As we all know, many rookie agents are woefully unprepared for the realities of their new career. They’re told to “fake it ‘til you make it” and sent out into the world to generate business for themselves before they even spell “MLS!”

This is a terrible thing to do to the newest members of our industry and an even worse thing to do to the rookie’s first clients who entrust the new licensee with a rather significant financial transaction. It’s no wonder many (most) new agents fail - they are not properly prepared to handle the details of a real estate transaction… and they know it. Therefore, all but the most aggressive natural salespeople will lack the confidence to pursue that business they must bring in before becoming just another real estate statistic.

There’s no substitute for experience when it comes to building expertise, but there are things a rookie agent can be doing in his or her first months to become more competent, and therefore more confident.

In this series entitled The Confident Rookie, I’ll share with you ten things a new agent can do as he’s working with his first buyers and sellers so that he appears to know what the heck he’s doing! Now, be assured that I will not give advice on how new agents can “trick” their clients into believing they’re competent; no, rather, I’ll help new agents prepare for their first clients so that they ARE competent… and worth those significant paychecks they hope to soon be earning.

Of course, all rookie agents will bluff their way through situations on a regular basis; we all did, and still do, no matter how many years we’ve been doing this. But that’s actually one of the topics covered - HOW to get through an unfamiliar situation without jeopardizing your credibility or your license!

Here are the Ten Secrets I'll be covering in the series:

• Know Your Systems

• Practice with Your Printer (sounds silly, I know)

• Preview, Preview, Preview

• Drive Your Route Ahead of Time

• Cheerfully Waste Your Time

• Find Your Handyman

• Let Your Seller Prospect

• Do Most of the Talking

• Get Comfy with Your Commission

• Admit that You're New

• What to say when you don't know the answer

Stay tuned...

Published: July 2, 2009

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Jennifer Allan is a former top producing real estate broker, a published author, a speaker and a trainer. She has written five books a bout the business of selling real estate, including her flagship book: Sell with Soul: Creating an Extraordinary Career in Real Estate without Losing Your Friends, Your Principles or Your Self-Respect. Her new book entitled "If You’re Not Having Fun Selling Real Estate, You're Not Doing it Right!" will be released in early 2010. Jennifer believes that the secret of success for real estate agents is not in aggressive marketing techniques or hard-core sales pitches, but rather in being competent in one's craft. Competence begets Confidence. And in today's world of increasingly suspicious and ad-weary consumers, having an air of self-assurance and enthusiasm will be far more effective than a slick sales campaign. Jennifer writes and speaks with this philosophy in mind. She preaches that salespeople should follow the Golden Rule in their day-to-day practice of business - treating clients and prospects respectfully, as the salesperson him or herself would like to be treated. Being competent, reliable and fair, and motivated by a true desire to earn a paycheck, not just show up at closing with hand outstretched. She is a regular contributor to several real estate newsletters and magazines, a member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame and one of the industry's most popular bloggers. You can learn more about Jennifer's "soulful" philosophies at www.SellWithSoul.com. Subscribe to Jennifer Allan's Newsletter for SOI'ers Tips & Strategies for Generating Business from Your Sphere of Influence Your Email Address: Your Name: