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Awning & Shutter Contractor: Best Referral Sources

Who should be sending you clients, and the rooms they are already sitting in.

Get the networking events worth showing up to

Tell us where you are. We will send you the best rooms for awning and shutter companies and the next meeting dates. Add a ZIP and this page will also show your local chapters and which seats are open.

Most business owners network where their competitors are, not where their referral partners are.

Your own trade group is for learning. Your partners' groups are where the work comes from. Everything below starts with one question. When something happens that makes people need awning and shutter companies, who else gets a call that same week?

Awning and shutter companies sell to both individuals and businesses, and most of the work starts when a named storm comes through. People take their time deciding, so a recommendation carries most of the weight. Most clients buy once, so the flow of new names is the whole business.

What starts the work
  • Storm damagewhen a named storm comes through
  • Renovation projectwhen a homeowner decides to remodel
  • Compliance deadline or inspectionwhen an inspection or compliance deadline lands
Block one

Who should be sending you clients

Ranked by what starts the job, not by who sounds close to your trade.

  1. 01

    Community Association Manager (HOA / Condo)

    They send you work
    71

    Trigger: a named storm comes through

    Community association managers hear about it when a named storm comes through, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.

  2. 02

    General Contractor

    They send you work
    67

    Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel

    General contractors hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.

  3. 03

    Impact Window & Door Contractor

    They send you work
    66

    Trigger: a named storm comes through

    Impact window contractors hear about it when a named storm comes through, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.

  4. 04

    Insurance Property & Casualty

    They send you work
    65

    Trigger: a named storm comes through

    P&C insurance agents hear about it when a named storm comes through, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.

  5. 05

    Electrician

    They send you work
    64

    Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel

    Electricians hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.

  6. 06

    HVAC Contractor

    They send you work
    63

    Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel

    HVAC contractors hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.

  7. 07

    Drywall & Stucco Contractor

    Two-way
    63

    Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel

    You and drywall and stucco contractors both get the call when a homeowner decides to remodel, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.

  8. 08

    Flooring Contractor

    They send you work
    63

    Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel

    Flooring companies hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.

  9. 09

    Landscaping Company

    Two-way
    62

    Trigger: a named storm comes through

    You and landscapers both get the call when a named storm comes through, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.

  10. 10

    Auto Body & Collision Repair

    They send you work
    62

    Trigger: a named storm comes through

    Collision repair shops hear about it when a named storm comes through, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.

Block two

Where those people actually are

Ranked by how many of your best partners are in the room, and how much work each one can send you.

Start here

Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC)

Your partners are in this room: general contractors, electricians, and HVAC contractors.

General contractors and the subs around them. Real value if you sub on commercial jobs.

Your partners' association Monthly $2,000+/yr ~4 hrs/month
Find your local chapter →

Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.

  1. 01

    Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC)

    Your partners' association

    Your partners are in this room: general contractors, electricians, and HVAC contractors.

    General contractors and the subs around them. Real value if you sub on commercial jobs.

    Monthly $2,000+/yr ~4 hrs/month
    Chapter finder →
  2. 02

    Supply house counter days & contractor breakfasts

    Vendor & supply chain

    Your partners are in this room: general contractors, electricians, and HVAC contractors.

    Free food, a rep from the manufacturer, and every contractor for ten miles. The counter staff know who has more work than they can handle this week. That extra work is the easiest referral in the trades.

    Informal Free ~2 hrs/month
  3. 03

    Your city or county chamber of commerce

    Chamber of commerce

    Your partners are in this room: community association managers, general contractors, and P&C insurance agents.

    Too big and too broad on its own. The value is in one committee. Pick one and go every time. The same fifteen people show up, and they get to know you.

    Monthly Under $500/yr ~4 hrs/month
    Chapter finder →
  4. 04

    Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate)

    Your partners' association

    Your partners are in this room: general contractors and flooring companies.

    Builders plus every trade that works for them. This one is mixed. The builders are buyers for the trades, so it is an exception.

    Monthly $500–$2,000/yr ~4 hrs/month
    Chapter finder →
  5. 05

    Local Facebook & community groups

    Online community

    Your partners are in this room: impact window contractors, electricians, and HVAC contractors.

    City groups, condo and HOA groups, and parent groups. For home services this is often the biggest free source on this list. Most competitors post ads instead of answers.

    Always on Free ~3 hrs/month
    Chapter finder →
  6. 06

    Manufacturer training & certification days

    Vendor & supply chain

    Your partners are in this room: impact window contractors and HVAC contractors.

    Training you need anyway, in a room with the rep who decides which contractor gets the warranty calls in your area.

    Quarterly Free ~3 hrs/month
  7. 07

    BNI

    Structured referral group

    One seat per category, so your competitors are excluded by rule and the seats around you are the partners above.

    The biggest referral group in the world. You meet every week. Only one person per job. They expect you to show up.

    Weekly $500–$2,000/yr ~8 hrs/month One seat per category
    Chapter finder →
  8. 08

    LeTip International

    Structured referral group

    One seat per category, so your competitors are excluded by rule and the seats around you are the partners above.

    Weekly referral chapters. One person per job. Strong with trades and home services.

    Weekly $500–$2,000/yr ~7 hrs/month One seat per category
    Chapter finder →

Let us be straight with you. For awning and shutter companies, a weekly referral group is not the best pick. Your partners gather in professional groups instead, so spend your time there. We would rather say that than sell you a seat you do not need.

Block three

Is your seat open?

Prime Time takes one awning & shutter contractor per chapter. Put in a South Florida ZIP above and we will show you which seats are open.

Add a ZIP code at the top of the page to see which seats are open.

Get the dates

Have the next meetings sent to you

The rooms above are the answer. This is when they meet. Tell us where to send it and we will email you the next dates for awning and shutter companies, with the one page plan.

We already know your trade and your area from this page, so there is nothing else to fill in. We do not ask for a phone number. Every email we send has an unsubscribe link.

Take this with you

Your one-page action plan

Five partners, five things to say, three rooms. Print it and keep it in the car.

Networking plan: Awning & Shutter Contractor

The five people who should be sending you clients

  1. Community Association Manager (HOA / Condo) (They send you work)
    Shared trigger: a named storm comes through
  2. General Contractor (They send you work)
    Shared trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
  3. Impact Window & Door Contractor (They send you work)
    Shared trigger: a named storm comes through
  4. Insurance Property & Casualty (They send you work)
    Shared trigger: a named storm comes through
  5. Electrician (They send you work)
    Shared trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel

The three rooms to be in

  1. Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC): Your partners are in this room: general contractors, electricians, and HVAC contractors.
  2. Supply house counter days & contractor breakfasts: Your partners are in this room: general contractors, electricians, and HVAC contractors.
  3. Your city or county chamber of commerce: Your partners are in this room: community association managers, general contractors, and P&C insurance agents.