How to Become Truly Confident as a Rookie Agent

Do you know the famous children’s story The Little Train That Could? It’s about a train trying to climb a big hill for the first time. As he tepidly streams up the tracks, he’s nervous and uncertain. Then, the little train begins to say to himself, “I think I can… I think I can…” That soon turns into a more confident, “I know I can! I know I can!” Finally, he crests the hill in triumph.

It’s a wonderful tale. But as motivating as it is, the story has a flaw. It makes you think that positive self-talk is all you need to be more confident.

The truth is, self-talk will only get you so far. To become truly confident as a rookie real estate agent, you need a reason for that confidence, and that comes from having the right real estate marketing system in place.

After all, that little train wouldn’t have gotten very far without the right engine, no matter how many times he said, “I think I can!”

Confidence is important when you’re starting out in real estate. As a real estate rookie, increased confidence helps to motivate you to get up in the morning and do the things you need to do to succeed. It gets you through the tough days. Confidence gives you the positive outlook that keeps you going.

It also helps to ride the inevitable ups and downs of the business. Writing for Psychology Today, Dr. Barbara Markway points out that, “Confidence gives you the skills and coping methods to handle setbacks…and keep pushing yourself…”

Okay, so how does a good real estate marketing system boost your confidence?

It’s like the engine in a train. A good real estate marketing system — for generating leads, for working a geographic farm, for getting client referrals — ensures you’re consistently staying in touch in the right ways with these contacts. The ideal marketing system for rookie agents will combine real estate direct mail, an email e-newsletter, social media and an agent website, where most of the heavy-lifting (design, writing, printing, mailing) is done for you.

Why would this make you more self-assured? Because you can start each day knowing you have a proven system in place that’s helping you steam steadily towards your goals. Prospects are seeing you as the obvious choice for them. The geographic farms you target are increasingly thinking of you as that community’s go-to agent. Clients are considering you as referral-worthy.

Wouldn’t that make you feel more confident?

And the best part is, the more confident you feel about your future — thanks in part to your real estate marketing system — the better you’ll tend to perform day-to-day.