Developing those deep relationships with the Dream 100 reorients how your startup scales and improves. The Dream 100 strategy focuses on identifying and connecting with your top 100 potential customers, partners, or influencers who can create the biggest impact for your brand.
This approach goes beyond random outreach, offering a clear, focused plan to engage with those who truly matter to your goals. Develop authentic relationships with each of these people. In doing so you’ll unlock new opportunities that help boost sales, increase exposure, and improve your move in your market.
If you’re a small business owner or run a B2B brand, this approach lets you focus your efforts where they matter most. More importantly, you’ll start to notice tangible outcomes from your efforts. Success begins with reaching the most relevant audience.
Table of Contents
What Is the Dream 100
Definition of the Dream 100
The Dream 100 is a pretty simple yet powerful concept. These influential individuals can tremendously improve your business growth. This strategy allows you to laser-focus on your most high-value prospects.
This is where it becomes a deeply effective sales and marketing model. Rooted in Chet Holmes’ renowned sales tactics, the principle focuses on patience and customization to engage the dream 100 — your most valuable decision-makers. For instance, a company might target only 100 highly influential people in their space.
By developing authentic relationships with these key stakeholders, they’ll be able to produce a much greater ripple effect. This strategy isn’t about blasting out canned messages or spamming inboxes. Instead, it’s about helping your brand meet expectations by personalizing interactions and creating authentic connections.
With words representing only 7% of communication, relationship-building and trust quickly become the foundation of this strategy. Providing your products or services at no cost upfront can help demonstrate your value and establish trust over time. Altogether, these efforts lay the groundwork for you to become a valuable resource and trusted partner within your Dream 100’s ecosystem.
Purpose of the Dream 100 Strategy
At its heart, though, the Dream 100 strategy is about building brand awareness and familiarity among your target audience. Have a plan to engage with these 100 people on an ongoing basis.
See the shift from being oblivious to demonstrating clear interest, eventually turning into repeat buyers. This process integrates perfectly with overarching marketing and sales objectives, helping you drive your outreach efforts toward clear, measurable, high-impact results.
For example, a business targeting CEOs might spend the first 14 days engaging organically—commenting on their posts or sharing valuable insights—before introducing their services.
Understanding the Dream 100 Strategy
The Dream 100 strategy is a powerful marketing approach that can significantly boost your B2B startup’s revenue growth. Originally proposed by Chet Holmes in his book “The Ultimate Sales Machine,” this strategy focuses on identifying and targeting your top 100 ideal clients or partners. Unlike traditional marketing methods that rely heavily on paid advertising, the Dream 100 strategy takes a more targeted and personalized approach.
Jonathan Courtney, a successful entrepreneur, in a podcast episode explains the concept:
“The idea behind it is you literally make a list. You make like an excel sheet or a Google sheet. And on the left, you make a list of all of the people who you think would be already talking to your audience or would have access to your audience. It can be people or it can be organizations”.
Benefits of Implementing the Dream 100
Of all the compelling advantages, the most notable is enhanced customer acquisition. Make finding your dream 100 top priority.
Customize your pitch and offerings to their specific needs, and see your operation shine through in fierce competitive landscapes. This strategic, concentrated effort can produce impressive revenue increases.
Research has proved that most businesses can track at least half of their long-term customers to their first list of Dream 100 prospects. Creating a favorable headwind in those first half-dozen months is critical, for this is when the seeds of trust and credibility are sown.
In the long run, these relationships will develop into referrals, partnerships, and greater brand visibility.
Importance of the Dream 100 Strategy
Creating sustainable, long-term business growth is the importance of the Dream 100 strategy. At its core, this strategy focuses on a very specific list of ideal, high-value prospects. These industry influencers can pack a powerful punch in producing massive results for your business.
Rather than stretching resources too thin, this focused approach emphasizes quality over quantity, allowing businesses to be more intelligent and resourceful in their outreach. The fact is that 95% of the market’s purchasing power is very frequently within the hands of a small elite—167 companies, for example.
The Dream 100 strategy is about targeted marketing to a selective group of ideal customers. This strategy allows companies to obtain high market penetration and create predictable growth.
Why the Dream 100 Strategy Works for B2B Startups
The Dream 100 strategy is particularly effective for B2B startups because it allows you to:
- Focus your efforts on high-value targets
- Build meaningful relationships with industry influencers
- Leverage existing audiences to grow your own
- Achieve faster results compared to traditional marketing methods
Greg Eisenberg, host of the Startup Ideas podcast, emphasizes the strategy’s effectiveness:
“This whole, like, getting leads and customers, like, probably one of the biggest questions I get asked. They listen to the Startup Ideas podcast and they’re like, great. Good for you, Greg, with your 500,000 followers or whatever. Yes. Easy for you to say”.
