A great photo, business cards & then network, network, network.

Send a letter to your sphere, letting them know you'll be reaching out to them in the next month. 

Host open houses and market them on all of your social media sites. 

Start with business cards, a phone and some door hangers.

Good advice from Thomas J. Nelson, Realtor, ePRO, CRS, RCS-D not being a "secret" agent with no photo is a very good start.

Free ways are good ways when you don't have a lot of money.  Host open houses for people, volunteer at community events your association or office does.  Get out there and shadow another agent.  Blog.  Learn your market.  Wear a name tag or "Wanna buy a house" shirt (although that can be seen as tacky).

Nicole Christiansen I would recommend that you sit down and visit with your Broker and ask what his/her  policies are. Some Brokers will give you co-op dollars and some will have very specific demands. You also need to find out what your State requires. Here in ND even your texts must have all your broker information on them.

A photo is a great start.

Build your database and begin with adverting to it.

Then a target niche. Don't be all things to all people. Focus.

Start with a nice professional photo of yourself. 

Depends on you marketing budget.  If your funds are limited start with business cards and a goal of handing out 28 per day.  That would be over 10,000 for the year.

Get a mug shot. Don't stay in the shadows of trying to sell the house with blue lights. If you think you have a face for radio, upload a local landmark you pick to let the audience know every time you market, they will instantly realize it is you. You are not in the witness protection program right? Step on into the branding stage spot light to build an identify unless you have something to hide or are painfully shy. Dale Carnegie can for a small fee help you fix that condition. Get in the game Blue Man... Chew up, tear apart and be a force in the local market swinging both arms, kicking with the pair of feet.

Network as much as you can, and be sure to get in touch with your sphere (and build that database). Do some open houses, blog and use social media, and learn the inventory and understand your local market conditions so you are prepared to answer those questions about "how's the market?"

pay for a website to be created for you and then write a blog post every day.... write localism posts.... focus on different areas of your town/city.... write about restaurants; retail shops; local luncheon places; places to drink; clubs; social events; and more....be an authority on your area....

I would start with consulting with your broker and learn the office policies. 

Then move to the basics, business cards and as others have stated, call your sphere and let them know you are in business.

Contact everyone you know & say you just were licensed & are looking for opportunities to help them, or anyone they know, who may be buying or selling real estate.

Given your budget how and where to get you bang for the buck?

First I will get on this site and all other sites under agent to have a profile, phone #, and a photo.  Each link counts as one and your most paid membership gets one link also.

Good Luck.

Very carefully because each dollar counts....

You are doing it now....

Like Debe Maxwell, CRS said, network, network, network. 

Find a local broker who is ad savvy.

Start blogging & using social media. Use other people listings with their permission.

Give your business card to everyone you meet and make sure you are meeting many new people every day. Put the information on those contacts in your database and your email lists. Keep them posted on your market.

Join your local builders association and volunteer to serve on committies.

Start with a photo, business cards and assistance from your broker to reach those who yuo already know and tell them what you do. Then expand to social media, newspaper and mailers

Business cards and pressing the flesh is the most economic way to get started!

Nicole,

You have great suggestions. A

Buy as many 'Buying? Selling? Call Nicole" ads as you can afford. Put them ever where.

This will make your exit from the industry fast and painless.

Or, you can take a look at your business plan and reacquaint yourself with your preferred business population. Then reacquaint yourself with the resources you have that are detailed in your business plan. Finally, in the research you completed, you identified the attributes you bring into a transaction that equate to a solution or benefit  or privilege that you can market.

As you can see your advertising will have a real message and highly targeted delivering more responses that are conversion ready.

To answer you question..."More data needed."

NOTE: following the above empowers you not only with media advertising but those face-to-face meet-ups where folks ask you, "What do you do?"

Would it not be nice to respond, "I bring organization and assurance in the chaotic and stressful home selling process."

'How do you do that?"

At this point you are the only on on stage. Be well prepared not in preponderance but in resonance.

Don’t worry they’ll find you !

Great answers. 

No idea. 

Start blogging about neighborhoods with good key words.

With little money till you have asome dollars,  Knock on door and work a farm.

Compliantly!

Word of mouth.. 

1. Talk to people in person
2. Join civic groups
3. If your church or (place of worship) has advertising in a NL 
4. Get involved at your kids school
5. Find good networking groups (face to face) but something that fits your personality
6. Community blogs 
7. Active Rain posts

The first thing I would do is to set up your online properties (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Website, Google Maps Business Listing) and make sure they are all cross-branded. It shows a level of professionalism and that you are serious about your business. It also gives you more platforms to start building your real estate brand. 

Have a professional photo done.  That is so important.  Nothing cheesy.  The first one you want to pick is the wrong one.  Look at all of those photos for about a week.  The photo should be all business but still warm.  We are selling the idea of "home", so make sure warmth and charm come through.  

Secondly, preview homes and when you find a home that you really like, ask the listing agent if you can post it.  For example, "I'm so excited to tell everyone about this great condo/investment/home that just came on the market.  It has (fill in the blank).  Let's go take a look at it or with just a little lipstick it would make a great flip, or whatever.  You just need to seem like you know what's out there.  

Thirdly, when you really like a neighborhood (that's the only way it's bareable), knock on the doors and pass out your cards.  After introducing yourself and saying you're a local realtor, you need to say something like, Everyone is talking about this neighborhood or This area is exploding in value, then... for the right price, would you consider selling your home?  It's a win if you get invited in or they leave their phone number.  You can do the CMA the next time.  I have moved a lot and have had to start from scratch so many times...