By Matt Plapp
Let’s talk about the real pizza restaurant influencers. Like the high school swim coach, Jeffrey Floyd, in the Facebook post shown below. Not the ones you think of when someone says “influencer.” Not the foodie on Instagram with 10,000 followers. Not the TikTok creator who’ll trade a pizza for a post. Sure, those people can give you a one-time boost. And, yes, you should absolutely send them a gift card once in a while. But that’s not where the real ROI lives.
If you want consistent traffic, real relationships and community loyalty, you need to look closer to home. You need to build relationships with influencers like Coach Floyd. He coached my kids for five years on the Larry A. Ryle High School swim team (Union, Kentucky), and when he spoke, we listened. We supported any local businesses he asked us to, and we followed him to the restaurants he picked after swim meets.
Coach Floyd and others like him are the only influencers who really matter.
Welcome to the Dream 100 Marketing Strategy
The Dream 100 is a marketing strategy born in the B2B world. It’s about building relationships with 100 people who already influence your ideal customers. This is a one-to-many play, not one-to-one. Yes, it’s great to use social media to drive customers one at a time, but what if you had a different local public figure like Coach Floyd for every week of the year—someone who had the attention of hundreds of customers?
For restaurants, this means hyper-local leaders who shape your community’s habits. I’m talking about:
- The high school football coach
- The high school band director
- The PTO president
- The Little League organizer
- The church volunteer coordinator
- The local gym owner
- The real estate agent
- The car dealership owner
- The popular barbershop or salon owner
- And, yes, the other restaurant owners down the street
You get the picture: Look for people from your area who have an audience. These people have reach, trust and authority—and they’re right in your backyard.
Want to see this concept broken down in action? Watch my full explanation and step-by-step walk-through in this YouTube video: The Dream 100 for Restaurants. I delve deeper into examples, strategies and how you can get started immediately.
Why the Dream 100 Works (and Why You’re Probably Ignoring It)
Here’s the truth: You probably hear from these people only when they want a donation. And they probably hear from you only when you want to sell them something.
That’s a broken relationship. The Dream 100 flips the script. You’re not asking for anything; you’re giving. You’re using your platform—your restaurant’s social media, email list and customer reach—to highlight their story, promote their cause and build goodwill that lasts.
Here’s an example: the band director with 2,500 connections. Let’s say your local high school band has 100 members. That’s:
- 100 students
- 300 parents or so (hello, blended families)
- 400 grandparents
- Hundreds more in alumni, neighbors and friends
One person, the band director, has influence over 2,000-plus potential customers. Now imagine that, instead of just donating $200 to their fundraiser, you:
- Sit down with the band director
- Film a quick five-minute video interview about their mission, their needs and their upcoming events
- Post it on your Facebook page
- Tag them and encourage your followers to support their fundraiser
What do you think happens next?
They share it like crazy, and their family and friends share it too. Their supporters notice your generosity. And when the next game lets out…guess where the band tells everyone to eat? That’s the Dream 100 effect.
The Dream 100 Isn’t a One-Time Trick—It’s a Long-Term Strategy
Let me be clear: This is not a short-term fix for slow sales. It’s not about “How do I get more butts in seats next weekend?” This is the long game. I’ve been executing my own Dream 100 for over six years, and it took a couple of years to really gain traction.
But now? It’s one of the biggest drivers of referrals and relationships in my business.
You might be asking, “What kind of content do I share?” This is where a lot of people get stuck. “Matt, what do I actually do with these people?”
Simple: Shine a spotlight on them. Here are some ideas:
- Interview them on Facebook Live
- Do a short video at your restaurant (or theirs)
- Write a quick blog post about how they serve the community
- Post a picture with a short caption highlighting their work
None of this is about you. It’s about them. Your role is to be the hype person, the media outlet, the cheerleader. You are the local news station!
And the cool part? You get content that’s not just about your food. You get content they’re proud to share. You get exposure to audiences you don’t currently reach.
Now you may be asking, “But, Matt…should I really promote other restaurants?” Yes. Let’s squash that scarcity mindset real quick. You think I eat your pizza five days a week? Not a chance. I eat Mexican one day, a burger the next, and then maybe your pizza. Your customers do the same.
Supporting other businesses—even other restaurants—makes you look like a leader. And leaders win.
One of My Favorite Dream 100 Examples
Back in 2018, I learned the Dream 100 concept the wrong way. I thought I was supposed to find 100 people to sell to. But then a few smart friends reframed it for me. They said, “Find 100 people who already influence the audience you want to serve.”
That changed everything. One of the first people on my list? David Scott Peters. I bought his book, interviewed him on my podcast, promoted his message and asked for nothing in return. I just wanted to serve my audience by connecting them with someone who could help.
And guess what? We now have more than 20 clients who came to us through Peters’ influence. That’s the Dream 100 in action.
Now here’s your challenge: Start your Dream 100 list this week. Create a list of the following:
- 25 local community leaders
- 25 local business owners
- 25 local school contacts (coaches, teachers, admins, etc.)
- 25 people you respect with large personal networks
Then start reaching out to one per week. Create content with them. Highlight their mission. Give them your platform. Do this for a year, and you’ll build an audience that isn’t yours yet…but will be.
Want Some Proof From a Fellow Pizzeria Owner?
Meet Jack D’Amato from Blasiole’s Pizza in Streetsboro, Ohio. He’s been following me for a while and takes massive action.
The still shot below shows a Facebook video he did with the local band director. It was great to watch and followed exactly what I spelled out above.
And for the proof that it works: “On Monday, we welcomed the Streetboro band director to our Blasiole’s Community Table Podcast and a Dine to Donate night—and it turned out to be our biggest night yet! Matt’s ideas work when you put them into action.” That was Jack’s comment on a recent Instagram post I made about doing exactly this.
Now imagine what will happen when Jack does this for the next 51 weeks with other leaders in his community. And he keeps the magic going by building a deeper relationship with this band director and others for the next 12 months—and beyond!
Again, view the playbook in action. If you’re serious about this strategy, go watch my full breakdown on YouTube: The Dream 100 for Restaurants. You’ll see the full system and how to start applying it today.
My name is Matt Plapp. I’m the CEO (chief energy officer) of America’s Best Restaurants. I’ve worked with thousands of restaurants since 2008 when I started this company, and over the next 12 months, we will help 2,500-plus restaurants with their marketing. This is the latest article in an ongoing series of columns for PMQ Pizza to help restaurant owners understand the gold mine we have to market in 2025—and beyond.
