Secret #3 Get ready to advertise.

In order to make serious money in real estate, you'll need to do some advertising.

While this may seem overwhelming at first, rest assured that it's not as complicated as you may think. It really all comes down to creating your "personally branded" business card. Yes, in the future you will also be advertising on flyers, yard signs, and bus stop benches, but these will essentially be photocopies of your original business card. For now, all you will need is a compelling business card that includes these 2 essential elements:

1. A professional headshot. It is a fact in the industry that 97.3% of all Americans will not do business with you unless you have a headshot on your business card. The reasons for this are largely unknown, but some industry experts speculate the fact that the average person loves to spend time looking at/thinking about people whom they admire and want to become like. This may also explain why Donald Trump chooses to use his headshot to market the world's purist natural spring water, Trump Ice.

In any case, you need to have a professionally photographed headshot, preferably from a studio that specializes in glamour portraits. To make your picture more appealing, it is also suggested to pose with your hand to your chin, or to request that the camera be tilted for more effect. Also, studies show that if you include your children and/or pets in the photograph, the average consumer is more likely to showcase your business card in a prominent place in their house for family and friends to admire (for more on this, google "refrigerator magnet business cards").

2. A compelling tag-line. For this element, think about the concept of personal branding. Personal branding is how you articulate what makes you unique, and why people should do business with you. Identifying this differentiating factor can be as simple as thinking about what takes up most of your time during the day. For example, ask yourself how many hours you spend blogging about your children, washing/waxing your car/boat, or googling cute pictures of cats with funny messages for your desktop. While these may seem like everyday ordinary activities at first glance, you can spin them to create memorable tag-lines for your business cards that will set you apart from the competition.

For instance, if you love cats, you may want to think about a tag-line like "Looking for the purrrrrrrfect home?", or if you are into cars, you could say something like "Revving up deals in real estate". Really, sky is the limit with this kind of innovative advertising, but just make sure to place your powerful tag-line in bold font where it can be easily seen next to your headshot.

As you can see, by following these simple guidelines, you will soon be "drumming up business" like a pro (also a great tag-line if you are into music). Who knows, with a little creativity, you too could "be on par" (golfing reference) with the most successful realtors in the business.