Image Consultant

A great image is essential to achieving success; both in the business and social aspects of our lives. Achieving a great image is often much easier said than done, many people know that their image needs improvement but aren’t quite able to look at themselves with the objectivity required to make positive changes. An image consultant helps people improve their image in a number of ways, from advising on a new wardrobe to suggesting hair styles. If you ever have thoughts on how you could transform a badly dressed person on the street, this is your calling. This exciting work at home job can be started with little or no capital, can be done part time or full time and has great potential for expansion.

Before The Start-Up – Let’s Not Get Ahead Of Ourselves

No qualifications are required to become an image consultant. You will however need to have an eye for appearance and fashion; your success will rest on your natural ability to transform your client’s appearance.

The Start-Up

The first thing you’ll need to do before starting your consulting business is to decide on the services you will be offering. Image consultants usually offer various packages and secondary services so it’s a good idea to give this some serious thought (It’s also important to put together a business plan no matter what size business you plan on starting).

Basic services usually offered include:

Image Analysis

Also known as a makeover, image analysis involves assessing and remaking a client’s entire image.

Fashion Analysis

Fashion analysis specifically focuses on remaking a client’s wardrobe, this could include anything from advising on new clothes to purchase, matching outfit creation and general closet organization.

Makeup Analysis

A service offered for woman, make analysis involves assessing and remaking a client’s makeup, it also involves putting together makeup combinations and matching makeup with a wardrobe.

Typical clients will include college students heading out into the work place, workers looking to smarten up for a promotion and even people looking to get a date. Most clients will be going through a period of change in their lives, this makes it possible to offer other services besides those based entirely on image, these include:

Etiquette

Etiquette consulting is no longer restricted to business and dinner table etiquette. Technology has created etiquette for communicating by cell phone, email and even working out at the gym.

Communication

Communication consulting is broken down into verbal communication which includes voice, grammar and vocals, and non-verbal communication which includes body language, posture and presence.

With a business plan and package structure in hand you’ll also need a cell phone, fabrics for draping, colour swatches, business cards, an invoice and receipt book and promotional materials such as a brochure of your services. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a mobile job; you might choose to see clients at your home. In either case it’s a good idea to create a home office to take care of paper work, communication and marketing. A computer with an internet connection, printer and fax machine will be extremely helpful.

Making It Work

Clients looking for an image consultant are often using other services at the same time, such as a resume service or a hair stylist. It’s important to network with related services and get your name out there. Forming co-operative arrangements with related services is a way to increase your client base and ensure a steady supply of work. Don’t forget to reward a commission to businesses that refer work to you.

If you don’t have much experience, but think this is the job for you, its essential to build a portfolio. Ask relatives and friends if you can make them over, take before and after photos and include a case study on each one. Etiquette and communication skills can be learned. Search on Amazon for the highest rated books in these fields and get learning.

Marketing

Co-operative arrangements discussed above, and word of mouth will be the most important and cost effective marketing tools you can use. You can also advertise your services in local newspaper classifieds, business publications, direct mail and listings with industry specific directories such as the Directory of Image Consultants in the U.S. Consider getting a small business website developed, it should outline your services and offer free tips and advice to get people reading further. Register your website with local online business directories such as Google and MSN’s local directories.

Don’t Forget

Unless you have clients meet you at your home you’re likely to run up high transport costs, don’t forget to include these in your estimates. Driving a fuel efficient car or even a hybrid, can significantly decrease these costs.

Finally remember that clients will look to you to set a great example of image and behaviour, acting the part is an important part of this job.