“How to get free PR for your business – and be paid for it” – published today

How to get free PR, be paid for it and increase your sales from more visibility

My latest book How to get free PR for your business – and be paid for it: 280 ways to gain media coverage and raise your profile is published today (22 October 2024).

It is available to buy from Amazon (Associate Link) Signed copies are available here.

If you are self-employed or run a small business and you wish to become more visible in the media, to bring you credibility and sales, then you need this book! I applied most of the tips in this book to go from writing an opinion piece in the local newspaper through to being a panellist for Jeremy Vine on 5.

I started The Complaining Cow blog in 2012 as a hobby. Since then I have developed it into a business. With two best-selling consumer advice books under my belt, I am now a well-established and trusted Consumer Champion, who also advises businesses on improving customer service to increase sales. I have appeared in/on about 200 media outlets, many of them regularly, with countless case studies and contributions, plus writing specially-commissioned pieces.

Here I show how you can do it, too.

A comprehensive guide packed full of ideas, it includes many examples from myself and from others who have used these ideas to boost their PR coverage. It will help you grow your own contact list, approach television, radio and newspaper outlets and leverage your coverage. Armed with this knowledge you can become the “go-to” media expert in your chosen subject area, with regular paid appearances.

The book includes a foreword by Jeremy Vine and reviews from Rob Rinder, Brad Burton and Lynsey Hope

Reviews of How to get free PR for your business – and be paid for it: 280 ways to gain media coverage and raise your profile

“Helen Dewdney writes with fearless clarity and she’s done it again… She’s one of my few and regular go-tos, especially for how to approach consumer issues or in the event of an urgent sense check. This book is packed full of great and creative ideas for building up excellent PR, establishing yourself as the expert and keeping the momentum going. She is – hands down – a mega star in the world of consumer affairs and in this latest book, on PR, she shares how you can do it for yourself.” – Rob Rinder, Barrister, Presenter and Columnist

“She’s not doing the devious PR stuff, but rather making wholly honest and interesting suggestions about how you reach out – I can hardly object to her suggestion that it might be a good idea to work out who you’re speaking to before you ring them; what the story is; what your expertise is. All good! There are no dark arts in here because dark arts don’t work – Jeremy Vine, Broadcaster

“Exceptional, Truly Exceptional I’ve been in business now for 20 years, and PR has been a massive vehicle for me. Helen Dewdney’s PR book is the PR Bible, I promise you. There’s no filler; it’s all thriller. No fluff, just straight talk. Succinct and comprehensive, it’s an enjoyable scannable read that gives so much value. I’ve seen PR books that are a “hoity-toity” almost costume-playing what it is to be a PR. They are not Absolutely Fabulous. This is, Helen cuts through all that, delivering pure, good stuff, zero wastage. None. It is as lean as you’re going to get. This is the book PR professionals and “agencies” really do not want you to read. PR just isn’t the dark art it’s been made out to be, and this book shines a light on everything you’ll need to know to go it alone, and get your PR working fast. Before you hire an agency for thousands of pounds, read this for just over a tenner. Exceptional. A true 10 out of 10 book. Absolute belter. Absolutely fabulous!” – Brad Burton, 4Networking Founder and Motivational Leader

“Helen’s book is full of helpful advice for businesses, big and small, looking to get some publicity. Helen is a very experienced consumer champion, adept at dealing with journalists from all walks of life. Her advice is easy to follow, practical and will get results. She knows the value of good press and her book is a great starting point for anyone wanting to promote their work and grow their business.” – Lynsey Hope, Freelance Journalist and Editor

How to get free PR for your business – and be paid for it: 280 ways to gain media coverage and raise your profile is available to buy from Amazon (Affiliate Link) Signed copies here.

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Empowering people with gusto

“The critical thing is empowering people and part of empowerment is making people understand their legal rights more and it’s theirs, being able to identify the persona in authority to make a decision and having the elbow when somebody says “no” to say “well I’m sorry..” and those are the three things and I think you do that with gusto and are an example in that regard.”

“How to Complain

Helen Dewdney’s How to Complain is a masterclass in asserting your rights with wit, precision and just the right amount of righteous fury. It’s the book every consumer didn’t know they desperately needed – until now.”

“101 Habit of an Effective Complainer

If complaining is an art form, Helen Dewdney is Rembrandt. This book is easy to follow, beautifully written and – above all – teaches us that complaining effectively doesn’t require rudeness or angry sharp elbows. Dewdney’s book is a brilliant reminder that being a successful complainer (or getting what you were entitled to in the first place) is simple to achieve and can even be fun. Her superb how-to guide isn’t for ‘complainers,’ it’s for anybody who has ever been a consumer and been let down – it’s for all of us.”

“How to Get Free PR and be Paid for it

Helen Dewdney writes with fearless clarity and she’s done it again… She’s one of my few and regular go-tos, especially for how to approach consumer issues or in the event of an urgent sense check. This book is packed full of great and creative ideas for building up excellent PR, establishing yourself as the expert and keeping the momentum going. She is – hands down – a mega star in the world of consumer affairs and in this latest book, on PR, she shares how you can do it for yourself.”

Rob Rinder

Journalist, TV Judge barrister, presenter