Plumber: 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 plumbers 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 plumbers, who else gets a call that same week?
Plumbers sell to both individuals and businesses, and most of the work starts when a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking. It is usually an emergency, so whoever is trusted at that moment gets the call. Clients come back, which makes one good introduction worth years.
- Water damage / leakwhen a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking
- Building system failurewhen the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working
- Renovation projectwhen a homeowner decides to remodel
- Home purchasewhen somebody buys a house
- Compliance deadline or inspectionwhen an inspection or compliance deadline lands
- New lease or locationwhen a business signs a lease or opens a location
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
Insurance Property & Casualty
They send you work78Trigger: 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.
- 02
Community Association Manager (HOA / Condo)
Two-way75Trigger: a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking
You and community association managers both get the call when a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 03
Property Manager (Residential)
Two-way73Trigger: the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working
You and residential property managers both get the call when the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 04
HVAC Contractor
Two-way70Trigger: the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working
You and HVAC contractors both get the call when the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 05
Commercial Property Manager
They send you work70Trigger: a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking
Commercial property managers hear about it when a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 06
Facility Manager
Two-way69Trigger: the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working
You and facility managers both get the call when the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 07
Septic & Drain Services
Two-way65Trigger: the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working
You and septic and drain companies both get the call when the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 08
Attorney Real Estate
They send you work64Trigger: 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.
- 09
Electrician
Two-way63Trigger: the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working
You and electricians both get the call when the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 10
Roofing Contractor
Two-way63Trigger: a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking
You and roofers both get the call when a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 01
HVAC Contractor
Two-way73Trigger: the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working
You and HVAC contractors both get the call when the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 02
Septic & Drain Services
Two-way73Trigger: the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working
You and septic and drain companies both get the call when the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 03
Roofing Contractor
Two-way71Trigger: a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking
You and roofers both get the call when a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 04
Water & Storm Damage Restoration
Two-way70Trigger: a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking
You and restoration contractors both get the call when a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 05
Garage Door Company
Two-way69Trigger: the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working
You and garage door companies both get the call when the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 06
Concrete & Paver Contractor
You send them work68Trigger: 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: P&C insurance agents, community association managers, and residential property managers.
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: P&C insurance agents, community association managers, and residential property managers.
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
IREM (Institute of Real Estate Management)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: residential property managers and commercial property managers.
Property managers for apartments, offices, and mixed buildings. Vendors can join and go to chapter meetings.
Chapter finder → - 03
Supply house counter days & contractor breakfasts
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: HVAC contractors, septic and drain companies, and electricians.
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.
- 04
Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: HVAC contractors and electricians.
General contractors and the subs around them. Real value if you sub on commercial jobs.
Chapter finder → - 05
Manufacturer training & certification days
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: HVAC contractors and roofers.
Training you need anyway, in a room with the rep who decides which contractor gets the warranty calls in your area.
- 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: P&C insurance agents, community association managers, and residential property managers.
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: P&C insurance agents, community association managers, and residential property managers.
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
IREM (Institute of Real Estate Management)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: residential property managers and commercial property managers.
Property managers for apartments, offices, and mixed buildings. Vendors can join and go to chapter meetings.
Chapter finder → - 03
Supply house counter days & contractor breakfasts
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: HVAC contractors, septic and drain companies, and electricians.
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.
- 04
Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: HVAC contractors and electricians.
General contractors and the subs around them. Real value if you sub on commercial jobs.
Chapter finder → - 05
Manufacturer training & certification days
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: HVAC contractors and roofers.
Training you need anyway, in a room with the rep who decides which contractor gets the warranty calls in your area.
- 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
CAI Southeast Florida chapter
Your partners' associationYour partner is in this room: community association managers.
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 →
PHCC (Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors)
Most plumbers join this room first. It is also the one most likely to be the wrong pick. Licensing, apprentices, and code. Not a referral room. 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.
PHCC (Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors) →Let us be straight with you. For plumbers, 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 plumber 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 plumbers, 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: Plumber
The five people who should be sending you clients
- Insurance Property & Casualty (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking - Community Association Manager (HOA / Condo) (Two-way)
Shared trigger: a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking - Property Manager (Residential) (Two-way)
Shared trigger: the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working - HVAC Contractor (Two-way)
Shared trigger: the AC dies, a pipe fails, or something in the building stops working - Commercial Property Manager (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a pipe bursts or a roof starts leaking
The three rooms to be in
- Your city or county chamber of commerce: Your partners are in this room: P&C insurance agents, community association managers, and residential property managers.
- IREM (Institute of Real Estate Management): Your partners are in this room: residential property managers and commercial property managers.
- Supply house counter days & contractor breakfasts: Your partners are in this room: HVAC contractors, septic and drain companies, and electricians.
- Your city or county chamber of commerce: Your partners are in this room: P&C insurance agents, community association managers, and residential property managers.
- IREM (Institute of Real Estate Management): Your partners are in this room: residential property managers and commercial property managers.
- Supply house counter days & contractor breakfasts: Your partners are in this room: HVAC contractors, septic and drain companies, and electricians.
Don't confuse this with networking: PHCC (Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors). Learning and supplier access, not referrals.