TrustBuilder — Networking Channel GTM Playbook

1

Channel Overview

Why networking is the only channel that matters right now

The networking channel is Channel Priority #1 — above workshops, above ads, above cold outreach. The reason is simple: you don't have case studies yet. Every other channel either requires proof (ads, content) or converts worse than a warm intro (cold). Until you have 5 founding clients signed, the fastest path to revenue runs through people who already trust you.

📍 North Star

Close 5 Founding Clients by June 30, 2026. Everything in this playbook exists to serve that goal. When in doubt: "Does this close the next client?"

Two Networking Sub-Channels

🤝

Referral Partners

Connectors who refer home service contractors to you. They don't evaluate the product — they introduce you to the right person and collect a commission when that person closes. Bob Davis, Marvin Calton, Dedra Nickell are live examples. This is the primary growth engine.

🎯

Direct Networking

You encounter a contractor directly at BNI, a Chamber event, or another in-person setting. You show the ROI calculator, hand them the trifold, or get them to text CONNECT to kick off Carmen. Converts more slowly — partner is the lever.

Prospect Profiles in This Channel

🚫 The Holdout

"I've looked at this stuff before — it never works for my type of business."

Strategy: Demo first, reveal second. The reveal is the close. Let them experience it as a customer before they know it's AI.

🔄 The Repeater

"I keep dropping the ball on follow-up and it's costing me jobs."

Strategy: ROI frame + founding client urgency. One recovered job pays for 6 months of service. Make the math obvious.

ROI Frame — Always Lead With This

Average Job Value	Founding Rate	Payback Threshold	Annual ROI if 1 job/mo recovered
$3,000 – $8,000	$297/mo (wedge) or $497/mo (core)	1 additional job per month	~6x – 16x

The One-Sentence Close

"If the system books you one extra job a month — which it does — it pays for itself 6 times over. We're asking you to bet $297 on one job."

2

Partner Program Structure

Commission, terms, and what partners need to succeed

Commission Structure

Partner Commission — Tiered Structure (locked 2026-05-04)

Calculated on Sale price (not net revenue)

Duration Lifetime recurring

Payment timing 30 days after close

Tier Structure

Tier	Active Clients	Commission	Core Payout / mo	Annual (Core)
🥉 Bronze	1–5	25%	$124/client	$1,488/client
🥈 Silver	6–15	30%	$149/client	$1,788/client
🥇 Gold	16–25	35%	$174/client	$2,088/client
🏆 Platinum	26+	40%	$199/client	$2,388/client

* Based on Core plan at $497/mo. Starter ($297) and Growth ($797) scale proportionally. Rate escalates automatically as active client count grows.

⚠️ Hard Floor

Never go below $297/month under any circumstance. No exceptions. The $297 floor is a constraint, not a guideline.

What Partners Get

Lifetime recurring commission — 25% to start, escalates to 40% at Platinum (26+ clients) — every month the client pays
Dedicated referral link with GHL source tracking (partner tagged on all leads)
Their own QR code and SMS keyword for in-person handoffs
Simple 1-pager they can share or leave behind
No selling required — just the intro. You close.

What Partners Do NOT Need to Do

Evaluate or understand the technical product
Present or demo anything themselves
Handle billing, onboarding, or support
Sign anything complex — informal agreement

60-Day Founding Client Guarantee

What You Promise the Client They Refer

"If TrustBuilder doesn't book you at least one additional job in 60 days, full refund." This removes risk for the partner — they're not recommending something that might not work. The guarantee covers them.

3

Active Partners — May 2026

Who is in the field, what they have, and what they need

B

Bob Davis

Retired Salesperson — Daily Panera Meeting

Warm network partner. Meets weekly (Tuesday mornings). Active referral partner — pre-tier verbal agreement at 40%; honor that rate (Platinum equivalent). Has relationships with home supply wholesalers, trade contractors. Needs: finalized QR code + 1-pager. Co-selling at in-person events.

M

Marvin Calton

Community Connector — Home Services Network

Active — sourced leads Faith (Energy Auditor) and Lonnie (remodeling). Meeting regularly. Re-pitch Faith at $297 Voice AI wedge via Marvin. Needs: QR code + tel#. Updated talking points on $297 wedge offer.

