Why Most Business Emails Are a Waste of Time
I see it all the time with small businesses across Brisbane. A local landscaper or a boutique shop owner decides they need to 'do email marketing.' They spend three hours on a Sunday night putting together one big email, hit send to their entire list of 500 people, and... nothing.
Maybe one person calls. Most people don't even open it. Why? Because the email was generic. It tried to sell pool cleaning to people who don't have pools, or a 'new season sale' on winter coats to someone who just bought one last week.
Most business owners think the answer is to send more emails. It’s not. The answer is sending emails that actually matter to the person reading them. In the marketing world, they call this 'dynamic personalisation.' In the real world, we call it 'not being annoying and actually being helpful.'
If you want to make more money from the customers you already have, you need to stop treating everyone on your list the same.
The Story of the Chermside Mechanic
Let’s look at a real-world example. We worked with a mechanic near Chermside who had a list of about 1,200 past customers. Every month, he’d send out a 'Monthly Special' email offering 10% off brake pads.
He was lucky to get two bookings from it. It was a waste of time.
We changed his approach. Instead of one big blast, we set up his system to look at what the customer actually owned and when they last saw him.
- If a customer had a Toyota Hilux, they got an email about 4WD suspension checks. - If a customer hadn't been in for 6 months, they got a 'time for a service' reminder. - If they had just spent $2,000 on a major repair, they got a thank-you note with a voucher for a free car wash next time.
The result? His bookings from email went up by 400% in the first month. He wasn't sending more emails; he was sending the right ones. He stopped sending boring emails and started treating his digital list like he treats people who walk into his workshop.
What Does "Personalised" Actually Mean?
It’s not just about putting their first name at the top of the email. We’ve all seen those: "Hi [First_Name], buy our stuff!" That doesn't impress anyone anymore.
True personalisation is about showing the customer you know who they are and what they need. It involves three main things:
1. What they’ve bought before
If you run a pet supply shop in Paddington and someone only ever buys cat food, stop sending them deals on dog leashes. It’s irrelevant. When you send them a tip on how to keep cats cool in the Queensland summer, they’ll actually open it.2. Where they are in their journey
A new enquiry who just asked for a quote needs different information than a loyal customer who has been with you for five years. You can turn new enquiries into sales by sending them helpful 'how-to' guides or testimonials from other locals while you’re busy on the tools.3. Their specific interests
If you're a mortgage broker, don't send 'First Home Buyer' tips to someone who is looking to refinance their third investment property. It makes you look like you aren't paying attention.How Much Does This Cost?
I'll be blunt: doing this properly isn't free, but it's cheaper than wasting money on ads that don't work.
Most small businesses can get started with a decent email tool for $30 to $100 a month. However, you have to be careful. Many people get sucked into 'free' plans that end up costing a fortune once your list grows or you want to use these smart features. It's worth looking into email platform costs before you commit your whole database to one system.
If you hire an agency like us to set it up for you, you’re looking at a one-off setup fee. But once it’s running, it’s like having a salesperson working for you 24/7 who never calls in sick.
How Long Until You See Results?
Unlike SEO, which can take months, smart email marketing works almost instantly.
When we set up these 'smart' emails for a Brisbane-based carpet cleaner, he saw three new bookings within two hours of the first automated email going out. Because the email was sent to people who actually needed their carpets cleaned (based on the date of their last job), it was a 'no-brainer' for them to click and book.
What You Should Do First
Don't try to get fancy straight away. If you want to start making more money from your emails this week, do these three things:
1. Clean your list: If someone hasn't opened an email from you in two years, delete them. You're likely paying to keep them on your list, and they’re dragging your numbers down. 2. Group your customers: Even if it’s just two groups—'New Leads' and 'Past Customers'—it’s a start. 3. Talk like a human: Read your email out loud. Does it sound like something you’d say to a mate at the pub? If it sounds like a corporate brochure, delete it and start again.
What’s a Waste of Money?
Avoid 'buying' email lists. It’s the fastest way to get your account banned and your emails sent straight to the junk folder. People in Brisbane don't like being spammed by businesses they've never heard of.
Also, don't spend $500 on a fancy 'graphic designer' to make your email look like a glossy magazine. Plain text emails—the ones that look like they came from a real person—actually get more replies and more sales for small businesses. People buy from people, not from logos.
The "Set and Forget" Reality
The best part about this is that once you set up the 'rules' (e.g., "If a customer buys X, send them Y three days later"), you don't have to touch it again. It runs in the background while you're out on a job, at the shop, or spending time with your family.
We worked with a landscaping supply business in Ipswich that now generates about 15% of their total monthly revenue from these automated, personalised emails. They don't even think about it anymore; the orders just show up in their inbox.
Ready to Get More From Your Customers?
If you're tired of sending emails that get ignored, or you're too busy to even think about what to write, we can help. At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in making marketing work for Brisbane small businesses without the fluff.
We don't care about 'fancy'— we care about your phone ringing.
Want to see how we can grow your sales? Contact us today.