As the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. And as more and more people are using the services of image consultants, what makes a good image consultant and what are the qualities you need to make this a rewarding career for you?

In my opinion, to make a good image consultant you must have a good eye for knowing what looks right and instinctively know how to put items together with a strong attention to detail. You have to be able to see the potential in people and be able to imagine what that person can achieve if given the right advice – it’s very important that you help bring out the person’s individual style based on their personality, lifestyle and budget, not make them a clone of modern trends. You must be confident and bubbly and make the sessions fun but also inspire people to believe change is possible. Having a little life knowledge and being an empathetic person can really help with this, showing them that anything is possible and making them feel empowered after a session is important, it goes far beyond just telling them which clothes suit them!

You need to be able to see the positive in people and have a strong desire to help them; by being passionate, compassionate and a good listener and wanting people to achieve the best they possibly can by showing them that style is nothing to be intimidated by and encouraging them to reach their personal goals. You need to be patient and a good communicator and get on well with lots of different types of people. You also need to be diplomatic and tactful in order to help someone realise all their good but show them where they are going wrong without making them feel bad about themselves. You will also have to be very persuasive about getting them out of their comfort zone!

It’s important to be professional, dynamic, hard working, conscientious and motivated, and try never to be late or let anyone down. You will need to network and market yourself through advertising, leaflet dropping, building a website, and getting out there and talking to anyone and everyone about what you do, being organised and good at handling the financial side of your business is also important. It will help you if you build up a good relationship with managers of local stores and get in-depth product knowledge of what is available and who it’s designed for. You need to be keen to learn and keep learning, working on your self development whilst you help others.

Most of all you need to a walking advert for your business, well groomed with a love of fashion without being a slave to it, you need your own personal style which will show your clients you are professional and good at what you do. Be friendly, approachable down to earth yet professional and I’m sure you will gain a lot of satisfaction by helping people feel better about themselves in what is, a very enjoyable job!