Dream 100

The Dream 100 strategy, popularized by Chet Holmes, is a targeted marketing and sales strategy focusing on reaching out to your ideal, high-value prospects.

The idea is to identify and cultivate relationships with the top 100 ideal potential clients or customers, who, if converted, could exponentially increase your business revenue.

This outline guides you through executing the Dream 100 strategy effectively, ensuring you have the keys to connect with high-value targets and turn them into prolific business allies or customers.

Remember that the first part of the strategy is to understand your ideal customer and the problem you solve for them. You’ve done that, so this is a step toward identifying the customers themselves.

Step 1: Identify Your Dream 100 Targets

Research & Compile

• Research extensively to create a list of the top 100 prospects that align with your ideal customer profile.
• Use tools like LinkedIn, industry publications, and company websites to find the key decision-makers within the organizations.
• Focus on prospects with the most potential to provide value and align with your offering.

Segment and prioritize.

• Classify your Dream 100 into different tiers based on their potential value, influence, and accessibility.
• Prioritize reaching out to higher-tier prospects first.

Step 2: Create Customized, Value-Rich Outreach

Develop Personalized Content

• Now that you know exactly whom you’re targeting, curate personalized, high-quality content that speaks to them specifically.
• You can create custom reports, whitepapers, and insightful articles that demonstrate your expertise and provide real value.

Establish a Multi-Touch Campaign

• Design a multi-touch campaign, including emails, calls, social media messages, direct mail, and even personalized gifts.
• Plan each touchpoint and make sure it builds upon the last, gradually escalating the value proposition and call to action.

(the next steps explain this multi-touch process)>

Step 3: Awareness & Connection

Initiate Contact

• Start with a soft-touch, like a social media connection or an email, subtly introducing your value proposition.
• Gradually intensify your outreach efforts with follow-up emails, calls, and value-rich content.

Persistence is Key

• Keep in mind, the Dream 100 strategy is a long-term game.
• Be persistent and consistent in your outreach, don’t be discouraged by initial rejections, and continue to provide value with every interaction.

Influence tip

Example:

• Touchpoint 1: LinkedIn Connection
  • Personalized connection request focusing on common interests or mutual connections.
• Touchpoint 2: Welcome Email
  • Introduction and soft pitch, offering a piece of valuable, personalized content.
• Touchpoint 3: Social Media Engagement
  • Like, share, or comment on prospects’ posts to stay top-of-mind.

Step 4: Engagement to Build & Nurture Relationships

Conduct Personalized outreach

Keep the Connection Alive

• Even if a prospect isn’t ready to convert, maintain the relationship by continuing to share valuable content and insights.
• Keep them informed about your company’s developments, achievements, and offerings.

Influence Tip

If you give something here you create an obligation in your prospect to return the favor, this influence tactic is called reciprocity. The more tailored a gift is, the stronger reciprocity is triggered.

Example

• Touchpoint 4: Customized Content Share
  • Share a blog post, report, or whitepaper addressing the prospects’ industry pain points.
• Touchpoint 5: Direct Mail
  • Send a personalized, handwritten note with a small, thoughtful gift or a valuable book related to their industry.
  • Build on this buy using Fedex, delivering it in person or doing something that stands out.

• Touchpoint 6: Follow-Up Email
  • Share another piece of high-value content and ask for their thoughts or feedback.
• Touchpoint 7: Phone Call or Voicemail
  • Express your genuine interest in helping them and ask for a suitable time to discuss their challenges and needs.

Step 5: Subscription

Have them take a first action

Influence tip

People like to act in a manner consistent with their previous actions. Referring to previous actions and stating that subscribing is consistent with that previous action can be a powerful motivating tool. Also, once someone subscribes you can recall the subscription action as one they want to be consistent with when they do something else.

This is also where social proof starts to kick in, the more people can see that people like them took the action you want them to take the more likely they will take the action.

Notes:

• Once you have garnered interest, aim to arrange face-to-face meetings or video calls to deepen the connection.
• Use this opportunity to understand their needs better and to present your offerings more effectively.
• Keep them informed about your company’s developments, achievements, and offerings.

Examples

• Touchpoint 8: Invite them to a taste of your service (we call this an “entry point offer”)
  • Invite them to an exclusive webinar addressing advanced solutions to their problems.
  • Offer an assessment or evaluation of their business.
  • Offer an in-person session, where you present your ideas for their business.
  • Get creative.
• Touchpoint 9: Custom Proposal Email
  • Propose a tailored solution, possibly with a special offer or incentive, designed specifically for them.

Step 5: Deliver your entry point offer

The Wallet Opener

Example

• Touchpoint 10: Deliver your entry point offer. 

Step 6: Final Push & Conversion

Seal the Deal

• When a prospect is ready, present a tailored proposal that addresses their unique needs and pain points.
• Emphasize the value and benefits they will receive from your product or service.
• Remember follow up is key.

Analyze & Optimize

• After each conversion, analyze the journey to identify what worked and what didn’t.
• Optimize your approach for subsequent prospects, refining your outreach, content, and proposal based on the insights gained.

Influence tip:

Don’t forget consistency here: they have been taking actions all throughout and this is the “next logical step.” Also  

Examples

• Touchpoint 11: Final Follow-up Call
  • Address any lingering concerns, answer questions, and attempt to close the deal.
• Touchpoint 12: Exclusive Event Invite
  • Invite them to an exclusive event to network with industry leaders and your team.
• Touchpoint 13: Contract & Onboarding
  • Send the final contract and begin the onboarding process once they agree.

Step 7: Analyze & Optimize

• After each conversion, analyze the journey to identify what worked and what didn’t.
• Optimize your approach for subsequent prospects, refining your outreach, content, and proposal based on the insights gained.

Conclusion:

The Dream 100 strategy is an immensely powerful approach to connect with high-value prospects and foster meaningful relationships. It requires persistent effort, customization, and value delivery to convert prospects effectively. By meticulously executing this strategy, businesses can unlock unprecedented growth and establish themselves as leaders in their respective domains.

Final Note:

Remember, the Dream 100 can deliver results quickly, but fundamentally it is not about quick wins but about building lasting relationships. Patience, persistence, and continuous value delivery are pivotal in turning your dream prospects into loyal customers or partners.