Why Most Brisbane Business Owners are Flying Blind
I’ve sat down with hundreds of business owners from Chermside to Cleveland, and almost all of them have the same frustration: "I’m spending money on marketing, but I have no idea what’s actually bringing in the jobs."
If you’re running a plumbing business, a law firm, or a local shop, you don’t have time to look at complicated graphs or technical reports that look like they’re written in another language. You need to know one thing: Is the money I’m spending resulting in more money coming in?
Most marketing reports you get from agencies are full of fluff. They talk about "impressions," "engagement," and "reach." Frankly, those are ego numbers. You can't pay your staff with "likes" on a Facebook post. You need phone calls, booked jobs, and sales.
This guide is about building a simple way to see your numbers—what we call a "results dashboard." It’s not about being a math genius; it’s about having a clear view of your business health so you can make decisions based on facts, not gut feelings. When you start measuring marketing ROI, everything changes. You stop stressing about the bills and start focusing on what grows the bank account.
The Three Numbers That Actually Matter
You don’t need fifty different charts. In fact, if your dashboard has more than five or six items on it, you’ll probably stop looking at it after a week. To grow a business in Brisbane's competitive market, you only need to obsess over three main areas.
1. What did it cost to get a customer?
If you spend $1,000 on Google ads and you get 10 new customers, each customer cost you $100. If your average job is worth $500, that’s a win. If your average job is worth $80, you’re losing money. Most owners don’t know this number, so they keep pouring money into a leaky bucket.2. Where did the lead come from?
Did they call you because of a Google search? Did they find you on Facebook? Or did they see your truck in traffic? If you know that 80% of your best jobs come from Google, you can stop wasting money on the stuff that doesn't work and double down on what does. It's about seeing which ads work so you can cut the waste.3. How many enquiries actually turned into a sale?
If your website sends you 50 enquiries a month but you only book 2 jobs, you don't have a marketing problem—you have a sales problem or a website problem. Maybe your price is too high, or maybe your phone isn't being answered fast enough. Without a dashboard, you’d just blame the marketing and stop spending, which is the worst thing you could do.Setting Up Your "Quick Win" Dashboard
You don't need expensive software. A simple spreadsheet or a one-page automated report is plenty. Here is how I’d set it up if I were running your business.
Step 1: Track the Phone Calls
For most local businesses—tradies, dentists, accountants—the phone is where the money happens. If you aren't tracking where your phone calls come from, you are guessing. We use "tracking numbers." It’s a local Brisbane number that looks normal to the customer, but it tells us exactly which ad they clicked before they called.Step 2: Total Enquiries vs. Total Sales
Every Monday morning, you should look at how many people contacted you the week before. - Website forms - Phone calls - Walk-ins - Facebook messagesThen, look at your bank account or your invoicing software. How many of those turned into paid work? This is the most important "check-up" for your business. If you see your enquiries going up but your sales staying flat, you need to watch how customers use your site to see if they are getting confused or if your booking form is broken.
Step 3: The "No-Go" Zone
Be honest about what isn't working. I see so many business owners in suburbs like Milton or Newstead spending $500 a month on local magazine ads or social media "management" that produces zero leads. If it’s been three months and you can’t point to a single job that came from that spend, cut it. Use that money to do more of what is already working.Common Mistakes That Cost You Money
1. Looking at the numbers too often Don't check your dashboard every day. Marketing takes time to settle. Look at it once a week to spot trends, and once a month to make big decisions. If you react to one bad Tuesday, you'll end up changing things that weren't broken.
2. Trusting "Estimated" Data Some platforms will tell you they "estimated" you got 20 leads. Rubbish. You want to see the actual list of names or phone numbers. If you can't see the evidence, don't believe the report.
3. Ignoring the "Lifetime Value" If it costs you $150 to get a new lawn mowing customer, and the first job is only $80, you might think you're losing money. But if that customer stays with you for three years and spends $2,000, that $150 was the best investment you ever made. A good dashboard helps you see the long-term profit, not just today's cash flow.
How Long Until You See Results?
If you set up a basic tracking system today, you will have clarity within 30 days. - Week 1: You'll be surprised at how many (or how few) calls you actually get. - Week 2: You'll start to notice that certain days or certain ads are performing better. - Month 1: You will have enough data to say, "This specific ad is a waste of money," and you can turn it off.
What Should You Do First?
If you do nothing else, start asking every single person who calls you: "How did you hear about us?" and write it down in a simple notebook. It’s not fancy, but it’s the start of a data-driven business.
Once you're ready to get serious, you need an automated dashboard that pulls this info together so you don't have to spend your Sunday nights messing with spreadsheets.
At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in stripping away the jargon and showing Brisbane business owners exactly where their money is going. We don't care about "likes"; we care about your bottom line.
Ready to stop guessing and start growing? Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s get your numbers sorted.