How To Use ‘Dream 100’ and ‘Top 100’ Sales Strategies in Your Real Estate Biz

Real estate has always been a business driven by human connection.

We may deal in property, but it’s who we interact with and how we interact with them that makes or breaks us in this business — not how beautiful or how huge our listings are.

It’s something we real estate agents often forget about in our marketing efforts. Especially in our online marketing efforts, where we’re typically focused on reaching the most people possible and not necessarily the best people.

This is where the ‘Dream 100’ and ‘Top 100’ concepts come into play.

Both the Top 100 list and the Dream 100 list are all about people — the great people you’ve already done business with and the great people you want to do business with.

And they’re not just lists; they’re sales strategies that REALTOR®s can make use of on a daily basis.

The Top 100 is…

A list of the 100 people already in your business network who have had a positive impact on your business in some way.

This could include:

• Repeat clients
• Clients who have been generous with referrals and/or testimonials
• Clients actively involved in real estate investments
• Connections from other fields (such as local government, media, design, and so on) who have supported you with references, promotion, or other means

The point is that you know them, they know you, and in some form, they’ve been valuable to you and your real estate business.

The Dream 100 is…

A list of the 100 people not currently in your business network, but who could have a positive impact on your business in some way.

They don’t have to be in real estate or fields related to real estate. In fact, many of them shouldn’t (diversity will help you maximize your reach).

This could include:

• Individuals who like to invest in real estate
• Individuals with perceived deep pockets
• People of influence (like local politicians and prominent business owners)
• Members of the media
• Online influencers (such as bloggers, social media personalities, and podcast hosts)

The operative word here is ‘Dream’ — these are the people you’d love to get to know because they could help you sell more houses, sign more clients, and raise your profile.

The Top 100 and Dream 100 As Sales Strategies

There is a point to making these lists.

Once you’ve identified the people that belong on each list — and by the way, these may just be lists of 25 people or 50 people, depending on the stage and size of your business — you’re going to start making them a regular part of your daily business routine.

For your Top 100 list, that means taking a strategic approach to touching base and making sure your name is top-of-mind.

For your Dream 100, it means finding ways to get connected.

Perhaps these are activities you’re already doing in some form. But when you purposefully create these lists and formally integrate them into your business activities, your efforts become that much more effective.

How to Put the Top 100 and Dream 100 Into Practice

1. Build and organize your lists

Once you’ve identified your names, build a spreadsheet for your Top 100 and another for your Dream 100.

Both spreadsheets should include fields for your list members’ name, email address, phone number, role and employer, and any additional notes (like birthdates or hobbies).

Your Top 100 list should also have a field for information on how you know each member; your Dream 100 should have a field for why you want to know each member.

2. Come up with your tactics

How will you create touchpoints with your Top 100? What approach will you take to get to know your Dream 100?

Ideas for your Top 100 could include:

• Handwritten notes (to congratulate, say thanks, wish happy birthday, or just to say hi)
• Delivery of flowers, treats or other small gifts on birthdays or special occasions
• Event invitations
• Phone calls
• Social media shoutouts
• Holiday gifts
• Online promotion of their business

Ideas for your Dream 100 could include:

• Attending their events
• Inviting them to your events
• Featuring them in a blog post or video
• Connecting with them on social media
• Sharing their content
• Finding mutual friends or acquaintances
• Inviting them for coffee
• Sending valuable gifts

3. Plan and track your activity

Like we said, what makes these lists effective is using them consistently. Decide on how you’ll make touching base with your Top 100 and connecting with your Dream 100 part of your routine.

Maybe your goal is to touch base with five Top 100 members each week, and to connect with three Dream 100 members each week.

Once you’ve decided, treat these activities like a calendar item. Schedule them in. Consistency is key.

To track your activities and results, create additional spreadsheet fields and log the date and time of each point of contact, along with what the results were. Logging your efforts helps make sure that your time and energy are evenly distributed amongst your lists, as well as what tactics worked better than others.

What are your favourite tactics for making sure your name is top of mind for past or potential clients?