The Real Reason You Need a Sales System
If you’re running a business in Brisbane—whether you’re a builder in Coorparoo or a law firm in the CBD—you’ve likely hit a point where post-it notes and spreadsheets just aren't cutting it anymore. You’re missing follow-ups, losing track of quotes, and wondering why that lead from three days ago hasn't been called yet.
You need a system to manage your customers. In the tech world, they call this a CRM. In the real world, it’s simply the tool that helps you turn a 'maybe' into a 'yes' and a 'yes' into money in the bank.
Two names always come up: HubSpot and Salesforce. They are the heavyweights. But for a small business owner, picking the wrong one is a fast way to blow ten thousand dollars and hundreds of hours on a tool your staff will end up hating. I’ve seen dozens of local businesses get sucked into buying 'the best' software only to find it’s too complicated to actually use.
In this guide, we’re going to look at the data, the costs, and the reality of using these tools. No jargon, just the facts on what will help you make more money.
The Fundamental Difference: Built vs. Bought
To understand which tool is right for you, you need to understand how they were made.
HubSpot was built from the ground up as one single piece of software. Imagine it like a new Toyota Hilux—everything is designed to work together. The engine, the electronics, and the tray all fit perfectly because they were made in the same factory. For you, this means it’s easy to use. If you add a new contact, they show up everywhere instantly. It’s intuitive.
Salesforce is more like a custom-built racing truck. It’s incredibly powerful, but it’s made of parts from a hundred different places. It was built for massive companies like Telstra or Qantas who have entire departments dedicated just to managing their software.
For a small business, the 'power' of Salesforce is often its biggest weakness. If you have to spend three weeks in a training course just to figure out how to send an invoice, you’re wasting time on admin when you should be out winning new jobs.
Will It Actually Make You Money?
At Local Marketing Group, we look at tools through one lens: Return on Investment (ROI). If a piece of software costs you $500 a month, it needs to be bringing in at least $5,000 in extra business to justify its existence and the time you spend on it.
How HubSpot Makes You Money
HubSpot is designed to help you get found and close deals quickly. 1. Better Follow-ups: It tells you exactly when a potential customer opens your quote. You can call them right at that moment. That's how you win more jobs. 2. Speed to Lead: When someone fills out a form on your website, HubSpot can text you immediately. In Brisbane’s competitive market, the first person to call usually gets the work. 3. Easy Marketing: It helps you send emails to old customers to ask for repeat business. This is the cheapest way to make more money.How Salesforce Makes You Money
Salesforce is designed for complex sales. 1. Deep Data: If you have 50 salespeople and a 12-month sales process, Salesforce gives you data on every tiny detail. 2. Total Customisation: If your business has a very strange way of operating that no other business on earth uses, you can force Salesforce to work that way. 3. Massive Scale: If you plan on growing from 5 employees to 500 in the next two years, Salesforce won't break.The Verdict: For 95% of small to medium businesses in South East Queensland, HubSpot makes money faster because you can actually start using it today. Salesforce often sits idle because it's too hard to set up.
Let’s Talk About the Cost (The Part They Hide)
Software companies love to show you a low 'per user' price. Don't fall for it. The sticker price is rarely what you actually pay.
The HubSpot Cost Structure
HubSpot has a very generous free version. It’s actually useful—not just a 'trial' that expires. As you grow, you pay for 'Seats' (people using it) and 'Marketing Contacts' (people you email).The Good: You can start for $0. A growing trade business might pay $30–$70 per month for the 'Starter' suite. The Trap: Once you move to their 'Professional' tiers, the price jumps significantly (think $600+ per month). However, by the time you need those features, your business should be making enough that the cost is a drop in the bucket.
The Salesforce Cost Structure
Salesforce looks cheaper on the surface, but the hidden costs are everywhere.Implementation: You almost certainly cannot set up Salesforce yourself. You will need to hire a consultant. In Australia, a decent Salesforce consultant will charge you $200–$300 per hour. A basic setup can easily cost $5,000 to $15,000 before you’ve even sent your first email. Add-ons: Want to send a nice-looking email? That’s an extra cost. Want to see better reports? That’s an extra cost. The 'Admin' Tax: You will likely need to spend several hours a week just 'fixing' things in the system.
Many owners find they are overpaying for software that they only use 10% of. If you aren't careful, Salesforce becomes a massive monthly bill that doesn't actually help you sell more.
Ease of Use: The 'Tradie Test'
I always tell my clients: "If your best worker can't figure out how to log a call on their phone while they're sitting in their ute at a job site, the software is useless."
HubSpot passes this test with flying colours. The mobile app is excellent. It looks and feels like Facebook or Instagram—you just click the big plus button and add your notes. It syncs with your phone, so when a customer calls you, it tells you exactly who they are and what they last bought from you.
Salesforce often fails this test. The interface is cluttered. There are too many buttons, too many fields, and too much 'admin' work. I’ve seen sales teams flat-out refuse to use Salesforce because it makes their job harder instead of easier. If your team doesn't use the system, your data is garbage, and you’ve wasted your money.
Getting Your Business to Run Itself
The dream for every business owner is to reach a stage where you aren't chasing every lead manually. You want a system that does the heavy lifting for you.
Both tools offer 'Automation' (where the software does tasks for you).
Example: Someone downloads a guide from your website. The system automatically sends them a 'Thank You' email, waits two days, sends a helpful tip, and then alerts you to call them if they clicked a link.
HubSpot makes this incredibly simple. It’s like building with Lego. You can see the flow of exactly what happens next. Salesforce automation is powerful but requires a 'Developer' mindset. If you want to change a simple email trigger in Salesforce, you might need to call your IT guy. In HubSpot, you can do it yourself in five minutes over your morning coffee.
When you let your business run itself using these tools, you free up your time to focus on high-level strategy or, better yet, taking the weekend off to go down to the Gold Coast.
Which One Should You Choose?
After years of helping Brisbane businesses grow, here is my blunt advice:
Choose HubSpot if:
You have 1 to 50 employees. You want to start seeing results this week, not next year. You want your staff to actually enjoy using the software. You want your website, your emails, and your sales notes all in one place. You care about ease of use more than 'infinite' customisation.Choose Salesforce if:
You are a large company with 100+ employees. You have a dedicated IT person or a 'Sales Ops' manager on staff. You have a highly complex, non-standard sales process.- You have a large budget for ongoing consulting and development.
How to Get Started Without Wasting Money
Most people get this wrong by trying to do everything at once. They buy the most expensive version and try to set up every feature. This is a mistake.
1. Start Small: Get the free or 'Starter' version of HubSpot. 2. Clean Your Data: Don't import 10,000 old, dead leads. Start with your current customers and active quotes. 3. Focus on One Goal: Maybe it's just 'making sure every web enquiry gets a call within 30 minutes.' Master that before you try to do fancy automated marketing. 4. Get Local Help: If you’re unsure, talk to someone who understands the Brisbane business landscape. You don't need a global agency; you need someone who knows what it's like to run a business in Queensland.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, these are just tools. A $1,000 hammer won't build a house for you, and a $1,000-a-month software package won't grow your business if you don't have a solid plan.
For the vast majority of small businesses we work with at Local Marketing Group, HubSpot is the clear winner. It’s faster, friendlier, and usually much cheaper in the long run because you don't need to hire experts just to keep it running. It allows you to focus on what matters: talking to customers and closing deals.
If you're tired of losing track of leads or you're sick of paying for software that doesn't work, we can help. We specialise in setting up systems that actually make money for Brisbane businesses.
Contact Local Marketing Group today to see how we can help you turn more visitors into loyal customers.
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