Painting 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 painters 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 painters, who else gets a call that same week?
Painters sell to both individuals and businesses, and most of the work starts when somebody puts a house on the market. People take their time deciding, so a recommendation carries most of the weight. Clients return now and then, so the introduction has to keep paying off.
- Home salewhen somebody puts a house on the market
- Move-in / relocationwhen a family moves into a new place
- Renovation projectwhen a homeowner decides to remodel
- Water damage / leakwhen a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking
- New lease or locationwhen a business signs a lease or opens a location
- Storm damagewhen a named storm comes through
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
Real Estate Agent (Residential)
They send you work73Trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
Residential real estate agents hear about it when somebody puts a house on the market, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 02
Property Manager (Residential)
They send you work65Trigger: a family moves into a new place
Residential property managers hear about it when a family moves into a new place, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 03
Drywall & Stucco Contractor
They send you work62Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Drywall and stucco contractors hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 04
Home Inspector
They send you work62Trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
Home inspectors hear about it when somebody puts a house on the market, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 05
Junk Removal & Hauling
They send you work61Trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
Junk removal companies hear about it when somebody puts a house on the market, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 06
HVAC Contractor
They send you work60Trigger: 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.
- 07
Insurance Property & Casualty
They send you work60Trigger: a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking
P&C insurance agents hear about it when a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 08
Attorney Real Estate
Two-way60Trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
You and real estate attorneys both get the call when somebody puts a house on the market, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 09
Staffing / Recruiting
They send you work60Trigger: a business signs a lease or opens a location
Staffing and recruiting firms 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.
- 10
Flooring Contractor
Two-way59Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You and flooring companies both get the call when a homeowner decides to remodel, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 01
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning
Two-way66Trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
You and carpet cleaning companies both get the call when somebody puts a house on the market, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 02
Pest Control
You send them work63Trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
You hear about it when somebody puts a house on the market, before pest control companies do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 03
Pressure Washing
You send them work63Trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
You hear about it when somebody puts a house on the market, before pressure washing companies do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 04
Title Company
You send them work60Trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
You hear about it when somebody puts a house on the market, before title companies do. Expect to give more than you get back here.
- 05
Roofing Contractor
They send you work59Trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
Roofers hear about it when somebody puts a house on the market, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 06
Concrete & Paver Contractor
They send you work59Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Concrete and paver contractors hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
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 local Realtor board or association
Your partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, home inspectors, and real estate attorneys.
Join as a vendor and you are in front of hundreds of agents. They need people they trust at every closing. Ask about the vendor committee and the classes for new agents, not just the parties.
Find your local chapter →Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.
- 01
Your local Realtor board or association
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, home inspectors, and real estate attorneys.
Join as a vendor and you are in front of hundreds of agents. They need people they trust at every closing. Ask about the vendor committee and the classes for new agents, not just the parties.
Chapter finder → - 02
Local Facebook & community groups
Online communityYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, home inspectors, and junk removal companies.
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.
Chapter finder → - 03
Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: drywall and stucco contractors and HVAC contractors.
General contractors and the subs around them. Real value if you sub on commercial jobs.
Chapter finder → - 04
Nextdoor
Online communityYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, junk removal companies, and HVAC contractors.
Neighbors asking each other who to hire. Answer questions without selling and the recommendations pile up on their own.
Chapter finder → - 05
LinkedIn groups & local B2B communities
Online communityYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, residential property managers, and P&C insurance agents.
Works when your buyer has a job title. Useful comments on your partners' posts beat posting your own.
Chapter finder → - 06
Your city or county chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerceYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, residential property managers, and HVAC contractors.
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 → - 07
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 → - 08
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 →
Your local Realtor board or association
Your partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, home inspectors, and real estate attorneys.
Join as a vendor and you are in front of hundreds of agents. They need people they trust at every closing. Ask about the vendor committee and the classes for new agents, not just the parties.
Find your local chapter →Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.
- 01
Your local Realtor board or association
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, home inspectors, and real estate attorneys.
Join as a vendor and you are in front of hundreds of agents. They need people they trust at every closing. Ask about the vendor committee and the classes for new agents, not just the parties.
Chapter finder → - 02
Local Facebook & community groups
Online communityYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, home inspectors, and junk removal companies.
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.
Chapter finder → - 03
Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: drywall and stucco contractors and HVAC contractors.
General contractors and the subs around them. Real value if you sub on commercial jobs.
Chapter finder → - 04
Nextdoor
Online communityYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, junk removal companies, and HVAC contractors.
Neighbors asking each other who to hire. Answer questions without selling and the recommendations pile up on their own.
Chapter finder → - 05
LinkedIn groups & local B2B communities
Online communityYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, residential property managers, and P&C insurance agents.
Works when your buyer has a job title. Useful comments on your partners' posts beat posting your own.
Chapter finder → - 06
Your city or county chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerceYour partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, residential property managers, and HVAC contractors.
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 → - 07
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 → - 08
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.
Let us be straight with you. For painters, 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 painting 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 painters, 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: Painting Contractor
The five people who should be sending you clients
- Real Estate Agent (Residential) (They send you work)
Shared trigger: somebody puts a house on the market - Property Manager (Residential) (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a family moves into a new place - Drywall & Stucco Contractor (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel - Home Inspector (They send you work)
Shared trigger: somebody puts a house on the market - Junk Removal & Hauling (They send you work)
Shared trigger: somebody puts a house on the market
The three rooms to be in
- Your local Realtor board or association: Your partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, home inspectors, and real estate attorneys.
- Local Facebook & community groups: Your partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, home inspectors, and junk removal companies.
- Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC): Your partners are in this room: drywall and stucco contractors and HVAC contractors.
- Your local Realtor board or association: Your partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, home inspectors, and real estate attorneys.
- Local Facebook & community groups: Your partners are in this room: residential real estate agents, home inspectors, and junk removal companies.
- Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC): Your partners are in this room: drywall and stucco contractors and HVAC contractors.