General 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 general contractors 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 general contractors, who else gets a call that same week?
General contractors sell to both individuals and businesses, and most of the work starts when a homeowner decides to remodel. It is planned well ahead, so the introduction has to happen early. Most clients buy once, so the flow of new names is the whole business.
- Renovation projectwhen a homeowner decides to remodel
- Storm damagewhen a named storm comes through
- New lease or locationwhen a business signs a lease or opens a location
- Water damage / leakwhen a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking
- Commercial property acquisitionwhen an investor or operator buys a commercial building
- Compliance deadline or inspectionwhen an inspection or compliance deadline lands
Who should be sending you clients
Who you should be sending clients to
Ranked by what starts the job, not by who sounds close to your trade.
The same list, turned around. Give first and the rest follows.
- 01
Commercial Property Manager
They send you work83Trigger: a business signs a lease or opens a location
Commercial property managers hear about it when a business signs a lease or opens a location, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 02
Architect
They send you work77Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Architects hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 03
Community Association Manager (HOA / Condo)
They send you work75Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Community association managers hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 04
Facility Manager
They send you work73Trigger: a named storm comes through
Facility managers hear about it when a named storm comes through, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 05
Insurance Property & Casualty
They send you work67Trigger: 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.
- 06
Structural Engineer
They send you work67Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Structural engineers hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 07
Attorney Business & Corporate
They send you work67Trigger: a business signs a lease or opens a location
Business attorneys hear about it when a business signs a lease or opens a location, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 08
Cybersecurity
They send you work63Trigger: an inspection or compliance deadline lands
Cybersecurity firms hear about it when an inspection or compliance deadline lands, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 09
Interior Designer
Two-way62Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You and interior designers both get the call when a homeowner decides to remodel, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 10
Commercial Real Estate Broker
They send you work62Trigger: a business signs a lease or opens a location
Commercial real estate brokers hear about it when a business signs a lease or opens a location, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 01
Architect
They send you work74Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Architects hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 02
Window & Door Installer
You send them work66Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before window and door installers do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 03
Cabinetry & Countertops
You send them work66Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before cabinet and countertop companies do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 04
Commercial Janitorial
You send them work65Trigger: a business signs a lease or opens a location
You hear about it when a business signs a lease or opens a location, before janitorial companies do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 05
Impact Window & Door Contractor
Two-way64Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You and impact window contractors both get the call when a homeowner decides to remodel, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 06
Electrician
Two-way63Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You and electricians both get the call when a homeowner decides to remodel, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
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.
CAI (Community Associations Institute)
Your partners are in this room: community association managers and structural engineers.
Condo and HOA managers, board members, and management companies. One manager here can control hundreds of homes. They have a membership just for vendors, so you can join.
Find your local chapter →Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.
- 01
CAI (Community Associations Institute)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: community association managers and structural engineers.
Condo and HOA managers, board members, and management companies. One manager here can control hundreds of homes. They have a membership just for vendors, so you can join.
Chapter finder → - 02
AIA (American Institute of Architects) chapter
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: architects, structural engineers, and interior designers.
Architects and the plans they draw. For trades, this is where your product gets named in the drawings before bidding starts.
Chapter finder → - 03
BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: commercial property managers and commercial real estate brokers.
People who own and run office buildings. Vendors can join, and the local chapters run events just for them.
Chapter finder → - 04
LinkedIn groups & local B2B communities
Online communityYour partners are in this room: facility managers, P&C insurance agents, and business attorneys.
Works when your buyer has a job title. Useful comments on your partners' posts beat posting your own.
Chapter finder → - 05
Your city or county chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerceYour partners are in this room: commercial property managers, community association managers, 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.
Chapter finder → - 06
Distributor & showroom trade nights
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: architects and interior designers.
Showrooms and suppliers hold mixers that pull in designers, builders, and the people who write specs. Nobody calls it networking, so nobody is fighting for attention.
