An image consultant is a professional who enhances the image of a person both personally and professionally. The process involves assessing the effect of someone’s behavior and appearance on their personal and professional life. An image consultant is supposed to work on the client’s style, appearance, communication, personal branding, body image, social skills, self-confidence, public speaking, outfit choice, and professional etiquette areas.
A Guide to Become an Image Consultant
In order to become an image consultant, aspiring candidates need to master the fashion and marketing industry. That is what helps them to train and educate their clients on the latest fashion trends that could help them improve their professional image. For image consultants, people coming from political or executive backgrounds are the major clients in this industry. However, regular people can also opt for image consulting services.
Why Choose Image Consultancy as Your Career?
There is no doubt that what you wear and the way you carry your outfit have a major impact on your professional and personal image. Other than that, your etiquette and communication skills play a crucial role in developing your image. These are exactly the areas that an image consultant covers in order to evolve the current lifestyle of the client and help them embrace the latest industry trends.
Earlier, image consulting services were confined to outfits as people believed the dress you wear determines your success. Today, the growth in the fashion and marketing industry has led people to change their lifestyle and image according to the industry’s demand. There is a lot more to the term ‘Image Consulting’ than the selection of the right outfits to wear to a certain occasion.
Nowadays, image consultants offer a plethora of services to help build the overall image of their clients. These services, to name a few, including body language, presentation, behavior, communication, personal branding, and etiquette. Considering the constant demand for image building services, it seems like image consultancy is not going to vanish from the market anytime soon. If you are planning to pursue a full-time career in the image consulting industry, read on to know the fundamental requirements for this career.
How to Become an Image Consultant?
Image consulting is more about your knowledge and experience in the fashion and marketing industry. To help people build their image as a businessman or politician, you need to understand the basics of image consultancy.
For example, you must know what type of etiquette and dressing style is needed in a particular profession. Additionally, you must know the communication and personal branding requirements of that industry. Based on this knowledge, you must transform your client into a professional and polite person. Let’s start with the educational and qualification requirements for an image consultant.
Qualification and Experience Needed to Become an Image Consultant
Fortunately, there is no specific qualification requirement for image consultants. But, there are several certifications and training that can be achieved by aspiring image consultants. The minimum training and certificates will help you establish yourself as a professional and credible image consultant on the market.
It is important to note that image consultancy isn’t a position in a huge organization or firm. As an image consultant, you are responsible for marketing your services to local and international clients. To become the best consultant, you need to work on your entrepreneurship skills. In short, image consultants may not need special certifications to start their careers. However, they are solely responsible for building their brand and marketing their company to potential customers. In addition to being a consultant, you need to embrace the marketing skills to grow your organization.
You must follow the below-listed steps to become an image consultant.
- Get Training and Credentials
Though it is not required, people aspiring to become image consultants should consider getting proper training and credentials before stepping into this world. Many training institutes can train you to become an image consultant. The training can vary from a one-week training course to months-long program.
You must enroll in a trusted training organization to achieve valid certificates. You can check the popular image consultant training institutions online. Training is mandatory for beginners, who possess little to no knowledge in this industry.
- Market Research and Competitors’ Analysis
Before you establish your business as an image consultant, conduct proper research on the existing fashion editorial stylists and etiquette consultants near you. You may achieve certificates and training in this industry, but you need to work with real-life clients to earn experience.
Start your career by approaching a professional image consultant in your region. Ask them if there is any job opportunity or internship program available. You can join an established image consulting firm as an intern.
- Start Your Business
Now that you have achieved training and credentials, it is time to start your career as a credible image consultant. Mostly, image consultants start their own business rather than working under a firm or an image consulting organization. If you want to succeed in this career, you must follow the same path.
If you want to add experience to your portfolio before starting the image consulting business, you can work as an intern (as mentioned in the above step). But, you must set up your own firm to grow your business and services. You can find many professionals (offline and online) that are ready to assist you in building an image consultancy firm. Collect the essential resources, take help from professionals, research your competitor’s firm, and set up an image consulting business.
- Market Your Business
As much as acquiring your certificates and starting your business seem easy, building a network could turn out the most challenging job. To market your business, you must search for opportunities in your region first. You can even join your industry-specific communities to build your network.
Nowadays, digital marketing has made it quite simple for newcomers to establish themselves as professional image consultants on the market. You can hire a professional digital marketing agency to grow your brand in the online world.
