A rookie Realtor wants to keep the momentum going. What can she do to double her sales in 2007?

Greetings Blanche -

I hope this reaches "THE Blanche Evans" and not an assistant ... I sent you an email about 2 years ago when I worked in television stating that I was looking to become a realtor and I asked for advice about becoming a realtor ... . You replied, and I appreciated the reply. Well, I took the plunge and started full-time as an agent with RE/MAX in Nov. '05. For the year '06 I did pretty good. I had enough transactions to actually gain an award at the RE/MAX regional awards ceremony in Charlotte, NC, which I am proud of ... by no means was it a "super" amount of transactions, but it gave me the confidence that I can survive in the industry for the long haul. I'm sending this email because I read your commentary daily and although I do not know you personally, I respect your opinion.

2007 has started somewhat slow and I don't want to fall victim to the "sophomore slump." I need REAL advice. I can get advice from veteran agents in the office and attend seminars here in Raleigh but I'm not convinced that any of that is going to help me to at least double my production from last year.

I know you have tons of email you get daily, but I would greatly appreciate your opinion on what I need to do to become "the best" agent in Raleigh, NC.

Thanks in advance -- Rookie Realtor, Broker/Realtor

Realty Times responds:

Hi, Rookie, nice to hear from you again. The short answer is that if you're doing everything you did right the first year, you shouldn't be subject to a sophomore slump, however, that doesn't mean the market hasn't changed.

The first thing I would do if I were you is review your transactions for 2006 and analyze what worked and what didn't work. Which customers closed and why? How did you meet them? Where did they buy? If they sold, where did they move and why? You might see a pattern emerge that tells you that you're good at moving a certain type of home or neighborhood, and you can use that to build a niche. You can also examine your strengths and weaknesses. Don't apologize for anything, just fix what doesn't work, even if you have to hire help to do the stuff you don't like to do.

Have you followed up with your clients to say thank you, ask how they're doing and ask for their referrals? Although it sounds trite, farming has to be done continuously. You have to till, plant seeds, water, weed, harvest and replant:

• Tilling is turning the earth and its nutrients -- making calls daily, every day to all kinds of people you know. Get everyone's business card that you meet at school functions, church, parties, etc. Call your old friends from your previous job. Be friendly, approachable, and get those numbers to call and email addresses to forward information to. You're building a farm -- add acreage!

• Planting seeds is listening, taking down information, and building your contact database with relevant facts you can use, like when it's time for someone's child to start school. Where would the parents like to live to send them to the best schools possible?

• Watering is keeping in contact and providing information -- like an up-and-coming neighborhood in that school district your contact wants for their child.

• Weeding is removing people from your life who waste your time, energy, and resources. These can be clients, but they can also be unsupportive or negative friends and family.

• Harvesting is providing an opportunity for your clients so you make a sale, like finding them the perfect home they didn't know was for sale

• Replanting is making sure you gave great service so your clients will use you again and give you referrals.

Many rookies do well their first year because they have a tailwind, like listing family members' properties or those of friends. After they've sold their inner circle, they run out of ideas. Sooner or later, you have to start courting business with people who don't know you as well, and don't feel obligated to help you get started. That's when you have to really start differentiating yourself from other Realtors. You can do that by building a niche like condos, first-time homebuyers, vacation property, etc. Do what you love best and start steering your business that direction.

Another thing to consider is the change in the market between the time you started and now. If it's turned to a buyer's market, that means you have to gain the trust of buyers in a market bombarded with bad news and fears of falling prices. Convincing them to buy in a catch-a-falling-knife market isn't easy. Sellers have to face reality and market their homes accordingly, with staging, repairs done, and a can-do attitude toward negotiating, but all that is not always enough to get buyers off the sidelines until they feel it's safe to buy.

That can mean opportunity for you. You can use your skills to develop buyers and help them buy wisely, or if you prefer working with sellers, you can help them lease as well as sell their homes. That means getting educated about property management, a skill you're going to need anyway. All great Realtors own rental homes which gives them an added sixth sense about properties and people that is priceless experience.

You can also create your own market. Look for good deals in real estate to buy it, develop it and sell it. Even if you start with backers or partners, you're getting started as a Realtor investor. If you own, rent and sell your own properties, you will soon learn everything there is to know about real estate investment.

Be a team player. If you don't have anything happening, work with another agent who does. Volunteer to assist with their open houses for added security. If there are several listings in one neighborhood, organize a tour of homes for buyers.

Getting your name out there is your biggest challenge right now, which means going back to techniques that worked while you were new -- get on the phone and call people every day to remind them you are in real estate and ask them what their thoughts are about the market. Use the latest news, from Realty Times, of course, to show them why it's a good time to buy or sell. Pass along local news that you hear about -- who's hiring, who's letting go? If your contact wanted to make a move, where would they go and why? This way you can find out which neighborhoods are coveted by your contacts and you can work those neighborhoods to find the right seller who will sell to your prospects.

Too many agents are dependent on the same tools -- primarily the MLS, but new websites like Zillow.com are teaching consumers to create their own marketplace. It's the eBay of real estate. That's serious competition -- so it's your job to show sellers what you can do to Make Me Move or Make Me Buy. It's all about the numbers.

That's what makes our Market Conditions Reports so successful. It's a way agents can market themselves inexpensively by providing news and advice for their local markets. You can click on any city and find out quickly if it's a buyer's, seller's or flat market. Build your business around what people want to know -- they want to know if it is time to sell or time to buy. Have updated numbers with you at all times, most of which you can get from your local MLS, but have them handy.

Another idea is lead generation sites and blogging. While some are expensive, you can weigh the return against the cost. Try HouseValues.com or Reply.com, and ActiveRain.com.

Also, when you do get deals, you want to make sure they hold together. Develop a call list of people you can count on to help make deals happen -- stagers, contractors, landscapers, etc. Most sellers do a lousy job preparing their homes for market. Get them in shape so your listings sell quickly.

These are just a few ideas, and I hope they help.