The Top Referral Sources for the Security Industry

Believe it or not, business networking works in every industry, including the security guard industry. Networking gives you the chance to meet people in connected industries, tell them about your business and find practical ways to help each other win more work.

Referrals are one of the most valuable lead sources a security company can have. A referred prospect arrives already trusting you, which usually means a shorter sales conversation and less pressure to compete on price alone. Here are the referral sources you should be pursuing as a security company owner or business development manager, plus a simple plan for turning them into a steady pipeline.

Security Referral Sources at a Glance

Use this quick-reference table to prioritize your networking. Each source is covered in more detail below.

Referral source	Who they know	What you can offer in return
1. Property managers and HOA boards	Owners, boards and residents	Insight into site risks and incident trends
2. Commercial insurance brokers	Commercial properties, HOAs and businesses	Documentation that supports lower risk
3. Business bankers	Growing companies and large accounts	Introductions to your own business network
4. Commercial landscapers	Property and facility managers	Early warning on liabilities you see on site
5. Painters and graffiti removal crews	Properties dealing with vandalism	Referrals when you spot damage on patrol
6. Building and construction inspectors	Developers, builders and new sites	Help protecting sites during construction
7. Facility and janitorial companies	Facility managers and tenants	Coordinated service at shared sites
8. General contractors	New builds and renovations	Reliable construction site security
9. Commercial real estate brokers	New owners and tenants	A trusted provider for new buildings
10. Alarm and video integrators	Clients with security technology	Guard response that completes their system
11. Associations and chambers	Local business leaders	Expertise, speaking and volunteer time
12. Your existing clients	Peers in their industry	Consistent, well documented service

The 12 Best Referral Sources for Security Companies

1. Property Managers and HOA Boards

Property managers, property management companies and members of a homeowners association (HOA) are great people to network with, because they are often the same people who hire a security team. Relationships in the property management industry also help you understand the problems your clients face every day, from after-hours trespassing to package theft.

Aside from possible new business, networking gives you a chance to talk about your company and builds confidence in your work. When an HOA opportunity comes up, our guide on how to win your next HOA security proposal will help you turn the introduction into a signed contract.

2. Commercial Insurance Brokers

You already have an insurance broker for your own company, but commercial insurance brokers also work with commercial properties, HOAs and other businesses. Many belong to networking groups or the local chamber of commerce, which creates even more networking opportunities. Brokers care about reducing their clients’ risk, so a professional security provider with strong documentation is an easy recommendation. Learn more about the trends shaping security insurance.

3. Business Bankers

Bankers on the business development side are often great networkers who are well connected in their communities. They are usually looking to work with larger accounts, so networking with them can lead to valuable new contacts.

Networking is a way to grow your business, but it also surrounds you with positive, driven people, and you may even gain new friendships along the way. It is an all-around win for everyone involved.

4. Commercial Landscapers

The person who hires landscapers to care for a commercial property is often the same person who would hire a security team. When you start networking, look for commercial landscaping companies rather than residential ones, since the buyers are completely different.

Networking with a landscaper can become a valuable back-and-forth relationship. Bring value to the conversation by sharing the liabilities you have seen on similar properties that could affect the landscaping company, such as damaged irrigation, theft of equipment or unsafe lighting.

5. Painters and Graffiti Removal Crews

Although painters may be hired less frequently for the same property, they work with the same customers a security team serves.

A painter may also know the property and why it needs security, so networking here can lead to new business and even more referral sources. After all, the painter is often the one called on site to cover up graffiti.

6. Building and Construction Inspectors

Inspectors, particularly construction inspectors who perform building inspections, are often very well connected in the community. They can point you toward the right person to talk to when a new building or project needs security. Construction sites come with their own challenges, so it helps to know how incident reporting software supports construction site security.

7. Facility Management and Janitorial Companies

Facility management and commercial cleaning companies are on site every day, often after hours, and they report to the same facility managers who buy security. Coordinating with them on access, lighting and suspicious activity makes both teams look good and naturally leads to introductions.

8. General Contractors and Construction Managers

New builds and renovations need protection against theft of materials and equipment, vandalism and trespassing. General contractors who have been burned by a site loss are motivated to recommend a provider they trust, and they work on a steady stream of new projects.

9. Commercial Real Estate Brokers

When a commercial property changes hands or signs a major new tenant, security arrangements are often reviewed. Brokers who know a reliable security provider can make that introduction at exactly the right moment, and they will appreciate a partner who makes their clients’ move-in go smoothly.

10. Alarm, Video and Access Control Integrators

Integrators install cameras, alarms and access control, but many of their clients also need officers to respond, patrol or monitor. Partnering with an integrator lets you offer a complete solution that combines technology with people. TrackTik connects with a wide range of security technology through its integrations and partner ecosystem, which makes those partnerships easier to deliver.

11. Local Associations and Chambers of Commerce

Chambers of commerce, business improvement districts and industry associations put you in the same room as local business leaders. Offer to speak about safety topics or volunteer at events to build credibility before you ever ask for a referral. Learn more about the importance of regional associations.

12. Your Existing Clients

Your current clients are often your best referral source. Property managers talk to other property managers, and facility directors talk to peers at other companies. Deliver consistent service, communicate proactively and ask for referrals at natural moments such as a contract renewal or a positive review. These strategies to keep, renew and grow your existing contracts will help you build that trust.

How to Build a Referral Program That Keeps Working

Occasional networking produces occasional referrals. A simple, repeatable program produces a steady pipeline. Use these six steps to get started.

1. Choose five to ten target partners. Focus on the sources above that serve the clients and industries you want to grow in, rather than trying to network with everyone.
2. Lead with value. Share a lead, a site observation or an introduction before you ask for anything. Partners refer people who have already helped them.
3. Make it easy to refer you. Give partners a short description of who you serve, what a good referral looks like and one clear way to reach you.
4. Show up prepared. When a referral comes through, respond quickly and use a property walk to understand the site before you propose.
5. Track every referral. Record the source, the prospect and the outcome in your CRM so you know which relationships are worth the most time.
6. Say thank you and close the loop. Let partners know what happened with their referral and thank them personally. Build referrals into your broader security company marketing plan so they get attention every month.

Proof Makes You Easy to Recommend

Nobody wants to put their reputation on the line for a provider who might let a client down. The more visible your service is, the easier it becomes for partners and clients to vouch for you. That is where TrackTik, the security workforce management platform from Trackforce, gives you an edge.

• Reports clients actually read. TrackTik incident reporting guides officers step by step and adds time-stamped photo, video and GPS evidence, so every report reflects well on your company.
• Performance you can show. TrackTik business intelligence turns patrols, incidents and response times into dashboards and KPIs you can share in a quarterly review.
• Transparency on demand. A client portal gives clients real-time access to reports and operational overviews, so they can see the work without waiting for an email.
• Reliability that earns renewals. Verified patrols, site tasks and consistent post orders mean fewer missed expectations and more satisfied clients who are happy to refer you.

Know a Security Team Still Running on Spreadsheets?

Referrals work both ways, and that includes ours. If you know a security team still managing guards with spreadsheets and paper, you can introduce them to TrackTik through the Trackforce referral program. Trackforce runs the demo and manages the deal from start to finish, and you earn a reward for every referral that becomes a customer. Reward tiers are based on the number of active guards the referred team manages:

• Growing team: $500 for teams with 1 to 50 active guards
• Mid-market: $1,200 for teams with 51 to 250 active guards
• Enterprise: $2,500 for teams with more than 250 active guards

Ready to see how TrackTik helps your own team deliver service worth recommending? Book a TrackTik demo and we will walk you through it using your own sites and post orders.