Why Most Brisbane Business Owners Are Flying Blind
I’ve sat down with hundreds of business owners from Chermside to Cleveland, and when I ask, "Which part of your marketing is actually putting money in the bank?" most give me a blank stare.
They know they’re spending $2,000 a month on Google or Facebook, and they know the phone is ringing, but they can't tell me if that $2,000 turned into $4,000 of profit or if they just set it on fire.
If you don’t know your numbers, you aren't marketing—you’re gambling. This guide is about moving away from "gut feelings" and using simple math to make sure your marketing spend is actually growing your business.
The Only Number That Matters
Marketers love to talk about clicks, likes, and impressions. Honestly? Most of that is rubbish. You can’t pay your mortgage with "likes." You pay your mortgage with profit.
ROI stands for Return on Investment. In plain English, it means: For every dollar I gave the marketing guy, how many dollars did I get back in profit?
To get this right, you need to understand two things: 1. Exactly what you spent. 2. Exactly what you made from that specific spend.
Step 1: Tracking Where the Money Comes From
You can’t calculate a return if you don't know which job came from which ad. If a customer calls your shop, do you know if they saw your sign out front, found you on Google, or were referred by a mate?
Most businesses fail here because they don't have basic systems in place. You need to fix your website tracking so you can see if a phone call came from a paid ad or a free search. Without this, your math is just guesswork.
I worked with a landscaper in Carindale who thought his Facebook ads were killing it because he got heaps of comments. When we actually looked at the data, the Facebook leads were all tyre-kickers asking for free advice. His Google ads, which had fewer "likes," were the ones actually booking the $10k deck builds. He was nearly ready to cancel the only thing that was making him money.
Step 2: The Simple Math (The "Back of the Napkin" Formula)
You don't need a degree in accounting for this. Here is the simplest way to see if you are winning:
(Total Sales from Marketing - Total Cost of Marketing) / Total Cost of Marketing = Your Return
Let’s look at a real-world example for a local plumber: Spent on Ads: $1,000 Total Sales from those Ads: $5,000 Gross Profit (after parts/labour): $2,500
If we use the profit figure (which you should), the math is: ($2,500 - $1,000) / $1,000 = 1.5.
This means for every $1 he spent, he got his dollar back plus an extra $1.50 in profit. That’s a winning campaign. If that number is zero or negative, stop what you're doing immediately.
Step 3: Don't Forget the Hidden Costs
When I talk to business owners about what they spend, they usually just tell me their ad budget. But that’s not the full story. To see what's making you money, you have to include:
The Ad Spend: What you pay Google or Facebook directly. The Management Fee: What you pay an agency (like us) to run it. Content Costs: If you paid a photographer or a writer.
If you spend $500 on ads but pay a "guru" $2,000 to manage them, your total cost is $2,500. If you only make $2,000 in sales, you are losing money every single month. It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people ignore the management fee when they calculate their success.
Why Your "Cost Per Lead" Might Be Lying to You
I see this all the time: An agency tells a Brisbane sparky, "Great news! We got your cost per lead down to $20!"
The sparky is happy until he realises those 50 leads were all people looking for a $50 battery change for a smoke alarm, not a $3,000 switchboard upgrade.
This is why you must see why people don't call or why they aren't converting once they get to your site. High volume does not equal high profit. If your "cheap" leads aren't turning into high-value jobs, your ROI is actually terrible, even if the "cost per lead" looks good on a spreadsheet.
How Long Should You Wait for Results?
Marketing isn't a microwave; it's more like a slow cooker. However, you shouldn't be waiting six months to see if something works.
Paid Ads (Google/Facebook): You should see leads within the first 14–30 days. If you haven't booked a job after a month of solid spending, something is broken. Either your ads suck, your website is confusing, or your prices are way off for the Brisbane market. SEO (Showing up locally for free): This takes longer—usually 3 to 6 months to see a real shift in phone calls. It’s a long-term play, but the ROI is often higher because you aren't paying for every click.
What’s a Waste of Money?
If you are a small business, avoid "Brand Awareness" campaigns. Big companies like Coca-Cola spend millions just so you remember their name. You don’t have that luxury. Every dollar you spend needs to have a direct line to a phone call or an enquiry.
If an agency tells you, "We're just building your brand presence right now," and the phone isn't ringing, they are likely wasting your cash. In the local Brisbane market, people are looking for a solution now. They want a plumber because their toilet is overflowing, not because they saw a pretty picture of a wrench on Instagram three weeks ago.
Three Things You Should Do Today
1. Check your intake: Ask every single person who calls, "How did you find us?" and write it down. Don't accept "the internet" as an answer. Was it Google Maps? A Facebook ad? A search? 2. Calculate your average job value: If you know a typical customer spends $800 with you, you know you can afford to spend $100 to get that customer. If you don't know your average job value, you can't set a realistic marketing budget. 3. Audit your spend: Look at your bank statement. Add up every "marketing" expense. Compare it to the sales you can definitely track back to those ads.
Let’s Get Your Marketing Profitable
Marketing shouldn't be a mystery. It's a business tool, just like your ute or your tools. If it’s not helping you get the job done (which, in this case, is making money), it’s time to change what you’re doing.
At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about fancy reports or "engagement metrics." We care about how many times your phone rings and how much profit is left over at the end of the month.
If you're tired of guessing and want to see real results for your Brisbane business, let’s have a chat. We’ll look at what you’re spending and show you exactly where the leaks are.
Ready to stop wasting money? Contact Local Marketing Group today.