Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It

Rating:
Summary: A reader who has met the dynamic Ms. Klaus
Review: Although we all must find our own personal way of promoting ourselves, one that is true to who we are, we can pick up some helpful tips from Peggy Klaus. Telling about our accomplishments in story form, especially if it's humorous or enlightening, is a sure fire way of being remembered by others. I loved this tip.

Rating:
Summary: Great for Job Hunters
Review: As someone who is looking for a new job, I am always thinking about how to make my interviews go better. This book made me see how I have been presenting myself to possible employers with an almost apologetic attitude. Klaus explains how to make up bragologues about yourself so that you can let people know who you are and what you can do without sounding obnoxious. I was skeptical at first, but for the first time in months I have been called back for a second interview. I also told my friend about this book and she said that it helped her get a new client. It's fun to read and has lots of easy to use advice.

Rating:
Summary: Great for Job Hunters
Review: BRAG is a little gem! I tried a few of Peggy Klaus' simple story techniques and it's true, they make a huge difference--people listened more because I sounded much more interesting. The advice in this book isn't rocket science---it's practical, "living" real stuff that many people grapple with everyday trying to sell themselves. It's also a funny and fast read, a
departure from the typically dry and often lengthy business self-help books. I highly recommend it!

Rating:
Summary: Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It
Review: BRAG is a little gem! I tried a few of Peggy Klaus' simple story techniques and it's true, they make a huge difference--people listened more because I sounded much more interesting. The advice in this book isn't rocket science---it's practical, "living" real stuff that many people grapple with everyday trying to sell themselves. It's also a funny and fast read, a
departure from the typically dry and often lengthy business self-help books. I highly recommend it!

Rating:
Summary: Wow! I think this book was written just for me!
Review: Brag! was recommended to me highly... three different times. The third recommendation was because the book was on the "must read" list of a class I was taking on marketing. I finally bought the paperback version of the book since I was unable to find it at the local library.

I ho-hummed as I opened the book thinking it would be yet another inspirational speaker writing a book bragging about her success and that everyone else should be inspired. Inspirational speakers have never been that inspirational to me - probably because their "inspiration" lasts as long as it takes for me to get back to my car (usually at the top level of the parking lot furthest away from the auditorium). Once I'm behind the wheel of my car I am thrust back into my own world wondering what just happened. Hadn't I felt great just a few moments before? Wasn't I ready to go get `em? Wasn't I determined to get going and make a success of my business?

I read the first paragraph of the Introduction of Brag! and Peggy Klaus had me hooked. Wait a minute. I know she was talking about her own background in her narrative, but it sounded as if she was talking about me! She speaks of her father telling her as a child, " ...don't toot your own horn; if you do a good job people will notice you." My parents and Sunday School teachers said that all the time, too, and more. "Bragging is a big no-no." "The Bible says that modesty is a virtue." No wonder I never really liked inspirational speakers. They come off as giant braggarts. According to Peggy Klaus, they're not doing it right.

Countless phrases of virtue and avoidance of being obnoxious and self-aggrandizing hang in the back of my head waiting to pounce as soon as someone asks me what I do. I murmur, "I'm a graphic designer" only half-believing that I deserve the title despite my success. "Graphic designer?" they ask. "Does that mean you do, like, brochures and stuff like that?" "Yeah," I answer. And then the conversation falls flat.

This is where Peggy Klaus picks up the pace and tells you right out that if you don't speak up for yourself, no one else will. However, there is an art to this type of communication. Peggy spends the remaining 190 pages helping you take stock of what you have to brag about while you make yourself a "Brag Bag" full of "Brag Bites" and a few good "Bragalogues" to fit various situations. She also has some plain talk rebuttals to the "buts" we all have to talking about ourselves. My favorite:

" `But... do I really need to brag 24/7?' Like the Scouts, be prepared... to toot at any time. That doesn't mean, however, that you do it all the time or that you do it at inappropriate times or places. You do it when it feels comfortable. And learning how to make it feel more comfortable is what this book is all about."

Peggy's examples are plentiful and, if you're like me, you'll see yourself in her examples more than once. She's not just any braggart, she's the best! Her natural way of writing (read: unpretentious), extremely practical advice, recommendations and her sense of humor combine to make this my favorite book of my business reading and the book that, right now, is making the most impact in my life and in my business.
-Anna Kris Bell
Catchphrase Graphics

Rating:
Summary: Wow! I think this book was written just for me!
Review: Brag! was recommended to me highly... three different times. The third recommendation was because the book was on the "must read" list of a class I was taking on marketing. I finally bought the paperback version of the book since I was unable to find it at the local library.

