Launching a new business or reviving a product can feel like an uphill battle, especially when funds are limited. One of the most effective and budget-friendly ways to gain traction is by harnessing the power of influencers and affiliates.
A standout approach to this is the Dream 100 strategy, which was created by Chet Holmes and popularized by Russell Brunson, the founder of ClickFunnels, in his Secrets Trilogy—DotCom Secrets, Expert Secrets, and Traffic Secrets. This method leverages relationships to turn your audience into raving fans. Whether you’re starting from scratch or aiming to revive sales, this strategy can set you on the path to success. Let’s break it down.
The Dream 100 concept involves creating a list of 100 influencers, affiliates, or partners whose audiences align with your product or service. The brilliance lies in the approach: start at the bottom with micro-influencers and smaller affiliates who are more accessible and eager to collaborate.
Everyone wants to collaborate with the biggest names, but think about it from their perspective—they're bombarded with collaboration requests every single day, making it nearly impossible for unknown brands to stand out or get a response. By contrast, micro-influencers and smaller affiliates receive fewer pitches, so they're more open to partnerships. These individuals are often overlooked but can be your gateway to gaining initial traction. Offer them incentives like free samples or commissions to spark their interest, and their genuine enthusiasm can create authentic buzz that larger influencers notice.
This is a great way to build momentum for your product-based business, such as books, gadgets, or physical goods, where samples or commissions can drive sales. For services, it can be adapted, though podcasts, PR outlets, or longer-form content platforms often work better. Once you’ve built that initial momentum, the key is to keep it—scaling with intent to ensure your growth is sustainable.
As outlined in our blog Scale with Intent: Why Smart Marketing Budgets Grow with Revenue, throwing money at marketing without a plan is like swinging at a piñata blindfolded. Instead, increase your budget only when it’s driving revenue, proving the investment works before doubling down.
As you secure partnerships and see results with the Dream 100, a ripple effect takes hold. Success with smaller players catches the attention of mid-tier influencers, and eventually, top-tier names may reach out to you. This organic growth reduces the need for a large upfront investment, making it ideal for entrepreneurs on a budget. For a deeper dive into this strategy, check out The Dream 100 Explained.
Micro-influencers—those with follower counts between 1,000 and 10,000—offer a practical entry point. Unlike mega-influencers, they have highly engaged, niche audiences who trust their recommendations. This authenticity is gold for building credibility with potential customers. Plus, they’re more likely to respond to cold emails or direct messages (DMs) on platforms like Instagram or TikTok, especially if you personalize your pitch.
One effective tactic is to offer high commissions through programs like TikTok’s affiliate program. Sending free product samples can help seal the deal, giving them something tangible to promote without much financial risk to you.
You don’t need a hefty marketing budget to get started. Here’s how to put the Dream 100 into action:
Build Your List: Spend time identifying 100 potential influencers or affiliates. Focus on micro-influencers in your niche—think food bloggers for a kitchen product, fitness YouTubers for health gear, or DIY enthusiasts on Instagram. The more research and thought you put into building this list, ensuring it’s highly relevant to your product and audience, the more your outreach will feel like a “warm email/DM” rather than a cold, random blast trying to get anybody and everybody as an affiliate/influencer. Tools like BuzzSumo or a manual search on social media can help you compile this tailored list.
Craft Your Outreach: Send cold emails or DMs. Keep it concise and personal—mention why their audience would benefit from your product and propose a 100% commission or free sample deal. For example: “Hi [Name], I love your content on [niche]! My product [brief description] could help your followers. Would you be interested in promoting it with a 100% commission or a free sample?” The effort you invest in relevance makes your approach stand out.
Leverage Affiliate Platforms: Tap into TikTok’s affiliate program or similar platforms where promoters are willing to work on commission. This structure lets you test the waters without spending money upfront.
Track and Scale: Monitor your results. As you see sales or engagement grow, reinvest in reaching out to mid-tier influencers (10,000–50,000 followers). Their involvement can create that ripple effect, drawing the attention of bigger names as your brand gains visibility.
The initial momentum from influencers and affiliates is just the beginning. Now, this is how you keep it: scale with intent. As detailed in Scale with Intent: Why Smart Marketing Budgets Grow with Revenue, start lean with focused campaigns — say, $3,000/month for strategy, content, and targeted ads with loss leader offers to drive conversions. Track revenue as your north star, alongside metrics like lead quality, conversion rates, and customer lifetime value (CLV). If you hit a 3x ROI (e.g., $10,000 in revenue), scale to $5,000/month, refining as you go. This disciplined cycle avoids blind budgeting and turns your marketing into a growth engine, not a cost center.
Consider running paid ad campaigns to amplify your reach, hiring a social media manager to maintain consistency, optimizing your website with SEO to improve organic traffic, or pitching your story to PR outlets for broader exposure. This phased approach ensures early traction evolves into long-term success.
The Dream 100 strategy, created by Chet Holmes and popularized by Russell Brunson in his Secrets Trilogy—DotCom Secrets, Expert Secrets, and Traffic Secrets—is about starting small, staying persistent, and letting success build naturally. By focusing on micro-influencers and using cold outreach or affiliate programs like TikTok’s, you can kickstart momentum even with limited resources, especially for product-based businesses. For services, adapting this through podcasts, PR, or longer-form content might yield better results. As you work your way up the list, the ripple effect can take your product to new heights, opening doors to international markets or larger partnerships.
Ready to give it a shot? Start drafting those cold DMs or emails today. The first step is the hardest, but it’s the one that sets everything in motion!