The short version: Van.Network helps you build a small number of referral partnerships with businesses you choose, writes the arrangements down, tells customers about any money or discounts involved, and counts what each partner sends. Plans start at $1,999 a month, there's no long-term contract, and we never do trade work. The questions above cover the detail; the sections below deal with the ones that need more room.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly does Van.Network do?
We help Metro Vancouver trades and local professionals plan referral partnerships, put them in writing, disclose any arrangement to customers, track referrals per partner and build pages partners can share. We're a marketing and consulting service, not a contractor.
How much does it cost?
The entry plan, Growth, is $1,999 a month on month-to-month terms; commit to annual billing and it drops to $1,499 a month. GST of 5% is added. Elite and Enterprise plans cost more and cover more work. The first 30-minute consultation is free for eligible trades businesses.
Is there a long-term contract?
No. Plans are month-to-month with 30 days' notice to cancel. Annual billing lowers the monthly price in exchange for a year's commitment.
How long before referrals increase?
Expect the first quarter to go on tracking, terms and outreach, and the second to show which partners matter. Referral networks grow at the pace of trust, so be wary of anyone promising a fast jump.
We tried a networking group before and got nothing. Why is this different?
Groups often depend on weekly meetings and goodwill from strangers. We work with a handful of businesses you choose, in your travel area, with written terms and per-partner numbers. If a relationship isn't working, the numbers show it.
Do you give me partners or leads?
No. We don't run a directory, sell leads or pass clients between businesses. We help you find, approach and keep your own partners.
Do I have to pay my partners?
No. Many partnerships run on reciprocity and good service. If you do agree a fee, discount or reciprocal promise, it goes in writing and the customer is told.
Is a referral fee legal for my profession?
We can't advise on that. Some regulated professions restrict or prohibit referral fees. Ask your regulator or a lawyer before agreeing to any payment.
Will partner links on our websites help our rankings?
That's not their purpose, and we don't offer it. Google treats link swaps and links traded for ranking as spam. Links between partners should exist only to help a customer.
Who owns the website pages, tracking numbers and documents?
You do. Pages live on your website, agreements are between you and your partners, and tracking is set up in your name wherever the provider allows. If you leave, it all stays with you.
What reporting will I get?
A short quarterly page per partner: enquiries, booked jobs, revenue and referrals you sent back. We also note whether every paid or discounted referral was disclosed.
Do you do the trade work if a referral comes in?
Never. We don't install, repair, clean or service anything. Every referred job is done by your own business.
Do you work across all of Metro Vancouver?
Yes, from Bowen Island and Lions Bay to White Rock and Maple Ridge, plus Electoral Area A and Tsawwassen First Nation. We plan partners within the area your crews actually travel.
"We already get referrals. Why pay for this?"
Because most owners can't say which referrals they get, from whom, or what they're worth. That uncertainty has a cost: you can't thank the right people, protect the relationship when something goes wrong, or decide where to spend your limited time.
A quick test: list the businesses you think sent you work last quarter, then check your job records. If more than a couple of names are missing or wrong, per-partner tracking will pay for its time quickly. If your list is accurate and you're happy with the volume, you may not need us, and we'll tell you so.
Disclosure, explained simply
When someone recommends your business and has a connection to you, such as a fee, a discount or a promise you'll send work back, the customer should know. Canada's Competition Bureau gives payments, discounts and personal relationships as examples of connections to disclose when promoting a business, and says disclosures should be clear and prominent.
In practice that means one plain sentence on the quote, the text message or the referral landing page. We draft it; your lawyer confirms it. Our guide on putting referral terms in writing has templates.
Links, rankings and why we stay out of it
Owners sometimes hope a partnership will double as an SEO tactic: "link to me and I'll link to you." Google's spam policies treat link exchanges made for ranking, and links bought or traded for ranking, as link spam. So we keep referrals and search separate. A link between partners is fine when it helps a customer find the right trade; it should never be part of the deal. The partner links guide covers the details.
Contracts, ownership and leaving
There's no long-term contract. Plans run month to month and end with 30 days' notice; annual billing is optional and simply lowers the monthly price. Everything we build for you stays yours: pages sit on your website, agreements are signed between you and your partners, and tracking numbers are registered to your business wherever the provider allows it.
If you stop working with us, your partners shouldn't notice anything except, perhaps, a quieter quarterly report. That's deliberate, and it's worth insisting on. A referral program that falls apart when the agency leaves was never really yours.
"We tried an agency before"
Plenty of owners have paid for marketing that produced reports nobody could act on. Referral work is easier to judge than most marketing, because the numbers are small and specific. After one quarter you should be able to name each partner, see how many jobs they sent and what those jobs were worth. If you can't, something is wrong, and you'll be free to leave on 30 days' notice. See pricing for the plan terms.
What we won't do
- Publish or share a list of our clients' partners.
- Write reviews, ask partners to post ratings, or trade reviews for referrals.
- Promise a number of referrals, leads or jobs.
- Give legal advice on referral fees or interpret professional rules.
- Do any trade work: installation, repair, cleaning or service.
Still deciding?
Read how the services fit together, check the pricing arithmetic, or simply call, text or email (604) 632-4959 or Ali@Sedighi.ca. The contact page explains what to include so the first reply is useful.