As a personal stylist, nurturing a strong relationship with your clients is the goal—and long term relationships are mutually beneficial to you and your clients. Working with a stylist long-term means a client receives an increasingly tailored experience and feels confident in expressing their needs and wants. Whilst as a styling professional you benefit from regular work, increased security and the privilege of watching their style and confidence evolve.
So how do you build lasting relationships with clients as a personal stylist? I'll hand this one over to the experts...
Grow together
Jeffrey Ampratwum
"Every stylist should have a comparative advantage that makes you and your services unique. I like to connect with my clients on an emotional level so that we can begin to build on aspirations, goals and expectations. It is extremely important to personalise and humanise your service and relationship with clients—the more out of touch you are with reality, the further you push styling clients away. Communication, therefore, is an integral aspect of your business. If someone feels they can never get you on the phone for an emergency wardrobe malfunction, they will simply not continue growing with you. I like to tailor my communication to whatever suits my client. Quick text and voice notes are often preferred but email and socials are great for references."
Jeffrey Ampratwum teaches Menswear and Fashion Styling at The Fashion Institute of Technology. His work as a fashion editor and curator also includes directing and styling fashion editorials for top magazines and shooting visual campaigns for brands. Follow Jeffrey on Instagram.
Develop a deeper connection
Susan Padron
"The way that I develop long-lasting relationships with my clients is by connecting with them on a deeper level, beyond just finding beautiful clothes for them to wear. Being someone's personal stylist is such a gift because you're being welcomed into a state of vulnerability. Whether you're looking into their closet (a place that no one but them really gets to see) or talking about body image, it's all centred around delicate conversations. As a personal stylist, you have to know how to 'hold space' for your clients, they need to feel that you are there to support them and that they can trust you. When you're able to develop that deeper connection, it's easy to have clients for years and years."
Susan Padron is an intuitive personal stylist, working closely with her clients to help them discover their authentic selves through their wardrobes. Find buckets of style inspiration on Susan's Instagram.
Find a match
Brigid McGrath Stasen
"My number one secret to building a relationship with clients is to get to know them and their lifestyle and match their clothes to that.
I help recurring clients to build on their existing wardrobes. I pride myself on the fact that my clients never have a blouse, skirt, or pair of trousers in their wardrobe that they love but don't know how to wear. I anticipate what pieces they are going to need for a new season and leverage what pieces they already have in their wardrobe."
Brigid McGrath Stasen is a seasoned stylist with a background in boutique management. Now, Brigid is revolutionising personal trunk show shopping with her loyal clients.
Be authentic
Lisa Strandberg
"Having an authentic connection with your client is essential. Great customer service is a key factor in building strong relationships. As a small brand or business, being responsive to a client's needs and creating things they love are all critical. My clients will often hear from me personally, and they love that. At The Shore Line we have a significantly higher customer return rate than the industry average, and that is something I am proud of."
Lisa Strandberg is the co-founder and creative director of The Shore Line, an independent women's resort wear brand. Lisa worked as a stylist prior to becoming a founder.
Keep Communicating
Evonya Easley
"The key to lasting client relationships is communication. I check in with all my clients on the first week of every month to anticipate their needs. We communicate mostly via texts and phone calls but I also have an email system set up. My clients love my personal touch. I am passionate about making clients feel important when I communicate or when they use my services. I never use my phone or discuss other clients when I'm with a client—my focus is all on them."
Evonya Easley is a certified personal stylist and founder of Love E Fashion. Evonya has over 15 years of experience in the styling industry and specialises in styling busy, professional women.
Build the trust
Holly Chayes
"I think the keys to sustaining long-term client relationships are trust, genuine connection, and growth. Building trust is vital to sustaining any relationship long-term. Having a genuine connection with your clients makes the styling process so enjoyable, and growing as your clients grow helps keep the client relationship strong."
Holly Chayes is a personal style coach and consultant helping her clients to discover and claim their authentic personal style. Follow Holly on Instagram.