The Dream 100 strategy levels the playing field, allowing startups without large followings to compete effectively.
Boosting Business Growth
The Dream 100 strategy has helped many organizations grow their sales volume. Chet Holmes was someone who did this strategy and got amazing results. He’s done it and more, doubling sales in 12-15 months across nine divisions for Warren Buffett’s Munger.
By focusing on ideal clients—those who are a natural fit for your business—sustained growth over time is achievable and inevitable. Strategic relationships with these high-value prospects advance a business’s presence in the market, creating positive downstream effects across the industry.
This pointed approach lets companies focus on a smaller number of consistently performed tasks, ensuring each action they take works toward quantifiable goals.
Building Long-Term Relationships
When you invest the time to build trust with your Dream 100 prospects, you cultivate loyalty and repeat business. Chet Holmes proved this in his Xerox campaign, where functioning relationships trumped basic sales techniques.
Building relationships based on trust will bring you referrals and word-of-mouth marketing, creating a positive cycle that strengthens your brand’s reputation. Regular engagement is what keeps your network alive.
Relevant follow-ups and exclusive offers keep your business fresh in their mind.
Enhancing Marketing Effectiveness
The Dream 100 simplifies your marketing efforts by helping you focus on those most likely receptive to your message. When crafted with precision and targeting, campaigns strike a chord with the perfect clients, speaking to their individual needs and desires.
As our Dream 100 advocate Russell Brunson points out in Traffic Secrets, this strategy builds the perfect high-converting funnels that produce massive results. Aligning your marketing strategies with Dream 100 prospects ensures the highest ROI possible.
Simultaneously, this strategy allows you to build your authority and thought leadership. Berkshire Hathaway’s long-term success is a testament to this principle, demonstrating how focused relationships drive long-term positive industry impact.
Implementing the Dream 100 Strategy for Your B2B Startup
Step 1: Identify Your Dream 100
The first step in implementing the Dream 100 strategy is to create your list of ideal clients or partners. The basis of the Dream 100 strategy begins with knowing who you’re trying to reach. Start by outlining the traits of your dream clients. These could be anything from their industry, business size, or unique needs.
Next, market research will be conducted to identify the best-fit prospects’ demographics, pain points, and preferences. Tools such as surveys or tools such as LinkedIn can help uncover these critical insights.
Consider people or companies that would overlap with your values and products. For example, if you produce sustainable packaging solutions, focus on customers who are committing to sustainability.
This focus gives you the clarity you need to ensure your efforts are focused and effective.
Courtney suggests:
“You try to find other people who have access to the audience that you’re looking for”.
For a B2B startup, this list might include:
- Industry thought leaders
- Complementary businesses
- Influential bloggers or podcasters in your niche
- Potential high-value clients
- Relevant professional associations
When creating your list, consider both the reach and relevance of each potential contact. Aim for a mix of “big fish” and more attainable targets.
Step 2: Research and Analyze Your Dream 100
Once you’ve identified your Dream 100, it’s time to dig deeper. Courtney advises:
“You just fill this out. So your and then you just fill in their main website, you link to all their social media stuff”.
This research phase is crucial for understanding how to approach each target effectively.
For each Dream 100 contact, gather information such as:
- Their primary audience
- Key content themes or topics
- Preferred communication channels
- Recent achievements or milestones
- Potential pain points or challenges
This information will help you tailor your approach and offer genuine value to each contact.
Step 3: Develop a Value-First Approach
Leading with value is the key to success with the Dream 100 strategy. Courtney emphasizes:
“Your next step is figuring out what could I do or what could I offer this person or organization that would put me in front of their audience or that would somehow expose me to their audience, but would also give them a lot of value?”
Some ways to provide value to your Dream 100 contacts include:
- Creating high-quality content that features or mentions them
- Offering your expertise or services for free or at a discounted rate
- Connecting them with other valuable contacts in your network
- Promoting their content or initiatives to your audience
Remember, the goal is to build a mutually beneficial relationship, not to simply extract value from your Dream 100 contacts.
Create a Strategic Sales Funnel
Once you have an idea of your audience, create a straightforward sales funnel that will speak to and convert your Dream 100.
Begin your Dream 100 campaign with awareness by developing content that cuts through the noise, like blog posts, interviews, or short videos. Create interest by providing valuable resources such as case studies or webinars demonstrating your thought leadership.
