Divas take over your makeover

In the words of Dale Carnegie, “There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts:  What we do, how we look, what we say and how we say it.” People listen with their eyes, thus our appearance can speak volumes. Image management is thus, the ongoing, pro-active process of evaluating and controlling the impact of your appearance on yourself as well as others.

Learning image management can enable you to control the perceptions that are formed in people’s minds when they look at you, by addressing aspects like clothing, communication skills, grooming practices, etiquette, body language and behavioural skills. There is no right or wrong image, just appropriate and effective projections of your individuality. Letting people see you the way you want them to is crucial.

Prerequisites to becoming an image consultant: Knowledge, maturity, good behaviour, kindness, humility, listening skills, power of communication and most importantly, being exemplary to make an impact are prerequisites to being an image consultant. Certification, is therefore, very important to establish yourself, along with adequate experience. Passion, people skills and perseverance are also essential. An image consultant needs to have the highest standards of self presentation. One needs to connect well with people and have counselling abilities. Some other required traits are discipline and empathy.

Who needs image management? It can be used extensively by high net-worth individuals, celebrities, socialites, housewives, college and university students heading out into the world looking for success in their first interview, politicians, corporate communications professionals, service industry professionals and corporations wanting to establish their corporate identity.

Remuneration: It totally depends on the experience, calibre, reputation and credibility. But on an average, a full-time consultant can look at making between Rs 5-10 lakh in the first year of operation. It also depends on the time and effort one invests. Edex profiles three image consultants.

Anshu Gupta, Own Ur Image Consulting

Her fascination for good clothes and styling took her through a fashion designing diploma. Add to it her training in beauty culture and makeup and her experience as a fashion advisor for around 11 years. But this was not enough, or in Anshu Gupta’s words, “Something was incomplete”.

Wanting to make a difference to people’s lives with her existing skills, she stepped into the world of image management with training under Image Consulting Business Institute (ICBI). “It is not simply a trademark, a design, a slogan or an easily remembered picture. It is a studiously crafted personality profile of an individual, institution, corporation, product or service,” she quotes Daniel J Boorstin in defining image. “In any type of communication, 80 per cent is visual. The visual elements include clothes, grooming, behaviour and body language. You are assessed, evaluated, judged on this visual communication, which becomes your identity.” Her consulting firm, Own Ur Image Consulting offers a bouquet of services under individual, corporate, educational institute and retail and hospitality industry solutions. Services also include makeup consulting, fashion styling and personal shopping.

She believes that the ability to connect with people, strong communication skills, empathy, commitment and ability to maintain confidentiality are very important skills for an image consultant. Having associated with Miss India Deaf 2011 winner, Kanika Bali, who went on to be crowned Miss Deaf Asia 2012, Gupta and her team, is off to a great start, we believe. “I took sessions for Bali on attire, body language, etiquette and clothing, accessories, maintaining the right posture while walking, standing or sitting, the importance of expressions, tone and pitch, types of handshakes and dining etiquette. I took her through the 4A’s of image management (appropriate, authentic, attractive and affordable) and she enjoyed every bit of it.”

She looks up to Shobhaa Dé and Shahnaz Hussain for their professional success and passion. She believes, “Manage your image is in your hands and can be changed to meet your inner self.” Visit www.anshu-ownurimage.blogspot.in.

Sangeeta S Bahl, Impact Image Consultants

Coming from a service and aviation background where looking good, speaking and behaving well at all times was mandatory, Bahl brings 28 years of experience in projecting a good image. Having established herself as an image consultant in 2005 with Impact Image Consultants, she is one of the pioneers in this field in India. Certified as an international image consultant from Association of Image Consultants International, Bahl believes in quality training.

She now imparts the same to her clients and aspiring image consultants. “People follow what I do because I have always led as an example,” she says. “We offer personal and corporate consultancy, lifestyle, colour, nutrition, etiquette, weight loss and grooming consultancy, along with verbal, non-verbal communication, teenage etiquette, sales training, international etiquette for business travellers, wardrobe management and public speaking.” This progression was natural for Bahl. She recently designed sarees for Cambata Aviation, which they can be seen wearing in Delhi and Mumbai international airports.

Her definition of image is, “An enhancement of self emanating from your self esteem to your outer persona which is projected towards the outside world. Beauty is within, which surfaces from your thoughts and is projected in your actions, behaviour and speaking. Anyone can have an instant makeover with the right clothes, make up and new hairstyle. But we believe in enhancing the potential of an individual first with their inner resolve to achieve and then project it outside,” she explains.

What drives her? “There’s a dire need to put India on the world map and I think to create a lasting positive impression of Indians on the outside world, image consultancy is the key,” she shares. She prepares people to face what comes their way by initially understanding the client and his/her background, what they feel about a change, win their trust and then go about creating a plan that is in tune with their budget. She utilises these skills also as she pens articles for Yuva, Hindustan Times, to aid youngsters and give them more direction. A fan of Oprah Winfrey, her favourite book also seems apt, Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough People Do by Robert H Schuller. She encourages change and transformation in people, “There’s no age or stage where people cannot learn or change.  It comes from within and you have to want to change.” Visit www.impactimageconsultants.net/workshop.html.

Greeshma Thampi, Avance Image Management

This MBA graduate was working as an HR manager when she felt she wasn’t exploiting her potential enough. This feeling and a little browsing led her on a journey to image management and ICBI. “This career is the perfect amalgamation of my skills and interest, providing the creativity, flexibility and challenges of entrepreneurship.” Not one to shy away from a challenge and hard work, she underwent meticulous training and established Avance Image Management a year back and is its chief image consultant and director. The firm offers corporate training as well as individual consultations. “In today’s competitive world, practically everyone needs to create an attractive, authentic and appropriate image.

From succeeding at the first job interview, having a successful first meeting, to having a great first  date, success depends on the first impression.” So what is her contribution in helping people transform their image? “I empower people to present themselves in the most authentic, appropriate and attractive manner for each role and occasion.

It is said that your appearance affects the way you think, feel, act and react, and finally, how people react to you. With the art of image management, people learn to control the perceptions of others, thus leading to achievement of their goals.” Being part of a sunrise industry, challenges are plenty. Risks are inherent. Credibility and results are everything in this industry. But she believes the industry is poised to grow phenomenally “Youngsters who have keen interest in dressing, fashion, styling, makeup, training and luxury retail can consider this profession,” she advises students.

One can take this up full-time or parttime. She names Judith Rasband and Suman Agarwal as inspirational figures in her career path, whose passion and abilities are motivating. “A career in image management offers flexibility, exciting earning and growth opportunities, and a feeling of being rewarded by making a difference,” she signs off. To learn more, visit www.avance-imagemanagement.com.

— preethi@newindianexpress.com