Why You Can’t Rely on Facebook and Google Anymore
If you run a business in Brisbane—whether you’re a sparky in Coorparoo or a law firm in the CBD—you’ve likely noticed that getting new customers online is getting more expensive.
For years, small business owners have been told to just "throw money at Facebook ads" or "bid higher on Google." The problem is, when you do that, those big tech companies own the relationship with your customer. You’re essentially renting your audience. If Facebook changes its rules tomorrow or Google hikes its prices, your lead flow can vanish overnight.
I’ve seen this happen to dozens of Brisbane businesses. They get comfortable with a steady stream of enquiries, then suddenly the tap turns off because a "tech update" happened behind the scenes.
To grow a stable business, you need to stop renting and start owning. This is what the big marketing agencies call "first-party data strategies." In plain English? It means building your own list of customer information so you can get more sales without paying for the same lead twice.
What Does "Owning Your Data" Actually Mean?
Think of it like this: If you have a physical shopfront in Chermside, you wouldn't let a stranger stand at the door, take every customer's name and phone number, and then charge you every time you wanted to talk to them again. That would be madness.
But that’s exactly what happens online. When someone visits your site or clicks an ad, Google and Meta know exactly who they are, but you don't—unless you make a plan to capture that information yourself.
Owning your data means having a secure, organized list of: People who have bought from you before. People who have asked for a quote but haven't booked yet. People who are interested in what you do but aren't ready to buy today.
When you own this information, you can send an email, a text, or a physical letter for a fraction of the cost of a new ad. It's the difference between hunting for every meal and having a pantry full of food.
The Real Cost of Ignoring Your Own Information
Most business owners I talk to are leaving tens of thousands of dollars on the table every year. They spend a fortune on ads to get a click, the person looks at the website for thirty seconds and leaves, and that's it. Money gone.
If you don't have a way to stay in touch with those people, you are constantly starting from zero. You have to understand what marketing really costs to realize that paying for the same customer over and over again is the fastest way to go broke.
Strategy 1: The "Quote Follow-Up" Goldmine
Let’s look at a real scenario. We worked with a landscaping business near Indooroopilly. They were spending $2,000 a month on ads. They’d get 20 enquiries, go out and do the quotes, and win about 5 of them.
The other 15 people? They just sat in a folder or an old email thread.
By simply taking those 15 names and email addresses and putting them into a simple system, we could send them a helpful follow-up two weeks later. Not a pushy sales pitch, just a "Hey, did you have any more questions about the garden project?"
That one move—using data they already had—resulted in two extra jobs a month. That’s thousands of dollars in extra profit for zero extra ad spend.
Strategy 2: Stop Guessing Which Ads Work
If you aren't keeping track of your own customer data, you’re flying blind. You might see 50 people clicked your ad, but do you know which of those 50 actually put money in your bank account?
Most of what you read online about "tracking" is rubbish and too technical. You don't need to be a computer scientist. You just need to know where your sales come from so you can stop spending money on the ads that only bring in tyre-kickers.
When you keep your own records of who bought what and how they found you, you can tell Google: "Find me more people like this person who spent $5,000, and stop showing my ads to people like that* person who just wanted a freebie."
Strategy 3: The Power of the "Old Customer" List
It is five to ten times cheaper to sell to someone who has already used you than it is to find a brand-new stranger.
If you’re a plumber and you fixed a tap for a lady in Ascot two years ago, do you have her details? If you do, you can send a quick reminder about a hot water system service before winter hits.
This isn't "high-tech marketing." It's just good business. But you can't do it if your customer list is a pile of paper invoices in the back of your ute.
How to Start Collecting Data (Without Being Annoying)
I get it—nobody likes being spammed. You don't want to be that business that sends three emails a day. But there is a middle ground that makes you money without annoying your customers.
1. The Helpful Exchange
Instead of just a "Contact Us" form, offer something useful. If you’re a builder, offer a "2024 Brisbane Renovation Cost Guide." People give you their email address in exchange for the guide. Now you know they are thinking about renovating, and you can reach out to help them.2. The Simple CRM
Stop using Excel or a notebook. Use a simple CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool. There are plenty of cheap ones. This is just a digital filing cabinet for your customers. It allows you to see the history of every person who has contacted you.3. Ask the Right Questions
When someone calls or fills out a form, ask them one simple question: "How did you hear about us?" Write it down. This is the most valuable piece of data you can own. It helps you see if your marketing is working without needing fancy software.The Cost and the Timeline
Let’s be honest about what this takes.
Cost: You can start doing this for almost $0. It just takes discipline. If you want to automate it, a decent system might cost you $50 to $150 a month. Compare that to the hundreds or thousands you might be wasting on bad ads, and it’s a bargain.
Time: You won't see a massive surge in sales tomorrow. This is a "slow and steady" strategy. However, within 3 to 6 months of consistently collecting and using your own data, most Brisbane businesses see a significant drop in their "cost per lead" and a jump in their repeat bookings.
What Most Businesses Get Wrong
I see two big mistakes constantly:
1. Hoarding but not using: They collect 1,000 email addresses but never send an email. That's a waste of time. Your data is only valuable if you use it to talk to people. 2. Waiting for "Perfect": You don't need a complex 50-step automation. Just start by getting every lead's name, phone number, and email into one place.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re ready to stop being a slave to the big tech algorithms, here is your Saturday morning plan:
1. Export your customers: Go into your accounting software (like Xero or MYOB) and export your list of customers from the last two years. 2. Clean it up: Delete the duplicates and the people you never want to work with again. 3. Send one helpful message: Send a simple, plain-text email to that list. No fancy graphics. Just: "Hi [Name], we're doing a bit of a check-in with our past clients in [Suburb]. If you need anything looked at this month, let us know—we've got a couple of spots opening up next week."
I guarantee you’ll get at least one job from that.
Why This is the Only Way to Grow in 2024
The days of "cheap and easy" internet ads are over. The businesses that will survive and thrive in Brisbane over the next five years are the ones that own their customer relationships.
When you own your data, you own your future. You aren't at the mercy of a tech giant in Silicon Valley. You’re talking directly to your neighbours in Brisbane who already know, like, and trust you.
It’s not flashy, and it’s not a "secret hack." It’s just smart business.
If you’re tired of wondering where your next lead is coming from or feeling like you’re overpaying for ads that don't convert, it's time to take control of your information.
At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane business owners set up these systems so they can stop guessing and start growing. We don't care about fancy reports; we care about your phone ringing.
If you want a hand getting your customer data sorted so you can make more sales, get in touch with us here.