The last stage, decision, needs customized pitches or offers. If the above-mentioned tech company is on your Dream 100 list, prepare a great pitch!
Demonstrate how your solution is the perfect fit for their goals. This step-by-step strategy makes it easy to lead ideal clients smoothly through every step of the process.
Step 4: Research Customer Gathering Spots
Locating the places your Dream 100 are spending their time is critical. Research industry-specific conferences, webinars, or online communities.
For instance, tech-focused forums like Dev.to or LinkedIn groups are usually great sources of conversations. Keep these venues in mind for future outreach opportunities.
Social media provides an unprecedented opportunity to identify and directly engage with influencers.
Step 5: Implement the Canvas Strategy
When reaching out to your Dream 100 contacts, it’s essential to use a thoughtful approach. Courtney recommends the Canvas Strategy:
“It’s a system that helps you figure out how to be helpful for people who are, you know, gatekeepers or above you in the sort of business hierarchy”.
The Canvas Strategy involves:
- Identifying ways you can be genuinely helpful to your Dream 100 contact
- Offering your assistance without expecting immediate reciprocation
- Consistently providing value over time
- Building a relationship based on trust and mutual benefit
Courtney shares a personal example:
“Early on in my company’s history, I realized a lot of our audience is reading Daring Fireball, Jon Gruber’s website. And so I just straight up paid for an ad on his blog and it got us a crap ton of traffic”.
Step 6: Leverage Content Creation
While the Dream 100 strategy doesn’t require you to be a content creator, incorporating content into your approach can significantly boost your results. Courtney suggests:
“If I were a web designer today trying to start a company and I wanted to, like, have people reach out to me on this next level, like, the next level is content creation, but I wasn’t super comfortable being, like, right up front as the face and I like, giving my opinions, then I would probably copy what mastering.com does”.
Consider creating:
- In-depth tutorials or guides related to your industry
- Case studies featuring successful collaborations or client results
- Thought leadership pieces that showcase your expertise
- Content that highlights or features your Dream 100 contacts
Remember, the quality of your content is crucial. As Courtney notes,
“It’s only gonna work if you are, like, the real deal, as in if you can do the thing, but then it really works”.
Step 7: Utilize Long-Tail Keywords
To maximize the visibility of your content and attract your Dream 100 contacts, incorporate long-tail keywords into your strategy. Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that visitors are more likely to use when they’re closer to purchasing or using voice search.
For example, instead of targeting broad keywords like “B2B marketing,” consider long-tail variations such as:
- “B2B marketing strategies for startups”
- “How to implement the Dream 100 strategy for B2B”
- “Best practices for B2B lead generation in [your industry]”
Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, AnswerThePublic, or Ubersuggest to find relevant long-tail keywords for your content.
Step 8: Track and Measure Your Results
As with any marketing strategy, tracking and measuring the results of your Dream 100 efforts is essential. Keep a record of:
- Interactions with Dream 100 contacts
- Collaborations or partnerships formed
- Traffic and leads generated from Dream 100 relationships
- Revenue attributed to Dream 100 initiatives
Regularly review and adjust your approach based on these metrics to optimize your results.
Real-World Success with the Dream 100 Strategy
The Dream 100 strategy has proven successful for many businesses, including B2B startups. Courtney shares his personal experience:
“I’d say, like, conservatively being really conservative, I’d say 40 40 to 50,000,000 because we also use ads and I can’t a 100 percent figure that out”.
He provides a specific example:
“Jake Knapp, the guy who wrote the book sprint, I reached out to him a couple years ago. I talked about it in canvas strategy. This connect, this one single connection, instead of me like going on loads of podcasts and doing loads of things, I zeroed in on one person. I was like Jake is talking to our audience. Our audience buys his book. That’s one specific person who really is the perfect like partner for AJ & Smart and like nobody else”.
This single connection led to the creation of Courtney’s entire training business, responsible for tens of millions of dollars in revenue.
Overcoming Challenges in Implementing the Dream 100 Strategy
While the Dream 100 strategy can be highly effective, it has challenges. Some common obstacles B2B startups may face include:
- Time investment: Building relationships with your Dream 100 contacts takes time and consistent effort.
- Rejection: Not every Dream 100 contact will be receptive to your outreach.
- Maintaining momentum: Getting discouraged is easy if you don’t see immediate results.
- Scaling the approach: As your business grows, you may need to adjust your Dream 100 strategy.
To overcome these challenges, remember Courtney’s advice:
“Don’t be the lion that chases the rabbits or something about lions and rabbits and get the antelope instead of the rabbits”.
