The Problem: You’re Too Busy to Make Money
I was sitting down with a sparky from Chermside a few months ago. He was flat out—phones ringing, van loaded, jobs backed up for three weeks. On paper, he was killing it. But when we looked at his bank account, the profit didn't match the effort.
Why? Because he was losing thousands of dollars every month in the 'cracks'.
He’d get a lead from his website at 8:00 PM while he was finally sitting down for dinner. By the time he remembered to call them back the next afternoon, they’d already booked another guy who answered faster. He had a list of 400 past customers he never emailed because he didn't have the time. He was manually typing out every invoice and reminder.
He was working 70 hours a week, but half of that was 'admin'—the kind of stuff that doesn't actually put money in your pocket directly.
Most Brisbane business owners I meet are in the same boat. You’ve been told you need 'marketing automation,' which sounds like something only a massive company like Qantas would use. You probably think it costs a fortune and requires a degree in computer science to set up.
I’m here to tell you that’s rubbish.
You can build a 'system' for less than the cost of a couple of slabs of beer a month that will handle your leads, follow up with customers, and keep your calendar full while you’re actually on the tools (or at the beach).
What is "Automation" Really? (Hint: It’s Not Robots)
In plain English, automation just means setting up a tool to do a repetitive task for you.
If someone fills out a form on your website, a tool sends them a text immediately saying, "G'day, I've got your message, I'll call you in an hour." That’s automation.
If a customer hasn't booked a service in six months and a tool sends them a friendly 'checking in' email with a discount code, that’s automation.
It’s about making sure no one gets forgotten. It’s about being 'always on' without you having to be on your phone 24/7. When you stop wasting time on admin, you suddenly find you have the energy to actually grow the business rather than just surviving the day.
The "Affordable" Reality Check
There are marketing agencies out there that will try to sell you software subscriptions that cost $800 a month. They’ll tell you it’s the 'industry standard.' For a local plumber, a boutique shop in Paddington, or a lawyer in the CBD, that is a massive waste of money.
You don't need a Ferrari to drive to the local Bunnings. You need a reliable ute.
I’ve seen dozens of businesses get sucked into overpaying for software they only use 5% of. We’re going to focus on a 'stack'—a group of tools—that works together for under $150 a month total.
Step 1: The Brain (Your Customer Database)
You need one place where every customer’s name, phone number, and email lives. If you’re still using a stack of business cards on the dashboard or a messy spreadsheet, we need to fix that first.
The Tool: HubSpot (Free Version) or Pipedrive (approx. $20/mo). Why: It keeps track of every conversation. When a customer calls, you can see exactly what they bought last time. The Result: You look professional, you don't lose phone numbers, and you can see exactly which jobs are worth the most money.
Step 2: The Mouth (Email & SMS Marketing)
Once you have your list, you need a way to talk to them without typing individual messages.
The Tool: MailerLite or Beehiiv (Free to $30/mo). Why: These are way cheaper than the 'big names' like Mailchimp but do the exact same thing. They let you send beautiful emails to your whole list at once. The Result: You can send a 'Winter Special' email to 500 people in ten minutes. If even three people book a job, the tool has paid for itself for the whole year.
Step 3: The Glue (Connecting it All)
This is the secret sauce. You need a tool that tells your website to talk to your database, and your database to talk to your email tool.
The Tool: Zapier (Free version or $30/mo). Why: It’s like a digital translator. When someone fills out your contact form, Zapier automatically puts their details into your database and sends you a text alert. The Result: You stop juggling software manually. No more copying and pasting names from emails into spreadsheets. It just happens.
How to Set This Up (The 3-Step Practical Guide)
Don't try to do this all in one afternoon. You’ve got a business to run. Take it one piece at a time.
Phase 1: Capture the Leads (Week 1)
Stop letting people visit your website and leave without a trace. 1. Create a free account on a CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) like HubSpot. 2. Use a simple form tool (like Typeform or even the one built into your website) to ask for their name, mobile, and what they need help with. 3. Connect that form to your CRM using Zapier.Cost: $0. Time: 2 hours. Outcome: Every single person who enquires is now a permanent record in your business. You own that data.
Phase 2: The "Instant Reply" (Week 2)
In Brisbane, the first person to reply usually gets the job. If you’re busy on a site in Indooroopilly, you can't always answer the phone. 1. Set up an automated email in your CRM that goes out the second a form is submitted. 2. Make it sound human: "Hey, it's [Your Name] here. I've got your enquiry. I'm on a job right now but I'll give you a buzz around 4:00 PM to chat. In the meantime, feel free to check out our recent work here [Link]."Cost: $0 - $20. Time: 1 hour. Outcome: The customer feels looked after immediately. They stop looking for other competitors because you've already engaged them.
Phase 3: The "Don't Forget Me" Sequence (Week 3)
This is where the real money is made. Most small businesses do a job, get paid, and never speak to the customer again. That’s madness. It’s five times cheaper to sell to an old customer than to find a new one. 1. Create a simple 3-email sequence for after a job is done. 2. Email 1 (Day after): "Thanks for your business! Hope everything is working great." 3. Email 2 (Day 7): "Would you mind leaving us a Google Review? It really helps our local business." 4. Email 3 (6 months later): "It's been a while! Just checking in to see if you need a maintenance check."Cost: $20 - $50/mo. Time: 3 hours to write the emails once. Outcome: You get more reviews (which makes Google send you more customers) and you get repeat business without spending a cent on ads.
What’s a Waste of Money?
I’m going to be blunt: most "All-in-One" marketing platforms are a trap for small businesses. They promise the world but they are clunky, hard to learn, and they charge you for features you will never, ever use.
- High-end AI Chatbots: Most customers hate them. They want to talk to a person. A simple 'text me back' widget is 10x more effective. - Complex 'Funnel' Builders: You don't need a 12-step psychological sales funnel. You need a way for people to book you or buy from you easily. - Expensive Social Media Schedulers: If you're a local business, posting three times a week manually is fine. Don't pay $50 a month for a tool to post to Facebook for you unless you're a full-time influencer.
How Long Until You See Results?
If you set up an instant reply today, you will see results the very next time someone enquires. You’ll notice people are more likely to wait for your call because you’ve acknowledged them.
Within three months of running a simple 'past customer' email sequence, I’ve seen Brisbane tradies add an extra $5,000 to $10,000 in revenue just from old clients waking up and remembering they needed work done.
The "I'm Too Busy" Excuse
I get it. You're flat out. But here's the reality: if you're too busy to set up a system that saves you time, you'll be 'flat out' forever until you burn out or the phone stops ringing.
You don't have to be a tech genius. You just have to be fed up with losing money to competitors who are faster than you.
Start small. Pick one thing—maybe just the automated email reply—and do it this Sunday night. Once you see that first 'Thank you for the quick reply!' email come in while you were actually watching the footy, you'll be hooked.
Need a Hand Getting the Systems Sorted?
Setting this stuff up isn't rocket science, but it does take time to get the 'pipes' connected properly. If you’d rather spend your weekends with the family than fighting with software, that’s where we come in.
At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane businesses stop the 'leaky bucket' problem. We don't use jargon and we don't recommend tools you don't need. We just build systems that get you more phone calls and more bookings.
Ready to stop doing the grunt work? Contact us today and let’s see which parts of your business we can put on autopilot.