How Newly Launched Style Coaches™ Can Connect with Their First Clients
Becoming a professional Style Coach™ is an exciting journey that merges fashion expertise with personal development. As a newly launched Style Coach™, finding your first clients can be both exciting and a little bit daunting. In this article, we explore just some of the best strategies for connecting with potential clients and effectively targeting the right audience to successfully launch and grow your Style Coaching™ business.
Understanding the Uniqueness of your Style Coach™ Training
Before diving into the many ways you can connect with your personal styling clients, it’s essential to understand how your services are going to help you stand out from the competition. As a Certified Style Coach™, your USP differentiates you from other personal stylists, colour consultants and personal shoppers. Here’s what sets you apart:
Holistic Training
Authentic Style Coaching™ is the only career that combines all aspects of Personal Styling and Image Consultancy with Colour Consultancy, Makeup and Personal Grooming, Life Coaching, Personal Branding, and Personal Shopping. This holistic approach equips you with a diverse skill set that caters to the inner and outer needs of your clients. Your clients might initially book you for one particular service (for instance, it is very popular right now to have your ‘colours done’) but when they realise how much more Style Coaching™ has to offer, they are more likely to invest in your other services and holistic packages. Instead of having a client for a one-off session, you can potentially have them book you for a package of 6-12 sessions depending on the level of style transformation they’d like to experience!
Flexible Career Options
After you graduate, you have numerous career paths to explore. Unlike other image professionals who might only work in one area, you can work as a Personal Stylist, Image Consultant, Colour Consultant, Personal Shopper, Body Image Coach, Executive Stylist, or Personal Branding Coach. Many of our graduates combine these skills into one truly holistic service branded “Style Coaching™.”
Unique Ethos
Unlike generic image consultant courses, training as a Style Coach™ teaches you the ethos of a life coach. You will understand the vital aspects of self-image psychology, enabling you to support your clients in developing positive body-image and growing in confidence. A Style Coach™ is trained to help clients feel good when they look in the mirror by focusing on both inner and outer beauty. We believe that when you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place.
Authenticity
As the creators of “Style Coaching™,” we are the only authentic “Style Coaching Institute®” in the world. Our unique training and post-graduate options are not available anywhere else, ensuring you receive the highest quality education and support in the industry. You will have a qualification that helps you proudly stand out from the crowd.
Reflect on Your Unique Selling Points
- What specific skills or experiences do you bring to your clients?
- How does your approach to personal styling differ from others?
- What benefits can clients expect from working with you?
- How do you integrate the principles of life coaching into your Style Coaching™ sessions?
- In what ways do you help clients improve their self-image and confidence?
- How do you combine various aspects of personal styling, colour consultancy, and personal branding into a cohesive service?
By clearly defining your styling services unique, you can craft a compelling message that resonates with your target audience and highlights the distinct advantages of working with a Certified Style Coach™.
Identifying Your Target Audience
Identifying and understanding your target audience is crucial for any effective marketing. Consider the following steps to pinpoint your ideal personal styling clients:
- Demographic Analysis: What age range are your ideal clients? Are they mostly women, mostly men, or both? What are their occupations or hobbies? Where do they live, and what online spaces do they like to use?
- Psychographic Insights: What is your ideal client’s lifestyle like? What are their interests? What matters most to them – what are their values? What might be their fashion preferences?
- Pain Points and Needs: Identify the specific challenges your ideal clients face regarding their personal style and how you can them to create their wardrobe and style they always dreamed of.
Building an Online Presence
For any modern-day personal stylist, a robust online presence is vital for attracting and engaging potential clients. Here are some key steps to establish yourself online:
1. Create a Professional Website
Your website represents you and your business online. It should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly. It should also capture your visual branding with lots of photographs so your clients can get to know you. Key elements to include:
- About Me Page: Share your story, talk about your Style Coach™ qualification and training, and what inspired you to become a Style Coach™.
- Services Offered: Clearly outline the services you provide, including personal styling, wardrobe audits, self-image coaching, colour analysis and personal shopping.
- Testimonials: Don’t forget to showcase positive feedback from your first clients to start building credibility with others in the future! You can also set up a Trustpilot account to collect verified reviews.
- Blog: Regularly update your blog with fashion tips, style advice, and personal development articles. This all helps to showcase your expertise and build trust.
2. Leverage Social Media & Tech Tools for Stylists
Social media platforms are excellent tools for reaching a broader audience, especially if you’d like to offer Virtual Styling services. Consider the following tips and tools:
- Instagram: Share high-quality images and videos showcasing your personal styling work, client transformations, and fashion inspiration. Use Instagram Stories and Reels to engage with your audience and provide behind-the-scenes looks at your styling process.
- Facebook: Create a business page to engage with your audience, share blog posts, and run targeted ads. Use Facebook Groups to create a community around your brand and offer exclusive styling tips and Q&A sessions.
