All nine fixes, with the scripts.

Fix 1 · The ask

Ask at a set moment, every time

The best moment is right after the walkthrough, when the customer says it looks good. Put it on the job checklist next to "collect final payment" so it stops depending on memory.

1. Add "Ask for referral + hand over the forward text" as the last line of the job checklist.
2. Say it out loud on site. Thirty seconds.
3. Repeat it once in writing the next morning (Fix 2).

Hi [Name], glad the [job] turned out the way you wanted. One favor: if a neighbor or friend ever needs [service], the easiest way to send them to us is this link: [link]. Thanks for trusting us with it.Copy

Fix 2 · Who asks

Make it the job's responsibility, not the owner's

If one person has to remember, it stops when they get busy. The person who did the work asks on site; an automatic text repeats it the next day from their name.

1. Give every tech or crew lead the on-site line from Fix 1.
2. Set up a next-morning text in your CRM or field app, triggered by "job complete".
3. Sign it with the tech's name, not the company's.

Hi [Name], it's [Tech] from [Company]. Thanks again for having us out. If you know anyone who needs [service], here's our referral link: [link]. We'll take good care of them.Copy

Fix 3 · The forward

Give them something to forward

Most referrals die between "you should call these guys" and someone actually calling. A text the customer can forward in one tap closes that gap. A business card can't be forwarded.

1. Make a short booking link (your site's contact page or a scheduling link).
2. Save the message below as a template in your phone and your CRM.
3. Send it to every customer at job close, and tell them it's for forwarding.

[Company] did our [job] and we'd use them again. Call or text [phone], or book here: [link]. Tell them [Name] sent you.Copy

Fix 4 · The reward

Publish the reward

Reward the referrer, not the new customer, and state it up front. $25 to $100 in gift cards or service credit is typical for home services; pick one number and never skip it. Check your state rules if you're in a licensed trade.

1. Choose the reward and when it pays (first job completed and paid).
2. Put the paragraph below on your website, your invoices, and the job-close text.
3. Pay it within a week, with a thank-you from a person.

Refer a friend to [Company]. When their first job is done, you get a $[amount] gift card. No limit, no catch. Just send them this link: [link].Copy

Fix 5 · Tracking

Record the source on every lead

You can't grow what you don't count. One question on every call and every form, and a place to write the answer, is all it takes. We set this up for every client in month one; here's how it looks in HubSpot.

1. Add a "How did you hear about us?" dropdown to your booking form (Referral, Google, Social, Partner, Ads, Other).
2. Add a "Referred by" text field, and make the phone script ask for the name.
3. Once a month, count new customers by source.

Before we get started, how did you hear about us? And if someone sent you, who was it? We like to say thanks.Copy

Fix 6 · Follow-up

Stay in front of past customers

Most referrals come months after the job, when a friend mentions a problem. The company that gets named is the one your customer heard from most recently.

1. Schedule a 30-day check-in text after every job (below).
2. Send one seasonal reminder a quarter: maintenance, a tune-up, a before-winter check.
3. Keep every customer on an email list, even if you only send four times a year.

Hi [Name], it's been about a month since we did your [job]. How's everything holding up? If anything's off, reply here and we'll sort it. And if a neighbor needs [service], here's our link: [link].Copy

Fix 7 · Reviews

Automate the review ask

A review is a referral to strangers, and it decides whether Google and AI search recommend you. Send the direct link within a day, from the person who did the work, with the referral link in the same message.

1. Get your Google review link (Business Profile → Ask for reviews).
2. Trigger the text below the day after job completion.
3. Reply to every review within a week; it's visible to the next customer.

Hi [Name], thanks for choosing [Company]. If you have a minute, a Google review helps other homeowners find us: [review link]. And if you know anyone who needs [service], our referral link is [link].Copy

Fix 8 · Partners

Build five referral partners

Realtors, property managers, inspectors, suppliers, and the trades that show up before or after you all meet your customer at the moment they need you. Partner referrals don't depend on your job count.

1. List five business types that touch your customer. Pick one real business for each.
2. Send them work first. Then send the message below.
3. Check in once a quarter with a coffee or a job you can hand them.

Hi [Name], we're [Company], we do [service] around [city]. We get asked for a good [partner trade] all the time and want someone we can send people to. Could we grab 15 minutes? Happy to start by sending work your way.Copy

Fix 9 · The monthly check

Three numbers, once a month

Systems die when nobody looks at them. Fifteen minutes on the first of the month keeps this one alive.

1. Referrals received. New customers whose source was a person or a partner.
2. Asks sent. Job-close texts that went out, divided by jobs completed. Below 90% means the trigger broke.
3. Rewards paid. Should match referrals that turned into completed jobs. If it doesn't, someone wasn't thanked.

Want us to build the tracking, the triggers and the follow-up sequence for you? It's part of the CRM setup we do for every client in month one. Talk to us.