Maximizing Referrals and Lowering Costs with Get The Referral (GTR): A Complete Strategy

Introduction

Referral marketing is one of the most powerful and cost-effective ways to grow a business. In the roofing and home services industry, a strong referral network can significantly lower marketing costs, increase conversion rates, and improve customer loyalty.

One of the most effective tools for executing a referral-driven business model is Get The Referral (GTR)—a platform designed to track, automate, and incentivize referrals across multiple touchpoints within a company.

At Day 41 Thrive, we've perfected a multi-pronged approach using GTR to engage customers, sales reps, brand ambassadors, and field teams, ensuring that every opportunity for a referral is captured.

Here's how we do it.

How Get The Referral (GTR) Works

GTR isn't just a referral tracking app—it's a full engagement tool that integrates with your sales, production, and marketing processes to maximize referral opportunities while keeping administrative costs low.

The system works in five key areas:

1. Customer Engagement & Referral Incentives
2. Sales Team Self-Gen Leads & Commission Optimization
3. Canvassers & Brand Ambassadors as Referral Machines
4. Field Team & Production Staff as Revenue Generators
5. Automated Incentive Payouts & Referral Tracking

By integrating GTR across multiple roles, every person connected to your business has the ability to generate leads—organically and affordably.

1. Customer Engagement & Referral Incentives

The easiest way to generate referrals is through happy customers—but most companies fail to actively engage customers after the job is complete.

With GTR, you make referrals a part of the customer experience by:

• Encouraging customers to download your branded referral app where they can store:
  • Invoices & warranties
  • Contracts & job photos
  • Service documents
• Automating review requests & referral incentives directly through the app
• Paying customers referral fees for bringing in qualified leads

Why This Works:

• Customers now have one single place to access all their important documents.
• They are more likely to refer when they have a seamless process for doing so.
• Since they can see their referral earnings inside the app, they stay engaged with your company longer.

2. Sales Team Self-Gen Leads & Commission Optimization

Traditionally, self-generated leads from sales reps require additional commission payouts that add to overhead costs.

With GTR, we restructure how sales reps are paid, reducing administrative costs while incentivizing performance.

How We Pay Sales Reps Through GTR Instead of Payroll:

• Instead of paying a 2% commission through payroll, we pay out self-gen leads as referral fees through GTR.
• This moves the cost from OpEx (Overhead) to Marketing, reducing payroll taxes, workers' comp, and general liability expenses.

Example:

• A sales rep closes a $15,000 self-gen job
• Instead of paying 2% ($300) as commission, we pay $300 as a referral fee through GTR
• The company saves on taxes, payroll costs, and insurance expenses

By doing this, we create a more scalable, cost-efficient sales incentive structure while ensuring reps actively use GTR to generate leads.

3. Canvassers & Brand Ambassadors as Referral Machines

Canvassers and Brand Ambassadors play a crucial role in our referral marketing ecosystem.

How It Works:

• Canvassers don't get paid for setting an appointment—they get paid when an appointment is actually completed (demo ran or proposal delivered).
• The structure typically looks like:
  • $25 per proposal given
  • $175 per sold job
  • $300 bonus for every 3 jobs sold

This means canvassers are focused on generating quality leads, not just booking meaningless appointments.

Facebook Groups & Neighborhood Apps:

• We leverage Facebook Moms Groups, Nextdoor, and Local Social Media Ambassadors to drive referrals.
• Each ambassador gets a personalized landing page with tracking.
• Every lead generated through their page is tracked and credited to them.

This creates a network effect where homeowners and community members are continuously feeding high-converting leads into the business.

4. Field Team & Production Staff as Revenue Generators

Most companies overlook their field teams as potential lead generators. But in reality, project managers, installers, and production admins interact with homeowners and neighbors daily—making them key players in the referral process.

How We Incentivize Field Teams:

• Project Managers & Installers: Earn referral fees for any leads they bring in from job sites.
• Production Admins: If they receive a call from a neighbor or homeowner asking for service, they get credited as the referrer.
• Office Staff: When calls come in from direct mail campaigns, we track which employee engaged first and assign credit accordingly.

This keeps the entire company invested in generating business, not just the sales team.

5. Automated Incentive Payouts & Referral Tracking

A major benefit of GTR is automation—eliminating the headaches of tracking and paying out referrals manually.

Key Features:

• Automatic tracking of all referrals—whether from customers, sales reps, or brand ambassadors.
• Push notifications to keep referrers engaged:
  • "This month, we're doubling referral fees!"
  • "Know someone who needs a roof? Earn $500 for every referral this week!"
• Instant payouts via direct deposit—no waiting for checks or admin delays.

By making referrals simple, automated, and rewarding, we ensure that everyone stays motivated to bring in business.

The Results: Lower Marketing Costs & Higher-Quality Leads

When implemented correctly, GTR can transform a business's marketing strategy, reducing costs while increasing lead quality and conversion rates.

Here's what we've seen:

• Higher Close Rates: Referral leads close at 60%+ vs. 30-40% for paid marketing leads.
• Higher Ticket Prices: Since referrals come with trust built-in, reps don't need to negotiate pricing as aggressively.
• Lower Marketing Costs: By shifting commissions into marketing instead of payroll, companies can keep total marketing spend below 7%.

At Day 41 Thrive, we've structured GTR as the backbone of our referral program—integrating it into every role within the company.

Conclusion: The Future of Roofing Sales is Referral-Driven

The roofing industry is shifting. Traditional advertising costs are skyrocketing, and organic referrals are more valuable than ever.

With Get The Referral (GTR), companies can:

• Lower overhead costs by restructuring self-gen commissions.
• Turn customers, employees, and brand ambassadors into lead generators.
• Track and automate referral payments effortlessly.

If you're serious about scaling a profitable roofing business, referral-based marketing isn't just a nice-to-have—it's a necessity.

And with the right strategy and tools like GTR, you can dominate your market—without overspending on ads.