Years ago, when I was writing a lead-gen book, the landscape of content creation tools was sparse. Back then, all I had was a simple outline and a basic word processor. Scrivener? Trello? Canva? These didn’t exist in my toolkit. Fast forward to today, and there’s no shortage of tools that can help you streamline the process. In fact, with everything available now, if you’re a financial advisor serious about growing your practice, there’s no excuse for not writing a book.

If you’re like the financial advisors I know—and I know quite a few—your day is full to the brim. You’re juggling client meetings, portfolio management, and the constant grind of administrative tasks. So, when someone tells you to write a lead-generating book to build your authority and bring in new business, you’re probably thinking, “Where am I going to find the time?”

Here’s a reality check: You’re never going to find the time. But with the right productivity tools, you can make the time. Today, I’m going to introduce you to four essential tools—Scrivener for writing, Trello for project management, Mailchimp for automating emails, and Canva for creating eye-catching marketing materials.

These tools won’t just help you write the book, they’ll help you promote it in a way that drives qualified leads right into your inbox.

Why Financial Advisors Should Use These Productivity Tools for Writing a Lead-Gen Book

Let’s be direct: You can’t do everything on your own. Not if you want to scale your business. Sure, you’re managing client portfolios and keeping the lights on, but you also need to consistently market yourself. Writing a book is one of the most effective ways to position yourself as the go-to expert in your niche. And trust me, you don’t need to carve out three months in a cabin to get it done.

By using productivity tools, you can create and market a book that not only enhances your credibility but also drives a consistent stream of new business. Scrivener keeps your writing organized. Trello helps you stay on track with your book and marketing timelines. Mailchimp automates your email marketing, and Canva makes sure all your promotional materials look professional without breaking the bank.

These tools give you leverage—and in today’s world, leverage is what separates the thriving advisors from the struggling ones.

Scrivener: The Writing Tool Every Financial Advisor Needs

Let’s talk about Scrivener. If you’re still using Microsoft Word to write a book, stop. Word was built for short documents, not 30,000-word lead-generating books. Scrivener, however, was designed specifically for long-form writing projects. It’s the tool you need if you’re serious about completing your book without tearing your hair out.

Scrivener helps you organize your manuscript, notes, research, and even your outlines—all in one place. No more flipping between documents or scrolling endlessly through a giant Word file. Everything is at your fingertips. One of its standout features is the “distraction-free” writing mode, which clears out all the noise on your screen and helps you focus on the task at hand—writing.

If time is your biggest enemy, Scrivener can help you maximize the time you do have. Set yourself a daily writing goal—500 words a day, for example. That’s 3,500 words a week. In a few months, you’ll have a complete draft. The key here is consistency, and Scrivener helps you maintain that by keeping everything neatly organized and easily accessible.

Trello: Keep Your Book Project on Track

Writing a lead-gen book can seem daunting at first. But with the right project management tool, you’ll stay on track. Let’s shift gears to Trello, a project management tool that’s going to keep your book and marketing tasks moving forward. It’s like having a giant digital whiteboard where you can visually map out every phase of your project.

You’ve got the writing under control, but what about everything else? The book launch? Social media posts? Email marketing? It’s easy to get overwhelmed. Trello steps in to help by allowing you to create boards with columns for each phase of the project: brainstorming, writing, editing, and marketing.

As you move through the process, you can drag tasks from one column to the next, making it easy to see where you are and what’s coming next. If you’re working with a freelance editor or designer for your book cover, you can assign tasks directly in Trello and track their progress.

Trello gives you a bird’s-eye view of your project, so nothing falls through the cracks. And for financial advisors who are already balancing multiple responsibilities, this kind of structure is a game-changer.

Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign: Automate Your Email Marketing

Here’s the thing—writing the book is only half the battle. The other half is making sure people actually read it. And one of the best ways to do that is through email marketing. But who has time to manually send out emails every week? That’s where tools like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign come in.

Both platforms allow you to set up automated “drip campaigns.” These are pre-written sequences of emails that are sent to new subscribers automatically. For example, someone downloads a free chapter of your book from your website. Mailchimp can immediately send them a welcome email, followed by a series of educational emails that position you as the expert. By the time the sequence ends, they’re ready to book a consultation.

The beauty of automation is that you do the work once, set it, and forget it. Mailchimp will keep nurturing your prospects while you focus on running your business. And with its audience segmentation features, you can tailor messages for different groups—sending personalized content to prospects, current clients, and even former clients.

Canva: Create Professional Marketing Materials on a Budget

Finally, we come to Canva, the tool that makes you look like a pro designer without having to hire one. Whether you need a book cover, social media graphics, or a flyer, Canva has you covered. It’s easy to use, even if you’ve never designed anything in your life.

Here’s how it works: You pick a template from their vast library, customize it with your brand colors, add your logo, and you’re done. Canva even allows you to create a “brand kit,” where you store all your design assets—logos, colors, fonts—so that every piece of marketing you create stays on-brand.

For financial advisors, Canva is a lifesaver because it eliminates the need to spend hours agonizing over the design of marketing materials. Create a few key assets, like a book cover and a few social media posts, and you’re ready to go. These assets can be repurposed across different platforms, saving you time and money.

How These Tools Will Help You Write and Market Your Book

Here’s the bottom line: If you want to write a book that generates leads and positions you as the go-to expert in your niche, you need the right tools. Scrivener will help you write more efficiently. Trello will keep your project moving from start to finish. Mailchimp will automate your email marketing, and Canva will make sure your marketing materials look professional.

If you dedicate just a small amount of time each day to using these tools, you’ll see the benefits stack up quickly. The end result? A polished lead-generation book that brings in more qualified prospects and helps you grow your financial advisory business.

These tools are your secret weapon for writing a lead-gen book. Use them wisely, and you’ll see your business grow faster than you thought possible.