Integrating Personal Styling with Your Fashion Boutique: A Guide to Becoming a Successful Style Coach™
As the owner of a fashion boutique, you already have a passion for fashion and a keen eye for trends. But have you considered taking your business to the next level by integrating personal styling into your offerings? Becoming a Style Coach™ can not only enhance your clients’ shopping experience but also set your boutique apart from competitors. In this guide, we’ll explore how to seamlessly blend personal styling with your fashion business, offering valuable insights and practical steps to get started!
Understanding the Role of a Style Coach™
What is a Style Coach™?
A Style Coach™ combines the principles of personal styling with elements of coaching, helping clients to develop their personal style while boosting their confidence and self-esteem. Unlike traditional personal stylists who focus solely on clothing and accessories, Style Coaches™ take a holistic approach, considering the client’s lifestyle, body shape, colours, and even their mindset.
Benefits of Style Coaching™ for Your Boutique
- Enhanced Customer Loyalty: Offering personalised styling services can foster deeper and more meaningful connections with your clients, encouraging repeat business.
- Differentiation: Stand out from other independent boutiques and large department stores by providing a unique, value-added service that puts your clients’ experience first.
- Increased Sales: Clients who receive bespoke styling advice are more likely to purchase complete outfits and accessories, and recommend you to their friends and family – all helping to boost your sales.
Preparing to Offer Style Coaching™ Services
Training and Certification
To become a credible and effective Style Coach™, it’s essential to undergo professional training. If you, or a member of your staff, enrol in an authentic Style Coaching™ programme, you’ll receive a prestigious qualification and comprehensive training that covers essential topics such as colour analysis, body shape analysis, wardrobe management, and personal shopping. Uniquely, you’ll also learn rapport and communication skills, alongside coaching techniques that will not only enhance your skills but also build trust with your clients.
Creating a Beautiful and Inspiring Styling Space
Designate a comfortable and private area in your boutique for Style Coaching™ consultations. This space should be equipped with mirrors, good lighting, a range of clothing options, and accessories to help clients see the full potential of their looks. You could also have some colour analysis swatches or drapes, allowing you to quickly and easily analyse your clients’ colours so you can confidently recommend their best colour selections.
Integrating Style Coaching™ into Your Business Model
Offer In-Boutique Styling Sessions
As mentioned, you can set up a dedicated space within your boutique for supporting your clients through personal styling consultations. This area should be inviting and comfortable, equipped with personal styling tools and a variety of clothing options from your store’s collection. During these sessions, clients can receive personalised advice tailored to their body shape and proportions, lifestyle, colour season, and even their ‘Style Personality’. By trying on outfits in-store, clients can immediately see the transformation and notice the incredible difference that informed fashion choices can make! A VIP Style Coaching™ service can reduce the stress, frustration and disappointment that many shoppers experience, empowering your clients not only to enjoy their new outfits but also develop newfound confidence when shopping.
Exclusive Styling Events
A really great way to create buzz and attract clients into your fashion boutique is to host ticketed or exclusive styling events. These events can be scheduled during new collection launches, seasonal sales, or special promotions. Offer clients the opportunity to book personal styling sessions during these events, providing them with individualised attention and expert advice. You can also include perks such as complimentary drinks, goodie bags, and exclusive discounts for attendees. These events not only add positively to your reputation as an independent business, but they also drive sales and enhance the overall shopping experience, making your boutique a go-to destination for fashion and styling. Why not hire a photographer and invite a member of the press (such as a local magazine editor)? Styling events offer an ideal opportunity to create authentic content for your social channels and gain positive media coverage.
Leverage Cross-Promotion with Bundle Services and Products
You can also consider creating attractive packages that combine your personal styling services with fashion purchases from your boutique. For example, you could offer a complimentary styling session for clients who spend over a certain amount or who reach a certain loyalty tier by collecting points for each purchase. Alternatively, you could provide a discount on styling services when clients purchase a specific number of items. Bundling services and products not only adds value for your clients but also encourages higher spending, boosting your overall sales.
