Use Your Voice: Marketing Lessons for Aussie SMEs

Most small businesses don’t have a marketing problem. They have a volume problem.

Not “post more” volume—confidence volume. The willingness to say something specific, in public, consistently.

That’s why a simple line from H&M’s head of inclusion and diversity (DEI) for the Americas, Donna Dozier Gordon, lands so well beyond corporate boardrooms:

“Use your voice in whatever room you’re in. You’re there for a reason.”

For Australian small businesses, that advice maps perfectly onto marketing. Your “room” is Google Business Profile, Instagram, email, your shopfront, your local footy club sponsorship, and the conversations happening in your suburb’s Facebook groups. If you don’t use your voice there, bigger brands will fill the silence with their own.

This post is part of our Australian Small Business Marketing series, and it’s built around one practical idea: your brand voice is a growth asset. When it’s clear and consistent, it improves local SEO, drives word-of-mouth, and turns “I’ve seen you around” into bookings.

“Use your voice” is a marketing strategy, not a slogan

Answer first: Using your voice means being recognisable—by what you stand for, how you speak, and who you’re for—across every customer touchpoint.

Many SMEs default to safe marketing: generic captions, templated website copy, cautious offers, and “we provide quality service” messaging that could belong to anyone. The result is predictable: you blend in.

Here’s the reality. People don’t buy from the most polished business in town. They buy from the business they trust—and trust is built through repeated signals.

Your voice is a repeated signal. It tells locals:

• what you care about
• what you won’t do
• who you help best
• what kind of experience they’ll get

In DEI work, “voice” is also about representation—making sure different people are seen and heard. In small business marketing, it’s the same principle: your community needs to see itself in your brand.

The quick self-check: does your marketing sound like you?

If a competitor swapped your logo onto your website homepage, would anyone notice?

If the answer is “maybe not”, you don’t need a full rebrand. You need a voice decision.

Pick 3 words that describe how you communicate (for example: direct, warm, practical). Then make those words the filter for everything you publish.

DEI lessons that translate into stronger local marketing

Answer first: DEI is fundamentally about belonging and access—two things that directly improve customer connection and conversion.

Done well, DEI isn’t a corporate checkbox. It’s a discipline: listening, removing friction, and building trust with people who’ve been ignored or underserved. That’s also what good local marketing does.

Below are three DEI-aligned lessons (in plain English) that make your small business marketing sharper.

1) Representation isn’t politics—it’s conversion

Answer first: If people can’t see themselves in your marketing, they hesitate to buy.

This isn’t theoretical. It shows up in everyday moments:

• A tradie’s website only shows luxury renovations; first-home buyers assume they’re “not the target”.
• A clinic’s copy sounds clinical and cold; anxious patients put off booking.
• A café posts only one “type” of customer; families, older locals, or multicultural groups don’t feel invited.

Practical fixes you can do this month:

• Update your image library: real customers (with permission), real jobs, real locations.
• Add a “Who we’re best for” section on key service pages.
• Use inclusive, plain language. Less jargon. Fewer assumptions.

Local SEO bonus: When your content reflects real suburbs, real scenarios, and real customer needs, you naturally include the terms people search (e.g., “family-friendly café in Newtown” or “after-hours electrician in Geelong”).

2) Collaboration builds credibility faster than ads

Answer first: Partnering with community voices creates trust you can’t buy with CPM.

The RSS piece mentions H&M’s collaborations with partners like Maison Black to elevate designers and culture. For SMEs, the parallel is obvious: borrow trust by building with others.

Examples that work in Australia:

• A physio partners with a local pilates studio for a “back pain workshop” and co-promotes to both lists.
• A florist collaborates with a nearby wedding planner and venue to create a seasonal package.
• A retailer partners with a local artist for limited-run prints, then hosts an in-store event.

You’re not just reaching new people. You’re signalling something bigger:

“We’re part of the community, not just selling to it.”

That message converts.

3) Inclusion is removing friction, not adding statements

Answer first: The easiest way to be “inclusive” is to make it easier to buy, book, and ask questions.

A lot of businesses add a values paragraph and stop there. If you want inclusion that drives leads, look for friction.

Run this checklist:

• Can someone get a price range without calling?
• Is your booking process mobile-friendly?
• Does your Google Business Profile have updated hours (including public holidays)?
• Do you clearly state accessibility info (parking, stairs, quiet times, etc.)?
• Are your service areas and response times specific?