D

Dedra Nickell

BNI President, Lee's Summit — Client + Partner

Dual role: TrustBuilder paying client AND referral partner. Live demo at MO Realtors Spring Conference (Apr 28–30). BNI President gives strong access to contractor network in Lee's Summit corridor. Her own system is live — this is your best proof point. Needs: partner referral link, conference follow-up collateral.

Active Warm Leads from Partners

Faith (Energy Auditor via Marvin) — re-pitch at $297 Voice AI wedge. Marvin to make warm intro again.

Lonnie (Remodeling via Marvin) — wife is resistant. Tactic: demo to both together OR start with $297 wedge to reduce perceived risk.

4

Partner 1-Pager

The document you hand a potential referral partner at a coffee meeting

Purpose of This Piece

This is NOT a sales brochure. It's a business opportunity brief for someone you're recruiting as a referral partner. Audience: Realtors, insurance agents, trade suppliers, BNI members, chamber connectors — anyone who has regular contact with home service contractors.

Content Structure (for Build)

1

Headline — The Opportunity Frame

Lead with the income potential, not the product. Example: "Earn recurring income every month — just by introducing the right people."

Top of page — large, bold

2

What TrustBuilder Does (2 sentences)

TrustBuilder gives local home service contractors an AI Employee that captures every lead, follows up automatically, books appointments, and gets 5-star reviews — without the contractor lifting a finger. It's the team they couldn't afford to hire.

No jargon. Owner language only.

3

Who to Refer

Any home service contractor — HVAC, roofing, painting, flooring, plumbing, landscaping, cleaning, pest control — in the KC metro area doing $500K+ in annual revenue. Especially owners who are too busy to follow up on leads.

4

Commission Table (visual box)

Tiered structure — starts at 25% (Bronze), escalates to 40% (Platinum at 26+ clients). Based on sale price. Example: Core at $497/mo = $124/mo at Bronze. 5 clients = $621/mo. 10 clients = $1,491/mo at Silver (30%). Show the escalation path — that's what makes them lean forward.

This is where they lean forward

5

What You Ask of Them (ultra simple)

Just the introduction. You do the demo. You close. They collect. "You give me the name — I do the rest."

6

Call to Action — Three Entry Points (bottom bar)

📞 Call Erica: +1 913-600-4748 — say "Schedule a partner call"
💬 Text #PARTNER to +1 913-600-4748 (works on any TrustBuilder number)
🌐 Apply online: partners.trustbuilder.pro / QR code

Bottom of page — all three visible, QR prominent

Format Spec

Size	US Letter (8.5" × 11") — single page, front only. OR 1/3 letter trifold panel (if combined with leave-behind)
Format	HTML deliverable → PDF for print, shareable URL for digital
Colors	Navy #1B3A6B, Green #6ABF2E — full brand compliance
Image	Marco white hat photo (transparent bg CDN URL)
Status	TO BUILD — this is a build deliverable from this session

5

Partner 1-on-1 Call Script

The conversation that recruits a new referral partner — 20–30 minutes

Context

This is the call you have with someone who expressed interest in becoming a referral partner — either at a networking event, via a warm intro, or after receiving the 1-pager. Goal: get them to agree to make their first intro and get equipped to do it. This is NOT a demo call.

1

Open — Establish Context (2 min)

You say:

"Thanks for making time — I'll keep this to 20 minutes. I'm building TrustBuilder — we put AI Employees to work for home service contractors. Think of it like hiring a virtual team member that follows up on every lead, books appointments automatically, and handles online reviews. Most of my clients are painters, HVAC guys, flooring contractors — the people you probably run into all the time."

2

The Problem Frame — Get Agreement (3 min)

You ask:

"Quick question — in the contractors you know, how many of them do you think are actually following up on every missed call within 5 minutes?"

Wait for answer — then say:

"Right. The average contractor misses 40% of their inbound calls. Each one of those missed calls is probably a $3,000–$8,000 job they're losing to whoever answers faster. That's the problem TrustBuilder solves."

3

The Opportunity — Show the Commission Math (5 min)

You say:

"Here's why I wanted to talk to you specifically. I'm looking for a small group of partners — people who are already talking to contractors — to make introductions. No selling required. You give me the name, I do the demo, I close. You earn 40% of what they pay me every month — for as long as they're a client."

