All marketers face challenges, and real estate marketing is no different. But sometimes we have a way of letting our challenges grow "too big for their britches."

In our minds, hurdles can become impossibilities, when in reality theyre anything but impossible. To overcome a real estate marketing challenge, you simply have to look at it with a fresh perspective, ask the right questions, and then charge ahead.

With that in mind, here are some of the common marketing challenges Ive heard real estate agents express over the years, as well as ways to overcome those challenges:

Challenge #1 - I dont know anything about marketing.
Every marketer approaches their first project with little or no practical experience. Practical experience comes from, well, practical experience. So in your real estate marketing endeavors, start by gaining a knowledge base through reading and research. Then build on that base through actual experimentation.

"Analysis paralysis" affects a lot of would-be marketers. This is the condition where every element of a marketing campaign is analyzed, scrutinized and conceptualized -- to the point that nothing actually gets done.

Learn as much as you can about a particular marketing channel or tactic by studying what others have done. Then get out there and do it for yourself. Sure, youll make mistakes. We all do. But thats part of the learning process.

Challenge #2 - I dont know where to start.
If youre new to the world of real estate marketing, start with the basics. First determine your goals. This will make the entire process easier. Too often, I see people define marketing goals that are overly vague. "I want to grow my business," is not a marketing goal -- its something we all want.

Of course you want to grow your business. But to gain any direction from this step, you have to get specific. For instance:

"I want to create an educational website with free downloads and reports, and promote the site with direct mail. Using this system, I want to capture 20 new leads per month."

Now thats a goal -- specific, measurable and directional.

Challenge #3 - I dont know anything about technology.
Technology. The word alone scares people. But in truth, marketing technology has evolved to a point of user-friendliness that it never had before.

Todays marketing tools -- from website creation to list management -- are more usable than ever, even by people with little to no technical skill.

And even when you can't find user-friendly technology to help you with a certain marketing task, you can bet theres a vendor willing to step in.

When researching technology, break the process down into simple parts. First, refer back to your goals from Challenge #2 above. What technology can help you achieve those goals? Once youve answered this question, youll have taken an ocean of technological possibilities and narrowed them down to a channel that best applies to you.

And always remember: technology can deliver the message, but it cant create the message. It can help you show the value of your services, but it cant create that value in the first place. That's your job.

Challenge #4 - I dont have time.
This one is simply a matter of priorities. If your marketing is a top priority, then you can make time for it. Heres an easy way to do just that:

Start small, with just an hour a day. Spend 15 minutes reading up on a particular marketing tactic, and 45 minutes actually practicing it. The 15 minutes of research also helps reduce Challenge #1 (not knowing anything about marketing).

Challenge #5 - Im new to real estate.
Every expert from every industry was the new guy or gal at some point. They managed, and so can you. Even if youre new to real estate, youre still a professional, right? Youll find that people judge you by your personal behavior as much as your credentials.

When it comes to your marketing message, this means being knowledgeable and professional. Proper spelling, relevant information, professional design and delivery -- these factors add up, and they'll help you make a strong impression regardless of how long you've been practicing real estate.

* Copyright 2006, Brandon Cornett. You may republish this article in its entirety, provided you leave the byline, author's note and website hyperlink intact.