Stop Throwing Money at Problems AI Can Solve for $30
I see it every week here in Brisbane. A business owner—maybe a builder in Coorparoo or a boutique law firm in the CBD—gets overwhelmed. They’re busy, the phone won’t stop ringing, and they know they need to "do some marketing" to keep the pipeline full.
Their first instinct? "I’ll hire a junior. A uni student or a marketing grad. They’re young, they know social media, and they can handle the grunt work."
Ten years ago, that was the right move. Today? It’s often a massive waste of money.
I’m going to be blunt: Most junior marketers spend 70% of their time doing things an AI tool can do in six seconds for the price of a couple of coffees. If you are paying a $60,000 salary plus super and office space for someone to write basic emails and post on Facebook, you are burning cash.
But wait—before you go and fire everyone and replace them with a robot, there’s a catch. AI can’t think. It doesn’t know your customers in Chermside like you do. It doesn't care if your business makes a profit or goes bust.
In this guide, I’m going to break down the cold, hard reality of AI versus a junior staff member. No jargon, just the facts on what will make you more money and save you the most time.
The True Cost: A $60k Salary vs. a $30 Subscription
Let’s look at the numbers. Most small business owners forget the "hidden" costs of hiring a person.
The Junior Marketer: Salary: $55,000 - $65,000 Superannuation: Approx. $7,000 Equipment: Laptop, desk, software licenses ($3,000 upfront) Management Time: Your time is worth money. You’ll spend at least 5 hours a week training them, checking their work, and answering questions. At $150/hr (minimum for a business owner), that’s $39,000 a year in your time. Total Reality Cost: Over $100,000 per year.
The AI Alternative: Software: $30 - $200 per month. Training: A few hours of learning how to give it the right instructions. Total Reality Cost: Under $3,000 per year.
If you’re a tradie or a local shop owner, that $97,000 difference is a brand-new ute, a massive local ad campaign, or a very nice holiday.
However, AI and marketing automation aren't magic. If you don't know how to use them, they are just another monthly bill. The goal isn't just to save money; it's to get more customers through the door.
Speed: Why Waiting 3 Days for a Draft is Killing Your Sales
In business, speed wins. If a lead comes in through your website at 8:00 PM on a Tuesday, they want an answer now.
A junior marketer starts at 9:00 AM on Wednesday. They check the emails by 10:30 AM. They draft a reply and ask you for approval by 2:00 PM. You’re out on a job, so you don't see it until Thursday morning. By the time that email goes out, your potential customer has already booked with your competitor in Indooroopilly who answered their phone.
AI doesn't sleep. It doesn't take lunch breaks. It doesn't get "writer's block."
You can set up systems where AI drafts the response, pulls the price from your list, and sends it to the customer before they’ve even closed their browser. That is how you win more jobs.
I’ve seen this work for dozens of Brisbane businesses. A local pest control company we know switched from a manual enquiry process to an automated one. They didn't hire more staff; they just made their response time instant. Their bookings went up by 40% in two months.
Accuracy: The "Human Touch" Myth
People always say, "But AI makes mistakes!"
Newsflash: Junior marketers make mistakes too. They misspell your suburb name. They forget to include the link to your booking page. They get the pricing wrong because they used an old spreadsheet.
When AI makes a mistake, it’s usually because the person using it gave it bad instructions. When a human makes a mistake, it’s often because they’re tired, bored, or distracted by their phone.
If you want to stop prompting junk and actually get high-quality work out of these tools, you have to treat the AI like an employee that needs clear, written rules. Once those rules are set, the AI will follow them 1,000 times perfectly. A junior will need to be reminded every Monday.
Where Juniors Win (And Why You Might Still Need One)
I’m not here to tell you that AI is perfect for everything. There are things a human will always do better than a computer—at least for now.
1. Local Knowledge: AI doesn't know that traffic on Gympie Road is a nightmare at 4:00 PM. It doesn't know the difference between the vibe in West End versus Ascot. If your marketing needs to feel deeply local, you need a human brain to check it. 2. Relationships: AI can’t go to a networking breakfast at the local Chamber of Commerce. It can’t shake hands with a property manager to get your plumbing firm on their preferred list. 3. Complex Strategy: AI is great at executing tasks, but it’s rubbish at deciding what your business should do next to grow. It can write a Facebook post, but it can't tell you if you should stop doing residential work and focus entirely on commercial contracts.
The Hybrid Model: The Real Winner
If you really want to grow, the answer isn't "AI vs. Human." It’s "Human using AI."
Instead of hiring a junior to do the work of one person, you hire a smart person (or use your own time) and use AI to do the work of five people.
For example, we worked with a landscaper in Morningside. He was spending his Sundays writing quotes and trying to post on Instagram. He was exhausted. We showed him how to use AI for scheduling and content creation. Now, he spends 30 minutes on a Sunday, and the AI handles the rest of his week’s admin and marketing. He didn't need to hire a $60k assistant; he just needed the right tools.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re feeling the pinch and need more hands on deck, don't rush to Seek.com.au. Do this first:
1. Audit your time: For one week, write down every marketing task you do. Writing emails? Posting to Facebook? Updating the website? 2. Test the AI: Take the most boring, repetitive task on that list and try a tool like ChatGPT or Claude. Give it a specific instruction: "Write a 3-paragraph email to a customer who just asked for a quote on a new deck. Mention we are based in Brisbane and offer a 10-year warranty." 3. Look at the result: Is it 80% as good as what you would write? If yes, you’ve just found your new "junior marketer" for the cost of a sandwich.
The Final Word
Most of what you read online about AI is rubbish written by people who have never run a real business with a payroll to meet. They want it to sound complicated so they can charge you for consulting.
It’s not complicated. It’s about leverage.
In 2024 and beyond, the Brisbane businesses that thrive won't be the ones with the biggest offices full of staff. They’ll be the ones that use technology to stay lean, react fast, and keep their overheads low.
Don't hire a junior because you're stressed. Fix your systems first. You’ll find that a few well-placed AI tools can do more for your bank balance than a new employee ever could.
Ready to stop wasting money and start getting more phone calls?
At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane business owners cut through the noise and use the tools that actually work. No jargon, just results.
Contact Local Marketing Group today to see how we can grow your business.