How to Unlock Your Network

When it comes to generating new business, less truly is more. We often think we need massive outreach, endless cold calls, or a huge network to succeed in sales. But the reality? Your greatest opportunities come from a much smaller circle than you realize.

Let’s talk about two numbers that will transform your sales success: the 5 and the 25.

The Group of Five

The five are your closest allies. These are people who know you deeply, hold you accountable, and who you also hold accountable. You’re connected not only one-to-one but as a group—you could literally get together for the holidays and enjoy it.

Building this group takes time. For me, it took about four years and several iterations. That’s okay. The key is that these five become powerfully connected to you. They text you, you text them, and there’s a constant flow of trust and support.

These five aren’t just friends—they are the foundation of your success.

The Group of Twenty-Five

Now, let’s expand the circle. Your 25 are people who take your calls, respond to your messages, and even reach out to you first. There’s a genuine two-way connection.

These people are critical. You know them, they know you, and they respect you enough to stay engaged. Over time, this group becomes a referral machine—connecting you with opportunities you never could have created on your own.

The goal is clear: create a list of 25 people you consistently stay in touch with.

Questions You Must Ask

To deepen these relationships, you need to know more than surface-level details. Start asking:

What are their goals? When you know where they’re headed, you can help them get there.What are they passionate about? Both inside and outside of work, passion reveals where they put their focus.What common connections do we share? Dig into LinkedIn, social media, and networks to uncover overlap.Do they know what I actually do? This one surprises most people. Often, people close to you only know a fraction of what you offer.

When you ask these questions, you’re not just building a list—you’re building trust.

Turn Connections Into Raving Fans

Your goal is to create raving fans out of these 30 people. That means sharing stories, insights, and resources that help them. Not in a self-promotional way, but in a genuinely helpful way.

When you do this, something powerful happens: they begin to advocate for you. They sell for you in rooms you can’t enter. They connect you with buyers who are already warmed up. And those buyers will buy faster than you ever thought possible.

Why Tightening the Circle Matters

Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” He was right. The tighter your circle, the greater your influence.

Sales isn’t about blasting emails, making endless calls, or shouting into the void on social media. Those things create awareness, sure. But real business happens through authentic relationships.

When you focus intentionally on the 5 and the 25, you build trust. And in today’s world—where so much feels artificial—trust is everything.

Your Next Step

Don’t overcomplicate this. Start by making your list. Maybe you only have one or two in your “five” right now—that’s fine. Build slowly. For the 25, aim to touch base at least once a month.

The point is not perfection. The point is focus. With a small circle, you’ll generate more business, faster, than chasing endless strangers ever could.