Solar Energy 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 solar 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 solar contractors, who else gets a call that same week?
Solar contractors sell to both individuals and businesses, and most of the work starts when a homeowner decides to remodel. 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.
- Renovation projectwhen a homeowner decides to remodel
- Home purchasewhen somebody buys a house
- Storm damagewhen a named storm comes through
- 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
Window & Door Installer
They send you work70Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Window and door installers hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 02
Community Association Manager (HOA / Condo)
They send you work68Trigger: 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.
- 03
Impact Window & Door Contractor
They send you work67Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Impact window contractors hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 04
Cabinetry & Countertops
They send you work67Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Cabinet and countertop companies hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 05
Interior Designer
They send you work67Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Interior designers hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 06
Electrician
They send you work66Trigger: 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.
- 07
General Contractor
They send you work66Trigger: 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.
- 08
Remodeling Contractor
They send you work65Trigger: 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.
- 09
Pool Service & Repair
They send you work63Trigger: somebody buys a house
Pool companies hear about it when somebody buys a house, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 10
Plumber
They send you work63Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Plumbers hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 01
Concrete & Paver Contractor
Two-way55Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You and concrete and paver contractors both get the call when a homeowner decides to remodel, usually the same week. This one goes both ways.
- 02
Cabinetry & Countertops
They send you work55Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Cabinet and countertop companies hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 03
Window & Door Installer
They send you work54Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Window and door installers hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 04
Impact Window & Door Contractor
They send you work53Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
Impact window contractors hear about it when a homeowner decides to remodel, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 05
Pool Service & Repair
They send you work53Trigger: somebody buys a house
Pool companies hear about it when somebody buys a house, before you do. This one sends you work rather than trading it.
- 06
Awning & Shutter Contractor
Two-way53Trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
You and awning and shutter companies 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.
Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate)
Your partners are in this room: interior designers, cabinet and countertop companies, 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.
Find your local chapter →Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.
- 01
Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: interior designers, cabinet and countertop companies, 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 → - 02
Distributor & showroom trade nights
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: window and door installers, cabinet and countertop companies, 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.
- 03
Nextdoor
Online communityYour partners are in this room: window and door installers, impact window contractors, and remodeling contractors.
Neighbors asking each other who to hire. Answer questions without selling and the recommendations pile up on their own.
Chapter finder → - 04
Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: general contractors, electricians, and plumbers.
General contractors and the subs around them. Real value if you sub on commercial jobs.
Chapter finder → - 05
Local Facebook & community groups
Online communityYour partners are in this room: window and door installers, impact window contractors, and electricians.
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 → - 06
AIA (American Institute of Architects) chapter
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: interior designers 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 → - 07
Manufacturer training & certification days
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: impact window contractors and plumbers.
Training you need anyway, in a room with the rep who decides which contractor gets the warranty calls in your area.
- 08
NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: general contractors and remodeling contractors.
Good for certification and finding subs. One exception: remodelers and specialty trades here really do hire each other.
Chapter finder →
Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate)
Your partners are in this room: interior designers, cabinet and countertop companies, 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.
Find your local chapter →Give someone nine choices and they pick none. If you do one thing from this page, do this.
- 01
Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: interior designers, cabinet and countertop companies, 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 → - 02
Distributor & showroom trade nights
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: window and door installers, cabinet and countertop companies, 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.
- 03
Nextdoor
Online communityYour partners are in this room: window and door installers, impact window contractors, and remodeling contractors.
Neighbors asking each other who to hire. Answer questions without selling and the recommendations pile up on their own.
Chapter finder → - 04
Commercial contractors association (AGC / ABC)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: general contractors, electricians, and plumbers.
General contractors and the subs around them. Real value if you sub on commercial jobs.
Chapter finder → - 05
Local Facebook & community groups
Online communityYour partners are in this room: window and door installers, impact window contractors, and electricians.
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 → - 06
AIA (American Institute of Architects) chapter
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: interior designers 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 → - 07
Manufacturer training & certification days
Vendor & supply chainYour partners are in this room: impact window contractors and plumbers.
Training you need anyway, in a room with the rep who decides which contractor gets the warranty calls in your area.
- 08
NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry)
Your partners' associationYour partners are in this room: general contractors and remodeling contractors.
Good for certification and finding subs. One exception: remodelers and specialty trades here really do hire each other.
Chapter finder →
Electrical contractors association (IEC / NECA)
Most solar contractors join this room first. It is also the one most likely to be the wrong pick. Training, labor, and code. These are your competitors. 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.
Electrical contractors association (IEC / NECA) →Let us be straight with you. For solar 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 solar energy 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 solar 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: Solar Energy Contractor
The five people who should be sending you clients
- Window & Door Installer (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 - Impact Window & Door Contractor (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel - Cabinetry & Countertops (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel - Interior Designer (They send you work)
Shared trigger: a homeowner decides to remodel
The three rooms to be in
- Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate): Your partners are in this room: interior designers, cabinet and countertop companies, and general contractors.
- Distributor & showroom trade nights: Your partners are in this room: window and door installers, cabinet and countertop companies, and interior designers.
- Nextdoor: Your partners are in this room: window and door installers, impact window contractors, and remodeling contractors.
- Local home builders association (NAHB affiliate): Your partners are in this room: interior designers, cabinet and countertop companies, and general contractors.
- Distributor & showroom trade nights: Your partners are in this room: window and door installers, cabinet and countertop companies, and interior designers.
- Nextdoor: Your partners are in this room: window and door installers, impact window contractors, and remodeling contractors.
Don't confuse this with networking: Electrical contractors association (IEC / NECA). Learning and supplier access, not referrals.