"On a $497/month client, that's about $187/month to you. Automatically. If you refer 5 clients over the next 6 months, that's close to $1,000 a month in passive income — from introductions you're already in a position to make."

Pause. Let the number land. Don't rush to fill silence.

4

The Ask — Specific and Simple (2 min)

You say:

"I'm not asking you to sell anything or understand the technology. One question: do you know 2 or 3 contractors right now who you think are dropping the ball on lead follow-up? If yes — that's all I need. A text intro or a quick 'hey, talk to Marco' is enough."

5

Objection Handling

Objection	Response
"What if it doesn't work for them?"	60-day guarantee — full refund if no additional job booked. You're covered.
"I don't want to damage my relationship with a referral."	You're not selling them anything. I do the demo. They decide. You just made an intro — that's it.
"How do I know when I get paid?"	30 days after they sign. I send you a payment confirmation. Recurring monthly after that.
"Can I see it first?"	Absolutely. Text CONNECT to +1 913-600-4748 right now — you'll experience it exactly how your referral would.

6

Close — Equip and Commit (3 min)

You say:

"Here's what I'm going to send you after this call: a one-pager that explains it in plain English, your personal referral link, and a QR code you can share or save to your phone. All you need to do is send the one-pager to someone and say 'I think this could help you.' That's it."

"Is there one person you can think of right now who might be a fit?"

Get a name. Even one. That's a win.

Post-Call Actions (within 24 hours)

Send partner 1-pager (PDF or link)
Send their dedicated partner referral link (GHL tagged)
Send QR code image they can save to their phone
Tag them in GHL as contact.type = Referral-Partner
Create partner opportunity in GHL — stage: Partner Recruited
Follow up in 7 days if no intro received

6

Partner Landing Page Spec

trustbuilder.pro/partners — demo → purchase → credit the partner

How the Tracking Works

Every partner gets a unique URL or UTM parameter. When their referral visits the landing page, completes the demo, and purchases — GHL automatically credits the partner contact and triggers their commission workflow. No manual tracking needed.

Page Flow — Three Stages

A

Stage 1 — The Demo Experience

URL: trustbuilder.pro/partners?ref=[partner_code]

Page opens with the demo already contextualized for home service owners. Steps:
1. Call the demo line — miss it on purpose, get Erica's text-back
2. Chat with Carmen via QR/CONNECT
3. Book a discovery call

The goal is the same reveal close: they experience it as a customer, then the page explains what just happened. The partner code rides through the session in a cookie or GHL UTM.

Identical to /ai-employee-live-demo — partner-tagged version

B

Stage 2 — The Purchase Decision

After the demo, a CTA section presents the Founding Client offer:

Starter Wedge — $297/mo — Locked for life. One AI Employee.
Core — $497/mo — Locked for life. Full team. (Lead with this)

60-day guarantee prominently displayed. "Founding client" scarcity: "We're capping this at 5 clients at this rate."

CTA: Book a 15-Minute Call → TB-Quick calendar (ID: lkGipXb8Iy9kpfb4Jsmh). Partner code passed as hidden field on calendar booking.

The calendar booking = partner credit confirmed

C

Stage 3 — Partner Credit (GHL Backend)

When the contact books via a partner-tagged link:

1. GHL creates contact with source = [partner_code]
2. Opportunity created in Networking Pipeline — stage: Discovery Booked
3. Internal alert fired to Marco: lead source and partner identified
4. After close: partner commission workflow triggers at 30 days
5. Partner contact record updated: Last Referred + commission amount logged

Page Build Notes

URL	trustbuilder.pro/partners (GHL funnel page or React route)
Partner param	?ref= or UTM source — passed to GHL via hidden form field or URL parameter
Demo entry	Embed same 3-step demo flow as /ai-employee-live-demo
Calendar	TB-Quick 15-Minute Call (ID: lkGipXb8Iy9kpfb4Jsmh)
Status	NOT YET BUILT — spec complete, build pending

7

End-to-End Funnel Flow

From warm intro to signed client — every step, every branch

Entry Points

📱 Partner QR / Text CONNECT

Partner shows QR or tells contact to text CONNECT to +1 913-600-7686. Carmen fires immediately. Source: Partner-tagged.

