# Referral network

> A referral network is a group of professionals or business owners who send each other clients, suppliers and contacts. Members usually come from different, non-competing trades, meet or talk regularly, and pass on work when they hear of a need. Referral networks can be formal clubs with chapters and attendance rules, or informal groups that run mostly on WhatsApp.

Source: https://milvao.com/glossary/referral-network · Updated 2026-11-05

## Key takeaways

- Members refer work to each other because they know and trust each other's work.
- Formal networks add structure; informal ones depend on the organiser's energy.
- Requests posted in a busy group often reach the same few members.

## How a referral network works

- Members learn what each other does, often through short introductions or regular meetings.
- When a member hears of a need, they connect the person with the member who can help.
- The member who received the work returns the favour over time.
- Organisers keep the mix of trades balanced and track who is active.

## Formal and informal referral networks

|  | Formal | Informal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Membership | Application, fees, often one seat per trade | Invitation or open |
| Rhythm | Scheduled meetings with attendance expected | Whenever members post |
| Where referrals happen | Meetings and follow-up calls | WhatsApp groups and private messages |

## Why a referral network stalls

- Requests posted in the group get public pitches, and the best-placed member never sees them.
- The same handful of members answer everything, and the rest drift away.
- Nobody records who was introduced, so the organiser can't show the network works.

## Referral networks on Milvao

Milvao gives a referral network a private route for requests on its own WhatsApp number. A member asks in a normal message, Milvao offers it to a member who offers that service in the right city, and numbers are shared only when both agree. Offers are spread out, at most two per member in any seven days, so the same people aren't asked every time. See [business referrals](https://milvao.com/use-cases/business-referrals).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between a referral network and a networking group?

A networking group is about meeting people. A referral network exists specifically to pass work and contacts between members, usually with an expectation that members give as well as receive.

### How do you start a referral network?

Gather people from complementary trades who serve similar clients, agree on how requests are shared, and make sure introductions happen only when both people want them.

### How should members ask for referrals?

Specifically: what they need, where and by when. The [referral request message templates](https://milvao.com/templates/referral-request-message) have examples.

## Related pages

- [Business referrals](https://milvao.com/use-cases/business-referrals)
- [Referral request message templates](https://milvao.com/templates/referral-request-message)
- [Warm introduction](https://milvao.com/glossary/warm-introduction)
- [Milvao for business networks](https://milvao.com/for/business-networks)