Talk to us about your referral partnerships

Which way to get in touch

• Call if you'd rather just talk it through. It's the quickest way to find out whether referral work suits your business.
• Text if you're on a job site and only have a minute. Send a line or two and we'll reply, then arrange a call when it suits you.
• Email if you'd like to send detail: a list of current partners, a draft agreement you already use, or a spreadsheet of past jobs.

Whichever you choose, you'll be dealing with a senior strategist from the team led by Ali Sedighi, MBA. You can read more about him on the about page.

What to include in your message

A few facts let us give you a useful answer on the first reply:

1. Your business name and trade. For example, residential painting, tile, cleaning, moving or renovation.
2. Where you work. The parts of Burnaby you serve most, and any nearby cities. Our areas page uses the City's district names if that helps.
3. Where work comes from today. A rough split, such as "about half from past customers, a third from two other trades, the rest online".
4. Any existing partners. Business types only is fine. Tell us whether anything is in writing or involves a fee.
5. What you want to change. More referrals, better ones, fairer terms, or simply knowing what each relationship is worth.

A template you can copy:

Hi, I run [Business name], a [trade] business working mostly in [Burnaby district or city]. Most of our work comes from [main sources]. We already swap referrals with [number] other businesses, [with / without] anything in writing. I'd like help with [what you want to change]. Best time to reach me is [day and time].

What happens next

1. We reply, usually within one business day, to arrange a time to talk or to answer your question directly if it's a quick one.
2. The first conversation. Eligible trades businesses get a free 30-minute initial consultation. We'll look at where your work comes from and tell you honestly whether referral partnerships are worth your time.
3. A written proposal, if it makes sense to go further. It names the plan, the first three months of work and any terms specific to you, so nothing is left to memory.

You're under no obligation at any point. Plans are month-to-month, as explained on the pricing page.

What we'll ask you, and why

Expect a few practical questions on the first call:

• "Who sent you your last few jobs?" Most owners have referral sources they've never counted.
• "How quickly do you call a referred customer back?" Response speed decides whether partners keep sending work.
• "Is any money changing hands today?" If so, we'll talk about putting it in writing and telling customers.
• "What would you send a partner in return?" Relationships that only flow one way tend to cool.

None of these are trick questions. They're the same ones we use in partner mapping, and your answers shape the plan.

What we won't do

So there are no surprises:

• We won't sell you leads or pass your customers to anyone.
• We won't introduce you to "members" or a referral club.
• We won't arrange link swaps with other websites.
• We won't do any trade work. We're a marketing and business consulting service, not a contractor.
• We won't give legal advice; we'll suggest when a lawyer should look at an agreement.

If you'd like to read more first, the FAQ and guides cover most of what owners ask. Otherwise, call, text or email whenever suits you.