The "No Review" Trap and How to Escape It
You’ve just started your own business. You’ve got the ute, the tools, and the skills. But when you look at Google, your competitors in suburbs like Coorparoo or North Lakes have 200 five-star reviews, and you have zero.
It feels like a losing battle. You know that if you could just get through the door, you’d win the job. But how do you get that first phone call when people use reviews as a shield against getting ripped off?
I’ve seen this exact scenario play out for dozens of Brisbane businesses. Most owners think they need to wait months for "organic growth" or, worse, they buy fake reviews (don't do this—Google will catch you and kill your business before it starts).
The truth is, you can actually start getting calls without a single review if you stop trying to look like a big company and start acting like a trusted local expert.
Here is the data-driven reality: People don't just buy reviews; they buy certainty. If you can provide certainty through other means, the lack of reviews won't stop you from making money.
1. Speed is Your Only Competitive Advantage
When you are new, you have something the big guys don't: time.
If a homeowner in Chermside calls a massive plumbing firm, they’ll likely get put on hold, told a technician will be there between 8 am and 4 pm next Tuesday, and charged a $150 call-out fee just to look at the problem.
To win jobs now, your marketing needs to scream SPEED.
Answer the phone on the first ring. Every missed call is money in your competitor's pocket. Offer same-day quotes. If you can get to their house before the other bloke has even returned the voicemail, you’ll win the job 70% of the time, regardless of your review count. Use "Live" indicators. On your website or social media, state clearly: "Available now for emergency repairs in Brisbane Southside."
2. Borrow Trust Where You Can’t Build It Yet
If you don't have 50 customers shouting your name, you need to use "Trust Signals" that don't rely on reviews. This is where most tradies mess up—they have a blank website with a stock photo of a guy in a hard hat who clearly doesn't live in Queensland.
Show Your Face
People trust people, not logos. Put a high-quality photo of yourself and your ute on your website. If you’re a local lad from Ipswich, say so. Mention your QBCC licence number prominently. Show your insurance certificates. These are facts that prove you aren't a cowboy, which is what customers are actually worried about.The "Work Gallery" Strategy
Instead of reviews, use high-resolution photos of your work. Every job you do this week—no matter how small—needs five photos. The problem (the messy switchboard or the leaking pipe). The process (you actually doing the work). The result (the clean, finished product).When a customer sees 50 photos of real work done in Brisbane backyards, they care a lot less about the star rating. It proves you’ve done the work before.
3. Where to Spend Your First $1,000
I’ll be blunt: sitting around waiting for "SEO" to work is a waste of time for a new business. SEO takes 6–12 months to kick in. You need to pay for the phone to ring today.
Google Local Services Ads (LSAs)
These are the "Google Guaranteed" ads that appear at the very top of search results. In Australia, these are rolling out heavily for tradies. You pay per lead, not per click. This is the fastest way to get more local calls because Google puts a green tick next to your name. That tick replaces the need for 100 reviews in the customer's mind.Facebook Community Groups
This costs $0 but takes effort. Don't just post "I’m a sparky, call me." That’s spam.Instead, watch groups like "Everything Everton Park" or "Carindale Community" for people asking for recommendations. When you reply, don't just give your number. Say: "Hey, I’m [Name], I live just around the corner in [Suburb]. I’m just starting my own local outfit after 10 years in the trade. I can come by this afternoon and give you a free quote."
This personal touch wins every time against a faceless franchise.
4. The "Loss Leader" Strategy to Build Your Base
If you have no reviews, you might have to stop competing on price eventually, but in the first 30 days, you need volume.
Consider an "Introductory Offer" that is too good to pass up. Plumbers: $99 Drain Camera Inspection. Electricians: Free Safety Switch Test with any smoke alarm install. AC Techs: $120 Hydro-clean special.
This isn't about making a huge profit on the first visit. It’s about getting into the house. Once you’re there, you do an amazing job, you’re polite, you wear boot covers, and you clean up. Then—and this is the critical part—you ask for the review before you leave the driveway.
5. Don't Waste Money on "Lead Sites"
I’ve seen so many Brisbane tradies throw thousands of dollars at sites like HiPages or Oneflare only to get into a bidding war with five other guys who are willing to do the job for $20.
These sites own the customer; you don't. You are much better off spending that money on your own website that works on phones and shows off your specific local expertise. If you're a fencer, focus on showing jobs you've done with Brisbane's specific soil and weather conditions rather than competing for scraps on a lead platform.
6. Your Website: The 24/7 Salesman
Your website doesn't need to be a masterpiece of design, but it must do three things: 1. Work on phones. Most of your customers are searching while standing in their kitchen looking at a broken tap. If your site is hard to read on a phone, they’re gone. 2. Load fast. If it takes more than 3 seconds to load, Google won't show it to people, and people will click the "Back" button. 3. Have a clear "Call Now" button. Don't make them hunt for your number. It should be at the top of every page.
How Long Until You See Results?
If you follow this plan—running targeted ads and being aggressive on social media—you should see the phone ring within 48 hours.
Weeks 1-4: Focus on volume. Take every small job. Collect photos. Get your first 5-10 reviews from these early customers. Months 2-3: Start raising your prices. You now have the "social proof" (reviews and photos) to justify being the premium option in your area. Month 6+: Your website should start showing up naturally in Google for your local suburbs, meaning you can start pulling back on the paid ads if you want to.
What Most Tradies Get Wrong
The biggest mistake I see in Brisbane is tradies trying to be "everything to everyone." If you're a chippy, don't just say "Carpentry." Say "Deck Restoration and Timber Fencing in the Western Suburbs."
When you are specific, you become the expert. People will hire an expert with 2 reviews over a generalist with 20 reviews any day of the week.
Summary of Your First Steps
1. Claim your Google Business Profile. It’s free. Fill out every single section. 2. Take 20 photos of your work. Even if it's just at your own house or a mate's place to start. 3. Set up a simple website. Ensure it has your face, your licence, and a big "Call Now" button. 4. Run Google Ads. Start with a small budget ($20-$30 a day) focused only on your immediate suburbs. 5. Be the fastest to reply. Speed wins when you don't have a reputation yet.
Building a business in a competitive market like Brisbane isn't about luck; it's about being more professional and more responsive than the old blokes who have been coasting on their reputation for twenty years.
If you want a hand setting up a system that actually gets the phone ringing without you having to spend all night on the computer, reach out to us at Local Marketing Group. We help Brisbane tradies turn their utes into money-making machines.