Most small business owners in Brisbane are throwing money down the drain.
I see it every day. A cabinet maker in Geebung or a cafe owner in Paddington spends thousands on 'brand awareness' or generic Facebook ads that show up on the screens of people in the Gold Coast or even Sydney.
If you can’t service a customer in Southport, why are you paying to show them an ad?
Location-based promotions aren't some fancy technical trick. It’s just common sense: you want to put your offer in front of the people most likely to walk through your door or pick up the phone. In this guide, I’m going to show you how to dominate your local area—whether that’s a 5km radius around your shop or a specific set of suburbs like Ascot, Hamilton, and Clayfield.
Why Most Local Marketing Fails
Most marketing advice you read online is written for big companies like Nike or Woolworths. They have millions to blow. You don't.
When a small business owner tries to copy a big brand, they fail because they spread themselves too thin. They try to be everywhere at once. The secret to growing a local business in Brisbane is the opposite: you need to be 'the' person in a small area.
You don't need to be famous in all of Queensland. You just need to be the first person people think of in Coorparoo when their sink leaks or they need a haircut.
The Strategy: Be Where Your Customers Live and Work
Think about how you move through your day. You probably go to the same three coffee shops, the same gym, and the same local Woolies. Your customers are the same.
To win, you need to use a mix of digital and physical 'fences' to catch their attention.
1. Google Maps: Your Most Important Employee
If you aren't showing up when someone searches 'mechanic near me' or 'emergency plumber Brisbane', you don't exist. Period.
Google Maps is the single most effective way to get more phone calls. It’s free to set up, but most people do a half-baked job of it. They put up one blurry photo, the wrong opening hours, and then wonder why the phone isn't ringing.
You need to treat your Google profile like a shop window. Put up photos of your team, your work, and your happy customers. If you're a painter, show the 'before and after' of a house in Bulimba. People love seeing work done in their own street.
I’ve seen businesses double their enquiries just by getting five new reviews and updating their service area. If you want the step-by-step on this, we’ve covered how to get more phone calls in detail before. It’s the first thing I’d tell a mate to do if they opened a shop tomorrow.
2. Facebook and Instagram: Targeting by Postcode
Stop boosting posts to 'People who like gardening.' Instead, run ads targeted specifically to your service suburbs.
If you’re a landscaper based in Chermside, you can tell Facebook: 'Only show this ad to people living within 5km of my yard.' This ensures every cent you spend is going toward someone who can actually hire you.
The 'Local Hero' Tactic: Instead of a generic ad saying 'We do landscaping,' try something like: 'Hey Chermside! We just finished this backyard makeover on Murphy Rd. Want yours to look like this?'
When people see their own suburb mentioned, they stop scrolling. It feels personal. It feels local. And most importantly, it works.
3. Community Groups: The Modern Word-of-Mouth
Remember the old community noticeboards at the local shops? They’ve moved to Facebook Groups. Every Brisbane suburb has one—'Northside Connect,' 'West End Community,' or 'The Gap Grapevine.'
These groups are goldmines, but you have to be careful. If you just spam your flyer every day, the admins will kick you out. You need to be helpful. Answer questions. If someone asks for a recommendation, that’s your time to shine.
We’ve found that using community Facebook groups can actually bring in more leads than paid ads if you do it right. It costs nothing but your time.
Physical Promotions: Old School Still Works
Don't let the 'tech experts' fool you—physical marketing is alive and well in Brisbane. People still check their letterboxes and they still look at signs while waiting for their coffee.
Letterbox Drops (Done Right)
Most junk mail is exactly that—junk. It’s a glossy flyer with too much text and no clear offer.
If you're going to do a letterbox drop in a suburb like Indooroopilly, make it look like a personal note or a high-quality invitation.
The Offer: Give them a reason to act now. '10% off for Indooroopilly residents this month' is better than 'We are open.' The Tracking: Put a specific phone number or a code on the flyer so you know exactly how many sales it brought in. If you spend $500 on printing and it brings in $5,000 in work, do it again. If it brings in $0, stop.
Local Events and Partnerships
You see the same real estate agent's face on every school fete banner for a reason—it works. But you don't need to be a big agency to benefit from local events.
Sponsoring a local footy team or having a stall at a weekend market can build trust faster than any online ad. When people see you at the Milton Markets or the Jan Powers Farmers Market, they stop seeing you as a 'business' and start seeing you as a neighbour.
However, a lot of people throw money at these events and get nothing back. You need a plan to stop wasting money on events that don't pay for themselves. Always have a way to capture lead info—like a giveaway where people enter by giving their email or phone number.
The "Local Only" Offer: How to Close the Deal
Getting someone to see your name is only half the battle. You need to give them a reason to choose you over the big national chain.
Your advantage as a local business is that you are there.
The 'Same Day' Promise: If you're a plumber in Morningside and the customer is in Morningside, tell them: 'Because we’re local, we can be there in an hour.' The Local Discount: 'Show your ID to prove you live in 4000, 4005, or 4006 and get a free coffee with your breakfast.' This builds incredible loyalty. The 'No Call-Out Fee' Zone: Define a tight circle around your business where you don't charge for travel. This makes you the obvious choice for your closest neighbours.
How Much Should This Cost?
You don't need a $10,000 monthly budget. In fact, if you're just starting out, I’d suggest starting small.
1. Google Maps: $0 (Just your time). 2. Facebook Ads: $10–$20 a day, targeted to your specific suburbs. 3. Local Partnerships: $200–$500 for a season sponsorship or event presence.
If you spend $1,000 a month on these targeted local efforts, you will see a much better return than spending $5,000 on a billboard on the ICB that 99% of people drive past without looking.
How Long Until You See Results?
This isn't an overnight fix, but it's faster than you think.
Google Maps: You can see more calls within 2–4 weeks of optimising your profile and getting a few fresh reviews. Facebook Ads: You’ll know within 7 days if your offer is working. If the phone isn't ringing, change the ad. Community Trust: This takes 3–6 months. You need to be consistent. People need to see your name 5, 6, or 7 times before they trust you enough to call.
What to Do First
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, ignore everything else and do these three things this week:
1. Claim and Verify your Google Business Profile. Make sure your phone number is correct and upload 5 photos of your recent work. 2. Join the top 3 Facebook Groups for your area. Don't sell yet—just look at what people are asking for. 3. Pick one 'Local Only' offer. Whether it's a discount for neighbours or a faster response time, give people a reason to choose the local guy.
Most of what you read about 'digital marketing' is rubbish designed to make things sound more complicated than they are. At the end of the day, marketing is just telling the right people that you have a solution to their problem.
If you want more local customers who actually buy from you, you have to stop trying to talk to everyone and start talking to your neighbours.
Building a business in Brisbane is about reputation. Use these tools to make sure your reputation is the strongest one in your suburb.
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Ready to stop guessing and start growing?
At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane business owners dominate their local area without the technical headache. We focus on what matters: more calls, more bookings, and more profit.
Contact us today to see how we can help you win more customers in your backyard.