Timing Your Marketing to Your Bank Balance
If you’ve been running a business in Brisbane for more than a year, you know the drill. If you’re a sparky, you’re flat out in December trying to get everyone’s outdoor lights working before Christmas. If you’re a pool builder in Chermside, your phone starts ringing off the hook the moment the first 30-degree day hits in September.
Most business owners treat Google Ads like a light switch: they either leave it on all year at the same setting, or they panic and flick it off when things get quiet. Both of these moves are costing you money.
Real growth comes from knowing exactly when to push the pedal down and when to coast. We call this seasonal planning, but for you, it’s just called "making sure the blokes are busy and the cash flow is healthy."
I’ve seen dozens of local businesses waste thousands of dollars because they didn't have a plan for the holidays, the end of the financial year, or the change of seasons. Here is how you actually win the seasonal game without burning your budget.
Why Your Current Ad Strategy Might Be Failing You
Most people set a daily budget—say $50 a day—and forget about it. But demand isn't flat. In July, nobody is looking for a new air conditioner. In January, everyone is.
If you keep your budget the same in January as you did in July, you’re missing out on dozens of jobs because your daily budget runs out by 10:00 AM. Meanwhile, in July, you might be paying for clicks that don't turn into anything because people are just "tyre-kicking" for next summer.
To make more money, you need to be aggressive when the fruit is ripe and protective when the trees are bare.
The Three Phases of a Winning Campaign
1. The Ramp-Up (The Build): This is 2-4 weeks before your peak season hits. People are starting to think about the problem but haven't pulled the trigger yet. This is when you want to be seen. 2. The Peak (The Harvest): This is when the chaos happens. Your job here is to make sure your phone is the one they call first. You need to be at the top of Google, no matter what. 3. The Tail (The Clean-up): This is the period immediately after the rush. There’s still work to be had, but the competition has usually spent their budget and quit. This is where you find the high-profit, low-stress jobs.
How to Handle the Christmas and New Year Madness
In Australia, everything stops for a few weeks in December and January. If you’re a professional service—like a lawyer or an accountant—your leads will probably dry up. If you’re a tradie, you’re likely booked out weeks in advance.
If you’re booked out: Why are you still paying for ads? I see this all the time. A plumber in North Lakes is booked three weeks deep but is still spending $100 a day on Google Ads. Every time someone clicks that ad and hears "Sorry, I can't get to you until next month," you’ve just set $20 on fire.
You should be using that money to stop wasting ad money during the times you literally can't take the work. Turn the budget down, or change your ads to offer "Book now for January and get 10% off." Use the season to fill your future calendar, not to frustrate current callers.
If you’re a retail shop: This is your Grand Final. You need to start your "Ramp-Up" phase in early November. People in Brisbane start their Christmas shopping earlier every year. If you wait until December 1st to increase your ad spend, your competitors have already scooped up the easy sales.
The "End of Financial Year" Trap
June is a massive month for B2B businesses and big-ticket items like cars or heavy machinery. Everyone is looking for a tax deduction.
If you sell anything that can be claimed as a business expense, June is your time to shine. But here’s the kicker: your competitors know this too. The cost of being seen on Google will go up in June.
To combat this, don't just bid on general terms. Be specific. Instead of "office furniture," try "tax-deductible office chairs Brisbane." It’s cheaper, and it hits the exact reason they are searching right now.
Handling the "Quiet" Seasons Without Going Broke
What do you do when the phone stops ringing? Most owners panic and double their ad spend. This is usually a mistake. If nobody is searching for your service, spending more money won't create more customers; it will just make Google richer.
Instead, focus on your "low-hanging fruit." This is a great time to bid on your own name to make sure that people who are specifically looking for you actually find you and don't get poached by a competitor who is being aggressive.
Use your quiet time to offer "Maintenance Packages" or "Off-Season Inspections." For example, if you’re a pest controller, winter is quiet for termites. Change your ads to focus on rodents. It keeps the guys busy and covers your overheads until the summer rush starts again.
How Much Should You Actually Spend?
I get asked this every day: "What’s the right budget?"
There is no magic number, but here is a rule of thumb for Brisbane small businesses:
Off-Season: Spend just enough to keep the brand alive and catch the people specifically looking for you. Maybe $500 - $1,000 a month. Shoulder Season: Start increasing by 25% each week leading up to your peak. Peak Season: There should be almost no limit on your budget as long as the jobs are profitable.* If you spend $100 to get a job that makes you $1,000, why would you ever stop?
I’ve seen businesses in Milton and Geebung double their turnover in a single month just by being brave enough to turn the tap on full when the demand was there.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Forgetting the Public Holidays Google doesn’t know it’s the EKKA holiday or Anzac Day unless you tell it. If your business is closed, turn your ads off or change the message to "Enquire online - we'll call you Monday." Don't pay for a phone call that no one is going to answer.
2. Not Changing Your Ad Text If it’s raining for three days straight in Brisbane, and you’re a roof repairer, your ad should say "Emergency Roof Repairs - Out Today." If it’s a beautiful sunny week, it should say "Get Your Roof Ready for Storm Season." Matching your message to the current vibe makes people click more often.
3. Ignoring the Weather In Queensland, weather is our biggest seasonal driver. We’ve worked with pool shops where we literally watch the Bureau of Meteorology. When a heatwave is predicted, we crank the budget 48 hours in advance. By the time the heat hits, they are the first name people see.
Your Action Plan: What to do First
If you want to stop wasting money and start winning more jobs, do these three things this week:
1. Look at your calendar: Mark out your three busiest months and your three quietest months for the next year. 2. Check your website: Ensure your website works on phones. If someone clicks your ad while they’re standing in their backyard looking at a broken fence, they need to be able to call you with one tap. 3. Set your "Peak" budget now: Decide now how much extra you are willing to spend when the rush hits so you don't have to hesitate when the opportunity arises.
Is it Worth Doing Yourself?
Look, you can jump into Google Ads and play with the settings yourself. But honestly? You’ve got a business to run. Most owners we talk to in suburbs like Brendale or Archerfield are already working 60-hour weeks. They don't have time to monitor the weather and adjust bid prices every morning.
That’s where we come in. At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about fancy reports or technical talk. We care about whether your phone is ringing and if those calls are turning into money in your bank account.
We’ve helped Brisbane tradies and shop owners navigate the ups and downs of the Queensland economy for years. We know what works in January is different from what works in June.
Ready to get your marketing sorted for the next season?
Don't wait until you're desperate for work or so busy you're drowning. Let’s have a straight-talk chat about how to level out your leads and grow your profit.
Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s get a plan in place that actually makes you money.