Why Your Business Story Is Costing You Money (Or Making It)
I was sitting in a cafe in Paddington last week, chatting with a bloke who runs a high-end landscaping business. He’s good at what he does—his decks are straight, his stone work is flawless, and he shows up when he says he will.
But he had a massive problem.
"Mate," he said, "I’m getting out-bid by guys who do half as good a job as me, but they seem to have all the work. My website looks fine, but the phone just isn't ringing like it should."
I looked at his website. The first thing I saw was: "Family owned and operated since 1994. We specialise in structural landscaping and garden maintenance. Call for a free quote."
Here’s the blunt truth: Nobody cares that you’ve been around since 1994. Not yet, anyway.
When a homeowner in Ashgrove or Bulimba is looking for a landscaper, they aren't looking for a history lesson. They are looking for a solution to a problem. Maybe their backyard is a swamp every time it rains, or they’re embarrassed to have the neighbours over for a BBQ because their patio is falling apart.
Most Brisbane business owners treat their "story" like a resume. But your story isn't about you. It’s about your customer and how you help them win. If you get this wrong, you’re just wasting money on content that doesn't actually bring in new leads.
The "Hero" Trap: You Are Not the Main Character
This is the biggest mistake I see from Chermside to Cleveland. Business owners think they are the hero of the story.
In every movie you’ve ever seen, the hero is the one who is stuck. They have a problem they can’t solve on their own. Luke Skywalker needed Obi-Wan. Frodo needed Gandalf.
In your business, your customer is the hero.
You? You are the Guide.
Think about a local plumber. If my hot water system blows up on a Tuesday morning while I’m trying to get the kids ready for school, I don’t want to hear about the plumber’s "vision and mission statement." I want to know that he understands my morning is ruined and he has the tools to fix it fast.
When you position yourself as the guide, you stop trying to look "cool" or "impressive" and start looking helpful. Helpful businesses make more money.
The 3-Step Story Framework That Actually Sells
You don't need a 50-page marketing plan. You need a simple way to talk about what you do so people actually listen. Here is the framework we use at Local Marketing Group when we help Brisbane businesses grow.
1. Identify the Villain (The Problem)
Every good story needs a bad guy. In business, the villain is the problem your customer is facing.- For a mechanic, the villain is the fear of being ripped off or broken down on the side of the Gateway Motorway. - For an accountant, the villain is the stress of a tax audit or the feeling that they're paying too much to the ATO. - For a gym, the villain is the lack of energy or the clothes that don't fit anymore.
If you don't clearly state the problem your customer is facing, they won't feel like you understand them.
2. Give Them a Plan
Customers are often nervous about buying. They’re thinking: "Is this going to be a headache? Is it going to cost more than they said?"You need to give them a simple, 3-step plan to show them how easy it is to work with you.
Example for a Roofer: 1. Schedule a free 15-minute roof inspection. 2. Get a fixed-price quote (no surprises). 3. Enjoy a leak-free home for the next 20 years.
This removes the "fog" of the buying process. When people can see the path forward, they are much more likely to pick up the phone.
3. Show Them the Happy Ending
What does their life look like after they use your service?Don’t just say "We fix roofs." Say "Protect your family and your biggest investment with a roof that stands up to the Queensland summer storms."
You are selling the result, not the service.
Why Most "Content" is a Total Waste of Time
I see business owners spending hours every week posting on Facebook or Instagram, trying to "stay relevant." They post photos of their lunch or a generic "Happy Monday" graphic.
Stop it. It’s a waste of your time.
If your posts aren't telling a part of your story—showing a problem you solved or a happy customer—you are just making noise. You need to stop chasing likes and start focusing on things that actually put your business in front of people who want to buy right now.
I’ve seen dozens of Brisbane businesses cut their social media time in half and double their enquiries just by being more intentional with what they say.
Real Example: The Morningside Electrician
We worked with a sparky in Morningside who was struggling to get high-quality renovation work. He was getting plenty of "change a lightbulb" calls, which aren't very profitable, but he wanted the big $10k+ rewires and kitchen renos.
His old website was all about him: "I’m licensed, I’m local, I’m honest."
We changed his story. We focused on the nightmare of a renovation gone wrong—contractors not showing up, hidden costs, and messy worksites.
We changed his message to: "The Electrician Who Actually Shows Up. We keep your renovation on schedule and leave your home cleaner than we found it."
Within three months, he stopped getting the $100 calls and started booking the big jobs. Why? Because he identified a specific pain point (unreliable tradies) and offered a clear solution.
How to Use Your Story to Save Deals
Not everyone who visits your website is ready to hand over their credit card immediately. Some are just looking. If you don't have a way to stay in touch with them, you’re losing money.
By using your story in a simple email follow-up, you can stop losing customers who aren't ready to buy today but will be in a month's time. You keep reminding them that you are the guide who can solve their problem when they are ready.
What Should You Do First?
You don't need to rewrite your entire website tonight. Start small:
1. Look at your homepage. Does it say "Welcome to [Business Name]"? If so, change it. Make the headline about the customer's problem and your solution. 2. Identify your 3-step plan. What are the three things a customer needs to do to work with you? Put that on your site. 3. Talk about the stakes. What happens if they don't hire you? Will their problem get worse? Will it cost more to fix later? Don't be afraid to point out the cost of doing nothing.
The Cost of Getting This Wrong
If you keep talking about yourself, you’ll keep being ignored. In a city like Brisbane, competition is too high to be "just another" service provider.
When you tell a story where the customer is the hero, you stop competing on price. People don't choose the cheapest guide; they choose the one who makes them feel the most confident that they’ll reach the destination.
It takes about 30 to 60 days to see the impact of a messaging shift. You’ll notice the quality of your enquiries changes. People will stop asking "How much?" as the first question and start asking "When can you start?"
Ready to stop being the best-kept secret in Brisbane?
At Local Marketing Group, we don't do fluff. We help local businesses find the right words to get the phone ringing. If you want a website and a strategy that actually works as hard as you do, let’s have a chat.
Contact Local Marketing Group today and let's get your business moving.