Stop Chasing the Whole City and Start Owning Your Street
If you’re running a business in Brisbane—whether you’re a sparky in Coorparoo, a cafe owner in North Lakes, or a solicitor in the CBD—you’ve probably felt the frustration of spending money on ads that go nowhere.
You see the money leave your bank account, but the phone doesn't ring. Or worse, you get a lead from someone in Ipswich when you’re based in Redcliffe, and by the time you factor in the drive time, you’ve basically worked for free.
Most small business owners make the mistake of trying to be everywhere at once. They think "more people seeing me is better." But in the real world, 100 people seeing your business in your own suburb is worth more than 10,000 people seeing it on the other side of town.
In this guide, I’m going to break down the different ways you can run location-based promotions. I'll tell you what works, what's a waste of money, and how to own your local suburb without losing your mind over technical rubbish.
The Three Main Ways to Find Local Customers
When we talk about "location-based promotions," we aren't talking about fancy tech. We are talking about making sure that when someone within 5km of your shop or office needs what you sell, they see your name first.
There are three main ways to do this: 1. Physical Promotions (Flyers, signage, local sponsorships) 2. Search Promotions (Showing up when people search on Google) 3. Social Promotions (Showing up in people's Facebook or Instagram feeds based on where they live)
Let’s look at how these stack up against each other.
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1. Physical Promotions: The "Old School" Approach
I’ve seen plenty of Brisbane businesses grow purely through letterbox drops and van signage. It’s not dead, but it has changed.
Letterbox Drops (Flyers)
The Cost: High (Printing + Distribution). The Result: Immediate but short-lived. The Reality: Most flyers go straight from the letterbox to the recycling bin. However, for certain businesses—like pizza shops, gardeners, or pest controllers—they can still work if the offer is irresistible.My take: Don't do a general "we exist" flyer. It’s a waste of money. If you’re going to do it, offer a "Morningside Special" or a "Chermside Resident Discount." People love feeling like they're getting a deal because of where they live.
Local Sponsorships
Supporting the local footy club or the school fete is great for your reputation. Does it make the phone ring tomorrow? Probably not. But it does mean that when people see your van, they think, "Oh, that’s the guy who helps the club." It builds trust. If you want to get more local customers by leveraging the reputation of others, this is a solid long-term play.---
2. Search Promotions: Being There When They Need You
This is the holy grail. If someone in Paddington types "plumber near me" into their phone, and you are a plumber in Paddington, you want to be the first name they see.
Google Maps (The Local Pack)
This is the map that shows up at the top of Google. It’s free to be there, but it takes work to stay at the top. The Cost: Free (if you do it yourself) or a monthly fee for an agency to manage it. The Result: This is where the most phone calls come from. Period. The Reality: If your business details are wrong, or you have no reviews, people will skip you. You can get more phone calls just by making sure your address and phone number are consistent everywhere online.Google Ads (Pay-Per-Click)
This is where you pay Google to put you at the top. You can set it so your ads only show to people in specific postcodes.The Cost: You set the budget, but in Brisbane, expect to pay $5 to $20 per click depending on how competitive your industry is. The Result: Instant. You can turn it on at 9:00 AM and have a lead by 10:00 AM. The Reality: It’s expensive. If your website is rubbish and doesn't load fast on phones, you’re just throwing money away because people will click, see a messy site, and leave.
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3. Social Promotions: Creating an Itch They Didn't Know They Had
Facebook and Instagram are incredible for targeting specific suburbs. You can literally drop a pin on your shop and say "show this ad to everyone within 2km."
Facebook Sponsored Posts
The Cost: Relatively cheap. You can see results with $10 or $20 a day. The Result: Great for visual businesses (landscapers, hairdressers, renovators). The Reality: People aren't on Facebook looking for a lawyer or a mechanic. They are looking at photos of their grandkids. Your ad has to be interesting enough to stop them from scrolling. Use photos of your team or a job you just finished in their specific suburb. "Just finished this deck in Carindale!" works way better than "We build decks."---
Comparison: Which One Should You Choose?
