It's YOUR Network

How well are you connected?

By Kristen Kaleal

As image consultants, we can certainly offer our clients a lot of services and speaking topics. But we need to be the first to realize that we can’t to it ALL. Once upon a time, I used to offer makeup services, and then I said to myself, “Hey wait a minute, this isn’t my strength. I don’t really love doing it. I know what I’m doing, but I’m not a true pro.” I had to think about how I was NOT serving my clients the best I could because I was choosing to do it myself.

A few years ago, AICI had a Member Minute on this topic. You can read it here. I realized I had been doing what the article suggested all along – being a great little networker - but I needed to bring it up to the next level. Since then, my career started to thrive locally – sometimes it’s been totally out of control!

I think it is worth revisiting because this advice is always useful, whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out. Remember, no image consultant is ever an island! And the more of a network you have, the more you entrench will yourself as the ultimate resource for anything anyone needs in the local beauty, image or style world!

Who’s in Your Circle?

Here is the list from the original article. See if you can start filling in names of professionals you know. YOU may be the professional in some of these areas.

Fashion Stylist
Personal Shopper
Retail Salesperson
Trainer (Corporate or Other)
Corporate Outplacement Advisor
Plastic Surgeon
Cosmetic Dentist

Dermatologist
Makeup Artist

Dress Maker/Custom Tailor
Boutique Owner
Interior Designer (using your colors in the home)
Personal/Business Coach

Event Planner
Personal Trainer
Nutritionist
Chiropractor
Hair Stylist/Colorist

I would also recommend:

Life Coach

Professional Organizer

Gym/Fitness Center

Color Consultant

(I’ve found that not every image consultant does color)

Photographer

Communications/Presentation/Media Coach

Web Developer/Online Brand development

Department store

Here are a few of my recommendations – from a lot of personal experience!

* Have a salon you can refer to in every part of town (not just your personal hair stylist who is close to home). Meet with salon owners or make connections whenever you can. If you see someone whose hair you love, ask where they had it done. Connect with the salon owner, and if you like them, add them to your network.

* Have more than one store that you work with. Make sure that you have a relationship with the store manager. Depending on your market, be sure to have your favorites at all levels of clientele. Because of my market, I have a mid-level department store (and shop at three main locations where they know me) and a mid-to-high end store and a few boutiques.

* Your network can help you sweeten the deal for hiring you for local speaking work. Offer to throw in a salon or spa certificate (that you can sometimes get for free from your network) to raffle off to participants. I’m also able to get department store gift cards because I bring clients to their stores. Your ability to be generous (at no cost to you!) will bring you business!

* If you’re working with a business owner and their online presence is not consistent with the personal brand you are helping them develop, don’t be afraid to recommend taking another look at their business brand. Sometimes a business brand that needs help is undermining all the personal image work you’re doing with a client! Do you have someone you could refer to in that instance?

* As with all networking, the more you GIVE, the more you will always get back!

Kristen Kaleal is an image consultant and personal stylist, based in Cleveland, OH. Her clients include television personalities, professional athletes, major corporations, online daters and just about everyone in between. She is a popular online and print columnist and a recognized expert in the local media. She can be reached at (440) 742-0385 or kkaleal@aol.com. www.kkimagedesign.com