Why the Way You Talk is Costing You Money
I was sitting down with a landscaper in Chermside a few months ago. He’s a top-tier bloke, does incredible work, and his prices are fair. But he was frustrated. He told me, "I’m getting leads from my website, but as soon as I send the quote or reply to their email, they go quiet. I think they’re going with the cheaper guys."
I looked at his website and his email templates. His website was full of stiff, formal language like "We utilise industry-leading horticultural practices to ensure optimal aesthetic outcomes."
I asked him, "Is that how you talk to a customer when you’re standing in their backyard?"
He laughed. "God no. I’d tell them we’ll plant stuff that won't die in the Brisbane heat and make sure the yard looks mint for the weekend barbie."
There was the problem. He was trying to sound like a "professional corporation," but he ended up sounding like a boring textbook. Customers weren't hiring him because they didn't feel a connection. They didn't see the man who knew his stuff; they saw a generic business that felt cold.
In the marketing world, people call this a "Tone of Voice Guideline." To you, it’s just how you talk to your customers so they trust you enough to give you their money.
If you get this right, you stop being a commodity. You become the expert they want to work with. Here is how to fix the way your business speaks so you can start winning more jobs.
Step 1: Decide Who You Are (And Who You Aren’t)
Most small business owners make the mistake of trying to please everyone. They end up sounding generic and forgettable. To stand out in Brisbane’s crowded market, you need to pick a lane.
Think about your best customers—the ones who pay on time and don't complain. How do you talk to them? Are you the "no-nonsense expert" who gets in and gets the job done? Or are you the "friendly neighbor" who takes the time to explain every step over a cuppa?
Setting a clear tone helps you in landing better customers because the people who like your style will gravitate towards you, and the tyre-kickers who want a different vibe will move on, saving you time.
Try this exercise: Pick three words that describe your business. Example A (The Tradie): Reliable, Straight-talking, Local. Example B (The Boutique Shop): Welcoming, Creative, Expert. Example C (The Accountant): Calm, Sharp, Honest.
Now, write down the opposites. If you are "Straight-talking," you are NOT "Flowery" or "Vague." If you are "Welcoming," you are NOT "Stiff" or "Formal."
Step 2: Kill the Jargon and "Corporate Speak"
If I hear one more business owner say they provide "end-to-end solutions," I’m going to scream. Nobody knows what that means, and nobody cares.
People buy from people. When you use big, fancy words to try and sound smart, you actually make the customer feel confused or suspicious. In Brisbane, we value honesty. We want to know if you can fix the leak, bake the cake, or lodge the tax return without making it a headache.
Look at your website right now. If you see words like "synergy," "optimise," "bespoke," or "facilitate," delete them.
Replace them with plain English: Instead of "We facilitate seamless transitions," say "We handle all the paperwork for you." Instead of "Utilising state-of-the-art equipment," say "We use the best tools to get the job done right the first time." Instead of "Our pricing is highly competitive," say "You get a fair price for a job well done."
When you simplify your language, sounding like a pro actually becomes easier because you aren't hiding behind big words. You sound confident because you’re speaking clearly.
Step 3: Create Your "Cheat Sheet"
You don't need a 50-page manual. You just need a one-page "Cheat Sheet" that you and your staff can look at before writing an email, a Facebook post, or a text message to a client. This ensures that whether a customer talks to you or your office manager, they get the same feeling.
Your Cheat Sheet should include: 1. Our Greeting: Do we say "G'day," "Hi [Name]," or "Dear Mr. Smith"? 2. How we explain what we do: Use one sentence that focuses on the result for the customer. (e.g., "We make sure your home is safe from pests without using chemicals that hurt your pets.") 3. The "No-Go" List: Words we never use (e.g., no swearing, no technical codes, no slang that's too casual). 4. Our Sign-off: "Cheers," "Thanks again," or "Regards"?
Step 4: Write Like You Speak (The "Bar Test")
Here is the best trick I know for writing website content or ads. Imagine you are at the local pub in Milton. A mate asks you, "Hey, what do you guys actually do?"
Whatever you say out loud is what you should write down.
You wouldn't tell your mate, "I provide comprehensive residential electrical maintenance services." You’d say, "I fix power issues and wire up new homes so people don't have to worry about their lights flickering."
Write it down exactly like that. Then, go through and fix the grammar slightly so it’s clean, but keep the "soul" of the sentence. This makes you sound human. Humans trust humans. Trust leads to phone calls.
Step 5: Be Consistent Everywhere
Consistency is where most Brisbane businesses fall down. They have a nice, friendly website, but then their invoices look like a legal summons, and their automated "out of office" email sounds like a robot wrote it.
This creates "friction." It makes the customer wonder if they’re dealing with the same people they liked on the website.
Check these spots for "Tone Consistency": Voicemail messages: Is it warm or does it sound like you're annoyed they called? Invoices and Quotes: A simple "Thanks for the business, give us a yell if you have questions" goes a long way. Social Media: Don't just post photos; write captions that sound like you. Email Signatures: Keep it clean and professional but matched to your brand.
What This Will Do For Your Business
I’ve seen this work for dozens of Brisbane businesses, from pest controllers in North Lakes to lawyers in the CBD. When you stop trying to sound "important" and start trying to be "helpful and human," three things happen:
1. You close more sales: People feel they know you before they’ve even met you. 2. You can charge more: When you sound like a specialist who understands their specific problem, you aren't just a price on a page anymore. 3. Fewer headaches: Clear communication means fewer misunderstandings about what a job involves.
How Long Until You See Results?
This isn't like SEO where you have to wait six months for Google to notice you. You can change your tone of voice today.
Change your email templates this afternoon. Update your "About Us" page tomorrow. The next time you reply to an enquiry, use your new, human tone. You will notice a difference in how people respond to you almost immediately. They’ll be friendlier, they’ll ask fewer "price-only" questions, and they’ll be more likely to book.
What Is a Waste of Money?
Don't go out and hire a high-end "branding agency" to write a 100-page brand book for $10,000. For a small business, that is a complete waste of cash. You don't need a "brand archetype analysis."
You just need to be yourself, but on purpose.
If you're struggling to find the right words, or you feel like your current website is scaring people away rather than bringing them in, we can help you get your message straight. At Local Marketing Group, we focus on what gets the phone ringing, not what looks pretty in a boardroom presentation.
Ready to make your business stand out? Contact Local Marketing Group and let’s talk about how to make your marketing actually sound like you.