Why Your Staff Are Your Secret Sales Weapon
I was sitting down with a landscaping business owner in Capalaba last month. He was frustrated. He’d spent thousands on Facebook ads that weren’t doing much, and he felt like he was shouting into a void.
I asked him, "How many guys have you got out on sites today?"
He said, "Six teams of two. Twelve blokes."
I told him, "You’ve got twelve marketing machines driving around Brisbane right now, and you’re not using them."
Most small business owners think marketing is something you buy—like an ad in the paper or a sponsored post. But the most powerful marketing you have is already on your payroll. It’s your staff.
When your employees talk about the work they do, people listen. They don't see it as a 'sales pitch.' They see it as a recommendation from a real person. In the marketing world, they call this 'employee advocacy.' In the real world, we call it 'getting your team to help grow the business.'
If you do this right, you get more phone calls, more bookings, and more trust from potential customers—all without increasing your ad spend. Here is exactly how to do it.
The Problem: Why Your Business Page is Ghosting You
Let’s be honest. Most people don’t go on social media to follow a 'business.' They go there to see what their friends, family, and colleagues are doing.
When you post a photo of a finished job on your business page, Google and Facebook often hide it unless you pay to 'boost' it. But when your lead carpenter, Sarah, posts a photo of that same deck to her own profile with the caption, "Stoked with how this turned out!", her friends see it. Her neighbours see it.
People trust people. They don't trust logos.
I’ve seen this work for dozens of Brisbane businesses, from boutique law firms in the CBD to smash repairers in Geebung. The results are always the same: a post from an employee gets five to ten times more engagement than a post from the company page.
If you're tired of shouting at a brick wall, it's time to stop wasting hours on content that nobody sees and start leveraging the people your customers already know and like.
Step 1: It Starts with Your Culture (You Can’t Fake This)
Before you ask your staff to post anything, you need to ask yourself: Do my staff actually like working here?
If your team is miserable, they aren't going to promote you. In fact, if you force them to, it will come across as fake and probably do more harm than good.
You want your team to be proud of their work. When a sparky finishes a complex switchboard upgrade and it looks like a work of art, he should want to show it off. Your job as the owner is to create an environment where that pride is encouraged.
I worked with a real estate agency in Ascot that was struggling to get their junior agents to post. The problem wasn't the tech; it was the vibe. The boss was a micromanager. Once he started celebrating the small wins and giving the team more freedom, they started sharing their 'day in the life' naturally.
Step 2: Make It Dead Simple for Them
Your staff are busy. Your tradies are on the tools, your admin staff are on the phones, and your sales team is on the road. They don't have time to think about 'content strategy.'
If you want them to help, you have to make it easy.
- Create a 'Photo Bank': Have a shared folder (like Dropbox or a simple WhatsApp group) where everyone can drop photos of jobs they’re proud of. - Give Them Templates: Don't make them write from scratch. Give them three simple sentences they can adapt. - The 'One-Click' Rule: If it takes more than 60 seconds, they won't do it.
One of the best ways to get traction is to get customers to do your marketing alongside your staff. When a staff member takes a photo of a happy customer and tags the business, that’s gold. It’s social proof that you can’t buy.
Step 3: What Should They Actually Post?
Most business owners get this wrong. They think their staff should post 'Sales' content.
"Come down to Jim’s Tyres for 20% off!" — NO. This is boring and feels like spam.
Instead, encourage them to share:
1. Behind the Scenes: A photo of the team lunch, a messy workshop mid-job, or the view from a rooftop at 7:00 AM. 2. The 'Problem/Solution': "This drain was totally blocked by tree roots (Photo A). Cleared it out and saved the customer a massive repair bill (Photo B)." 3. Professional Milestones: "Just finished my certification in solar battery storage!" 4. Answering Common Questions: "A lot of people ask me if they should use oil or water-based stain for their deck. Here’s what I reckon..."
This isn't about selling; it's about showing expertise. When Sarah from the local accounting firm shares a tip about GST for small businesses, she isn't asking for a sale. But when her friend’s brother starts a business three months later, guess who he’s going to call?
Step 4: The "What’s In It For Me?" Factor
Look, I get it—your staff are already getting paid a salary. You might think, "Why should I give them extra for something they should be doing to help the business?"
Because they don't have to do it. It’s not in their contract (usually), and it involves their personal social media accounts.
If you want this to work long-term, you need to incentivise it. I’m not talking about huge bonuses. Small things work best:
- The 'Post of the Month' Award: A $50 Bunnings or Dan Murphy’s voucher for the person whose post got the most enquiries. - Recognition: Mentioning their great work in the team meeting. - Building Their Brand: Remind them that by posting, they are becoming known as experts in their field, which is great for their own career.
Step 5: Handling the Risks (The 'Don't Be An Idiot' Rule)
I’ve heard the horror stories. A staff member posts something offensive or shares a photo of a customer's house that they shouldn't have.
This is why you need a simple, one-page Social Media Policy. Not a 50-page legal document that no one reads, but a clear set of rules:
- Don't post customer addresses or private details. - No swearing or controversial rants while representing the brand. - If you wouldn't say it to the customer's face, don't put it online. - Safety first—no photos of people ignoring OH&S rules (no standing on the top rung of the ladder for a 'cool' photo).
How Much Will This Cost?
Money: Almost zero. You might spend $100 a month on some vouchers or a basic app to help share photos. Time: This is the real cost. You need about 2 hours a week to coordinate, encourage, and remind people.
How Long Until You See Results?
This isn't a 'turn on the tap' situation like Google Ads. It’s more like planting a garden.
- Month 1: You’ll see more likes and comments. Your staff will feel more involved. - Month 3: You’ll start hearing, "Oh, I saw Sarah’s post about that renovation..." from new leads. - Month 6: You’ll have a steady stream of enquiries coming in from sources you can’t even track, simply because your business is 'everywhere' in the local community.
What Should You Do First?
Don't try to get the whole team on board at once. Pick your most 'social' staff member—the one who is already on Instagram or Facebook all the time.
Sit them down and say: "Hey, I love the work you’re doing. If you want to share some of it on your socials, I’d love to support that. If a lead comes in specifically from your post, I’ll give you a [bonus/voucher/shout-out]."
Start small. See what works. Then roll it out to the rest of the crew.
Most what you read online about 'social media strategy' is rubbish designed for big corporations with million-dollar budgets. For a Brisbane small business, the best way to grow is through real people making real connections.
If you want to take it a step further and actually sell directly on social media, you need a solid foundation. Your staff are that foundation. They build the trust that makes the sale possible.
Ready to Grow Your Business?
If you’re too busy running your business to worry about who’s posting what, we can help. At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in making marketing work for real businesses in Brisbane—no jargon, just results.
Whether you need help setting up a system for your staff or you want us to handle the heavy lifting of getting your phone to ring, let’s chat.
Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s get your business the attention it deserves.