I get asked this all the time: "Where should I put my first $1,000?"
| Method | Speed of Results | Cost | Effort | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | Slow (Months) | Low | Medium | Everyone |
| Google Ads | Fast (Days) | High | Low | Urgent services (Plumbers, Locksmiths) |
| Facebook Ads | Medium (Weeks) | Medium | High | Visual services (Beauty, Trade Reno) |
| Flyers | Fast (Days) | High | High | Local food, House cleaning |
If you need money now:
Go with Google Ads. It’s the fastest way to get the phone ringing. Just make sure you target only the suburbs you actually want to work in. Don't let Google's "Smart Campaigns" waste your money showing ads to people in Toowoomba if you're based in Ascot.If you want to build a real business for the long term:
Focus on your Google Maps listing. It’s the foundation of everything. Collect reviews from every single customer. A business with 50 five-star reviews in a local suburb is almost impossible to beat.If you have a visual product:
Use Facebook/Instagram. Show off your work. But don't just post a photo; tell a story. "We helped this family in Stafford save $200 a month on their power bills with these new solar panels." That local connection makes a huge difference.---
Why Most Local Ads Fail (And How to Fix It)
I’ve looked under the hood of hundreds of Brisbane business accounts. Most of them are burning money. Here’s why:
1. The "Wide Net" Mistake
They try to target all of Brisbane because they don't want to miss out. What happens? Their budget gets spread so thin that they aren't "top of mind" anywhere. They are a ghost everywhere. Pick 3-5 suburbs and dominate them. Be the "Bulimba Electrician," not the "South East Queensland Electrician."2. No Call to Action
I see ads all the time that say "We’ve been in business for 20 years."So what?
Tell the customer what to do. "Call us today for a free quote," or "Book online and get 10% off your first visit." If you don't tell them what to do, they'll just keep scrolling.
3. Ignoring the Phone
This sounds stupid, but I’ve seen businesses spend $2,000 a month on ads and then let the phone go to voicemail. If you are running local promotions, someone needs to answer the phone. Local customers are impatient. If you don't pick up, they’ll call the next person on the list.---
A Realistic Timeline for Results
Marketing isn't magic. It's math and psychology.
Week 1: If you start Google Ads, you should see enquiries immediately. Month 1: You'll start to see which suburbs are responding best. You might find that people in Camp Hill love your offer, but people in Coorparoo don't. This is where you double down on what's working.
- Month 6: Your Google Maps listing should be climbing. You'll start getting "organic" calls—people finding you without you paying for the click. This is where your profit margins really start to grow.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, here is your 3-step plan for Monday morning:
1. Claim your Google Business Profile. It’s free. Make sure your hours are right and upload five photos of your actual work or your shopfront. No stock photos! People want to see the real you. 2. Ask three recent customers for a review. Send them a text with a link. Don't be shy. Most people are happy to help a local business if you did a good job. 3. Check your website on your phone. Does it load in under 3 seconds? Is your phone number the first thing people see at the top? If not, fix it. Most local searches happen on a mobile while someone is busy. Make it easy for them to call you.
Is it Worth the Money?
Look, I’ll be blunt. If you’re a one-man band and you’re already flat out, you might not need to spend a cent on ads. You might just need to focus on getting more referrals from your current clients.
But if you want to grow—if you want to put on another van, hire another staff member, or finally take a Saturday off—you need a system that brings in customers predictably.
Location-based promotion is the only way to do that without competing with the big national chains who have millions to spend. You have the "local advantage." Use it. People in Brisbane generally want to support local businesses. They want to know that the person fixing their tap or selling them a coffee lives in the same community they do.
How We Can Help
At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about fancy awards or technical jargon. We care about one thing: making your phone ring with customers who are ready to buy.
We’ve helped tradies, medical practices, and retail shops all over Brisbane stop wasting money on broad marketing and start winning their local suburbs. We know the Brisbane market, we know the suburbs, and we know what makes a local customer choose you over the big guys.
If you’re tired of trying to figure this out on your own and you just want results, let's have a chat. We’ll look at what you’re doing now and tell you straight where you’re wasting money and where the biggest opportunities are.
Ready to own your suburb? Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s get your phone ringing.