Want to attract more customers, or more high-profile clients? Traditional marketing might get you there. But Barlow Publishing's Sarah Scott thinks you'll have better luck if you become an author. When you're a book author, says Scott, you're suddenly an expert in your field.

Barlow Publishing is one of a burgeoning number of self-publishing services, though she says her approach to the author-pay model is unique. Barlow's staff will hold your hand throughout the entire process, from idea to design to distribution, production and marketing. "There's nobody who does what I do," says Scott.

Why publish a book?

If you're in the kind of business where you have to differentiate yourself from your competitors, Scott says this is a great way to do it. It shows your clients that you're a thought leader. "Show them that you know what you're talking about," advises Scott. "Be the one to educate them."

But a book isn't a brochure. Scott cautions that your book had better cover more than just the service you're selling; you have to have something insightful to say.