By Suzi O’Brien

Are you ‘risk averse’? Are your investments made so carefully that they’re unlikely to make you very much money, if at all? If so, you’re part of the fiscally conservative group. It’s not unusual; humans are programmed to dislike losing. Psychologists call this state of mind ‘loss aversion’. For most of us, the value of things we have far outweighs those we don’t have, but could have.

This offers some interesting scenarios. What if I offered you a bet that guaranteed a 10% chance of winning $95, and a 90% chance to lose $5? Hmmm… On the other hand, what if I offered to sell you a lottery ticket for $5 that had a 10% chance of winning $100, and a 90% chance of winning nothing? How does that sound?

Actually, those two bets are in fact the same deal. They’re just expressed differently and that makes the second option sound more attractive.

Now, let’s re-interpret this as the risk v. gain scenario that happens when you consider ‘investing’ in an image consultant. What will you get out of it? What won’t you get? Packaging is the prime example. When consumers judge a product or service, the product packaging greatly influences their choice even when they are fully aware of its influence. Packaging creates an immediate and powerful first impression. Of course, the analogy is that good packaging does exactly the same thing for business executives. An immediate visual image is created and a professional image is born. Effective packaging becomes a gain rather than a risk.

To put it bluntly, do you need repackaging? Do you convey a positive and professional image? The appearance you project reflects your personality, your work ethic, your lifestyle, your belief system and your core values. First impressions are hard to alter because we prefer to validate first opinions rather than search for evidence to disprove what we have seen.

An accredited image consultant is someone who knows style, grooming and good communication all equal to a positive personal brand, positioning a good sale. They understand the importance of a professional image in setting a person apart from the competition and projecting his or her unique selling points. Whether you need information and help with

  • fashion, grooming and personal styling,
  • correct behaviour at various functions,
  • designing effective presentations,
  • speaking in a confident, authoritative manner and managing conversations effectively, and
  • controlling nonverbal communication and conquering nervousness

An accredited image consultant will help you to conquer your problem areas and maximise your personal and workplace potential.

As you move up the corporate ladder, your image becomes increasingly important. You may be representing your entire company at some events. You’ll be meeting business leaders and making vital contacts. Do you now think making use of an accredited image consultant is a risk or gain scenario? If you’re serious about advancement, impressing potential clients, partners and the company hierarchy, an accredited image consultant with the experience to boot will prove to be a sound investment. This is the one time you can really guarantee an excellent return on your investment!


Life Branding by Jon Michail - Front Cover (Final Version)Jon Michail is Group CEO of Image Group International, Australasia’s No 1 image coach. Image Group International supports executives, entrepreneurs and their organisations to become iconic and monetised leadership brands.

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