- ShopShare: Use tech platforms like ShopShare to create shoppable looks and product recommendations for your clients. This platform allows you to link products from various retailers, making it easy for clients to purchase items you recommend.
- Pinterest: Create boards with style inspiration, fashion trends, and outfit ideas. Pinterest is a powerful visual tool that can drive traffic to your website and attract potential clients who are searching for style inspiration.
- Cladwell: Utilise digital closet apps like Cladwell to help clients manage their wardrobes and create outfit combinations. This app allows you to provide personalised styling advice and helps clients make the most of their existing clothing.
- YouTube: Create longer-form video content such as styling tutorials, fashion hauls, and client testimonials. YouTube allows you to establish yourself as an expert in the field and reach a global audience.
By leveraging these social media platforms and tech tools, you can expand your reach, engage with potential clients, and offer convenient Virtual Styling services that meet the needs of your audience.
Connecting with Purpose
Online and local networking is a powerful way to connect with potential clients, industry professionals and local small businesses that can support you while you support them! Here are some ideas to explore:
- Attend Fashion and Lifestyle Events: Participate in local fashion shows and lifestyle events to meet potential clients.
- Collaborate with Influencers: Consider content collaboration posts on Instagram with fashion influencers and bloggers to expand your reach and credibility.
- Join Professional Associations: Become a member of the International Association of Style Coaches™ (IASC) and other image consultant associations like AICI and FIPI. These memberships offer opportunities to connect with other personal stylists, stay updated on industry trends, and members of the IASC can take part in ‘Connect & Thrive™’ global virtual events every quarter, fostering valuable networking and growth opportunities in the Style Coaching™ community.
Giving Back with Value-Added Services
Providing value-added services can attract clients and enhance your reputation as a newly launched Style Coach™. Consider offering:
- Free Workshops and Webinars: Host styling workshops and webinars to showcase your expertise and attract potential clients for one-to-one sessions.
- Personalised Style Guides: Create customised style guides and free items you can share with your email subscribers that provide valuable tips and insights.
- Discounted Packages: Offer introductory discounts or packages to entice clients to try your newly launched services.
Ask for Testimonials and Highlight your Clients’ Transformations
When you work hard and do a great job with your clients, you’ll find that word-of-mouth marketing is incredibly effective. Encourage all your clients to share their feedback with you, and ask if they wouldn’t mind sharing their experiences with others. Strategies include:
- Client Testimonials: Request testimonials from happy clients and feature them on your website and social media. Celebrate when you do great work, and take pride in seeing your clients achieve transformational results!
- Highlight Success Stories: Share success stories of clients who have benefited from your Style Coaching™ services. This can inspire other clients to contact you and start their own style journey, too.
Business Training and Resources from the Style Coaching Institute®
The Style Coaching Institute® offers comprehensive business training masterclasses and an exclusive Style Coach™ Career Pack designed to equip you with the tools and knowledge needed to succeed. Topics we cover include:
- How to Create a Style Coaching™ Business Map
- Video Marketing for Your Personal Styling Business
- Create a Yearly Game Plan for Your Styling Business
- Vision Boarding for Personal Stylists
- How to Price Your Personal Styling Services
- Event Planning for Personal Stylists
- How to Plan your Personal Styling Sessions and Create Packages
- How to Create Social Media Content with Canva’s Content Calendar
- How to Grow as a Personal Stylist on Instagram
- How to Overcome Overwhelm as a Personal Stylist
- How to Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking
- How to Develop Powerful Self-Belief
- How to Build Your Personal Styling Career from the Stage
- Ideas for Promoting Yourself as a Personal Stylist
- How to Define Your Personal Styling Niche
- How to Reach More Personal Styling Clients
- How to Pitch Executive Styling Services to Corporate Companies
Ongoing Support for Style Coach™ Students and Graduates
At the Style Coaching Institute®, we believe in providing ongoing support to our Style Coach™ students and graduates. Alongside our in-house mentoring, we also include six months of complimentary membership with the International Association of Style Coaches™ (IASC), plus access to monthly Business Masterclasses, quarterly ‘Connect & Thrive™ live mastermind sessions on Zoom, new resources every month, and a private WhatsApp community for connecting with other new Style Coaches™ and seeking advice from experienced Style Coaches™. We’re here to encourage, motivate, inspire, and guide you on every step of your Style Coaching™ journey.
Conclusion
Launching your career as a Style Coach™ is such an exciting venture! By defining your USP, understanding your target audience, building a strong online presence, networking, offering value-added services, and leveraging testimonials and success stories, you can connect with your first clients and build a successful Style Coaching™ business. Remember, consistency and persistence are key. Stay passionate about helping your clients transform their personal style and confidence, and you’ll have everything you need to build a love and business you love!
