When is a style consultation is about as much use as a chocolate teapot?

I asked a group of my VIP image consultants this question:

In my masterclass ‘Body shape diagnosis without a tape measure’, you hear what happened when I first had my own style analysed, way back when, hundreds of years ago. Horrid! That’s one of the main reasons I started offering training courses because I never want this kind of thing to happen to anyone else, ever!

So, I want to ask you image consultants,

“What is the point of a style consultation?”

Petalburga’s reply sums up beautifully what I was blethering on about:

Hi Kim. I have my opinion of what a style consultation should be like and know definitely it will not be like the one I had a couple of years ago. My visit started with being measured from top to toe, height, weight, bust, hips, inner leg, neck, shoulders (you get my point). The image consultant then went to her computer, punched in all this information and started printing out my handbook, telling me I have a lovely hourglass figure but am a pear because my ‘boobs aren’t big enough to be an hourglass shape’.

She then went through her 84-page collection of clothing styles, ticking and double-ticking which styles would definitely suit my balanced pear shape, and which would be okay, and crossing out which would not.

Information handed over, and off I was sent.

End of consult.

Did I learn anything? No.

Well, yes – I learnt that this was not how I would do it.

So I am looking forward to your training method as I so loved your approach in the colour training. Petalburga, Australia

What’s the point of a style consultation for the Checklist-Charlie image consultant?

• to follow her notes or manual religiously, without consideration of whether they were relevant or appropriate for the unique human being in front of her
• to measure poor Petalburga to within an inch of her life, purely to provide the data to make her computer program work – I fail to see how this information is going to help Petalburga one little bit!
• to tick madly at an overwhelming list of information that Petalburga hadn’t a cat in hell’s chance of absorbing right there and then

And the results for her clients? Petalburga learned very little that was useful to help her dress to enhance her style personality, her body shape and her lifestyle. In fact, as she said herself, the only thing Petalburga learned was never to do that to one of her own clients.

So, for the client, this type of consultation was about as much use as a chocolate teapot. I have never understood the Checklist-Charlie approach. It was one of the major reasons I started teaching colour and style analysis in the first place. Someone had to point out that you don’t need a tape measure to be able to dress someone to make them look and feel fabulous.

Over the years, I’ve researched how others diagnose shape and I’m going to share this fabulous stuff with you in my new masterclass ‘Body shape diagnosis without a tape measure’ which is just one of the masterclasses in the Step-by-Step Academy.

In the masterclass Body shape diagnosis without a tape measure we’ll look at:

• Four body shapes
• How to put your client at ease
• 3 ways to diagnose body shape without touching your client
• How to dress each body shape

There’s also a workbook to help you try out some of these suggestions. You will learn how to dress your client to make the most of her body shape, but without having to touch her. Hallelujah!

Become known as a style and shape expert

This in-depth knowledge will help establish you as a true style expert with your prospects and existing clients. You’ll also learn how to re-purpose your preparation work for other areas of your business. This one masterclass on its own will help you get more leads and more clients.

And that’s only one of the masterclasses in my Step-by-Step Academy.

A fresh, new look at all things colour and style.