Positioning yourself as a style expert is an essential part of growing your personal styling business and attracting new clients, however, there is a common misconception among personal stylists that you have to work in the industry for decades and have a long client list before you can achieve this status. But the truth is that longevity does not always equal expertise and even if you're just getting started as a personal stylist you can position yourself as a style expert and have it be an honest reflection of who you are.
If you look up the definition of an expert in the dictionary you might be surprised that time or longevity is not part of the definition. An expert is a person who is very knowledgeable about or skillful in a particular area. And while knowledge and skill level can certainly improve and develop over time, time does not define an expert. What does that mean for you? It means that if you have strong personal styling skills and a great deal of knowledge you are in fact an expert and need to first believe in yourself, and second position yourself as the style expert that you are.
So, if you're ready to claim your style expert status then here are some steps you need to take to position yourself in the eyes of potential clients:
Find your Niche
Stop trying to work with everyone! Get super focused and narrow down your niche as soon as you can. Being a general stylist, who works with everyone will not position you as a style expert and will not help grow your business. Once you have identified your niche you can then focus on understanding everything about who you will be working with and their specific style needs. You'll be able to create content and messaging that speaks directly to them and shows that you know exactly how to help them.
Use Your Lived Experience
There is no greater insight than when we experience something ourselves, so if you have relevant life experience use it! Having experienced the same struggles and challenges as your target clients and showing how you overcame them displays a greater level of insight than you can gain from reading a book, taking a class, or simply being a personal stylist for 10 years.
Do What You Do Best
Just because you know how to do something doesn't mean you should! Stick to the services that you really excel at and make that your area of expertise. If color analysis isn't your strength and it's not something that you really enjoy then don't offer that service. Our strengths often lie in the things we love the most and it's no different in business. Think about what you love and spend your time developing those skills to the highest level.
Share Your Knowledge
Stop wasting your time posting outfit selfies and start sharing your in-depth knowledge! Start a blog, create videos, or record a podcast. See every social media post as a way to educate your clients and demonstrate your expertise. Quote yourself rather than Coco Channel and Rachel Zoe or become a guest contributor to get your name out there. People will not see you as a style expert if you don't share your expertise!
Adapt to Change
Society is constantly changing and advancing and so is personal style. Be sure to keep up-to-date with the changes and build those changes into your personal styling services and business. An expert understands what personal style is today not what it was 20 years ago.
Educate Yourself
I know I'm biased but it is actually true that one of the best ways to show potential clients that you have knowledge and skills is through formal training and education. Display your certification proudly and as a sign of your expertise. Don't look at training as a one-time thing. Keep learning and stay up-to-date with new approaches and build them into your business.
Even if you're just getting started as a stylist there's no reason why you have to wait to start positioning yourself as a style expert. It doesn't have to take 5 or 10 years to be an expert. Keep building your knowledge and skills, keep sharing, and most importantly, keep believing that you are a style expert, and that's exactly what people will see!
Happy Styling!
Louisa 💕
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