Reviewed by Michael Watkins, Founder
Published 18 June 2026 · Last reviewed 11 July 2026
One of the biggest challenges when starting any local business is getting people to know you exist.
You can buy the equipment, set up the business, and be ready to work, but if nobody knows who you are, it can take a long time to build momentum.
For Aaron, that was one of the concerns before joining Diggermate.
His biggest worry was simple: what if he bought a machine and did not get enough hires to pay it off?
Today, Aaron operates both Diggermate Lara and Diggermate Werribee. Looking back, he says that concern disappeared within the first few months as enquiries started coming through and the business gained traction.
Starting With a Concern Many Future Owners Share
Aaron got into Diggermate because he wanted to do something different.
Like many people considering business ownership, he understood there was risk involved. Buying machinery is a significant investment, and he did not want equipment sitting idle in the yard.
His concern was not about operating machinery. It was about demand.
Would enough customers actually hire the machines?
That question was answered quickly.
Within the first couple of months, Aaron says the concern was no longer an issue as the business began generating hires and building local awareness.
The Value of Marketing Support
One of the biggest benefits Aaron points to is Diggermate’s marketing support.
Building a local business is challenging enough without having to become a marketing expert as well.
Aaron openly says that if he had started this type of business on his own, the marketing side would have been difficult.
Instead of trying to build brand awareness from scratch, he was able to leverage a recognised national brand with established marketing systems already in place.
That support helped put the business in front of local customers while allowing Aaron to focus on serving them.
Becoming Recognised in the Community
One of the clearest signs of effective marketing is when people begin recognising your business without being prompted.
Aaron says people regularly approach him on job sites or in the community and mention that they have seen Diggermate’s advertisements online.
That recognition creates familiarity and trust.
Customers feel more comfortable dealing with a business they have already seen before, whether through social media, online advertising, local branding, or word-of-mouth.
For Aaron, that visibility has helped him become known in the local community far faster than if he had been building an unknown brand from scratch.
That local demand has shown up in the numbers too. Aaron’s Diggermate Lara location has recorded a month over $64,000 in gross booking value, and he has since expanded into Diggermate Werribee.
Every Diggermate business is different. Some owners push hard and grow into larger multi-machine or multi-location operations. Others prefer a smaller, more flexible local business. The figures shared here are historical gross booking value examples, not profit, owner income, forecasts, or guaranteed results.
Aaron’s story shows how Diggermate marketing works best when it is matched with local follow-through. Diggermate gives the local business a platform through local ad campaigns, location-specific creative, franchisee photos and videos, professional campaigns, website infrastructure and brand recognition. Aaron then turned that attention into local awareness by getting visible in the community, servicing customers well and building the kind of reputation that made expansion into Werribee possible.
Why Branding Matters
Aaron also highlights something many people overlook: professional presentation.
He specifically mentions the Diggermate branding and machine sticker kits as a major advantage.
When a machine arrives on site fully branded, it immediately looks professional and established.
It stands out from unbranded equipment and helps reinforce the perception that customers are dealing with a serious business.
In a local service industry, every machine becomes a moving advertisement.
Whether it is parked on a job site, being delivered to a customer, or travelling through the local area, it continues building visibility for the business.
Growth Beyond One Territory
Strong brand recognition and consistent demand eventually helped Aaron expand beyond a single territory.
After operating Diggermate Lara, he launched Diggermate Werribee and now manages equipment and customers across both locations.
His fleet includes excavators, skid steers, mini loaders, tipper trucks, and other equipment servicing homeowners, builders, landscapers, and renovation projects.
While running two locations comes with challenges, particularly around last-minute bookings and machine preparation, it also reflects the growth that can occur when demand and marketing work together.
What Future Franchise Owners Can Learn
Aaron’s story highlights an important lesson for anyone considering a machinery hire business.
Owning equipment is only part of the equation.
Customers need to know who you are, trust your business, and remember your name when they need machinery.
Marketing plays a major role in making that happen.
For Aaron, the combination of brand recognition, marketing support, and professional presentation helped turn an initial concern about getting hires into a growing business operating across two territories.
Thinking About Starting Your Own Diggermate?
If Aaron’s story has you thinking more seriously about Diggermate, the next step is to understand the model behind the marketing. You can learn more about Diggermate franchise marketing support, see how Aaron expanded beyond one Diggermate territory, or explore more Diggermate franchise owner stories before joining the next webinar.
Related Diggermate franchise resources
If Aaron’s story has you thinking about how marketing, brand recognition and local demand work inside Diggermate, these guides can help you keep researching the opportunity:
- How Aaron expanded beyond one Diggermate territory
- How Diggermate franchise marketing support helps franchisees get leads
- Diggermate vs starting your own mini excavator hire business
- No experience? How Diggermate training and support works
- More Diggermate franchise owner stories
- Diggermate franchise cost: fees, setup and what’s included
- How much can you earn with a Diggermate franchise?