I ho-hummed as I opened the book thinking it would be yet another inspirational speaker writing a book bragging about her success and that everyone else should be inspired. Inspirational speakers have never been that inspirational to me - probably because their "inspiration" lasts as long as it takes for me to get back to my car (usually at the top level of the parking lot furthest away from the auditorium). Once I'm behind the wheel of my car I am thrust back into my own world wondering what just happened. Hadn't I felt great just a few moments before? Wasn't I ready to go get 'em? Wasn't I determined to get going and make a success of my business?

I read the first paragraph of the Introduction of Brag! and Peggy Klaus had me hooked. Wait a minute. I know she was talking about her own background in her narrative, but it sounded as if she was talking about me! She speaks of her father telling her as a child, " ...don't toot your own horn; if you do a good job people will notice you." My parents and Sunday School teachers said that all the time, too, and more. "Bragging is a big no-no." "The Bible says that modesty is a virtue." No wonder I never really liked inspirational speakers. They come off as giant braggarts. According to Peggy Klaus, they're not doing it right.

Countless phrases of virtue and avoidance of being obnoxious and self-aggrandizing hang in the back of my head waiting to pounce as soon as someone asks me what I do. I murmur, "I'm a graphic designer" only half-believing that I deserve the title despite my success. "Graphic designer?" they ask. "Does that mean you do, like, brochures and stuff like that?" "Yeah," I answer. And then the conversation falls flat.

This is where Peggy Klaus picks up the pace and tells you right out that if you don't speak up for yourself, no one else will. However, there is an art to this type of communication. Peggy spends the remaining 190 pages helping you take stock of what you have to brag about while you make yourself a "Brag Bag" full of "Brag Bites" and a few good "Bragalogues" to fit various situations. She also has some plain talk rebuttals to the "buts" we all have to talking about ourselves. My favorite:

" 'But... do I really need to brag 24/7?' Like the Scouts, be prepared... to toot at any time. That doesn't mean, however, that you do it all the time or that you do it at inappropriate times or places. You do it when it feels comfortable. And learning how to make it feel more comfortable is what this book is all about."

Peggy's examples are plentiful and, if you're like me, you'll see yourself in her examples more than once. She's not just any braggart, she's the best! Her natural way of writing (read: unpretentious), extremely practical advice, recommendations and her sense of humor combine to make this my favorite book of my business reading and the book that, right now, is making the most impact in my life and in my business.
-Anna Kris Bell
Catchphrase Graphics

Rating:
Summary: MyShelf.com Book Reviewer
Review: In today's corporate market, competition is fierce, as people try to out do each other to get ahead. There are many techniques, but not every one is effective. Finding the right marketing technique to sell your skills is crucial. Survival is only for the fittest.

Peggy Klaus is a world-renowned Fortune 500 communication coach. Being an expert in the art of communication has enabled her to create a book based on simple-to-understand, real-life concepts. Her techniques show how to capitalize on being yourself while making the most of your accomplishments.

With her "Track 12" concept, she allows readers the opportunity to interact with the book itself by answering questions that can be referred back to at the right time and appropriate moment to make yourself outshine the competition. For instance, you will learn how to effectively throw a reference to one of your achievements into everyday conversations without sounding phony or unnatural. Her advice is golden; it provides the polished style and refined substance needed to climb the corporate ladder.

Of all the books I have ever read on this subject, I found Ms. Klaus's to have the most grace and the most overall, long-term impact. For anyone who is struggling to gain the recognition for their hard work and long hours, this is the book you will need to add to your book collection. Very highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: "Personal Publicity" goes hand-in-hand with success!
Review: Klaus has it right - self-promotion isn't bragging. It is a valuable business tool that career women must add to their strategies for success. It's easy to wrongly assume that a mentor (for those lucky enough to have one), or supervisor will take control and make sure that we gain professional visibility. Women, especially, show far too much humility about their talents and skills. If we want people to value our skills, we must first show that we value ourselves -- by making sure our accomplishments are visible to targeted audiences. If we want people to hire us or promote us, buy from us or invest in our companies, they have to know who we are, what we have accomplished and why they should do business with us! The first step is to develop a "personal publicity plan," a step-by-step process that will help even the most timid become comfortable with the concept of self-promotion.

Rating:
Summary: You Need This
Review: Klaus provides admirably clear and concise advice for how to create "bragalogs" for any purpose. Self-effacement will not get you where you need to go. Don't want to be obnoxious, either, but Peggy helps us understand the essential differences.

Salespeople, consultants and job hunters will benefit from this great, simple book. Get it on tape and listen to it while communiting; I find this to be extremely helpful to maintain focus!

Rating:
Summary: I can't believe I bought this book!
Review: Perhaps a one-on-one session with Peggy Klaus may get great results through personal coaching; this material does not play well in book form. The messages are trite and over-simplified and the "bragisms" just keep flowing in form of foolish buzz words the author hopes will somehow catch on.
If you have problems with self-confidence or verbalizing your accomplishments, get a personal coach and taylor the methods to suit you. This one-brag-fits-all book offers no insights into yourself you couldn't get from looking in the mirror...