Why most Brisbane business owners are flying blind
I was sitting down with a landscaper in Carindale last week. He’s doing about $1.5 million a year, but he was stressed. He was spending $4,000 a month on various ads, Google, and some local Facebook groups, but when I asked him which one was actually putting food on the table, he just shrugged.
"I get phone calls," he said. "But I don't know if they saw the ad, found me on Google, or heard about me from a mate."
This is the reality for 90% of small businesses in Brisbane. You're spending money on marketing, but you have no idea if it's working or if you're just throwing cash into a hole in the ground.
In the marketing world, they call this "analytics." To you and me, it’s just common sense: knowing where your money goes and what you get back for it.
If you want to grow your business in 2024 and beyond, you can't afford to guess anymore. Prices for everything are going up—fuel, materials, wages. You need your marketing to be a profit machine, not a mystery expense.
The "So What?" – Why should you care about data?
Look, I know you didn't start a plumbing business or a boutique shop because you wanted to look at spreadsheets. You started it to provide a great service and make a profit.
But here is the blunt truth: the businesses that are winning right now in Brisbane—the ones opening second locations or buying new trucks—are the ones who know their numbers.
When you actually track your leads (the phone calls and emails you get), three things happen:
1. You stop wasting money: You’ll find out that one of your ads is doing nothing. You can turn it off tomorrow and save that cash. 2. You do more of what works: You might find out that people searching for "emergency hot water repair" are your best customers. You can put more money there and get even busier. 3. You sleep better: There is nothing worse than the "quiet weeks." When you know where your customers come from, you can turn the tap on when things get slow.
What actually matters? (Forget the jargon)
If you talk to a big agency, they’ll start talking about "attribution models" and "conversion rate optimisation." Honestly? Most of that is rubbish for a small business.
To tell if your marketing is working, you only need to care about a few simple things:
The Source: Where did they come from? (Google, Facebook, a flyer, a referral?) The Cost: How much did it cost to get that person to contact you? The Quality: Was it a tyre-kicker or a high-value job?
That’s it. If you know those three things, you’re ahead of 95% of your competitors.
Prediction: The end of "Cheap" leads
One big trend we’re seeing in South East Queensland is that leads are getting more expensive. A few years ago, you could get a phone call for $10. Now, for some tradies, it might cost $50 or $100 just to get the phone to ring.
Because it’s getting more expensive, you have to be smarter. You can't afford to lose a customer because your website is slow or because you didn't answer the phone.
I’ve seen dozens of businesses spend thousands on ads only to lose customers at the finish line because their booking process was too hard. In 2024, the "trend" isn't fancy AI—it's getting the basics right so you don't waste the leads you've already paid for.
How to track your leads without a degree in IT
How do you actually do this? It’s easier than you think, and it doesn't have to cost a fortune.
1. Call Tracking (The Game Changer)
If you take one thing from this guide, let it be this: Get a tracking phone number.There are services where you can put a special number on your website. When someone calls it, it rings your normal phone, but the system records where that person came from. It can tell you, "This person clicked your Google Ad for 'Roof Tiling Brisbane'."
Imagine how powerful that is. At the end of the month, you can see that Google Ads brought in 20 calls, and Facebook brought in 2. Now you know where to spend your budget next month.
2. Simple Enquiry Forms
Don't just have a generic "Contact Us" page. Ask people how they found you. It’s not perfect (people forget), but it’s a start. Better yet, use a system that automatically tags the enquiry with the ad they clicked.3. The "Old School" Way
Train your staff (or yourself) to ask: "By the way, how did you hear about us?" Write it down. Put it in a simple notebook or a basic spreadsheet. If you don't see exactly where sales come from, you're just gambling with your marketing budget.What is a waste of money?
I see local businesses get ripped off all the time. Here is what I’d tell a mate to avoid:
Fancy Dashboards: You don't need a $500-a-month software that shows you 50 different graphs. You need to know if the phone rang. Vague "Brand Awareness" Campaigns: Unless you’re Coca-Cola, you don't need "awareness." You need customers. If someone tells you they can't track the results because it's about "building the brand," run the other way. Buying Lead Lists: These are almost always rubbish. People on those lists didn't ask to hear from you. It's a waste of time and a great way to get marked as spam.
How long until you see results?
If you start tracking your leads today, you’ll have useful information within 30 days. Within 90 days, you’ll have enough data to make big decisions—like cutting out the marketing that isn't working and doubling down on the stuff that is.
It’s not an overnight fix, but it’s the only way to build a business that isn't dependent on luck.
What should you do first?
1. Check your website on your phone. Does the "Call Now" button work? Most of your customers in Brisbane are looking for you while they're on the move. If they can't call you in one tap, they'll go to the next guy. 2. Ask your last 5 customers how they found you. If they all say the same thing, you know where your strength is. 3. Talk to an expert who speaks plain English. You don't need a tech genius; you need someone who understands how to make your phone ring.
At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about fancy awards or technical talk. We care about making sure your marketing budget actually grows your business. We've helped tradies, shops, and professional services all over Brisbane stop guessing and start growing.
If you're tired of wondering where your marketing dollars are going, let's have a chat. We'll show you exactly how to track your leads so you can focus on running your business.
Ready to see what's actually working? Contact us at Local Marketing Group and let’s get your marketing sorted.