🔗 Partner Referral Link

Partner sends the trustbuilder.pro/partners?ref=[code] link via text or email. Contact lands on partner page. Cookie tracks through to booking.

🤝 Direct Warm Intro Text

Partner texts: "Hey [contractor], I want to introduce you to Marco — he built something specifically for contractors like you. I think you need to see it." You take it from there.

🏢 Direct Networking (No Partner)

You meet contractor at BNI or Chamber. Use ROI calculator on your phone. Hand them the trifold. Get them to text CONNECT.

GHL Networking Pipeline — Full Stage Map

Contact Captured

In Conversation

Nudge Sent

Booked

Discovery Call Held

Proposal Sent

Closed — Won ✓

Closed — Lost

What Carmen Does (Automated)

1

Immediate — Contact Captured

Contact created with source: Networking (+ partner tag if via referral link). Opportunity created in Networking Pipeline. Carmen fires immediately.

2

Carmen — AI Qualification Conversation

Carmen introduces herself, qualifies interest, asks: local (in-person) or remote (Zoom)? Offers Discovery Call — routes to correct calendar.

No Marco alerts until Carmen qualifies

3

Booked Path

Carmen books the correct calendar. Confirmation sent immediately. Carmen reminder sequence: 24hr before, 2hr before, morning of. Pipeline: Booked → Discovery Call Held.

Fully automated — no Marco action needed

!

No-Booking Path

Wait 24 hours → Carmen sends one nudge. If still no booking → Closed — No Reply. Pipeline tracked. No Marco alerts — handled entirely by Carmen.

The Discovery Call (You)

1

Open — What's Their Biggest Pain

1–2 questions. Don't pitch yet. "Tell me — what does your lead follow-up process look like right now?" Let them describe the problem.

2

The Demo — Demo First, Reveal Second

Show the missed call text-back live (Erica). Walk them through the steps. Let them feel it as a customer. Then reveal: "That was our AI Employee responding on your behalf." The reveal is the close.

Demo phone: +1 913-600-4748

3

ROI Frame

"One recovered job pays for 6 months of service. You're already losing 2–3 jobs a month to missed calls. This pays for itself before the 30-day billing cycle ends."

4

The Close — Founding Client Ask

"I'm onboarding 5 founding clients at a locked rate — $297 to start or $497 for the full system. In exchange, after 60 days I ask for a short video testimonial and a 30-minute case study. Want to be one of the five?"

Send agreement same session. Don't leave without it.

Soft fallback: "Not now" → register for next workshop via #workshop keyword

8

Target Partner List

Who to recruit next — best-fit partner profiles in KC metro

GHL Tagging — Active Partners vs. Prospects

All partners in GHL should be tagged: contact.type = Referral-Partner. Prospects being recruited for the partner program: tag partner-prospect. This lets you filter and run separate outreach sequences without mixing with direct contractor leads.

Tier 1 — Highest Leverage Partners (Recruit First)

Profile	Why They're Tier 1	Intro Angle
Realtors / RE Agents	Know every contractor in KC metro — they call them constantly for repairs, inspections, staging. Dedra Nickell is your proof point.	"You're already referring these guys work — now you can earn recurring income every time one of them uses us."
Home Inspectors	Touch every home purchase, refer contractors constantly, highly respected by contractors.	Same as RE angle. They're a hub for multiple trades simultaneously.
Building Material Suppliers	Lumber yards, HVAC distributors, paint reps — they see HVAC, painting, roofing contractors weekly. Bob and Marvin's network.	"Your customers are exactly who I built this for. You see them every week."
Insurance Agents (Property)	Water damage, roofing, restoration — insurance agents refer contractors regularly. KC market has dozens of independent agents.	"Every time you file a claim with a contractor, you could be earning recurring income on that relationship."
BNI Chapter Presidents/Members	Dedra is BNI President. Each chapter has contractors. BNI members understand referral economics.	Use Dedra's experience as social proof. "Your BNI neighbor Dedra is already a client and partner — ask her about it."

Tier 2 — Good Partners, Recruit After Tier 1 Active

Profile	Notes
CPA / Bookkeepers for Small Business	Know contractors' revenue, pain, and willingness to invest. High trust relationships.
Commercial Cleaning Company Owners	Network heavily with other service businesses. Often know painters, handymen, HVAC.
Property Managers	Constantly referring contractors for maintenance. High volume of contractor contacts.
Marketing Agencies (Small)	Already in conversation with contractors about marketing — can bundle or introduce as a referral.

