Why the Way You Talk Online Is Costing You Money
Most business owners in Brisbane think that as long as their phone number is on their website, the jobs will roll in. But I’ve seen time and time again that if your website sounds like a robot wrote it—or worse, like a teenager on Facebook—you are flushing leads down the toilet.
Think about it. If a homeowner in Chermside needs a plumber, they aren’t just looking for someone with a wrench. They are looking for someone they can trust in their house. If your website sounds aggressive, messy, or confusing, they’ll click 'back' and call the next guy.
What we’re talking about today isn’t 'branding' in some fluffy, artistic sense. It’s about consistency. It’s about making sure that whether someone reads your Facebook post, visits your website, or gets an invoice, they feel like they are dealing with the same professional business.
If you get this right, you’ll find it much easier to land better customers who are happy to pay your rates without arguing over every dollar. If you get it wrong, you’ll keep attracting the tyre-kickers who only care about the lowest price.
Step 1: Look at the Data (Who Is Actually Buying?)
Before you change a single word on your site, look at your best customers from the last six months. Don't guess—look at your bank statements or your booking diary.
Are they mums in the suburbs? Are they corporate managers in the CBD? Are they older retirees who value politeness and punctuality?
I worked with a landscaping crew in Carindale who tried to sound 'edgy' and 'young' on Instagram. The problem? Their actual customers were people over 50 with high-end properties who found their tone annoying. Once we shifted their 'voice' to sound more knowledgeable and respectful, their enquiry rate for large projects doubled in three months.
The Rule: You don't write for yourself. You write for the person holding the credit card.
Step 2: Choose Your Three 'Pillars'
You can’t be everything to everyone. If you try to be funny, professional, cheap, high-end, and fast all at once, you’ll just sound confused. Pick three words that describe how you want a customer to feel after talking to you.
For most Brisbane tradies or professional services, the winning combo is usually: 1. Expert: You know your stuff. 2. Local: You aren't a faceless national chain. 3. Reliable: You do what you say you'll do.
If you’re a high-end law firm or a boutique shop, you might trade 'Local' for 'Premium.' Whatever you choose, every email and every website update needs to pass the test: "Does this sound like an expert who is local and reliable?"
Step 3: Stop Using 'Marketing Speak'
Nothing kills a sale faster than jargon. I see this a lot when businesses try to add new services. They start using technical terms that the average person doesn't understand.
Don't say: "Our multi-faceted approach to pest mitigation utilises industry-leading technology." Do say: "We find where the bugs are hiding and get rid of them so they don't come back."
People buy from people they understand. If I have to use a dictionary to figure out what you do, I’m going to call someone else.
Step 4: The 'Real Person' Test
Here is a practical exercise you can do in 10 minutes. Take a look at your website's 'About Us' page. Read it out loud.
Does it sound like something you would actually say to a customer while standing in their driveway or sitting in their office? If it sounds stiff, formal, or like a legal document, rewrite it.
Most business owners are terrified of sounding 'too simple.' The truth is, simple sells. When you understand why people buy, you realise they aren't looking for a PhD thesis; they are looking for a solution to their problem described in plain English.
Step 5: Create Your 'Never Use' List
To keep your staff or your office manager on the same page, create a list of words or phrases your business never uses.
For example, if you run a premium cleaning service, you might ban the word 'cheap.' You use 'affordable' or 'value' instead. If you're a local mechanic, you might ban the word 'client' and always use 'customer' because it feels more down-to-earth.
This costs $0 to implement but ensures that your business doesn't look like it has a split personality across different platforms.
The Cost and the Payoff
How much does this cost? If you do this yourself, it costs you a few hours of focused work. If you hire a professional to write your website and set this strategy, you’re looking at anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 depending on how much content you have.
How long until I see results? This isn't like a Google ad that turns on instantly. However, I’ve seen businesses see a change in the quality* of phone calls within two weeks of updating their website text. When the right people feel like you 'get' them, they stop shopping around and just book the job.
What should you do first? Go to your website on your phone right now. Read the first three sentences. If they don't immediately tell a customer what you do and why they should trust you—without using big, fancy words—you need to change them today.
Summary for the Busy Owner
Look, most of what you read about 'brand voice' is rubbish designed to make agencies sound smart. For you, it’s simple: 1. Figure out who is actually paying you. 2. Speak to them like a human being. 3. Be consistent so they trust you.
If you sound like a local expert who cares about the job, you’ll win more work than the guy who copy-pasted his website from a template in the US.
Need help making your business sound like the top choice in Brisbane? Let’s get your messaging sorted so your website actually starts working for you.
Contact Local Marketing Group today and let's get more customers through your door.