After youve gotten in the groove of turning out articles and notes to reporters about your topic, take it to the next step: Write and self-publish a book about your topics.

Does this seem intimidating, or even impossible (not to mention expensive). Believe me, it isn't. I know, because I did it.

You can write the entire thing in a word processor, and a publisher will turn it into a book. It's not hard, and is less expensive than you might think.

A reputable self-publisher will create a book with a professional-looking cover and an ISBN number so you can sell it on sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It's not likely to become a best-seller, but you might generate a little bit of revenue.

Besides, the point of the book isn't to top the New York Times charts. Instead, you can use it to grow your financial planning practice through marketing and publicity.

Being an author gives you automatic credibility with the media, most of whom would kill to have the time to write a book. You can even use the event of the book's launch to line up some local TV or radio interviews.

Give the book to everyone, including the media. Send it to your best clients and your best sources for referrals. Sell it for a cheap rate, if you can, when you give speeches to community or business groups. It's a powerful tool to build your reputation and get your name in front of prospects.