Look, I’ve seen it a thousand times. A business owner spends five grand on a fancy animated video with upbeat ukulele music and a voiceover that sounds like a robot on Valium. They put it on their homepage, wait for the phone to ring, and... nothing.
Total silence.
Most 'explainer' videos are a complete waste of money because they focus on the wrong things. They focus on looking pretty rather than making you money. If you’re running a business in Brisbane, you don’t need an art project. You need a tool that turns a confused visitor into a paying customer.
Here’s my honest take on how to do this properly.
Stop Talking About Yourself
This is the biggest mistake I see. You start the video with 'Founded in 1998, we are Brisbane’s leading provider of...'
Stop right there. Nobody cares.
Your customers have a problem. Maybe their toilet is overflowing, their tax return is a mess, or they’re sick of their lawn looking like a hayfield. They want to know one thing: Can you fix it?
Your video needs to start with their problem. If you don't hook them in the first five seconds by describing exactly what’s bothering them, they’re going to click away.
Show the Ugly Truth
People are skeptical. They’ve been burnt by dodgy operators before. If your video looks too polished—like a big corporate TV ad—people won't trust you. They think you’re hiding something behind a slick edit.
I’ve found that showing the messy middle of what you actually do is way more effective. If you’re a builder, show the dust. If you’re a mechanic, show the greasy engine. When people see the actual work happening, they start to trust that you know what you’re doing. It makes you real.
The Three-Part Script That Actually Works
You don't need a Hollywood screenwriter. You just need to follow a simple flow that leads to a sale:
1. The Pain: State the problem clearly. "Sick of waiting weeks for a plumber to show up?" 2. The Plan: Tell them exactly how you fix it. "We arrive on time, fix the leak, and clean up after ourselves." 3. The Payoff: Show them what life looks like after they hire you. "Get back to your weekend without worrying about the bill."
Keep it under 90 seconds. Honestly, 60 seconds is even better. People are busy. They’re watching this on their phone while waiting for a coffee. If you drone on, you lose them.
Why Most People Close Your Video Early
If your video is just a series of stock photos or boring animations, you’re being ignored. You need to grab attention and hold it.
One of the best ways to do this is to actually get in front of the camera. I know, I know. Most of you hate the idea of being on film. But using live video builds a connection that an animation never will. When a customer sees your face and hears your voice, the 'stranger danger' disappears. They feel like they know you before they even call.
"The best videos aren't the ones with the highest production value; they're the ones where the business owner looks the customer in the eye and tells them exactly how they're going to solve their problem."
— Sarah Chen, SEO Specialist
Don't Forget the 'So What?'
Every single part of your video should pass the 'so what?' test.
You: "We use the latest XYZ technology." Customer: "So what?" You: "It means we find the leak in half the time, saving you two hundred bucks in labour."
Now you’re talking. Always translate your features into benefits that put money back in your customer's pocket or save them time. If it doesn't do that, cut it out of the script.
Make It Work on Phones
Half your customers (or more) are looking at your site on a phone. If your video has tiny text that they can't read or if it takes forever to load, you're burning cash.
Make sure your video host is fast. Don't just upload a massive file directly to your website—it'll slow your site down to a crawl, and Google hates that. Use something like YouTube or Vimeo so it dominates Google searches and plays smoothly for everyone.
The Call to Action (The Part That Makes Money)
I’m amazed at how many videos just... end. They fade to black or show a logo.
What do you want them to do? Tell them!
"Call us now for a free quote." "Click the button below to book your spot." "Text us a photo of your job for a fast estimate."
Be specific. If you don't tell them what to do next, they’ll just keep scrolling.
What’s a Waste of Money?
Don't spend ten grand on a production crew if you haven't sorted your basic message first. A high-end camera won't save a crappy script.
Also, steer clear of those 'whiteboard' animations where a hand draws things. They were cool in 2012. Now? They look cheap and dated. Your business is better than that.
How Long Until You See Results?
If you put a good video on your homepage today, you should see a change in your enquiries within a week or two. You'll notice that the people who do call are 'warmer'—they already understand what you do and how much it costs, so you spend less time explaining the basics over the phone.
It saves you time, and in business, time is the one thing you can't buy more of.
What Should You Do First?
1. Grab your phone. Don't worry about a fancy camera yet. 2. Write down three problems your customers complain about most. 3. Film a 60-second clip of you explaining how you fix those three things. 4. Put it on your website.
It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be real.
If you want to stop being the best-kept secret in Paddington or Chermside and actually start getting noticed, video is the way to do it. Just keep it simple, keep it honest, and keep it focused on the customer.
If you’re not sure where to start or you’ve tried video before and it flopped, give us a yell at Local Marketing Group. We’ll help you figure out a plan that actually gets the phone ringing without wasting your budget on stuff you don't need.
Ready to get more enquiries? Let’s chat.