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Articles and books aren't the only print forms that advisors should consider, says Marie Swift, principal of Impact Communications, Inc. in Kansas City, Mo. In her experience, some advisors who aren't suited for writing books can still benefit by writing in other formats. "Many advisors are better served by writing a white paper or a special report, something that can be promoted on their website and through a news release, much like a book," she says. "It's less intense, it's less costly, it's less of a time commitment and it can be seen as just as credible, particularly if you're talking to other people in the community that can become a part of that special report or that white paper."

"Many advisors are better served by writing a white paper or a special report; something that can be promoted on their website and through a news release, much like a book."

Be prepared for D-I-Y publicity

New book authors are often surprised to learn that their publisher doesn't plan to spend much time or money publicizing an author's new book. Although publishers typically promote a book for a limited time after its release, most of their marketing support goes to established, top-selling authors. Farrell suggests writers realize this and be prepared for D-I-Y (do-it-yourself) publicity. "That's the tough part­—trying to get some exposure on local TV, in your local paper, in financial blogs and in other media outlets where you pitch maybe one specific concept in the book," he says. You do "whatever you can do to try to get the word out about the book and it's a lot of work," Farrell adds, noting that it's helpful if you live in a large city.

Hire a book publicist if you don't want to handle your own publicity. Their job is to help you get exposure for the book through media interviews, reviews, Web marketing and so on.

Build your web

The Internet and social media provide excellent tools for promoting your writing and leveraging its exposure to a wider audience. Swift explains how an author might promote his or her work online. "You will want to do a news release about your book and publish it on a news release distribution service, something that's intended for online visibility, something that will contain keywords that will boost your search engine factors online," she says. "Then there's a whole cross-linking strategy that you can employ to cross-link to articles about the book, the book's website, to the news release that's on the press release distribution service about the book and so forth. The more cross-linking you can do in today's world will create a spider web in the sky so that you catch more visibility, whether it's a journalist or a perspective client or a strategic partner or even a current client who's likely to be impressed when they're looking for particular sorts of service providers or information online."

The same approach can work for articles. E-mail and social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter allow you to easily inform multiple clients and prospects about your writing. In turn, they can share the article with their contacts and leverage your distribution network.

Writing as a marketing tool

Wealth advisor Charlie Farrell has made a commitment to writing. He sees it as another component to his overall marketing plan. Farrell maintains that writing has not only worked in his favor as part of his marketing plan, but it's provided credibility for him among consumers. When he meets with clients he can show them his byline in respected publications. And, with consumers increasingly wary of financial experts, it's a great leg up to have that kind of instant credibility when meeting with them.