- 07
CAI chapter trade show & expo
Event or trade showYour partner is in this room: community association managers.
Hundreds of association managers and board members walking a vendor floor, there to find vendors. One of the few trade shows where a booth actually pays off.
Chapter finder → - 08
BNI
Structured referral groupOne 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.
Chapter finder →
CAI Southeast Florida chapter
Your partners are in this room: community association managers and structural engineers.
South Florida has more condos than almost anywhere, so this room is packed with association managers. Vendors can go to the trade shows and the monthly lunches.
Find your local chapter →Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.
- 01
CAI Southeast Florida chapter
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: community association managers and structural engineers.
South Florida has more condos than almost anywhere, so this room is packed with association managers. Vendors can go to the trade shows and the monthly lunches.
Chapter finder → - 02
AIA (American Institute of Architects) chapter
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: architects, structural engineers, and interior designers.
Architects and the plans they draw. For trades, this is where your product gets named in the drawings before bidding starts.
Chapter finder → - 03
BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: commercial property managers and commercial real estate brokers.
People who own and run office buildings. Vendors can join, and the local chapters run events just for them.
Chapter finder → - 04
LinkedIn groups & local B2B communities
Online communityYour partners are in this room: facility managers, P&C insurance agents, and business attorneys.
Works when your buyer has a job title. Useful comments on your partners' posts beat posting your own.
Chapter finder → - 05
Your city or county chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerceYour partners are in this room: commercial property managers, community association managers, 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.
Chapter finder → - 06
Distributor & showroom trade nights
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: architects and interior designers.
Showrooms and suppliers hold mixers that pull in designers, builders, and the people who write specs. Nobody calls it networking, so nobody is fighting for attention.
- 07
CAI chapter trade show & expo
Event or trade showYour partner is in this room: community association managers.
Hundreds of association managers and board members walking a vendor floor, there to find vendors. One of the few trade shows where a booth actually pays off.
Chapter finder → - 08
Prime Time Business Network
Structured referral groupOne seat per category, so your competitors are excluded by rule and the seats around you are the partners above.
A South Florida referral group. Only one person per job in each chapter. So your competitors are kept out, and your referral partners have the other seats.
See chapters →
Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate)
Most general contractors join this room first. It is also the one most likely to be the wrong pick. Builders plus every trade that works for them. This one is mixed. The builders are buyers for the trades, so it is an exception. Everyone in it does what you do. Join it for the training, the licences, and the ties to manufacturers. Do not join it for referrals, and do not join it instead of the rooms above.
Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate) →Let us be straight with you. For general contractors, 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.
Is your seat open?
Prime Time takes one general 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.
Prime Time doesn't operate where you are yet.
We have fifteen chapters in South Florida and none near you. Telling you to join would be bad advice. The rooms above are the real answer where you are. We can email you the one page version and let you know if we open near you.
Send me those roomsHave 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 general contractors, 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.
Your one-page action plan
Five partners, five things to say, three rooms. Print it and keep it in the car.
Networking plan: General Contractor
The five people who should be sending you clients
- Commercial Property Manager (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a business signs a lease or opens a location - Architect (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel - Community Association Manager (HOA / Condo) (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel - Facility Manager (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a named storm comes through - Insurance Property & Casualty (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a named storm comes through
The three rooms to be in
- CAI (Community Associations Institute): Your partners are in this room: community association managers and structural engineers.
- AIA (American Institute of Architects) chapter: Your partners are in this room: architects, structural engineers, and interior designers.
- BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association): Your partners are in this room: commercial property managers and commercial real estate brokers.
- CAI Southeast Florida chapter: Your partners are in this room: community association managers and structural engineers.
- AIA (American Institute of Architects) chapter: Your partners are in this room: architects, structural engineers, and interior designers.
- BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association): Your partners are in this room: commercial property managers and commercial real estate brokers.
Don't confuse this with networking: Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate). Learning and supplier access, not referrals.