Why Most Local Advertising is a Black Hole for Your Cash
If you’re running a business in Brisbane—whether you’re a sparky in Coorparoo, a lawyer in the CBD, or running a shop in North Lakes—you’ve likely been burnt by advertising.
Most business owners I talk to are sick of 'experts' telling them they need to be everywhere at once. They spend thousands on Facebook ads that get 'likes' but no phone calls, or they pay for expensive directory listings that nobody looks at.
Here’s the truth: Local advertising isn't about being famous. It’s about being there the exact second someone in your neck of the woods needs what you sell. If you’re a plumber, you don't need a million followers. You need to be the first person a homeowner in Ascot calls when their hot water system bursts at 6:00 AM.
In this guide, I’m going to show you how to stop throwing money at the wall and start using advertising that actually puts dollars in your bank account.
The Three Pillars of Local Advertising That Works
There are dozens of ways to advertise, but for a local business, only three really matter. If you get these right, you’ll outrun your competitors while spending half as much as they do.
1. Show Up When People are Ready to Buy
Google is the king of local advertising. Why? Because when someone searches for "emergency pest control Chermside," they have a problem right now and they have their credit card ready.
Most businesses mess this up by trying to rank for broad terms like "pest control." That’s a mistake. It’s too expensive and too competitive. You want to dominate your specific suburbs. You can do this through paid search ads (the ones at the very top) or by making sure your business profile is perfect.
You need to ensure your business information is accurate so people can actually call you with one tap on their phone. If your phone number is wrong or your opening hours are out of date, you’re literally handing money to the bloke down the road.
2. Use Social Media to Stay "Top of Mind"
Facebook and Instagram are terrible for "emergency" services, but they are brilliant for services people plan for—like renovations, dental work, or landscaping.
The goal here isn't to get 'likes.' It’s to make sure that when a local resident finally decides to fix their deck, they remember your face and your work. Show off your recent jobs. Show your team. Show that you’re a real person in the local community.
3. The Power of Your Existing Reputation
Your best advertisement isn't something you pay Google for; it’s what your last customer said about you. In Brisbane, word of mouth is still the strongest currency we have.
However, you can't just wait for people to talk. You need to leverage your reviews to do the heavy lifting for you. When a potential customer sees 50 five-star reviews from people in their own suburb, the 'sale' is already 90% done before they even pick up the phone.
How Much Should You Actually Spend?
This is the question every business owner asks: "How much is this going to cost me?"
I’ve seen businesses in Morningside spend $500 a month and get a 10x return, and I’ve seen companies in the Valley blow $10,000 a month with nothing to show for it.
The Rule of Thumb: Small/New Businesses: Aim for 5-10% of your target monthly revenue. If you want to do $20,000 in sales, expect to invest $1,000 to $2,000 to get the momentum started. Established Businesses: You can often drop this to 3-5% just to keep the tap running.
The Reality Check: Advertising is an investment, not an expense. If you spend $1,000 and it brings in $5,000 worth of profit, you didn't "lose" $1,000. You bought $4,000. If your advertising isn't doing that, stop what you're doing and change tactics.
What’s a Total Waste of Money?
I’m going to be blunt here because I hate seeing local legends get ripped off.
1. Generic Brand Awareness: Unless you’re Coca-Cola, do not spend money on "getting your name out there." You want your phone to ring. If an ad doesn't have a clear way for someone to contact you, bin it. 2. Letterbox Drops (Usually): Unless you have a very specific, high-value offer for a very specific street, most of these go straight into the yellow bin. 3. Radio/TV (For Most): These are too broad. Why pay to reach people in Ipswich if you only service the Redlands? It’s wasted money. 4. Cheap 'SEO' Packages: If someone calls you from overseas promising to put you at the top of Google for $99 a month, hang up. They will do more damage to your reputation than good.
Step-by-Step: What to Do First
If you want to see more jobs coming in over the next 30 days, follow this plan:
Step 1: Fix Your "Digital Shopfront"
Before you spend a cent on ads, make sure your website works on phones and your Google profile looks great. If you send paid traffic to a broken website, you are burning money. Ensure your phone number is big and bold at the top of the page.Step 2: Own Your Local Suburb
You don't need to win all of Brisbane. You just need to win your backyard. Focus your efforts on the 3-5 suburbs where you do your best work and where the travel time is lowest. We’ve helped clients dominate their local area simply by narrowing their focus. It’s cheaper and much more effective.Step 3: Set a Realistic Budget and Stick to It
Give any new strategy at least 90 days. Advertising isn't a light switch; it’s more like a steam train. It takes a bit of coal to get it moving, but once it’s at full speed, it’s hard to stop.Step 4: Track Everything
Ask every single person who calls: "How did you hear about us?" Write it down in a notebook or a spreadsheet. If you spent $500 on Facebook and it didn't result in a single quote, stop doing it and put that $500 into Google or local partnerships instead.The "Mates Rates" Trap
One final piece of advice: Don't rely solely on friends and family. I’ve seen dozens of Brisbane businesses stall because they thought "word of mouth" would be enough forever. Word of mouth is great, but it’s slow and unpredictable.
Proactive local advertising is like having a tap. When you’re quiet, you turn it up. When you’re booked out for three weeks, you can dial it back. That control is what separates a 'job' from a 'business.'
How Long Until You See Results?
Google Ads: You can have the phone ringing within 48 hours. It’s the fastest way to get jobs, but you pay for the privilege. Google Reviews/Profile: This takes 1-3 months of consistent effort to see a major shift, but once it works, the leads are essentially free.
- Social Media: This is a long game. Expect 3-6 months to build enough trust with your local community to see regular enquiries.
Ready to Get More Local Jobs?
Running a business is hard enough without worrying about where the next lead is coming from. You should be out on the tools or managing your team, not stressing over ad accounts and keywords.
At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in helping Brisbane business owners stop wasting money on marketing that doesn't work. We focus on one thing: getting your phone to ring with high-quality local leads.
If you’re ready to grow your business and actually see a return on your marketing spend, let’s have a chat. No jargon, no fluff—just results.