Reviewed by David Leonhardt, MyShelf.Com
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When the title and the author battle it out, the author always wins. The title may imply that this is about how to market you and your business in an ethical way, but it really is about getting national media coverage. There are some useful elements for local businesses and practices. There certainly are some points where Susan Harrow's belief in authenticity shines through. And she does touch briefly on some aspects of marketing other than media coverage, but this is a manual on how to get national media coverage.

"Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul" covers almost every area of media relations, from writing a news release and assembling a media kit, to preparing for interviews. More than just advice, she provides templates and samples, helping readers put into practice the ideas she shares. Harrow writes from experience as one of the top media relations coaches in America. From my own personal experience, admittedly much less extensive than hers, her advice is solid.

What makes this book both a useful reference and a challenging read is that it is so full of information and ideas that it should really not be read in one gulp. Plan to read twice or to use your highlighter. Or to simply read some of it, put the ideas into practice, then read some more.

By the way, this is billed as a book for women, but I would feel comfortable following almost everything Harrow advises … except perhaps the part about hem lines.