What Actually Drives Consistent Leads
Most small businesses don’t need more complexity in their marketing. They need consistency across a small number of activities that directly influence visibility, trust, and enquiries.
Across hundreds of Australian businesses, five activities show up repeatedly as the core drivers of predictable lead flow in 2026.
This is the plan – simple, structured, and effective
Database Marketing: Two Emails Per Month
If you’ve been in business for a while, your database is your strongest marketing asset.
The structure
- Email 1 (Week 1): Educational content — tips, seasonal reminders, common mistakes, quick advice.
- Email 2 (Week 3): Offer or reminder — service reminder, past customer promotion, referral request, seasonal update.
Where it goes wrong
- Sending emails randomly or only when things go quiet
- Overly sales-driven messages
- Poor subject lines or weak calls to action
- A database that hasn’t been cleaned in years
Social Media & Google Business Profile: Weekly Updates
Content that performs well
- Before and after photos
- Customer results
- Quick tips
- Seasonal reminders
- Behind-the-scenes and process shots
Where to Post?
Google Business Profile
Common mistakes to avoid
- Posting for a few weeks, then stopping
- Text-only posts with no visuals
- Forgetting Google Business Profile
A Simple Referral Program
Referrals happen more often when customers are reminded and incentivised.
A clear offer
A straightforward incentive works best, for example:
“Refer a friend, and you both receive a $100 credit.”
The exact reward can vary – the key is clarity and consistency.
Where to promote it
- Within 24 hours of a completed job
- Email 2 each month
- Quarterly to your entire database
Common mistakes
- Only mentioning the referral offer once
- Making the incentive unclear
- Not tracking referrals properly
Weekly Q&A Content: Make Your Expertise Public
Customers constantly ask questions – online and in person. Turning those answers into public content makes you more visible and more trusted.
What to create
Pick one customer question per week and answer it in plain language. Examples:
- “Why does [problem] keep happening?”
- “How do I know if I need [service]?”
- “What should I look for when choosing a [provider]?”
Keep answers short, helpful, and easy to understand.
Where to publish
Google Business Posts
Your Website Blog
Paid Media: Reach High-Intent Customers
Paid ads complement organic efforts by capturing people who are actively looking for what you offer right now.
Proven Channels for Australian Small Businesses
Meta Ads
(Facebook/Instagram)
Google Local
Service Ads
Google Search Ads
Approach
- Promote clear offers
- Use real customer results, before/afters, and simple demonstrations
- Test audiences, copy variations, and creative formats
- Review performance fortnightly
How These Five Activities Strengthen Each Other
- Emails keep past customers active and engaged.
- Social and Google posts maintain visibility and credibility.
- Referral programs turn satisfied customers into advocates.
- Q&A content builds authority and fuels search visibility.
- Paid ads capture demand and fill the pipeline.
Consistency across all five creates reliable, repeatable lead flow — without needing complicated funnels, constant discounts, or endless newplatforms.
Sounds good?
Enquire about one of ROI’s small business marketing packages here