As a top in-house brokerage training director, Stephen Gore has seen many new agents in the bloom of excitement over their new careers. To keep from taking the bloom off the rose, Gore has created a class curriculum that is designed to bend agents toward the sun where they can grow and be successful.

Gore says that many agents come into the school with a working knowledge of terminology, legal issues and contracts, but very few have the information it takes to be successful right away.

"Few new agents have a business plan. They believe that they are going to get started with help from family and friends, and they don't think past those contacts," says Gore. "They also think that agents will be made successful by the companies with whom they associate, but that isn't the case, either. What they really need to understand is that they are going to have to be responsible for building their own businesses."

Gore leads each of his two-week training classes with five tips for helping new agents build their businesses.

1. Take charge. Have a plan of action on how you are going to attract and build your client base and consequently, your business. Don't wait for business to come to you - it won't.

Devote a certain amount of your day to business development - client calls, cold calls, creating relationships with other transaction service providers, and contacts who may be able to give you referrals.

Offer to help top producers in your office with their open houses or contracts so that you can learn how the successful agents conduct their business.

If you have a skill offer to share it in exchange for help with a skill you need to enhance. Are you good with numbers? Are you a writer? A busy agent who hates to write will appreciate your offer to write her feature sheets in exchange for her help in showing you how she broke into luxury home sales.

Sign up to become a Market Conditions Reporter(tm). It's a great lead generation tool that puts you in front of millions of consumers on the leading online real estate portals. The beauty is that you can be brand new and still give your opinion of the marketplace. Consumers contact you via e-mail for more information, giving you plenty to opportunity to dazzle them with your know-how.

2. Work with the people who will work with you. "Life's too short - start with dessert!" Nothing is sweeter than working with someone who is working with you, not against you. Avoid people who slow you down, bring you down, or put you down. Spend more time with people who are making things happen and live life in a positive way.

Not everyone you contact will result in a working relationship, but the numbers show that contacts are a numbers game. If someone appears to be a dead-end, move on, but keep contacting them with news and information via e-mail when it is appropriate to their interests.

3. Keep in touch. You may remember them, but they may have already forgotten who you are and what you do. So tell 'em. Again and again. More business is lost to other agents because your contact can't remember your name.

Take advantage of low-cost tools such as the Realty Times newsletter which can be electronically mailed to your contacts. This makes you look as professional as a seasoned pro. Remember contacts aren't just listing prospects. Everyone has a home or wants a home or is in a position to refer others to agents who can show them homes or list their homes. When they make a decision to buy or sell, you want your name to come up.

4. Remember what business you are in. You are in the business of selling the American dream. Owning your own home - your castle - is a dream that has prompted people from all over the world to risk their lives to come to America. Only in America are people of all income levels able to afford to fulfill those dreams. Do everything you can from learning at the knee from others, studying in your spare time, and borrowing tips wherever possible to improve your ability to provide service and make the dream come true for the next family.

5. Laugh! Real estate is hard work when you consider that you are dealing with people's lives, emotions and their hard-earned dollars. Since the stakes are high for them, they will naturally use you as a conduit for their feelings, especially if things don't go as planned. Putting yourself out there for someone else 24-7 requires competence, concentration and a great deal of empathy, which can deplete you and cause you frustration. It helps when you can see the humor in life. Laughter keeps you sane in what at times can seem like an insane world. So, be ready. Anything can happen and sooner or later it can happen to you.

Following these tips should help insure that everything continues to come up roses for you.