Look, I’m going to be straight with you. If you’re a sparky, plumber, or chippie in Brisbane and you’re still relying on those lead-sharing sites, you’re essentially renting your own business.
Every time you pay for a lead, you’re competing with five other blokes for a customer who is usually just looking for the lowest price. It’s a race to the bottom. You pay twenty or thirty bucks just for the chance to quote, and half the time they don’t even pick up the phone.
It’s rubbish. We’ve seen it happen to dozens of our clients before they came to us. They’re working 60-hour weeks but the only people getting rich are the tech companies selling them their own phone calls.
You don’t need to buy leads. You need to build a business that people actually find and trust on its own. Here is how you do it without throwing money down a black hole.
Your Google Business Profile is Your Best Mate
If you do one thing this week, make it this. Your Google Business Profile (the map listing) is the single most powerful tool you have. And it’s free.
When someone’s toilet is overflowing at 9 PM in Paddington, they aren't scrolling through Facebook. They’re typing "plumber near me" into Google. If you show up in those top three map spots, you get the call.
But most tradies set it up once and forget it. That’s a mistake. You need to treat it like a digital shopfront.
First, get photos on there. Not just stock photos of a wrench—I mean photos of your face, your ute, and the actual work you did today. People buy from people. If they see a photo of you smiling in your high-vis next to a job well done, they’re 10 times more likely to call you than the faceless company next to you.
Second, you need reviews. Stop being shy about it. As soon as you finish a job and the customer is happy, ask them right then and there. "Hey, I’m trying to grow my local business, would you mind leaving me a quick review?" Most people are happy to help if you’ve done a good job. The more reviews you have, the more Google trusts you, and the higher you climb.
Stop Losing Jobs to the Bloke Next Door
I see this all the time. A tradie has a decent reputation, but their online presence looks like it’s stuck in 2005.
If a potential customer finds you, the first thing they do is check your website. If it’s slow, looks dodgy on a phone, or doesn’t clearly say what you do, they’re gone. They’ll go to the next person on the list. This is a massive reason why many blokes are losing high-paying jobs to competitors who aren't even better at the trade—they’re just better at looking professional.
Your website doesn't need to be a work of art. It just needs to do three things: 1. Load fast on a phone. 2. Show your phone number clearly at the top. 3. Prove you aren't a cowboy.
If your website isn't ringing, it’s usually because you haven't given people a reason to trust you. Put your license number on there. Put those photos of your team on there. Make it dead easy for them to hit a button and call you.
Use Your Ute Properly
Your ute is a mobile billboard. You’re driving it all over Brisbane every single day. If it’s blank or just has a tiny little magnet on the door, you’re wasting thousands of dollars in free advertising.
But don't just slap your name and a mobile number on it and call it a day. Most ute signage isn't working because it’s too hard to read or doesn't say what problem you solve.
Think about it: someone is stuck in traffic behind you on Milton Road. They have five seconds to read your truck. If they can’t tell exactly what you do and how to contact you instantly, they won’t bother. Use big, bold fonts. Keep the message simple. "Blocked Drains - Fixed Fast" is better than a list of 20 things you can do in tiny print.
The Power of Local Facebook Groups
I’m not talking about paying for Facebook ads. I’m talking about being a helpful human being.
Every suburb in Brisbane has a community group. People are constantly in there asking, "Can anyone recommend a good sparky?"
Don't just jump in and say "Call me." That looks desperate. Instead, provide some value. If someone asks why their safety switch keeps tripping, give them a couple of things to check themselves first. Be the expert. When you help people for free in a public forum, everyone else in that group sees it. You aren't just winning one job; you’re building a reputation with 5,000 locals.
Why This Beats Paid Leads Every Time
When you buy a lead from a big site, that customer doesn't know you. They have no loyalty to you. They’re just looking for the cheapest quote.
But when someone finds you on Google Maps because you have 50 five-star reviews, or they see your ute in their street, or they’ve seen you being helpful on Facebook—they’ve already decided they want you.
They aren't price-shopping as hard. They trust you. These are the high-value jobs that actually make you money, rather than just keeping you busy.
How Long Does This Take?
I won't lie to you. This isn't an overnight fix. If you want a phone call in the next ten minutes, you go and pay for an ad.
But if you want to stop paying for leads forever, you start doing this stuff today. - Google Business Profile: You can update this in 20 minutes. You’ll see the impact in a few weeks. - Reviews: Start asking today. By next month, you’ll have a significant edge over your competitors. - Website: If yours is rubbish, get it fixed. It’s a one-off cost that pays for itself for years.
My Honest Take
Most tradies are too busy on the tools to worry about this stuff. I get it. You’re knackered at the end of the day and the last thing you want to do is upload photos to Google.
But the blokes who do this are the ones who end up with the big crews, the nice trucks, and the ability to choose which jobs they take. They aren't chasing $100 fix-it jobs; they're winning the big renovations and the long-term contracts because they look like the pros they are.
Stop giving your hard-earned money to lead-gen sites that don't care about your business. Start building your own brand. It’s harder work at the start, but it’s the only way to build a real business that lasts.
If you’re sick of the lead-gen treadmill and want to sort your own marketing out properly, give us a shout at Local Marketing Group. We don't do jargon, we just get your phone ringing.
Ready to get started? Let’s chat.