HOW TO CHOOSE AN IMAGE MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL

Choices! Some are fun, some are unnerving, some have significant financial and personal consequences, as in April's Question of the Month.

QUESTION: When someone is ready to consider an image consultant, what should they look for? A lot of people out there call themselves image consultants. Is there a distinction between image consultant, and stylist, and personal shopper?

ANSWER: There are many highly qualified image professionals offering valuable services. Unfortunately, there are many people who have titled themselves image consultants or stylists who have very little substance. The hallmarks of a qualified image professional are first, education; second, continuing education; third, experience; fourth, genuine integrity; and fifth, an investment in the well-being and success of the client.

First, education and training of the image consultant is paramount. Image management is a complex field of study and work. It simply is not enough to have a love for clothing and shopping. Image management is so much more than having fun with fashion. Credible image consultants are highly—and continually—trained in the four Universal Elements of Image: Dress, Grooming, Body Language, and Etiquette & Protocol. We have to treat the whole person, not just their clothing. It is a significant red flag to hear an image representative say that a client should wear or do whatever feels good and comfortable to them. There are proven principles of design in dress, cues that we give in our grooming, proper etiquette and protocol practices, and intricacies in the clues we give through our verbal and non-verbal communication. The knowledge of these principles cannot be acquired through instinct or passion alone.

The second qualification to look for is ongoing education in the image field. Continuing education at qualified image institutes will allow the consultant to keep abreast of current trends and image practices. Here is a good place to mention certifications and professional affiliations. Those seeking the services of a qualified image professional should look closely at what certifications are held, what associations the consultant is affiliated with, and where they have served in the image industry. If the professional is lacking in these areas, image services may be more of a hobby than a serious profession. When the image professional shows a pattern of continuing education and advancing certification, the client can feel that they are in credible hands. The Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) is the leading and largest professional association of personal and corporate image consultants worldwide. A consultant’s membership in AICI is a good start, and certification from AICI is an indication of the image professional’s commitment to education and excellence in image work.

Third, discussing the experience of the image consultant will help a prospective client to discern the consultant’s level of work and whether the consultant is working in an area of image that will fill the needs of the client. I would suggest looking at a past and current client list if possible. For example a C-Level executive would benefit less when working with a consultant whose client base is primarily stay-at-home parents.

Fourth, sadly, there are unqualified people setting up image practices. A list of references and a look at the history of integrity in the consultant’s practice will save a potential client from making a potentially costly and unpleasant mistake.

Fifth, and a little more difficult to assess, is the consultant’s commitment to the well-being and success of the client. An initial consultation and discussions with references will allow you to determine that the image consultant has a practice of investing in the client.

Careful research and personal initial consultation with a prospective consultant will help you make the best choice of an image management professional to meet your particular image goals.