Image Consultants: Salary, Career, and Pathway to Becoming One

Do you have a strong understanding of fashion and style? What about the fine art of image management?

If you find yourself always knowing exactly what people need to do to improve their images and propel themselves to higher levels in their careers, a career as an image consultant may be for you. 

Image consultants are masters of self-presentation. They help their clients improve many different facets of their image.

As an image consultant, you may choose to focus on specialties. For example, some image consultants work more on physical appearance while others focus more on etiquette and body language. 

Image consultants often give their clients advice and guidance for a complete makeover. This includes advice on makeup and hair, as well as self-confidence and body language guidance.

When clients come to an image consultant, they often feel insecure. You want to build up their confidence and understand their work style. 

While there is some overlap between the work of image consultants and stylists, these professionals have different jobs. Stylists work with fashion and beauty only. If you hire a personal stylist, they will make sure you stay fashionable and up-to-date with your style. 

Image consultants go much further than this. Some image consultants will do a lot of stylist work, but they take things to a higher level. They teach you how to improve your image by molding how your style and personality are perceived overall. 

In contrast to stylists, image consultants must have a strong understanding of communication. That is because you must guide your clients in how to communicate more effectively to help improve their image and ensure they can network more effectively. 

There are different kinds of image consultants. Keep in mind, however, that there is overlap. In other words, one image consultant’s practice may encompass more than one of the following specialties. 

Fashion and wardrobe consultants focus on guiding their clients in how they can improve their wardrobes and the clothes that they wear. 

In this specialty, image consultants teach their clients how to practice the best in social and business etiquette. 

If you want to specialize in leadership and training, you focus on sharing leadership expertise with your clients. You also provide them with advice on how they can gain training for progressing in their careers. 

This is an image consultant specializing in corporate and executive clients. 

If you’re a knowledgeable and experienced image consultant with a decent roster of clients, you may expect an average salary of $42,431 US per year. Image consultants working in large and fashionable cities (such as New York) will usually make significantly more than those working in smaller locations. 

As an image consultant, you will probably work for an hourly rate. Experienced image consultants with a large network and living in a large city may command as much as $100 to $300 per hour. Most image consultants, however, make significantly less. 

What does image consulting include? Put simply, there isn’t such a thing as a typical day for an image consultant. Each day varies, and the tasks you might be doing depend on the scope of your business.

Generally speaking, however, you will spend a lot of time one-on-one with clients. You may visit them in their homes, such as when you help them go through their closets to evaluate their wardrobes. 

No formal training or certification is required to work as an image consultant. However, getting education and certification will help set you up for success. You can put the knowledge you gain to use in your image consultant practice. 

No one will ever hire an image consultant that doesn’t have a great image, both in terms of their physical presentation (for example, fashion) and personality (including confidence).

One of the best ways of demonstrating your expertise is by presenting the best possible self-image. Always be well-dressed and confident. 

Whatever image consultant course you take, make sure it teaches you how to help clients improve in their appearance, confidence and general behavior, and communication. Different clients have different requirements and needs, so you want the full range of knowledge areas. 

Personal development is the key to image improvement. When taking an image consultant course, you focus on helping your future clients in their personal development and growth.

As an image consultant, you will recognize that personal development includes a range of components, involving both the exterior and inner life of an individual. 

Make sure the image consulting educational program you choose provides certification. There are reputable professional accreditation sources that also provide accreditation for image consultants. 

While image consultants aren’t required to have certification in order to practice their profession, having certification will help attract clients.  

Becoming a successful image consultant takes determination and a willingness to learn. It also takes a certain natural flair for style and self-presentation.

You have an instinct for how people can improve their images, and you want to share this with the world. 

If you’re serious about this career path, take a course and seek out image consultant certification. This will help your future clients understand how much value you offer. 

There are dozens of famous image consultants all around the world. Of course, the skills image consultants need to be successful depends on the part of the world where they live and work. 

Just one example of a famous professional image consultant is Lauren Solomon. She has been featured in Forbes and is widely recognized for her ability to transform images and careers. 

You need to be a sophisticated and personable marketer to gain clientele for your image consulting business. Do you have a great elevator pitch? You’ve got to be a good talker to build up your network. 

Be confident and draw attention to your professional background. In other words, make your breadth of experience obvious, calling attention to it in all your marketing.

No matter how small your business, you need a business plan. Marketing must remain a significant part of this throughout the life of your enterprise. 

Being an image consultant is an exciting career path. If you want to be an image consultant, start improving your knowledge and skills in fashion and self-presentation, communication, confidence, and more.