Share Style Transformations on Social Media and in your Marketing
Of course, you should be using social media platforms to promote both your boutique and your styling services. Share engaging content such as client transformation stories, style tips, and behind-the-scenes looks at your styling sessions. Use high-quality photos and videos to showcase your expertise and the range of products available in your store. Explain to viewers the reasons why the silhouette of a particular item is flattering, or why a pattern, neckline or fabric is a good choice. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages, and encourage satisfied clients to share their experiences and tag you in their photos. Additionally, consider running targeted ads to reach potential clients who may be interested in your combined fashion and styling services. Consistent and creative social media marketing can significantly increase your visibility and attract new clients.
Developing Your Team
Ensure your team is on board and well-informed about the new services your in-house Certified Style Coach™ will be offering, or register them to become certified in Style Coaching™, enabling them to support you and assist clients more effectively. Remember that fashion and styling trends evolve rapidly, so it’s definitely worth investing in continuous learning opportunities for yourself and your team, such as attending fashion shows, subscribing to industry publications, and participating in advanced Style Coaching™ masterclasses offered on a monthly basis by the International Association of Style Coaches™ (IASC).
Building and Nurturing Strong Client Relationships
Client Relationship Management
- Loyalty Programs: As mentioned, you can develop a loyalty program that rewards clients for using both your boutique and styling services. Points can be earned from both shopping and styling sessions and redeemed for discounts or exclusive offers.
- Personalised Recommendations: Use insights from styling sessions to recommend products from your boutique that align with your clients’ tastes and preferences.
- Develop your clients’ Sense of Style: With your expert styling tips and tricks, you can help to develop your clients’ sense of style. They can learn how to style and wear different pieces from your boutique, enhancing their shopping experience and increasing customer satisfaction.
Personalised Client Profiles
Maintain detailed profiles for your styling clients, noting their Style Personality and aesthetic preferences, body shape and proportions, colour season, past purchases, and any style challenges they face. This highly personalised and bespoke approach helps you provide tailored advice and build lasting relationships. Graduates of the Style Coaching Institute® can utilise a huge library of client questionnaires, forms, exercises and cheatsheets – all designed exclusively for use by Certified Style Coaches™.
Follow-Up and Feedback
After each styling session, follow up with your clients to gather feedback and offer further assistance if needed. Positive reviews and word-of-mouth referrals can significantly boost your business! Ask them for their thoughts on the items they purchased – what do they think of the quality, the designs, the wearability? What key items are missing from their wardrobe? Stay in touch with your clients with an effective email list and provide seasonal updates about your featured collections, encouraging clients to refresh their wardrobes seasonally with the latest items from your store, guided by your styling expertise.
Virtual Styling and Online Integration
If you are a Certified Style Coach™, you will not only be trained to provide face-to-face styling, but also to offer virtual styling sessions too. At the Style Coaching Institute®, we provide our Style Coaches™ with all the exclusive resources, digital tools, and session blueprints they need to master the art of Virtual Styling. You can use Virtual Styling to showcase items from your online store and provide clients with curated lists of products they can purchase directly from your website. As part of your Virtual Styling services, you can learn from the Style Coaching Institute® how to create high-value online content such as style guides and shoppable lookbooks and moodboards. We provide live demonstrations of tech tools for stylists including Shopshare, Cladwell, Moonsift and others. You can use tools like these to feature items from your boutique, paired with styling tips.
Conclusion
Integrating personal styling and Style Coaching™ into your fashion boutique can transform your business, offering a unique and valuable service to your clients. By becoming a certified Style Coach™ and effectively marketing your new offerings, you can enhance customer loyalty, differentiate your boutique, and increase sales. Embrace the opportunity to combine your love for fashion with the art of Style Coaching™ and watch your business flourish!
Are you ready to become a successful Style Coach™ and elevate your fashion boutique? Contact us today to learn more about our Style Coaching™ training programmes and start your journey towards transforming your business and your clients’ lives. Leveraging the strengths of both sides of your business will allow you to provide comprehensive fashion solutions tailored to your clients’ needs.