Why Most Brisbane Shop Owners Are Leaving Money on the Table
I’ve sat down with dozens of retail owners from Fortitude Valley to Carindale, and I see the same thing every time. They spend thousands on Facebook ads or flyers to get new people through the door, but they completely ignore the people who have already bought from them.
If you have a list of customer emails sitting in your point-of-sale system and you aren’t sending them regular updates, you are throwing money away. It is five times cheaper to get a past customer to buy again than it is to find a brand-new one.
Email marketing isn't about being a "tech expert" or writing fancy newsletters. It’s about staying in front of your customers so that when they need what you sell, they think of you first—not the big chain store down the road.
In this guide, I’m going to show you exactly how to turn a simple list of names into a consistent stream of sales. No jargon, no fluff—just what works for a local shop.
The Brutal Truth: Your "Newsletter" is Probably Boring
Let’s be honest. Most small business emails are rubbish. They look like a messy digital flyer and they only get sent once every six months when the owner "has a bit of spare time."
If your email just says "Monthly Newsletter" in the subject line, nobody is opening it. Your customers are busy. They are getting hammered by emails from Kmart, Woolies, and Amazon. To win, you have to be personal, relevant, and useful.
I’ve seen Brisbane boutiques increase their weekend trade by 20% just by sending a personal-looking email on a Thursday afternoon. The secret? They didn't try to look like a big corporation. They looked like a local business owner talking to a friend.
Step 1: Building a List That Actually Makes Money
You can’t send emails if you don't have addresses. But don't make the mistake of buying a list—that’s a fast track to getting blocked by Google. You need people who want to hear from you.
The Counter Ask
When someone is paying, ask for their email. Don't just say "Want to join our mailing list?" Nobody wants more junk mail. Instead, give them a reason: "Can I grab your email to send your receipt and a 10% voucher for next time?" "Would you like to be notified when we get our new seasonal stock in?" "Join our VIP list for locals-only Sunday sessions."The "Lead Magnet"
If you have a website, you need a way to capture people who are just browsing. A simple "10% off your first order" is the gold standard for retail. It works because it’s a direct incentive to buy right now.If you focus on getting local shoppers through the door, your email list is your most powerful tool to make sure they don't just visit once and disappear.
Step 2: The Three Emails Every Shop Needs
You don't need to spend 10 hours a week on this. You just need a few "automatic" emails that run in the background while you’re busy on the shop floor.
1. The Welcome Email
This goes out the second someone signs up. It should deliver whatever you promised (like a discount code) and tell them why your shop is different. Are you family-owned? Do you source everything from QLD farmers? Tell them. People buy from people they like.2. The "We Miss You" Email
Set this to go out if someone hasn't bought anything in 60 or 90 days. A simple "Hey, we haven't seen you in a while—here is a little something to welcome you back" works wonders. I’ve seen this one email bring back customers who had completely forgotten about a store.3. The Abandoned Cart (For Online Stores)
If you sell online, this is non-negotiable. If someone puts a pair of boots in their cart but doesn't finish the checkout, send them an email an hour later. It’s not annoying; it’s a reminder. About 20% of the time, they’ll come back and finish the purchase. That is free money.Step 3: Stop Blasting, Start Speaking
One of the biggest mistakes I see is a shop owner sending the exact same email to every single person on their list. If you run a clothing store, don't send an email about men's suits to the women on your list.
This is where smart segmentation strategies come in. You don't need to be a data scientist. Just group your customers by what they buy:
VIPs: People who spend a lot of money. Give them early access to sales. Category Buyers: People who only buy specific brands or types of products. Locals: People who live in nearby suburbs like Paddington or Bulimba who can actually attend an in-store event.When you send the right message to the right person, your sales go up and your "unsubscribe" rate goes down.
Step 4: What Should You Actually Say?
Stop thinking like a marketer and start thinking like a shopkeeper. What do people ask you when they walk into your store? Write about that.
Show off new arrivals: "Just landed: 5 new styles for the weekend." Solve a problem: "How to keep your leather boots looking new in this Brisbane humidity." Go behind the scenes: "We just spent the morning unpacking the new shipment from Melbourne." Limited time offers: "We have 10 of these left, and when they're gone, they're gone."
Keep your photos real. You don't need a professional photographer. A clear photo taken on an iPhone in good natural light usually performs better than a polished corporate ad because it feels authentic.
The Cost: What Are You Really Looking At?
Let’s talk dollars. Most email tools (like Mailchimp or Klaviyo) are free or very cheap when you’re starting out (under 500 names). Once your list grows, you might spend $30 to $100 a month.
If you have 1,000 people on your list and an email brings in just five extra sales at $100 each, the software has paid for itself five times over in a single day.
If you hire an agency like us to do it for you, you’re paying for the strategy and the time you get back. But even if you do it yourself, the only real cost is a couple of hours a week. Compared to the cost of a billboard or a radio ad, it’s the cheapest way to grow your business.
How Long Until You See Results?
This isn't a slow burn like SEO. If you send an email at 10:00 AM on a Tuesday, you will usually see sales or enquiries by 2:00 PM that same day.
I worked with a gift shop in Morningside that sent a "Last Minute Father's Day" email on the Thursday before the weekend. They had their biggest Friday in three years. That is the power of a direct line to your customers' pockets.
Why Most Businesses Get This Wrong
They overcomplicate it. They wait until they have the "perfect" template or the "perfect" offer.
Consistency beats perfection every time. If you send one helpful, interesting email every fortnight, you will beat the competitor who sends one fancy email once a year.
Also, don't be afraid to sell. You are a business. Your customers know you want them to buy things. As long as you are providing value and being a part of the local community, they won't mind an occasional sales pitch. In fact, if you beat the big chains by offering better service, your customers actually want to support you.
Your Action Plan for This Week
Don't try to do everything at once. Here is how to start:
1. Export your list: Get every email address out of your POS system, your spreadsheets, and your notebook. 2. Pick a tool: Sign up for a simple email platform. Don't overthink it. 3. Send a "Hello": Send one email to everyone. Tell them you’re starting a new VIP update list and give them a reason to stay (maybe a small discount or a helpful tip). 4. Set up one automation: Start with the Welcome Email. It’s the easiest one to do and has the highest impact.
Summary: Will This Make You Money?
Yes. Without a doubt. If you are a retail store in Brisbane and you aren't using email, you are working much harder than you need to for every dollar you make.
Stop chasing strangers and start talking to the people who already know, like, and trust you. That is how you build a resilient, profitable shop that survives even when the economy gets tough.
Need help setting this up? Running a shop is a 24/7 job. We get it. If you want someone to take the technical side off your plate and just send you the sales reports, let's chat. At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in making retail businesses more profitable without the headache.
Contact Local Marketing Group today to see how we can turn your customer list into a sales machine.