Shopping can be so tedious for many people. Most men find it so boring and a waste of time. Although the majority of women like shopping, especially clothes, they can be stressed out too. Let us face the fact that shopping is just not for everybody. A lot of people are too busy these days to go to the malls and shops just to find the right kind of dress for a special event. They are also too tired at the end of the day to even think about changing their entire wardrobe even if they can afford it; not to mention the fact that it needs many hours of consideration to determine what to buy and how you would like to look. The image you want to portray is just as important as the clothes you wear on your back. For many of us, a fashion consultant is heaven sent and takes all our fashion-related problems away.

The Importance of Fashion in Our Everyday Living

When we hear the word fashion, we immediately think “celebrities”. We tend to copy them and imitate how they act and behave. This is really not a good idea as you will come to realize later on that you will want to be seen as you rather than another person. Fashion means that you wear the right clothes in the right occasion. It also means behaving or conducting yourself in a manner that fits your environment. You do not just try to look good all the time but you should also act the part. This is where a fashion consultant comes in. This consultant will not only try to make you look good at the appropriate time but will coach you with your behavior. Some people say that image is everything. That may be true for some as that is what it takes to succeed. Celebrities are praised if they bring in something new to the fashion industry. It becomes a trend and it will be written in the history of fashion.

The younger generation like the teenagers always seek acceptance from their peers. Those who are considered geeks or unfashionable are often cast out of a group. This is also a reminder to the parents that just because your kids do not have jobs yet, they are not required to dress properly. Being accepted in school within a certain group is an accomplishment for teenagers and very important to them.

How Will a Fashion Consultant Help Me?

A good fashion consultant understands that each of his clients is different in many ways. No two individuals are the same and therefore should be treated as such. The person you engage in the services of will coach you on how to shop for a new set of wardrobe. He should be able to discuss with you your personality so that the process will become easier. Depending on the situation, the consultant could give you a partial or a total make over. If you are too tired to shop for your own clothes and too tired to think what to get, your consultant can always go with your and you do not have to worry about a single thing. You can go to all the parties and events that you are so dying to attend and flaunt your new self.

Have you ever wondered why some or perhaps many people think the opposite of who you really are? There are times when you hear stories about you from someone you do not even know or perhaps know but you are not close with that person? It could be a source of confusion for you not to mention irritation because you are not who people say you are, yet this is what’s going around. You might not realize it in the beginning but you have to admit that in many occasions, people judge you by the way you look. This is not an ideal world and people will always say things about you that don’t have any basis; and you will only encourage that by giving out the wrong image of the opposite image of who you really are. Sometimes, giving out the wrong signals is not any of your faults because you may not even be aware of that. So, if you think you are having these dilemmas and much more, it may be time for you to have image consulting.

The Benefits of Having Image Consulting

- Not everybody enjoys shopping as much as we would like to think. Others actually find it frustrating because they have to go to more than one shop to get all the things that they need. Not only that, but they also have to try on several items just so they can see for themselves how they look like in front of a mirror. Some of us are not really sure if one thing looks good or not, hence, the frustration. You cannot make a decision because you are not entirely convinced that one style fits you. If you have image consulting, on the other hand, shopping will be a lot more pleasurable as you will be given pointers along the way. You will realize once again how fun shopping can truly be if you know what style to go for.

- One great advantage of hiring a professional is that you do not actually have to enter every single store you see or pass by. These consultants know where to go and what shops offer what kinds of styles. Once you both agree on a particular style, your new friend will know where to go. You do not have to go around in circles looking for the right store. They will know exactly where to go.

- When you pay someone to give you an opinion, they will not be as afraid to say the truth as your friends or relatives. People you know will always hesitate to tell you if a certain style looks bad on you. They do this because they are afraid that they will hurt your feelings. If you get image consulting, on the other hand, you will get an honest opinion and a straightforward answer to every question.

- There are also those who would like to attract the attention of the opposite sex and having style can do that for you. Like what has been mentioned, the first thing a person sees in us is our outward appearance and when the opposite sex sees that you look impressive enough or that they like your style, you will be sure to have a partner in the near future.

Each year consulting firms go through an exercise to rate their talent and make promotion decisions. The environment is incredibly competitive and the formula for success is anything but black and white. When you understand how the review process actually works, however, you can greatly increase your odds of success. But don’t hold your breath waiting for the company training on this one. Unfortunately, no one is likely to tell you the skinny on the annual review process when you get hired.