Focus on high-leverage activities and be patient as you build relationships with your Dream 100 contacts.
Applying the Dream 100 to Marketing
The Dream 100 strategy assists businesses in targeting their dream clients by emphasizing personalized outreach and fostering relationships over time, which is crucial for an effective customer acquisition strategy across various marketing channels.
Leveraging Public Relations for Outreach
Public relations can be an incredibly effective low-cost method of getting your brand in front of your Dream 100. Begin by determining PR tactics such as press releases and earned media that best engage your target audience.
Consider, for example, pitching a story angle about your product’s unique value to industry-specific media outlets, like trade publications, to maximize exposure. Developing relationships with journalists and influencers who consistently cover your niche goes a long way in helping you amplify your message.
In the long term, these relationships can open doors to interviews, features, or collaborations.
Using Influencer Marketing for Reach
Building relationships with influencers influencing your ideal clients is a smart way to go. Find influencers that overlap values or interests with your Dream 100.
Partnerships can include everything from product placements to co-hosted live activations. Collaborating with an established YouTube influencer ensures that their audience will see your brand.
It also builds credibility with their audience. To ensure success, measure success through metrics such as engagement rates and new customers gained through these campaigns.
Optimizing SEO for Visibility
SEO helps ensure your brand comes up when those Dream 100 clients look for solutions. Target a handful of relevant keywords that cover topics they’re interested in, and keep your content fresh and updated to maintain visibility.
An authoritative blog with insider tips can help improve your organic search rankings. It further builds your credibility, so your Dream 100 can more easily discover you.
Engaging Through Social Media Platforms
Social media can be a very effective and direct means of engaging your Dream 100. Identify all the social media channels they use—LinkedIn for professionals or Instagram for creatives, for example—and adapt your content to fit each platform.
Create fun, sharable posts, do live Q&A sessions and engage with users on threads. This regular engagement creates loyalty and makes potential customers feel connected to and part of a community with your brand.
Building Partnerships with Affiliates
Affiliate marketing allows you to connect with dream clients faster with the help of these trusted partners. Find affiliates with overlapping audiences to your Dream 100 and develop mutually beneficial agreements that will compel them to promote your brand.
For instance, providing a bonus for each referral helps both parties win. Monitoring these campaigns’ performance allows you to continuously refine your strategy to achieve better results.
Expanding Presence via Podcasts and Newsletters
Podcasts and newsletters are great mediums for deeper storytelling. Provide value through educational podcast episodes that speak directly to the pain points your Dream 100 is experiencing.
Regular newsletters with valuable updates, tips, and special offers will keep your brand front of mind and right in their inbox. Invite their engagement by soliciting their opinions or conducting surveys, making your audience more engaged and dynamic.
Collaborating Through Guest Blogging
Guest blogging gives you access to these built-in audiences. Find blogs serving your Dream 100, then pitch them great content ideas.
For example, writing a guest post about a trending industry topic establishes credibility while subtly promoting your brand. This method establishes authority, and it sends relevant traffic to your site.
Integrating the Dream 100 Strategy with Other Marketing Efforts
While the Dream 100 strategy can be powerful, it’s most effective when integrated with your overall marketing strategy. Consider how you can combine the Dream 100 approach with:
- Content marketing: Create content that appeals to your Dream 100 contacts and target audience.
- Social media marketing: Use social platforms to engage with and provide value to your Dream 100 contacts.
- Email marketing: Develop targeted email campaigns for your Dream 100 list segments.
- SEO: Optimize your content for long-tail keywords related to your Dream 100 contacts and their audiences.
- Paid advertising: Use targeted ads to get your content in front of your Dream 100 contacts and their audiences.
Good Practices for Engaging Key Contacts
Research and Understand Their Needs
The road to a successful connection starts with awareness, a crucial aspect of a strong customer acquisition strategy. Begin by researching your Dream 100’s history deeply. Look into their digital footprints—social media, interviews, blog posts, or other written work. This lets you learn more about their priorities, challenges, and interests, enhancing your customer acquisition efforts.
For example, if a key contact frequently discusses sustainability, leverage that insight to position your approach regarding sustainable solutions. Comments on their posts can further help you identify what’s most important to them, aiding in your effective sales strategy.
In addition to what you can find out online, analyze where their industry is heading. If their industry is dealing with an issue, identify how your company can provide meaningful answers. By making your outreach relevant to their objectives, you demonstrate that you’re not simply after a sale but want to help them achieve their goals.
