Why Most Community Marketing is a Total Waste of Time
I see it all the time here in Brisbane. A local plumber or shop owner wants more customers, so they start 'getting involved in the community.' They sponsor the local footy team, they post in every 'Community Noticeboard' Facebook group from Chermside to Logan, and they hand out flyers at the local markets.
Three months later, they’ve spent two grand and fifty hours of their time, and the phone hasn't rung once.
Look, I get it. You want to be the 'local choice.' You want people in your suburb to think of you first. But most of what people tell you about community marketing is rubbish. It’s either too vague, too expensive, or it just doesn't result in money in the bank.
At Local Marketing Group, we’ve worked with dozens of Brisbane businesses—from electricians in Morningside to cafes in Paddington—and we’ve seen what actually moves the needle. If you want to stop wasting money and start winning more local jobs, you need to avoid these common traps.
Mistake 1: Being the 'Invisible Sponsor'
One of the biggest money pits for small businesses is the classic sports club sponsorship. You pay $1,000 to have your logo on a sign at the back of the oval or on the sleeve of a jersey.
Here’s the reality: Nobody looks at those signs. And even if they do, they aren't going to pull out their phone and call you because they saw your logo while watching their kid play under-9s.
The Fix: If you’re going to spend money on a local group, you need a way to track it. Instead of just a logo, offer the club members a 'Local’s Discount.' Tell the club: "For every member who books a job, I’ll donate $50 back to the club." Now, the club has a reason to promote you, and you have a way to see if your money is actually working.
Mistake 2: The 'Facebook Group' Spam
We’ve all seen it. Someone joins the "Northside Community Chat" and immediately posts: "Hi everyone, I’m a painter, call me for a quote!"
What happens? You get ignored, or worse, kicked out. People aren't on Facebook to see your ads; they’re there to complain about traffic on Gympie Road or find out why the power is out.
The Fix: Stop selling and start helping. If someone asks for a recommendation, that’s your time to shine. But more importantly, you need to show you actually know the area. We’ve found that when you win more local jobs by proving you’re the local expert, people trust you more. Mention specific streets you’ve worked on or local landmarks. It makes you a real person, not just another business trying to take their money.
Mistake 3: Forgetting Your Best Salespeople (Your Current Customers)
Most business owners spend all their energy trying to find new people. They'll spend a fortune on letterbox drops but haven't spoken to the person they did a job for last month.
This is a massive mistake. Your best 'community' is the group of people who have already paid you. They live in the suburbs you want to work in, and they talk to their neighbours over the fence.
The Fix: You need to turn those happy people into a lead-generating machine. It’s much cheaper to get a second job from an old customer than to find a brand-new one. If you want to grow without spending a fortune on ads, you should focus on how to make money from old customers first. A simple follow-up text or a 'refer-a-friend' offer to your existing list is worth ten times more than a random Facebook post.
Mistake 4: Not Showing Up Where People Are Actually Looking
I’ve met tradies who spend every weekend at local networking breakfasts but don't have their business listed correctly on Google.
While you’re eating a lukewarm croissant and swapping business cards with people who aren't your customers, someone three streets away is searching for your service on their phone. If you aren't there, you don't exist to them.
The Fix: Before you spend another cent on 'community' events, make sure your digital shopfront is sorted. When people find you online, they need to see that you are active in their specific suburb. You can get more local jobs simply by making it clear that you serve their exact area. If they live in Coorparoo and your website only says 'Brisbane,' they might move on to the next guy who says 'Serving Coorparoo and Camp Hill.'
Mistake 5: 'Set and Forget' Reviews
Local business is built on reputation. In a tight-knit community, one bad word can hurt, but ten good ones can keep you busy for a year. Many owners think that getting a 5-star review is the end of the process.
It’s not.
The Fix: You need to use those reviews to get more work. When a local resident sees that you’ve done a great job for someone else in their suburb, their guard goes down. They stop worrying about getting ripped off. You should actively turn your Google reviews into a tool that actually books jobs for you. Reply to them, mention the suburb where the work was done, and show potential customers that you’re the trusted local choice.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry. You don’t need to do everything at once. Here is the 'common sense' order of operations I’d tell a mate to follow if they wanted to grow their Brisbane business:
1. Fix your online presence: Ensure that when someone in your suburb searches for you, they can find you and call you easily. (Total cost: Mostly just your time). 2. Talk to your old customers: Send a text or email to the people you worked for in the last 6 months. Ask how they’re doing and tell them you’re looking for more work in their area. (Total cost: $0). 3. Be picky with sponsorships: If you want to support a local club, do it because you love the club, not because you expect a flood of leads. If you want leads, make it a referral-based partnership. 4. Show your work: Take photos of your jobs in specific Brisbane suburbs and post them. People love seeing work done on houses that look like theirs.
How Long Until You See Results?
Community marketing isn't a 'flick the switch' situation like paid Google ads. It takes a bit of time to build that local trust.
Old Customers: You can get a booking within 24 hours of sending a few texts. Google/Online Presence: Usually takes 2-4 weeks to see an uptick in phone calls once you've tidied things up.
- Community Partnerships: Give these 3-6 months. If you haven't seen a return by then, cut your losses and put that money elsewhere.
The Bottom Line
Most 'community marketing' is just a way for local clubs and flyer companies to take your hard-earned money. It feels good to see your name on a sign, but your bank account doesn't care about 'brand awareness'—it cares about deposits.
Focus on being the most helpful, visible, and trusted expert in your specific part of Brisbane. Be the guy who knows the local houses, the local problems, and the local people.
If you're tired of guessing what works and want a straight-shooting plan to get more phone calls and bookings, we can help. At Local Marketing Group, we don't do fluff—we do results.
Ready to get more local jobs without the headache? Contact us at lmgroup.au/contact and let's have a chat about what will actually work for your business.