Here are a few things HR probably didn’t mention to you when you joined…

It’s subjective. Many firms label themselves as a meritocracy, meaning that those who exhibit certain talents, aptitude or skills get rewarded. The challenge for you as the consultant is that this is also highly subjective. In many cases, even though your firm may outline certain factors used to evaluate your performance, they can often lack clarity and specificity. With the human element so largely in play, it’s rarely black and white.
Space is limited. There are a generally a set number of slots for each rating and a set number of slots for promotions. Landing one depends largely on your ability to justify to the powers that be that you deserve it and are already playing at that level consistently. Nailing one project out of three in a year isn’t going to cut it. Promotions and good ratings are rewards given for proven ability, not potential.
You have to stand out from the Jones’. You will be ranked against your peers, or the others at your level. This gets interesting because rarely will you have the same role description. Frequently there will be situations where a test team lead is pitted against a change management consultant for one last spot. The work is like apples and oranges so it will all come down to how well each is positioned and who has the more compelling story.
Air time is short. Everyone, including you, the person speaking on your behalf, and the partners in your practice, are super busy all the time, making it very hard to remember all the great things you did throughout the year. On top of that, firms often use a series of conference calls or meetings at various levels (team, account, practice, etc) to evaluate performance. If you’ve ever been in a fraternity or sorority it’s a lot like the recruitment process. It’s quite common for your representative at the table to have only two to three minutes to make their argument for why you deserve the rating they recommend. Regardless of what you actually did over the past 12 months or what was written in your performance review, what they say in that short time can very easily determine your fate.
Politics are in full play. When disputes happen, and they often do, she who has the most respected supporters and compelling story wins. There will be one person at each meeting speaking for you, but the others in the room carry as much weight or more in the final decision.
Feeling down in the dumps about your prospects? Don’t give up just yet. The upside is that, while the environment may be competitive, those who are willing to invest just a bit of time to work the system and market themselves to those with influence, get great results.

Successful sales consulting requires a mixture of talent and skill. While talent receives the most billing, having the right skills is equally important. When consultants lack proper training, an absence of skill can mimic an absence of talent, and lead to confidence issues. Although different situations require different consulting skills, every consultant needs the following skills that can be taught by a sales training facilitator.

Ability to Listen at Length

Listening at length sounds easy, but processing everything you hear requires skill. Salespeople can be poor listeners because their objective is to “sell,” not get bogged down with minutiae. The key is to remember that prospects wish to express their perceptions-often at length-to ensure mutual understanding. You might know a prospect’s spiel by heart, but listen as if you have never heard it before.

Excellent Telephone Communication

Every salesperson wants to be face-to-face with a potential customer, though getting to that point starts with a telephone conversation – often more than one phone call. The key to communicating by telephone is to make your communications centered on cogent productivity. When leaving voicemails, you want to leave a concise message. Although many voicemails will not be returned, enticing prospects with sharply referenced benefits will cause some of them to call back.

Ability to Mine the Right Value Proposition

Knowing how to “value” what a prospect wants in a product or service is critical for presenting said value in the right fashion. Mining that value to show how your product or service would critically benefit a company is what closes the deal. Remember, other companies are available that can make the same value proposition. You need to show why the advantages of your business are superior to that of your competitor. Attending consulting skills training for closing sales is a good way to acquire this skill.

Technical Knowledge as Required

Some salespeople expect a prospect to fill in blanks concerning the technical impact of a product or service. Although a prospect will be more familiar with its technical platform than you, not having knowledge of that platform can omit a valuable talking point and make your approach seem uneducated. The rule here is to be familiar with the infrastructure that supports a prospect’s business.

Ability to Expound on the Needs of a Prospect

What prospects do not know or fail to grasp can hurt their ability to make a sound decision. If you know a prospect only sees the tip of the iceberg regarding his or her need for your product or service, do not be afraid to reveal the big picture. Tread carefully though, as you want to explain details simply, and not come across condescendingly. Even if a company would fail tomorrow if it did not accept your offer, its representatives still need to feel in control to become confident about making a purchase.

Knowing When to Drop Prospects

Nothing clogs a sales pipeline like prospects that hang around and never make a decision. If you have given your all to a prospect and received a lukewarm reception, do not assume you need to try harder. Moving to fresh prospects is always better than stagnating with ones who remain undecided. Knowing when to drop a prospect is a skill best acquired through consulting skills training.