—but it’s a shortage of the right people. This article will look at hiring the right employees through rigorous vetting and recruiting practices, and how to avoid deviating from your core values while bringing in new employees. We’ll also look at effective onboarding, as well as working with your employees’ skill sets, putting the right person in the right position, and coaching for the skills you need.
- How to Motivate Your Team
- To motivate staff to hit important company goals, many companies use incentive programs—but do they really work? Not all employees are incented by the same things—do you offer money, time or something else? We’ll look at ways to motivate, including incentive programs, verbal praise, team-driven incentives and more.
- Sidebar: Book: The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People by Gary Chapman
- To motivate staff to hit important company goals, many companies use incentive programs—but do they really work? Not all employees are incented by the same things—do you offer money, time or something else? We’ll look at ways to motivate, including incentive programs, verbal praise, team-driven incentives and more.
Deadlines & Distribution
Ad Space date: TBD
Materials deadline: TBD
Ships: TBD
Bonus Distribution:
- PestWorld 2024 | October 22-25
November/December
Legal Issues
Features:
- Customer Service Agreements
- Not everyone requires clients to sign written agreements. This article will give the pros and cons of agreements and will also give the possible value of not having written agreements, plus potential legal implications of taking that route.
- Sidebar: QualityPro contract resources.
- Not everyone requires clients to sign written agreements. This article will give the pros and cons of agreements and will also give the possible value of not having written agreements, plus potential legal implications of taking that route.
- How to Find a Lawyer
- When you need to seek a lawyer, it can be difficult to find someone who knows the ins and outs of the pest control industry. This article will show best practices for finding the right legal counsel, also delving into when to pursue lawsuits and how to handle issues without hiring an attorney.
- Sidebar: The proper channels and procedures when you are being sued.
- When you need to seek a lawyer, it can be difficult to find someone who knows the ins and outs of the pest control industry. This article will show best practices for finding the right legal counsel, also delving into when to pursue lawsuits and how to handle issues without hiring an attorney.
- Working with Other Trades
- Working within multiple industries (like HVAC, etc.) can be complicated, especially with the regulations involved. This article will look at strategies for juggling regulations from various industries.
- Sidebar: Making effective referrals for other industries.
- Working within multiple industries (like HVAC, etc.) can be complicated, especially with the regulations involved. This article will look at strategies for juggling regulations from various industries.
Deadlines & Distribution
Ad Space date: TBD
Materials deadline: TBD
Ships: TBD
Bonus Distribution:
- TBD
In Every Issue
President’s Message: An update from the NPMA President
Marketing Corner: Tips and tricks to effectively market your company
Ask the Expert: Readers ask the tough questions, and NPMA staff provides expert answers
Standards: Issues and updates relating to standards and regulations, plus QualityPro updates
Calendar of Events: A list of all upcoming association events
What’s the Buzz? A Q&A with an NPMA member