The Simple 5-25-150 Rule

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Last week I was in Rome. The espresso was perfectly Italian. The history was everywhere. And the clarity was immediate.

Every great opportunity I’ve ever had - client, partner, deal, even mentor - can be traced back to a single habit:

I stay in touch. On purpose.

This isn’t some big automation funnel or cold outreach blitz. It’s simpler than that.

It’s the 5-25-150 rule.

5 people I speak with weekly.

25 I touch base with monthly.

150 I reconnect with each quarter.

Not because they’re leads. This isn’t transactional at all.

I stay in touch because they’re relationships.

The reality is this:

You don’t close deals you never stayed close enough to hear about.

Most leaders I know are great in the moment. They show up powerfully on a call, a project, a stage. But between the big moments? It goes quiet. No check-ins. No reminders. No nudges of care or curiosity.

And so their pipeline dries up - not because they can’t sell, but because they haven’t stayed relevant.

That’s why we built the Key Relationship Process inside Levership.​To make sure the right people stay top of mind - and so do you.

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Here’s the frame I use:

5 people in my inner circle.​

The ones who are critical to our current success. They might be our largest and most important clients. They might be our key referral sources. They might be challenging my thinking and helping me sort. I speak with them weekly. We’re building momentum together.

25 relationships I check in with at least monthly.

​​These are high-trust partners, clients, peers. People I’ve worked with or want to. Each month, I reach out - quick note, shared resource, a win they’d care about.

150 I keep connected with quarterly.

​​Past clients. Dormant leads. Old collaborators. The ones you lose if you don’t stay in view. A short email. A “was thinking of you.” Something real.

No CRM will do this for you. Trust me I’ve tried.

And it is self policing system. It relies on you being authentic. No one wants to be a transaction.

​​But a simple rhythm will make it doable.

If your Q3 sales rely on “more marketing,” I’d challenge you to look closer.

You might just need better follow-up.

Stronger ties. And the power of loose connections.

And a system that honors the relationships that built your business in the first place.

Don’t have a system for staying in touch? Start small: list your 5. Reach out today. The next opportunity might already know your name.

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