The Lead Generation Trap Most Tradies Fall Into
If you’re a sparky, plumber, or landscaper in Brisbane, you’ve probably been burned by lead generation sites. You know the ones—they charge you $40, $60, or even $100 just for the chance to quote on a job alongside four of your cheapest competitors.
It’s a race to the bottom. By the time you call the customer, they’ve already had three other blokes ring them, and they’re usually just looking for the lowest price. Most of what you read online tells you that you need these services to survive. That is absolute rubbish.
I’ve worked with dozens of local businesses from Chermside to Cleveland, and the ones making the most profit aren't buying leads. They are building their own "lead machine" so they own the relationship from day one.
If you want to stop paying a middleman for the privilege of working, you need to change your approach. Here is how you actually get more jobs without wasting money on lead sites.
Why Buying Leads is a Losing Game
When you buy a lead, you don’t own anything. You are essentially renting a customer.
1. Zero Loyalty: The customer didn't find you; they found a directory. They have no idea who you are or why you’re better than the next guy. 2. Price Wars: Because the directory sends the lead to multiple tradies, the customer is conditioned to pick the cheapest quote. This is why so many electricians charge more by avoiding these platforms altogether. 3. The Bill Always Comes: Whether you win the job or not, you pay. I’ve seen some Brisbane roofers spend thousands a month on leads and only land 10% of them. That’s a massive hole in your pocket.
Approach 1: The "Google Map" Strategy (Best for Local Work)
If you want the phone to ring today, your Google Business Profile (the map listing) is your best friend. It’s free to set up, and for most tradies, it’s where 80% of their new business comes from.
Think about it: when a pipe bursts in Indooroopilly, the homeowner doesn't go to a lead directory. They type "plumber near me" into Google and click the first guy with good reviews.
What to do first: Get more reviews: This is the single most important thing you can do. A profile with 50 reviews will beat a profile with 5 reviews every single time. To get the phone ringing, you need to understand the truth about reviews and how they actually drive calls. Post real photos: Skip the stock photos of people smiling in hard hats. People want to see your ute, your team, and your actual work. Show a messy switchboard turned into a neat one. Show a muddy backyard turned into a paved patio.
The Cost: $0 (just your time). The Timeline: 1–3 months to see a steady stream of calls.
Approach 2: Use Your Phone to Sell (The Photo Strategy)
You’re already on-site every day. If you aren't taking photos of your work, you are literally leaving money on the table.
I’ve seen a fencer in Morningside double his enquiry rate just by changing the photos on his Facebook page and website. Why? Because people buy with their eyes. If you show a high-quality finish, people stop asking "how much?" and start asking "when can you start?"
Using before and after photos is the fastest way to build trust. It proves you’ve done the work before and you can do it again. Post these to your Google profile and your Facebook page once a week. It costs nothing but 30 seconds of your time.
The Cost: $0. The Timeline: Immediate impact on how many people trust you.
Approach 3: Fixing Your Website (The Silent Salesman)
Most tradie websites are a waste of space. They look like they were built in 2005, they don't work on phones, and they don't tell the customer what to do next.
If someone lands on your site and has to hunt for your phone number, they’re gone. They’ll click the back button and go to the next guy. You need your website to work on phones and have a big "Call Now" button at the top.
If you aren't getting enquiries, there’s usually a simple reason why your website isn't ringing. It’s rarely about the "algorithm" and usually about the fact that you haven't given people a reason to trust you or an easy way to contact you.
The Cost: $1,500 - $5,000 for a professional site that actually works. The Timeline: 4–6 weeks to build, then it works for years.
Approach 4: Moving Away from "Emergency" Work
If you are a roofer or a plumber, you might be used to waiting for the phone to ring when something breaks or a storm hits. This is a stressful way to run a business. You’re either flat out or you’re sitting around waiting for rain.
You should be aiming for steady leads all year rather than chasing emergencies. This is done by targeting "planned" work—like renovations, maintenance, or upgrades—through your own marketing rather than waiting for a lead site to send you a disaster call.
What’s a Waste of Money?
I’ll be blunt: most of what "marketing gurus" tell you is rubbish for a local tradie.
Buying "SEO packages" for $199 a month: These do nothing. They are a scam. Real SEO (getting you to the top of Google) takes actual work and costs more than a couple of hundred bucks. Generic Facebook Ads: Unless you have a specific offer (like "Free Safety Inspection with every job"), running generic ads that just say "We do plumbing" is a great way to set fire to your cash. Lead Directories: As we discussed, these are a short-term fix that hurts your long-term profits.
What Should You Do First?
If I were starting a tradie business in Brisbane tomorrow, here is exactly what I’d do to get jobs without paying for leads:
1. Claim your Google Business Profile: It’s free. Fill out every section. 2. Call your last 10 happy customers: Ask them for a 5-star review on Google. Do it today. 3. Take photos of every job: Start a folder on your phone. Pick the best 3 and upload them to Google and Facebook every Friday. 4. Fix your website: Make sure your phone number is huge and it works perfectly on a mobile.
This isn't an overnight fix. It takes a bit of effort. But once it starts working, you’ll have a business where customers call you because they want your* work—not because you were the fastest to click a link on a lead site.
Building your own brand is the only way to get off the tools eventually and actually build a business that makes money while you sleep (or at least while you're at the beach on the Coast).
Want to stop wasting money on leads and start getting direct calls?
At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane tradies build their own lead machines. We don't do jargon; we just get your phone ringing.
Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s get your business sorted.