Sourcing from Your GHL Contact Base

You have a full GHL contact export (Home_Services_Contacts_Master_May_2026.csv). The contacts tagged home-services-master are potential direct clients. But within that list — and among non-tagged contacts — look for anyone whose role/company signals connector function: real estate, insurance, supply, BNI/Chamber. Those are partner recruits, not direct pitches.

Quick Screen

Run a filter in GHL: company name contains "realty / real estate / insurance / supply / BNI / chamber" AND no tag = home-services. Those contacts are partner recruitment candidates first.

9

GHL Setup Checklist

What needs to be built or confirmed in GHL to run this channel

Already Built ✓

001-NTW Networking workflow (001-NTW #connect) — Carmen fires on CONNECT keyword
Networking Pipeline — 8 stages, correctly mapped
Carmen AI agent — qualification conversation, booking, reminder sequence
TB Demo calendar group — 3 calendars active (Quick 15-min, Estimate, Service)
Last Engagement Disposition — 26 values across all pipelines
contact.type custom field — Prospect / Client / Referral-Partner / Connector / Vendor
Demo phone: +1 913-600-4748 active
Networking SMS number: +1 913-600-7686 active

Still Needed for Partner Channel ☐

Partner referral link system — unique URLs per partner with GHL UTM/source tracking
Partner landing page: partners.trustbuilder.pro — BUILT AND DEPLOYED (GHL funnel, path: /partner)
Erica Voice AI on +1 913-600-4748 — prompt rewritten as universal IVR; needs rename in GHL + Partner Discovery Call added to calendar list
#PARTNER keyword workflow (001-PAR) — to build; routes to Partner recruiting pipeline on any number
Partner commission workflow in GHL — trigger at close, fire at 30 days
Partner pipeline (separate from Networking) OR partner stage in existing pipeline
QR codes generated for Bob Davis and Marvin Calton (dedicated per-partner QR)
Partner 1-pager HTML — BUILT (trustbuilder_partner_1pager.html) — pending real QR CDN URL
GHL contact tag: partner-prospect for recruitment pipeline
Custom value: partner_code — stores referral attribution on contact record
Internal notification when partner-referred contact books or closes

⚠️ Build Sequence Recommendation

Don't build everything at once. The partner QR codes and 1-pager unblock Bob and Marvin immediately (this week). The landing page and commission workflow can follow in Week 2. The pipeline automation is a Week 3 build. Sequence by what unblocks revenue first.

10

Execution Calendar

What happens when — May through June 2026

Week	Phase	Networking Channel Actions	Target
May 4–9	Sprint A	Workshop May 5 (warm leads in room) Equip Bob + Marvin with QR codes + 1-pager Partner 1-pager build + deliver Re-pitch Faith via Marvin at $297 wedge Lonnie: demo both together or $297 wedge Segment GHL contacts — partner recruits vs. direct leads	Close 1–2 founding clients
May 9–15	Sprint B	Scott Neer scoping call (go/no-go by May 8) Partner landing page build Commission workflow in GHL Recruit 1–2 new Tier 1 partners (RE or inspector) Send 8 Loom personalized videos to GHL contacts	Close 1 more + 2 new partners recruited
May 16–30	Japan 🗾	Marco offline. Partners self-running with existing QR + links. Carmen handles all inbound from networking entries. Any bookings queue for Marco to close on return.	Partner system runs unattended
June 1–22	Re-Engage	Close all queued leads from Japan offline period Partner commission confirmations + payments (30-day mark) Recruit 2 more Tier 1 partners Prepare case studies from first 2–3 closes	5 total founding clients signed
June 23 – July 7	Workshop	Next workshop event (date TBD) Case studies ready → partner recruitment collateral updated Begin warm transition: partners promote workshop as conversion event	Post-founding phase launch

Soft-Close Fallback — Always Available

When a Prospect Says "Not Now"

Any prospect — direct or via partner — who isn't ready to close gets registered for the next workshop via the #workshop SMS keyword. This keeps them in the funnel, gives Carmen a follow-up trigger, and preserves the relationship without pressure. Workshop is a year-round soft-close vehicle, not just a one-time event.