Why Your Marketing Is Getting Ignored (And How to Fix It)
I see it every single day driving through suburbs like Chermside or Coorparoo. A local business has a massive billboard or a shiny new van wrapped with their logo, their phone number, and a list of services: Plumbing. Gas Fitting. Hot Water. Fully Licensed.
And that’s it.
Here is the cold, hard truth: Nobody cares that you are fully licensed. They expect you to be licensed. Sharing a list of services isn't marketing; it's a grocery list. If you want to grow your business in Brisbane today, you have to stop listing what you do and start telling a story that makes people want to buy from you.
When I talk to small business owners about "storytelling," I usually get a bit of a side-eye. You’re busy. You’ve got staff to manage, invoices to chase, and jobs to finish. You don't have time to write a novel.
But storytelling in business isn't about being fancy. It’s about winning the fight for attention. Whether you’re a mechanic in Capalaba or an accountant in the CBD, your customers are being bombarded with thousands of messages every day. If your message is just "we do tax returns," you’re invisible.
In this guide, I’m going to break down the only three ways to tell your business story that actually result in more phone calls and more money in your bank account. I’ll tell you what works, what’s a waste of time, and how to pick the right approach for your specific business.
The "Hero" Mistake: You Are Not the Main Character
Before we look at the frameworks, we have to fix the biggest mistake Brisbane business owners make.
Most websites look like this: "We’ve been in business for 20 years. We have 10 trucks. We won an award in 2014. We are the best."
In this scenario, you are making yourself the hero of the story. But your customer doesn't want another hero. They are already the hero of their own life, and they have a problem they can't solve. They are looking for a guide.
Think of it like Star Wars. Your customer is Luke Skywalker—they have a big challenge (the Death Star). You are Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re the one with the wisdom and the tools to help them win.
When you shift your marketing from "Look how great we are" to "Here is how we help you win," everything changes. People start listening.
Approach 1: The "Problem-Solution" Framework (The Bread and Butter)
If you run a tradie business or a service-based company where people call you when something is broken, this is your gold mine. It is the most direct way to get the phone ringing.
How it works:
1. The Pain: You describe the customer's problem better than they can. 2. The Agitation: You remind them why this problem is costing them time, money, or stress. 3. The Solution: You introduce your service as the fix. 4. The Result: You show them what life looks like once the problem is gone.Why it makes you money:
It cuts through the noise because it focuses on the customer's immediate pain. If a homeowner in North Lakes has a leaking roof and sees an ad that says "Tired of putting buckets under your ceiling every time it rains? We fix leaks for good," they are going to click.I’ve seen this work for a local pest control guy we worked with. Instead of talking about the chemicals he used, we changed his website to talk about the sound of rats scratching in the ceiling at night while his customers were trying to sleep. The phone calls doubled in a month. Why? Because he stopped selling "pest control" and started selling "a quiet night’s sleep."
The Cost & Timeline:
Cost: Low. You can do this on your Facebook page or website today for free. Results: Fast. Usually as soon as you change your headlines.Approach 2: The "Before and After" Framework (Visual Proof)
This is for the renovators, the landscapers, the dentists, and the car detailers. If your work is visual, stop talking and start showing.
How it works:
This isn't just about a photo. It’s about the emotional journey. The 'Before': A messy, cramped kitchen where a family can't eat together. The Process: You, the expert, working your magic (briefly!). The 'After': A beautiful, open space where the kids are doing homework and the parents are relaxed.I often see businesses fail here because they use generic stock photos. If you use a photo of a kitchen from a US magazine, Brisbane locals will smell it a mile away. You need to use real photos of real Brisbane homes. We’ve found that US content fails in our local market because it doesn't feel authentic to our lifestyle. Use your own photos, even if they aren't "professional" quality.
Why it makes you money:
It removes the risk. When a customer sees that you’ve done exactly what they want for someone in their own suburb, they trust you instantly. It turns a "maybe" into a "when can you start?"The Cost & Timeline:
Cost: Minimal. Just the time it takes to snap photos on your iPhone. Results: Medium. It builds a "portfolio" that makes closing sales much easier over time.Approach 3: The "Founder’s Why" (Building Local Trust)
This approach is best for professional services like lawyers, accountants, or boutique shops where the
person behind the business matters as much as the service.How it works:
You tell the story of why you started the business. Did you get sick of seeing people get ripped off by big corporations? Did you learn the trade from your old man and want to keep that quality alive in Brisbane?Why it makes you money:
People buy from people they like and trust. In a world of faceless AI and giant franchises, being a real person from a real suburb is a massive competitive advantage.However, don't just ramble. Every part of your story must serve the customer. If you’re talking about your 30 years of experience, frame it as: "Because I’ve seen every mistake in the book over the last 30 years, I can save you thousands in wasted materials."
Why Most Business Blogs Fail
Many owners hear they need to "do content" and start a blog. Then they write three posts about their Christmas party and give up. That is a waste of money.
If you’re going to write content, it needs to be useful. Don't just copy what everyone else is saying. If you want to stand out on Google, you need to share your own expertise. Using original data or your own unique way of doing things is the only way to beat the big guys who have bigger budgets than you.
Instead of a messy list of random thoughts, you should organise your advice into clear categories. We call this a pillar and cluster approach, but for you, it just means: pick 3 things you are an expert in and only write about those. If you’re a mechanic, write about: 1. European car maintenance 2. How to avoid getting ripped off by dealerships 3. Safety tips for family road trips
Comparison: Which One Should You Use?
| Framework | Best For | Effort | Speed of Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Problem-Solution | Tradies, Emergency Services | Low | Very Fast |
| Before & After | Visual Trades, Beauty, Renos | Medium | Fast |
| Founder's Why | Professional Services, Boutiques | Medium | Slow (Builds Trust) |
What’s a Waste of Money?
1. Hiring a "Creative Agency" to find your 'brand voice': Unless you’re turning over $5M+, you don't need a 50-page brand book. You need a clear message that tells people what you do and how to buy it. 2. Stock Photos: Stop buying photos of people smiling while holding a wrench. They look fake. A grainy photo of you on a job site in Indooroopilly is worth ten times more than a polished stock photo. 3. Being "Professional" but Boring: Don't use big words to sound smart. Write like you talk to a mate at a BBQ. If you wouldn't say "we utilise synergistic solutions" in person, don't put it on your website.
How to Start Today (Without Spending a Cent)
Look at your website’s homepage right now. If the biggest text on the page is your company name, change it.
Replace it with a headline that follows the Problem-Solution model.
Old: Smith & Sons Electrical.- New: Get Your Power Back On in 2 hours or the Call-Out is Free.
Real World Example: The Morningside Plumber
We worked with a plumber in Morningside who was struggling to get more than a few calls a week from his site. His homepage was all about him—his certificates, his history, his love for plumbing.
We flipped it. We focused on the nightmare of a burst pipe at 2 AM. We told a story of a local mum who woke up to a flooded kitchen and how our client was there in 30 minutes to save her floorboards.
We didn't change his prices. We didn't change his services. We just changed the story. Within three months, he had to hire another subbie just to keep up with the enquiries.
The Bottom Line
Storytelling isn't about being an artist. It’s about being a better salesman. It’s about understanding what keeps your customers awake at night and showing them—clearly and simply—that you are the person who can help them sleep again.
Don't get bogged down in the technical side of things. Focus on the people you serve. If you do that, the results will follow.
Need help getting your message right? At Local Marketing Group, we don't do fluff. We help Brisbane businesses get more calls and more sales by fixing their message and getting it in front of the right people.
Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s get your phone ringing.