Personalize Your Communication Approach
Remember that words only make up 7% of communication, so always keep your messages personal and impactful. Personalize your outreach. Begin with their name and mention specific accomplishments or mutual friends/connections. A note like, “I really enjoyed your keynote on marketing trends at XYZ conference,” is much more personal than flattery.
Consider creative approaches to engage them, such as mailing a handwritten note or certified letter. These certainly cut through the clutter in an inbox filled with emails. Engage them on every platform to be up to date on their work and allow for opportunities to engage organically.
Avoid Common Mistakes in Outreach
Don’t send mass emails or templated messages. Key contacts appreciate authenticity. Make the most of their time by being as quick, easy, and straightforward as possible. Sales tactics that are too pushy usually backfire and just put a wall up.
Instead, do the opposite and work to engage them in meaningful dialogue.
Recognize Positive Engagement Signals
Be sure you are listening to their responses. Questions, comments, and requests for additional information indicate that you have an engaged key contact. Plan your response depending on how they engage with you.
When you build trust, you also build long-term support, just like your business’s word-of-mouth.
Follow-Up Strategies for Success
Schedule Regular Follow-Ups
Consistency and follow-up are the backbone of an effective customer acquisition strategy, such as the Dream 100 Strategy. Utilizing automated reminders for follow-ups with your dream clients ensures you remain top of mind without being intrusive. Tools like HubSpot or Trello can help manage follow-up dates and track previous interactions effectively.
You can create Trello boards with columns for each platform, including Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube. This strategic approach allows you to monitor your follow-up progress easily. Prompt follow-ups demonstrate your seriousness and help maintain momentum in your customer acquisition process.
Regularly sending out offers, even every month, can significantly enhance your brand recognition among potential clients. The key is to stay organized, ensuring that your customer acquisition efforts are ongoing and focused.
Provide Value in Every Interaction
Effective follow-ups go beyond being the squeaky wheel and instead aim to offer value. Make every interaction count! Offer them something of value, whether that’s an informative blog post, a unique tool, or a resource aligned with their specific interests.
Providing a data-driven case study can help you become a trusted ally. It makes you unforgettable in a field of forgettable salespeople. The objective is building relationships, not pitching products.
It’s research-backed that 97% of pitches don’t work because 3% of people are only in-market to purchase. By providing value, you’re taking care of that other 97%, creating trust and fostering long-term relationships.
Monitor and Adjust Your Approach
Winning strategies change with the times. Continuously monitor and adjust your outreach through analytics from your website—such as Google Analytics or your Customer Relationship Management dashboards and tools. This analysis allows us to see what connects with our audience and doesn’t.
For instance, you can pivot in that direction if you find people engaging more on Instagram than responding to your emails. Flexibility and the ability to pivot are key.
Build deep partnerships with influencers who are already reaching your Dream customers on channels like YouTube or Facebook. Here’s one strategy to help you focus and sharpen your strategy.
The Dream 100 Strategy excels on the power of repetition—the success is in the relationships, not the transactions.
Embracing the Dream 100 Strategy for Long-Term Success
The Dream 100 strategy offers B2B startups a powerful way to accelerate revenue growth by leveraging existing relationships and audiences. By focusing your efforts on a carefully curated list of high-value contacts, you can achieve significant results without needing a large existing following or massive advertising budgets.
As Courtney emphasizes,
“Just dream 100 and just go to where people are congregating and deliver value, within 1 month, you’re gonna start getting that momentum. It’s like absolutely ridiculously easy”.
Remember, the key to success with the Dream 100 strategy is consistency, a value-first approach, and a willingness to play the long game. By implementing this strategy and continuously refining your approach, you can build meaningful relationships that drive sustainable growth for your B2B startup.
Start building your Dream 100 list today, and take the first step towards transforming your startup’s revenue trajectory. With patience, persistence, and a focus on providing value, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your business goals and standing out in the competitive B2B landscape.
Conclusion
You’ll find more and better business opportunities that lead to mutually beneficial relationships, all thanks to your Dream 100 list. It provides a simple, repeatable process for figuring out who you need to be in front of. By zeroing in on this group, you’re not only saving time and energy, you’re building tangible value for your business. Regular outreach and follow-through with your contacts will establish credibility and lead to lasting collaborations.
The key to this strategy’s success is building true relationships and maintaining consistent contact. It’s not just about deliverables and quick wins. It’s about setting the stage for smart growth. Your Dream 100 helps you stay on a targeted path to your goals and ensures your outreach is impactful.
Begin your Dream 100 today and experience strategic relationships’ impact on scaling your business.
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