The Pros and Cons of Starting an Image Consulting Business

0
51
business
business

These days more and more people are considering new ways to work from home, and one of the best ways to achieve this goal is to work for yourself. One increasingly popular option is to start a home-based career as an Image Consultant. 

The Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) defines an image consultant as “a professional that provides image consulting for corporations and individuals through workshops, presentations, seminars, and coaching. These consultants may address issues including appearance, communicating effectively, proper attitude, social etiquette, and overall branding. 

The Benefits of Starting an Image Consulting Business

There are many instances where a person or corporation may want to hire an image consultant. For starters, those who look to present a high-end image, like executives who want to relate to stockholders of their own company, actors or other performers who need to develop their stage or camera presence, or even those who are planning a formal event, such as a wedding can benefit from the advice of an image consultant that will help them present the right mood, character, and appearance for whatever situation they are facing.

Because potential clients have a lot at stake, they are willing to offer their image consultants good money for their guidance in presenting the best version of themselves. Possible services to offer include

  • Personal shopping
  • Wardrobe/fashion consulting and closet auditing
  • Beauty consulting to determine the best hair and makeup options for the client’s goals

With the right skills and the right clients, you can earn good money for providing these services, because these potential clients have realized the importance of putting their best foot forward in various situations. 

Image consulting offers excellent networking opportunities and the opportunity to be creative and work from almost anywhere. Actual start-up costs are relatively low, with your biggest asset being your own creativity and knowledge. There are many different networking opportunities with people for many different industries, including life coaching, beauticians, personal trainers, dietitians, hairstylists, and more. You can look into specializing your talents to a specific type of client or be more of a generalist as you start off on your career.  While almost anyone can benefit from a little help with their image some standout client possibilities include

  • Celebrities (or people who want to become celebrities)
  • Executives
  • Politicians
  • Brides and Grooms, or other formal event hosts
  • Job seekers
  • Those heading into the dating pool
  • and more

The Risks and Obstacles You Should Consider

Like many home-based businesses, running an image consulting firm presents many challenges as well, and it isn’t the right choice for everyone. Getting the right contacts can be difficult for some, and of course, your own image needs to be spot-on in order to convince potential clients that you have what it takes to help them improve their own personal and professional lives.

You need to be able to deal with various personality types and sensitivities in your potential clients in order to help people make improvements, even when they may be sensitive to criticism. If your skillset isn’t wide enough, you may need to work closely with other professionals, which may lead to lower fees to keep for yourself. Staying on top of current fashion trends is also a vital component of the image consulting business. Even with the best skills, selling yourself and attracting clients on a continuous basis can be hard, and even those with the best personal images can find the business difficult to start. 

Having the Right Support When Starting an Image Consulting Business

No matter what type of business you are starting, having the right support in place is important. Ultimately, you are your own first client. The Association of Image Consultants International will help you access the training and learn industry norms as you embark on your new business venture.

Depending on where you live, there may be local laws you need to consider as you work with or set out to recruit your clients or other business associates. Taking the time to research know the business as much as possible will help you build up your own confidence and increase your own possibility of success. 

Even though there is a good amount of potential for success, it is important not to ignore the fact that the opposite is true as well. Image consulting is an industry that demands a lot of attention to detail, and still, success can take time with a lot of bumps along the way. You will need to build up your own resiliency and learn from whatever setbacks you might encounter. The journey itself is likely to be a bit of a rollercoaster ride and win, lose or draw it is likely that you will gain something valuable from the ride.

Get Started Image Consulting Today

No matter what type of business you are in, good training is a vital component that will give you a leg up on your competition. With image consulting, the skills you learn transfer to many other industries and help you be the best you regardless of whether you become an image consultant or pursue some other industry. At London Image Institute our training programs help you prepare for your own business as well as many other potential opportunities. Courses include both foundational and advanced courses, and you can begin to build the skills you need for success in a matter of days. With locations in London, Atlanta, Singapore, and India our training program offers an excellent opportunity for a working vacation that can lead to the career of your dreams. To learn more or register for courses, contact us at London Image Institute today.