Interior Designer: 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 interior designers 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 interior designers, who else gets a call that same week?
Interior designers 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
- Home purchasewhen somebody buys a house
- Move-in / relocationwhen a family moves into a new place
- New lease or locationwhen a business signs a lease or opens a location
- Divorcewhen a marriage ends
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
Architect
They send you work69Trigger: 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
Remodeling Contractor
They send you work68Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Remodeling contractors hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 03
Attorney Real Estate
They send you work66Trigger: somebody buys a house
Real estate attorneys hear about it when somebody buys a house, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 04
Insurance Property & Casualty
They send you work65Trigger: somebody buys a house
P&C insurance agents hear about it when somebody buys a house, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 05
IT Services / Managed IT
They send you work63Trigger: a business signs a lease or opens a location
IT and managed service providers 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.
- 06
General Contractor
Two-way62Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You and general contractors both get the call when a homeowner decides to remodel, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 07
Commercial Property Manager
They send you work62Trigger: 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.
- 08
Electrician
Two-way61Trigger: 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.
- 09
Property Manager (Residential)
They send you work61Trigger: somebody buys a house
Residential property managers hear about it when somebody buys a house, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 10
Community Association Manager (HOA / Condo)
Two-way61Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You and community association managers both get the call when a homeowner decides to remodel, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 01
Smart Home & AV Integrator
You send them work74Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before smart home and AV integrators do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 02
Cabinetry & Countertops
You send them work73Trigger: 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.
- 03
Window & Door Installer
You send them work69Trigger: 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.
- 04
Impact Window & Door Contractor
You send them work66Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before impact window contractors do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 05
Tile & Stone Contractor
You send them work66Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before tile and stone contractors do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 06
Concrete & Paver Contractor
You send them work65Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before concrete and paver contractors do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
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.
Your city or county chamber of commerce
Your partners are in this room: remodeling contractors, P&C insurance agents, and IT and managed service providers.
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.
Find your local chapter →Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.
- 01
Your city or county chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerceYour partners are in this room: remodeling contractors, P&C insurance agents, and IT and managed service providers.
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 → - 02
Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: architects and general contractors.
Builders plus every trade that works for them. This one is mixed. The builders are buyers for the trades, so it is an exception.
Chapter finder → - 03
NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: remodeling contractors and general contractors.
Good for certification and finding subs. One exception: remodelers and specialty trades here really do hire each other.
Chapter finder → - 04
Distributor & showroom trade nights
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: architects and remodeling contractors.
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.
- 05
AIA (American Institute of Architects) chapter
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: architects and general contractors.
Architects and the plans they draw. For trades, this is where your product gets named in the drawings before bidding starts.
Chapter finder → - 06
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 → - 07
LeTip International
Structured referral groupOne 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.
Chapter finder → - 08
Network In Action
Structured referral groupOne seat per category, so your competitors are excluded by rule and the seats around you are the partners above.
Referral groups that meet once a month. Good if you cannot give up a morning every week.
Chapter finder →
Your city or county chamber of commerce
Your partners are in this room: remodeling contractors, P&C insurance agents, and IT and managed service providers.
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.
Find your local chapter →Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.
- 01
Your city or county chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerceYour partners are in this room: remodeling contractors, P&C insurance agents, and IT and managed service providers.
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 → - 02
Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: architects and general contractors.
Builders plus every trade that works for them. This one is mixed. The builders are buyers for the trades, so it is an exception.
Chapter finder → - 03
NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: remodeling contractors and general contractors.
Good for certification and finding subs. One exception: remodelers and specialty trades here really do hire each other.
Chapter finder → - 04
Distributor & showroom trade nights
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: architects and remodeling contractors.
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.
- 05
AIA (American Institute of Architects) chapter
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: architects and general contractors.
Architects and the plans they draw. For trades, this is where your product gets named in the drawings before bidding starts.
Chapter finder → - 06
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 → - 07
An independent local leads group
Structured referral groupOne seat per category, so your competitors are excluded by rule and the seats around you are the partners above.
Most cities have small leads groups you will never find online. A realtor or insurance agent usually starts them. Ask three people in your trade who they meet with.
- 08
Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: general contractors and electricians.
General contractors and the subs around them. Real value if you sub on commercial jobs.
Chapter finder →
Let us be straight with you. For interior designers, 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 interior designer 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 interior designers, 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: Interior Designer
The five people who should be sending you clients
- Architect (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel - Remodeling Contractor (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel - Attorney Real Estate (They send you work)
Shared trigger: somebody buys a house - Insurance Property & Casualty (They send you work)
Shared trigger: somebody buys a house - IT Services / Managed IT (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a business signs a lease or opens a location
The three rooms to be in
- Your city or county chamber of commerce: Your partners are in this room: remodeling contractors, P&C insurance agents, and IT and managed service providers.
- Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate): Your partners are in this room: architects and general contractors.
- NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry): Your partners are in this room: remodeling contractors and general contractors.
- Your city or county chamber of commerce: Your partners are in this room: remodeling contractors, P&C insurance agents, and IT and managed service providers.
- Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate): Your partners are in this room: architects and general contractors.
- NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry): Your partners are in this room: remodeling contractors and general contractors.