BRAG! The Art of Tooting Your
Own Horn Without Blowing It
By Peggy Klaus

Have you ever been mad at yourself for missing a golden opportunity to tell others about your accomplishments because you were fearful of coming off as too showy or self-serving? How come so many of us can only think of the right things to say about ourselves after the fact (i.e. after a job interview, school admissions appointment, conversation with a teacher/coach/parent, tryout, or an unexpected meeting)?

For most people, BRAG is a four-letter word and talking about oneself is about as comfortable as having dental surgery. Raised to be modest, taught by parents not to brag (“It’s unattractive. People won’t like you.”), the whole idea of promoting ourselves makes us feel anxious.

"People either avoid bragging at all costs because they don’t know how to do it gracefully, or they attempt to sell themselves like a PowerPoint presentation—making those on the receiving end want to hide,” says Peggy Klaus, author of the popular book on self-promotion, BRAG! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It (Warner Books, May 2004, Paperback, $13.95). A top communication and leadership coach, Klaus has taught thousands of clients the art of bragging with style and grace. Now, her book is available to teach anyone how to brag—and get away with it.

Communicating your strengths and accomplishments without appearing too pushy or egotistical can be tricky. In BRAG! Klaus shows how to overcome reservations and comfortably sell yourself, wherever you go, without feeling or sounding like a walking billboard. There’s no need to choose between being silent or obnoxious. Klaus offers an artful middle ground—a way to share your own life stories, experiences and accomplishments in a way that won’t grate on the listener.

Based on years of experience showing business clients how to toot their own horns, these strategies are designed to work for everyone—including teens—in a variety of work-life situations. The result: Better opportunities—from getting into college to getting a job—and, best of all, creating a genuine sense of self-worth.

Some of the topics Klaus covers include:

• Bragging Myths We Live And Die By: Including "A job well-done speaks for itself," “Good girls don’t brag,” “Humility gets you noticed,” “I don’t have to brag; others will do it for me,” and “Bragging is just for performance reviews.”
  
  
• The "Take 12" Questionnaire: A self-evaluation tool that helps you zero in on what makes you unique.
  
  
• Interview Brag: Bragging your way through all types of zinger interview questions, such as, “tell me your weaknesses” or a previous bad job experience with a boss.
  
  
• "Brag Nags": Key communication techniques that make for more dynamic bragging in any situation.

The advice in BRAG! comes from Klaus’ personal and professional experiences. When she first went to Hollywood to interview for jobs in the entertainment industry, she quickly discovered she was terrible at talking about herself and her accomplishments. Like many, after years of being told by her parents, ‘Don’t talk about yourself,” she lacked confidence or bravado. Eventually, she figured out how to overcome her self-doubt by putting together a "bragologue," a story of her own accomplishments, to be delivered with the kind of enthusiasm normally reserved for telling a friend about an exciting adventure.

As Klaus explains, bragging is an art, a personal form of self-expression and communication that, once mastered, is the key to opening doors. A short, engaging and immediate-impact read, BRAG! is filled with painfully honest (and sometimes humorous) personal and professional self-promotion dilemmas and solutions. It teaches readers how to put their best foot forward—while keeping it out of their mouths!

To learn more, visit the BRAG! website at www.bragbetter.com.