Get yourself a herd.

- Dan Kennedy

You offer products and services that you believe are the best in your industry. There are tens, hundreds, maybe even thousands of people who have used your products and services and believe, just like you do, that what you're offering is the best to be found. This is your herd. And others - your prospects - will follow once they see that your herd exists.

-Mark Joyner

Two of the strongest voices in marketing today - one in Direct Response, the other in Internet Marketing, both have the notion that people think in packs.

And they're absolutely right. The "herd mentality" as it's called has been documented and edified throughout modern history. But how do you create a herd? How do you find your herd?

Go out and start building it - then tell people it exists.

Simple, but not always easy. In direct sales, we can use expos, fairs and other community events to create interest in our products, but it's the stories behind those products that create herds. Testimonials and success stores that are documented go a long way to preparing your new herd (prospects) to join your existing herd.

If your brand new to a company, use stories from other consultants. "Facts tell, but stories sell" is a common quote in the sales industry, and it's true. Stories allow your customers to relate to the product, develop a need for the product, and eventually make what I call an affirmative buying decision.

If your product is appropriate, offer free samples in exchange for testimonials. Document the effects. Use video whenever possible, because you can always add it to your website at a later date.

If you've been with your company for a while, you should be developing a litany of customer comments, testimonials and praises for your product as well as yourself. It's important to reinforce yourself in the client's mind as the authority on your product and your market. In Mark Joyner's Book Mind Control Marketing, Mark suggests: "If a command comes from the mouth of an authority we recognize, we tend to obey".

Words to live by in Direct Sales. The more you position yourself as an authority on your product and your market, the more convinced your prospects will feel that they are making the best choice for themselves. This is especially true when you couch your presentation in a method that has their best interests at heart.

It's one of the biggest reasons why home parties are so popular. Hosts (the authority) invite friends to meet a professional in the comfort of their home. The consultant has a perceived authority because the host trusts the consultant enough to invite them into their home. The" herd" grows when the guests book their own parties and continue the cycle. By booking more parties, the consultant increases their demand as well as their authority. More people see the consultant as an expert, which again increases authority. This is part of the reason why direct sales consultants generally have a more difficult time in their first few months of business. It takes time for most people to establish authority and expertise in any subject area.

Once you've developed the makings of a herd, let people know about it - and reward your herd for spreading the word. The cost for referral gifts is minimal compared to the tremendous amount of good will and repeat business generated.