Partner outreach is the work of finding businesses that meet your customers just before or after you, and starting a real conversation with each one. We build a short list, sized to your crews' realistic driving range, and write a respectful approach you can use owner to owner. As a marketing service we don't do any trade work, and we don't run a club or hand out member lists. Every relationship is yours.
How we choose who's on the list
We look for four things, in this order:
- Sequence. Does this business meet your customer at the moment before or after you're needed? A kitchen designer meets a homeowner weeks before the plumber does.
- Geography. Do they work in the same municipalities as your crews? In Metro Vancouver, a bridge or tunnel can turn a natural partner into a useless one. The areas page covers this district by district.
- Standards. Would you be comfortable sending your own customer to them? If not, they don't go on the list.
- Balance. Can you send them work too? One-way partnerships rarely last.
Useful pairings to consider
- A roofer with a gutter-cleaning firm and a painter, all of whom see the same exterior problems.
- An electrician with a renovator and an EV-charger retailer.
- A landscaper with a deck builder and a fencing company.
- A residential cleaner with move management companies and home stagers.
- A small bookkeeping practice with an insurance broker and a business lawyer, subject to any professional rules on referral fees.
What's included
- A short list of 10 to 20 local businesses that meet the four tests, with a note on why each is there.
- A one-paragraph introduction about your business that a partner could forward to a customer.
- An opening message template for a call, a text or a short letter, with placeholders such as [Business name] and [your service area].
- A conversation guide for the first meeting: what to ask, what to offer, and what not to promise.
- A follow-up rhythm, so a good first conversation doesn't simply fade.
A sample first approach
Adapt this; don't send it word for word.
"Hi [Name], I run [Your business], a [trade] company working mostly in [municipalities]. A few of our customers have mentioned your work on [type of job]. We sometimes get asked for someone who does exactly that, and I'd like to be able to recommend a business I've actually spoken with. Would you have 15 minutes for a coffee or a call in the next couple of weeks?"
It works because it's specific, modest, and offers something before asking for anything.
Timeline
| Weeks | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Agree partner types and areas; build and check the list |
| 2–3 | Write your introduction, templates and conversation guide |
| 3–8 | You make approaches, a few per week; we review how each one went |
| 8–12 | First agreed partnerships move to written terms and tracking |
How results are measured
We count conversations held, partnerships agreed, and, after a quarter of tracking, referrals in both directions. We don't measure success by messages sent. Five careful approaches that lead to two lasting partners beat fifty that lead to none.
What we won't do in outreach
We won't buy contact lists, send bulk messages in your name, or claim connections you don't have. And we won't put a business on your list just to make it longer; every name should be one you'd be glad to introduce a customer to.
Mistakes to avoid
- Asking for referrals in the first conversation. Ask what kind of customers they'd like more of first.
- Approaching your partner's competitors at the same time. Word travels quickly in a local trade, particularly within one municipality.
- Proposing a link swap. Exchanging links to help each other rank is a link scheme. Referrals are business relationships; our guide on partner links and Google explains where the line is.
- Promising volume you can't handle. If you can only take two referred jobs a month, say so.
See pricing for what each plan includes, or the FAQ if you've tried something like this before and it fizzled.
Frequently asked questions
Do you send messages to partners for me?
We prepare the list and the wording, and we can coach you before each call. The first approach should come from you, because partners are agreeing to trust your business, not ours.
Is this cold outreach?
It's careful, individual outreach to a small number of businesses you've chosen. No bulk messages, no purchased lists, and no pretending you already know each other.
How many partners should I aim for?
For most small trades, three to five active partners is plenty. More than that and the relationships get thin, which is worse than having fewer.
What if a potential partner says no?
Thank them and move on. Leave a card or a short note. A surprising number come back months later when their usual referral falls through.