Improvability Blog

“Hi Kim, I am currently going through the Ladies Style Training DVDs and enjoying it immensely. It was a real eye opener when you were talking about “asking the client what she wants” and creating her individual program as opposed to offering what I think she needs.

One area where I thought this could even be further fine tuned for the client to experience a better outcome and thus create future business would be to then “coach” her using her style of learning. Visual, Auditory or Kinesthetic. I know that you have to include all these types when teaching a group but I have a feeling that when you do a one-to-one consultation, you quickly and instinctively know how to teach them and eliminate the irrelevant information that they won’t enjoy or absorb.

I can’t tell how they learn and if I ask they usually don’t know. Is there a way to diagnose their way of learning early in the meeting to personalize the consultation more? Maybe a quick little questionnaire would work, but I don’t know the type of questions to write down. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.” Karburga, Australia

Dear Karburga,

Thank you so much for your lovely email.  I am so glad that it’s really ringing some bells for you.

It’s immensely refreshing to hear a consultant wanting to improve the experience of the client and you are absolutely right – this will set you apart from the usual tick-list approach adopted by so many consultants.

The dreaded lurgy – consultation by checklist

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve listened to clients telling me about their dreadful consultation-by-checklist experience. You know, the one that goes something like:

‘The client has now been here 17 minutes, so I should have completed items a, b and c from my checklist, and by minute 43 I will have finished items d, e and f. Then all I have to do is slap a wallet in her hand, give her her coat and shove her out of the door…’

Oh yes, I put my hand up to this – in dire shame and regret, of course. I’ve been there myself but, thankfully, after at least three hundred years of not using the common sense I was clearly born with, I finally ‘saw the light’ and started treating my clients with a load more respect.

And amazingly, I soon had more work than I could handle.

These days, we’re apt to refer to this as the Law of Attraction. I prefer to call it, “What you give out, you always get back; and usually it comes back to you ten-fold.”

So, stuff the system and, for crying out gently, put the client first.

Take the time to learn how your client learns

Understanding how your client thinks and learns will be a major step in making her feel special.

We all learn primarily by using one of three learning styles – Visual, Auditory or Kinaesthetic – but the majority will most probably combine two of them. 

• Visuals ‘see’ the world. They understand something better if they can see it.
• Auditories ‘hear’ the world. They get more information from how you say things than from what you are saying.
• Kinaesthetics ‘feel’ the world. They get more information from touch, emotions, and gut instincts.

Which one are you?

Before you start diagnosing anyone else, you need to find out which one YOU are. Until you understand how YOU operate, how on earth can you advise other people?

In the Advanced Colour Analysis DVD training course (which I know you have already Karburga) I cover the whole subject of learning styles on Disk 2 and it includes a questionnaire that you can use to find out which one you are, and then again with your clients.

However, if you don’t feel comfortable with a questionnaire or maybe you just haven’t got time then just provide for all three types:

• Visuals – drape them in front of a mirror.  Show them a look book, pictures, videos, etc.
• Auditories – talk to them, give them handouts to read aloud, let them take their own notes, perhaps with a digital recorder
• Kinaesthetics – let them feel the drapes and give them exercises to do; the more physical these are, the better

Tell everyone your own story and allow them the time and space to let them tell you theirs. Then observe them.  Look at how they react, and what seems to work best for them.

I go into so much more detail about the different behaviours of each different type on the Advanced Colour Analysis course. This is a learning process in itself that you will have to allocate time to practise if you want to master this

No-one is purely visual, purely auditory or purely kinaesthetic

… so don’t go allocating one single learning style label to your clients.

We all have to learn to use a mix of the learning styles to be able to operate in different societal groups and to get along with other people who may learn in a different way from us.

This is why you must provide for all three types, for every client, at every consultation or workshop, every single time. 

Then you won’t wear yourself ragged trying to be some kind of super psychoanalyst.  In fact, if you do, you’ll probably just end up rather ‘psycho’, which can’t be good for you or your clients! 

My advice? 

Relax, and enjoy!

The Advanced Colour Analysis DVD training course

• is available to buy on its own
• Or it’s included in Option 4 of Colour Analysis in a Box

In my article, ‘You are not a lump of meat!‘, Silburga had just received her Seasonal Drape Starter Set containing 60 drapes. We also provide a Tonal Drape Starter Set with 90 drapes. Here’s a bit of background information to help you understand the discussion that Silburga and I were having.

If you’re just starting out, it’s a real pain in the proverbial trying to fathom out which drapes you might need and which you might not, so we have attempted to save you loads of time by creating two drapes sets that do the job beautifully:

1. one set for purely tonal work
2. one set for purely seasonal work

and if you provide both seasonal & tonal services, then you can choose one or the other.

You do not need both sets.

Each drape set contains a carefully selected number of reds, yellows, blues, greens, and purples, plus lightest and darkest neutrals. Over 30 years of experience have gone into the selections.

Both sets work and this allows you to start draping your clients with confidence, learning as you go. You can always add other drapes to your collection later on.

The tonal set contains 42 drapes that are already included in the seasonal set.  You do not need both sets.

Drape notations

• Each drape carries a label which shows the name of the hue, shade, tone or tint and its number – the number is for ordering purposes only
• Each drape suggests* which season could safely wear that colour: Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter
• Each drape also suggests* which tonal direction could safely wear that colour:
• LT = Light
• DK = Dark / Deep
• BT = Bright / Clear
• MT = Muted
• C = Cool
• W = Warm

* Please note the use of the word ‘suggests‘. When you read my article you will learn, realise, or remember (depending on who you trained with) that the information written on these labels is meant TO GUIDE YOU ONLY. If you’ve been following this information blindly up to now, then stop it right now!

Every single drape carries a label with suggestions for both seasonal and tonal directions. Each of the two sets above can be used for both seasonal and tonal draping.

You do not need both sets!

1. Seasonal starter set

We have simply selected a total of 60 drapes (15 for each of the 4 seasons) in the Seasonal set that will allow you to conduct Spring vs. Autumn comparisons, Spring vs. Winter comparisons, and Spring vs. Summer comparisons easily (plus all the other permutations, of course).

But you will just as easily be able to pick out comparison drapes to select or compare the correct tones as well.

2. Tonal starter set

The same goes for the Tonal set, where we have selected a total of 90 drapes (15 for each of the 6 tones); it will be simple to compare Deep vs. Light, Cool vs. Warm, Bright vs. Muted.

But you will just as easily be able to pick out seasonal comparison drapes if you want to.

The seasonal set contains 42 drapes that
are already included in the tonal set

You do not need both sets!

• If you intend to work with the tonal method, then choose the tonal set with 90 drapes
• If you intend to work with the seasonal method, then choose the seasonal set with 60 drapes
• If you intend to work with both methods, then the choice is up to you – do you want 60 drapes or 90 drapes to choose from?

I suggest you check the contents of each set to help you make your mind up. This is your business; only YOU know what you will be happy to work with.

Transparent drape case

Consider adding a transparent drape case to your order for you to fold and carry your drapes in. One case holds 60 standard drapes. You’ll need two cases to hold 90 drapes.

You’ll find all of these – and much more – in our online wholesale catalogue

PS. Have I said this enough times to convince you? You do NOT need both sets!