Why Your Best Salesperson Doesn't Work for You
You can spend thousands of dollars on fancy website copy, professional photography, and expensive ads. You can tell people you’re the best plumber in Chermside or the most reliable accountant in Milton until you’re blue in the face.
But here is the cold, hard truth: Nobody believes you.
They don't believe you because you have a vested interest in their wallet. Of course you’re going to say you’re great. But when a real person—someone who lives in their suburb and had the same problem they have—says you’re great? That is gold.
In Brisbane’s competitive small business scene, trust is the only currency that matters. If you want to stop competing on price and start getting more enquiries, you need video testimonials.
I’ve seen this work for dozens of Brisbane businesses. We worked with a landscaper out in the Redlands who struggled to close high-end jobs. People liked his work, but they were nervous about spending $50k. We helped him get three solid videos of past clients standing in their new backyards, talking about how he showed up on time and stayed on budget. His closing rate doubled in two months.
This isn't about "brand awareness" or "engagement." It’s about making your phone ring.
The Problem With Written Reviews
Don't get me wrong, Google Reviews are essential. You need those stars to show up in local searches. But written reviews are easy to fake, and everyone knows it.
Video is different. When a potential customer sees a real human being, hears the tone of their voice, and sees the sincerity in their eyes, the "scam sensor" in their brain turns off.
Using simple videos to get customers is the fastest way to bridge the gap between a stranger looking at your site and a customer booking a quote. You aren't just telling them you’re good; you’re proving it through the mouth of someone else.
What Makes a Video Testimonial Actually Make You Money?
Most business owners get this wrong. They think they need a film crew, a script, and a makeup artist. They think it needs to look like a TV commercial.
It doesn't. In fact, if it looks too polished, people will think you hired actors.
To actually get results, your video testimonials need three things:
1. A Relatable Problem: The customer needs to talk about the headache they had before they called you. "My roof was leaking every time it rained in Coorparoo, and three other guys couldn't fix it." 2. The Experience: Not just the result, but what it was like to work with you. Did you clean up? Were you polite? Did you answer the phone? 3. The Result: "Now my house is dry, and I didn't have to worry during the last big storm."
How to Get These Videos Without Being Annoying
I hear this all the time: "I don't want to bug my customers."
Look, I get it. You’ve finished the job, you’ve been paid, and you want to move on to the next one. But if you did a great job, your customers actually want to help you. You just have to make it easy for them.
The "Strike While the Iron is Hot" Rule
The best time to ask for a video is the moment the job is done and they are happiest. If you’re a tiler and the bathroom looks amazing, ask right then. If you’re a lawyer and you just won the case, ask right then.If you wait a week, the excitement has faded, and they’ve moved on to their own busy lives.
Use Your Phone
You don't need a $5,000 camera. You have a powerful tool in your pocket. Vertical videos on your phone are actually more effective because they look authentic. They look like something a real person would post, which makes them more believable.The 3-Question Script
Don't ask them to "give a testimonial." They’ll freeze up and sound like a robot. Instead, ask them these three questions while you record: 1. "What was the problem you were dealing with before we started?" 2. "How was the experience of working with us?" 3. "What would you tell someone else who is thinking about hiring us?"That’s it. That’s your video.
Where Most Businesses Waste Their Money
I see businesses spend $3,000 on a single, highly-produced testimonial video and then hide it on a "Testimonials" page that nobody ever visits. This is a massive waste of money.
One video is a fluke. Five videos is a pattern. Ten videos is a reputation.
You are better off having ten raw, honest videos filmed on an iPhone than one slick video that feels like an ad. People buy from people. Showing the real you and your real customers wins more business every single time.
Where to Put These Videos to Get More Calls
Once you have these videos, you need to put them where they will actually do some work. Don't just dump them on YouTube and hope for the best.
1. Right Next to Your Contact Form
When someone is on your "Contact Us" page, they are right on the edge of making a decision. They are often feeling a bit of "buyer's remorse" before they’ve even bought. Seeing a video of a happy customer right next to that form can be the final nudge they need to hit 'submit'.2. On Your Service Pages
If you have a page for "Kitchen Renovations," put a video of a happy kitchen renovation customer on that page. Don't make people go looking for proof; put the proof right in front of them while they are reading about what you do.3. In Your Email Signature
How many emails do you send a day to potential leads? Put a link that says "See what our Brisbane clients say about us" with a link to a video. It builds trust passively while you go about your day.4. Facebook and Instagram Ads
If you’re paying for ads in Brisbane, stop using stock photos of people shaking hands. Use a video of a local customer. I’ve seen ad costs drop by 40% just by switching from a generic image to a customer testimonial video.The Cost: What Should You Expect to Pay?
If you do this yourself using your phone, the cost is $0 and about 10 minutes of your time per customer.
If you want to hire a professional to come out and film a few at once, expect to pay anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 depending on the quality and how many locations they have to visit.
My advice? Start with your phone. Get into the habit of asking. Once you see the phone ringing more often because of those raw videos, then you can consider investing in a professional to polish up your "greatest hits."
How Long Until You See Results?
This isn't like SEO where you have to wait six months for Google to notice you.
If you put a solid customer video on your homepage today, you could see a difference in the number of enquiries you get this week. It’s an immediate trust-builder. When people see that others in their community trust you, they feel safe to call you.
The "Too Shy" Customer: How to Handle It
Some customers will say, "I love your work, but I hate being on camera."
Don't push them. Instead, ask if you can take a photo of them with the finished project and use their written words. Or, ask if you can record their voice over a video of the finished job. It’s not as powerful as seeing their face, but it’s 100x better than just text on a screen.
Another trick? Offer a small incentive. Not a bribe for a good review, but a thank you for their time. A $50 Bunnings voucher or a local coffee shop gift card goes a long way in showing you appreciate them helping your small business grow.
Stop Overthinking and Start Recording
Most of what you read online about video marketing is rubbish designed to make it sound complicated so you'll hire an agency. It’s not complicated.
It’s just about capturing the truth.
If you’re a Brisbane business owner and you’re proud of the work you do, let your customers tell the world. It’s the most honest, effective, and cheapest way to grow your business.
You don't need a script. You don't need an "algorithm strategy." You just need a happy customer and a smartphone.
If you want help figuring out how to use these videos to actually drive more sales, or if you want someone to handle the technical side of getting them onto your site and working for you, that’s what we do.
At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about "likes" or "views." We care about how many new customers you got this month.
Ready to grow your Brisbane business? Contact us today and let’s talk about a plan that actually works.