In January, this matters even more. Many Aussies are returning from holidays, planning the year, and price-checking hard. If your process feels confusing, they’ll choose the business with clearer next steps.

A simple “brand voice” framework for small business marketing

Answer first: Your brand voice is built from three choices: point of view, proof, and personality.

If you want to use your voice consistently across social media, local SEO content, and email, you need a framework that’s easy to apply on a busy week.

Point of view: what do you believe?

This is your stance. Not controversial for the sake of it—just clear.

Examples:

• “We’d rather recommend a smaller scope than oversell you.”
• “Fast doesn’t have to mean sloppy.”
• “Good coffee should be accessible, not intimidating.”

A point of view gives your content backbone. Without it, you’re stuck posting bland “tips” that no one remembers.

Proof: why should locals trust you?

Proof isn’t bragging. It’s removing doubt.

Use:

• specific outcomes (“installed 14 split systems in the last 30 days”)
• timeframes (“same-week bookings for most suburbs”)
• constraints (“we don’t service X area”)
• real reviews (screenshotted, quoted, replied-to)

If you can’t be specific because every job is different, be specific about the process.

Personality: how do you sound?

Pick a lane. “Professional” is not a personality.

Try one of these combinations:

• warm + direct
• premium + calm
• cheeky + helpful
• straight-talking + local

Then make it visible in:

• captions and headings
• how you reply to reviews
• how you explain pricing
• the welcome email after someone enquires

Snippet-worthy rule: If your voice only exists in your head, it won’t exist in your marketing.

Content ideas that make your voice heard (and drive leads)

Answer first: The best lead-generating content for SMEs answers real local questions with a clear stance.

If you want consistent leads, stop aiming for “viral” and start aiming for “useful and local”. Here are formats that work across industries.

“Room-based” content: show up where customers decide

Your customers make decisions in specific places:

• Google Maps listings
• suburb Facebook groups
• Instagram DMs
• comparison tabs with 3 competitors

So create content designed for those rooms:

1. Google Business Profile posts (weekly): one offer, one tip, one behind-the-scenes.
2. FAQ page that mirrors how people search: “How much does X cost in [City]?”
3. Short ‘what to expect’ Reels: reduce anxiety and objections.

10-post idea bank (copy/paste friendly)

• “We’re not for everyone. Here’s who we’re best for.”
• “What we charge for (and what we don’t).”
• “Three mistakes we see in [your industry] every week.”
• “Before/after with the story behind it.”
• “A customer question we got today (answered).”
• “How we handle complaints and fixes.”
• “The local suppliers/partners we love working with.”
• “Our busiest season is ___, here’s how to book smart.”
• “A myth about ___ that’s costing people money.”
• “A simple checklist before you hire a ___.”

If you publish even 4 of these per month, your voice will sharpen fast.

People also ask: practical voice-and-visibility questions

How do I find my small business brand voice?

Answer first: Write the way you speak to your favourite customer, then remove the fluff.

Start with real phrases you already use in quotes, emails, and in-store conversations. Turn those into headings and captions.

Can DEI help my small business marketing?

Answer first: Yes—because DEI practices improve relevance, trust, and accessibility.

When your marketing reflects your real community and removes friction, you get more enquiries from more types of customers.

What’s the fastest way to “use my voice” on a tight schedule?

Answer first: Commit to one channel and one weekly rhythm for 90 days.

For most SMEs, that’s:

• one Google Business Profile post per week
• one Instagram post per week
• one short email per fortnight

Consistency beats intensity.

Your next 7 days: a simple action plan

Answer first: If you want leads, update the places where locals judge you first, then publish one clear stance.

Do these in order:

1. Tighten your Google Business Profile: hours, services, description, photos, Q&A.
2. Write one “we’re not for everyone” post: who you’re best for, who you’re not.
3. Publish one proof point: a number, timeframe, or process that reduces doubt.
4. Reply to 5 reviews: in your chosen voice (warm/direct, calm/premium, etc.).

Donna Gordon’s advice—use your voice—works because it’s directional. It’s not asking you to be louder. It’s asking you to be present.

The businesses that win local attention in 2026 aren’t the ones posting the most. They’re the ones who sound like a real person, show up in the right rooms, and make it easy for their community to choose them.

What’s one sentence you wish every local customer understood about your business before they contact you? Write that sentence down—then make it your next post.