Here's a bit of New Year's cheer: I'm increasingly hearing rumblings in markets across the nation and from people "in the know" that the real estate "downturn" may have bottomed out, and be on the rebound.

For some agents, that is very good news. For top producers, however, it really doesn't matter. Why? Because their real estate markets are, and have always been, between their ears. Regardless of their market conditions, they have a steady stream of business. They have a pipeline of prospects to work with -- both buyers and sellers who provide them with a consistent income.

New agents in the market are out there writing business. No one has told them that the market is slow, so they don't know any better. They are just taking listings and making sales.

How do they do it? And can you learn from them and ignite your business in 2007 in tandem with a market turnaround? It's a rhetorical question -- absolutely you can! And you can do it the same steady, methodical way as those the agents who made their 2006 goals (regardless of their market conditions) and have a jump-start on their 2007 income, did. This year, keep the following eight tips in mind -- and then watch how they set a fire under your productivity, profitability, and career satisfaction:

1. Start with a plan. Calculate how much money you want to make, including business expenses (you need to be profitable!) and personal retirement investments. Divide your income goal by the average side of a transaction commission to you after your split with your broker. That is how many transactions you need. Many agents get this far, but stop before they develop a plan of action.

2. Calculate the number of prospects you'll need to accomplish your transaction goal, and therefore your income goal. Multiply 25 x 1.25 prospects equal roughly one transaction. (The numbers were taken from the "Real Estate Rainmaker" by Dan Gooder Richard). Divide by 12 and then divide by 30 so you know how many prospects you'll need daily. A good example may be two per day. Anyone can meet two new prospects a day! Break your numbers down into manageable bites.

3. Decide how you will acquire those prospects. Many agents are not very comfortable with or effective at prospecting, so they buy as many leads as they can afford. That's great. It is efficient. We all do have a budget, however, so in addition to buying leads, you need to add some of your own. You can add: sphere of influence, your database, your geographic area, your athletic club, Chamber of Commerce, anyone you meet, etc.

4. Acquire an automated system to follow up with each and every one of these prospects. As agents, one of our biggest weaknesses is our inability to perform consistent follow-up. By automating, you will be able to stay in touch with many prospects "automagically" to cultivate a relationship with them so when they are ready to buy and/or sell, you are their agent of choice. That allows you to build a large pipeline of future business while working on day-to-day business.

5. Think business to business. If you are working with attorneys, title companies, lenders, dry cleaners, dentists, doctors, accountants, etc. make sure you obtain their business and the business of the people they know, in the same way you refer clients to them. Put your business associates and your networking groups on an automated follow-up system -- an e-newsletter. This will help keep you "top of mind" when they or any of their acquaintances are ready to make a move.

6. Stay in touch with your past clients -- they are your best source of repeat and referral business. Again, take advantage of easily available technology and automate the majority of this communication. Just like prospects, past clients likewise require the occasional personal touch. The agents I know who stay in touch with their past clients have grown their businesses anywhere from 20 to 30 percent.

7. Stay active, stay involved. It's pretty much a no-brainer, but this bears mentioning: The more people you meet, the more business you will do. Most people ask, "What do you do?" Everyone is interested in real estate, whether they come right out and say it or not. Offer to send them an e-newsletter periodically. This is a very efficient way to stay in touch.

8. Obtain emails from open houses, and then follow up regularly with additional information. In other words, stay in touch! I so often hear, "If only I would have called them …" from far too many agents as they drive by a sign on a listing that should have been theirs "if only" they had called.

Let's review: Develop a plan, systemize your business, and stay in touch with as many prospects as you can. You can literally be cultivating thousands of prospects using a system, so you too can develop that steady stream of business, regardless of market conditions and earn the money you deserve. The New Year offers you a perfectly clean canvas: Commit to the steps mentioned above, and make it your personal masterpiece!

A couple "hot tips" you can do right now:

• Call your buyers and let them know this is a great time to buy!

• Call your sellers and let them know this is a good time to sell, before a flood of houses comes on the market in the spring.

Published: January 15, 2007

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Claudia Wicks is Director of Real Estate Training and Content for HouseValues Inc. Her blog, AgentCEO.com, offers agents and brokers tips gleaned from her decades of real estate industry experience. Claudia is a licensed real estate broker in the state of Washington, where she has worked for the last 28 years as an agent, broker/manager and Director of Training for Coldwell Banker and John L. Scott. Learn more about HouseValues at AgentSuccessNetwork.com or call toll-free 866-952-5042.