The Trap of the "Monthly Content Calendar"
I see it all the time with Brisbane business owners. You’re busy running a landscaping crew in Chermside or managing a busy café in Paddington, and someone tells you that you "need to be consistent" on social media.
So, you sit down on a Sunday night—when you should be relaxing—and try to map out thirty days of posts. You find some generic "National Donut Day" or a quote about success, schedule it all in, and pat yourself on the back.
But at the end of the month, your phone hasn't rung any more than usual. Your bank balance hasn't budged. All you’ve done is tick a box.
I’m going to be blunt: most social media calendars are a complete waste of time and money. They focus on activity rather than results. If your social media isn't putting money in the till or putting your team in front of new customers, it’s just a hobby. And you’re too busy for a hobby that costs you four hours a week.
Why Your Current Strategy Isn't Working
The biggest mistake I see local businesses make is thinking that "likes" and "shares" are the goal. They aren't. You can't pay your commercial rent with likes.
Most calendars fail because they are built on "filler." You’ve probably seen these posts: generic photos of a coffee cup with a caption like "Monday vibes!" These posts don't tell a customer why they should hire you over the bloke down the road. They don't show off your expertise, and they certainly don't ask for the sale.
If you want to actually grow, you need to sell more directly by showing people exactly what you do and how they can buy it. A calendar that just "keeps the lights on" is a drain on your energy.
Focus on "Money Posts" Not "Filler Posts"
Instead of trying to post every single day, I want you to focus on three types of posts that actually move the needle for a Brisbane small business. If you only post twice a week, but those posts are high quality, you’ll see more results than seven days of rubbish.
1. The "Problem and Solution" Post
Show a photo of a mess you fixed. If you’re a plumber, show the burst pipe and then the clean, shiny new installation. Tell the story: "Mrs. Smith in Carindale had a flooded kitchen at 6 AM. We got there in 30 minutes, fixed the leak, and she was back to making school lunches by 7:30."That tells a potential customer three things: you’re fast, you’re local, and you solve their specific headache.
2. The "Proof" Post
People in Queensland buy from people they trust. The best way to build trust isn't a fancy graphic; it’s showing what your real customers think. You can get customers to market for you by sharing their reviews, their photos of your work, or even a quick video of them saying thank you. It’s far more powerful than anything you could write yourself.3. The "Direct Ask"
Don't be afraid to ask for the business. Every few posts, you should be saying: "We have two spots left for gutter cleaning this Friday. Call Dave on 04XX XXX XXX to grab one."The Cost of Getting It Wrong
I’ve spoken to business owners who pay "social media managers" $1,000 a month to post three times a week. When I ask what that $1,000 got them, they say "brand awareness."
In my experience, "brand awareness" is often code for "I don't know how to track if this is working." For a small business, that $1,000 needs to turn into $3,000 or $5,000 in new quotes. If it isn't, you're better off spending that money on a local sponsorship or even just keeping it in your pocket.
How to Build a Plan That Actually Works
If you want to stop wasting time, throw away the 30-day generic calendar. Instead, follow this simple weekly workflow that takes about 30 minutes:
1. Look at your calendar: What jobs did you do last week? Pick the best one. Take a photo of the finished result or the happy customer. 2. Answer a question: What is the one thing customers always ask you on the phone? "How much does a new deck cost?" or "Do you work on Saturdays?" Write a post answering that question. 3. Check the competition: It pays to hear what customers say about your rivals. If people are complaining that the other guys never show up on time, make a post titled "Why we guarantee we’ll be there within 15 minutes of our booking."
Stop Overthinking the Tech
You don't need a professional camera. A modern iPhone or Samsung takes better photos than most people need. You don't need fancy editing software. People actually prefer "raw" photos because they look real. They look like a local business, not a faceless corporation.
I worked with a mechanic in Morningside who was stressed because he didn't have "pretty" photos for Instagram. I told him to just take a photo of the disgusting, clogged air filter he pulled out of a car and explain why it was making the customer's fuel bill go up. That one post got four bookings in two days because people saw it and thought, "My car is doing that!"
What to Do First
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by social media, here is my advice: Stop.
Stop posting the generic quotes. Stop the "Happy Friday" posts with a picture of a sunset.
Take this week to just observe your business through a camera lens. When you finish a job you're proud of, take a photo. When a customer says "Thanks so much, you've saved my life," ask if you can take a quick photo with them.
Post those things. That’s it.
You’ll find that when you focus on real work and real results, the right customers start calling. It might take a few weeks to see the momentum build, but a phone call from a qualified lead is worth a thousand "likes" from people who will never buy from you.
Need a Hand Getting Results?
At Local Marketing Group, we don't believe in vanity projects. We care about one thing: making sure your marketing spend results in more profit for your business. If you're tired of shouting into the void on Facebook and want a strategy that actually brings in Brisbane customers, we can help.
Ready to get more phone calls? Contact us at Local Marketing Group today.