Episode 31: The Types of Services You Should be Offering as a Personal Stylist
When I first started as a personal stylist I offered ALL the services. An actual laundry list goes like this:
● Closet Cleanse
● Outfit Creation
● Personal Shopping
● Stylist on call
● Style Quickie
● Second hand Style Subscription
● Virtual Stylist Add On (for $25 hmmmm )
● Lookbooks
● Event Styling
● Mix and Match menu that included a $250 Style Consultation (I needed help with naming back then)
● Future Service idea doc!!! (gives me anxiety now just looking at this)
And these all worked … okay. My services were exactly what I had been taught in my certification class - do a closet cleanse, go shopping, create outfits. And then I added, experimented, and took away various other services over the years.
The TWO BIGGEST mistakes I see stylists make when it comes to services are:
Offering a gazillion different options (or customizing for each client)
Letting their clients pick and choose what services they do and when
Here’s why I don’t think this process works for YOU or your clients:
If you have a LOT of services on your website, it’s probably confusing to you and very confusing to your client. What having more actually does is STOP people from booking. Thinking about the last time you ere faced with a big decision and there were a LOT of options - you probably either 1) just gave up and said you’d decide later, or 2) asked someone to make the decision for you. This is what happens to your potential clients. They get decision paralysis when there are too many options and then never get around to even emailing you to talk about their options. OR they start to think that if it’s this confusing to navigate your website…. what will it be like to actually work with you…
What happens when they book a shopping trip? And then they want to go back later and do their closet? But they’ve already filled out a questionnaire, and that time is included in your closet cleanse, so then you’re customizing and changing your process all around. I USED to offer a la cart services and let clients choose whatever they wanted. But this can also the same effect as in example 1 - there is no clear PATH for them to follow, so most clients would opt for the easy, cheaper service, thinking they can manage the others on their own. For some clients this is true, but for others, it’s just not possible.
As humans, we CRAVE processes, simplification, and someone guiding us through a process to give feedback and help us course correct in the moment.
So, as a personal stylist, the services that I recommend you offer are process-based services that build on each other for your NEW clients and a different process for your existing clients. I strongly recommend ditching your a la carte services and implementing a signature service process that you do with your clients.
[note - I keep services like photo shoots, branding, magazine, or event as separate services from the personal styling process]
Let me read you this quote from a stylist who went through my programs: she says: “After listening to Sydney’s IG and YouTube Live about a la carte services, I changed up my package and created one seamless offering to a new potential client and she said yes! $899 for a 4-week signature program!”
So - let me know - are you willing to try this? service model??
Thanks for listening!
If you’re interested in learning MORE about the processes I believe all successful stylists should have in their business, I’d love to invite you to a FREE webinar I’m teaching TOMORROW, 9/17 at 12 PM Pacific, 3 PM ET. I’ll be sharing 5 secrets all successful stylists use! If you can’t make it live, I’d encourage you to sign up anyway, so that you can watch the limited time replay AND learn about how you can take the next step to grow your business with my signature Biz Bootcamp course and stylist membership, The Founders Club.
personalstylistnetwork.mykajabi.com/standoutstylist
Happy styling!