My wife and I bought a dog recently -- a black Lab we named Jazz. Now, the thing about Jazz is he's only four months old, which means everything he sees is a brand new experience.

At first it was getting into the car. Then it was figuring out where things were in the house. Now, it's understanding which animals are okay to play with (our neighbor's dog), and which animals are not (the cats next door).

But here's the interesting part.

As Jazz gets older and continues to experience more new things, the first thing he does whenever he's unsure of his surroundings is to sit down right where he is.

Brian starts the lawnmower -- and Jazz doesn't know what's going on -- he sits. Brian runs the dishwasher … he sits again. Brian screams like a madman after the Bucs hit a 47-yard field goal to win the game … you guessed it, Jazz sits.

He doesn't bark. He doesn't run around making a fool of himself. He just sits right where he is. Now I know what you might be thinking.

What does my dog have to do with being a New Agent?

In a word: Everything.

Pursuing a career a real estate was a big step. And for most people, it's the first time they've engaged in any kind of sales or marketing activities. Which by itself isn't a problem, but it does mean that they're bound to run into new situations where they're not 100 percent sure what to do. As an example, what should a New Agent do when:

1. A prospect doesn't return their calls, even after they've left a couple of voicemails?

2. They've had an overpriced listing for 50 days and they're not sure how to convince the seller to lower their price?

3. They've "farmed" their immediate geographic area for the past 2 month, but still haven't gotten any tangible results (e.g., new business) for their efforts?

What is an enterprising New Agent to do when faced with these types of situations?

Well just do what Jazz does. No, don't sit, but try the New Agent equivalent.

If someone isn't returning your calls and you're not sure why, try asking a good question on their voicemail. Let them know you're not trying to be a pest, but based on your last conversation you thought you were going in the direction of A, B and C. Now it seems like things have slowed down, and you're just seeing if anything has changed.

If they still want to buy or sell a home, great. If not, that's no problem either. But ask if they wouldn't mind leaving you a quick message letting you know where things stand.

Or as another example, let's say you've been "farming" your area with door hangers and post cards for the past couple of months, but still aren't getting any tangible results. Try adding some value to the relationship. Instead of just saying, "Call me if you're interested in buying or selling a home," how about offering a free report, "Top 5 Mistakes Most 1st Time Homebuyers Make … and how you can avoid them."

When sent to the right places (apartment complexes etc.), this gives those folks a reason to call -- even if they're not ready to buy right now. So later on down the road when they are ready, maybe two or three months, you'll already have a relationship.

You see how that's much better than, "Call me when you're ready to buy," which is the approach most of your more experienced competition take?

In that case, the New Agent equivalent to Jazz sitting is "adding value to the relationship".

You see, early on in life Jazz learned that nothing bad happens when he sits. He'll either get more petting, get a treat, or get taken out for a walk. All of which are very good things from his perspective.

And the same is true for you. Rarely will anything bad happen as a result of:

1. Asking good questions,

2. Adding value to a relationship, or

3. Doing what you said you would do.

People like that. Which is terrific from a sales and marketing perspective, because we all know that people do business with other people they know and like.

And by doing those things on a consistent basis, prospects will naturally gravitate towards both you and your business.

So if you're a New Agent who doesn't consider themselves a natural sales gal (or guy), and you get into a situation where you're not 100 percent sure what to do, remember, asking good questions, adding value to the relationship and doing what you said you would do are always good ways to get more business.