What is Image Consulting?

'So you're an Image Consultant...interesting...but what actually do you do?'- this is one of the questions frequently asked to me at social functions and gatherings. I had to keep repeating myself over and over again untill i get to the last person I just said 'Oh I dress naked bodies!' and they go 'ooooohh' with mouth wide open. Hahahaha love doing that sometimes..

You can't blame them because even though Image Consulting services have been around for quite some time but not many people understand what it is all about and the importance of potraying the right image for individuals, companies and organizations.

In the United States, Image Consulting has gone beyond recognition. Almost everyone in various industries admit that a professional image that represent oneself and an organization is crucial as far as branding is concerned.

I would like to quote Donald Trump for saying ' in order to be successful you have to look successful first', in his book 'Think Big and Kiss Ass'. He managed to close a deal just by dressing the best that he could be. First Impression is very very important.

Yes  clothes do communicate messages. What you wear says a lot about you in the first 15 seconds. After that , what you say, your topic of discussion, your body gestures, the verbal and non-verbal language, your posture, your manners, courtesy ,etiquette ...all will create a significance in peoples minds. You can control what they see but you can't control what they feel.
To control what they see, you have to play the part but to control what they feel you have to have the right tools and knowledge.

This is what Image Consulting is all about. We coach you to have the right attitude, tools and skills to build the right image that potrays professionalism and finesse for individuals and organizations.

When we teach you about Body Language, you will be able to connect with the people around you effectively just by reading their body gestures . This is especially a very important skill in Marketing, Public Relations, Customer Service Industry and Job interviews.

Then we teach you about Social Etiquette ,Dining and Networking. When you are entertaining your clients, do you pay or you make them pay and who orders first? As a lady is it graceful for you to extend your call card to a man first? For the men out there, is it ok for you to ask a woman her age? Simple things like this could represent your mentality , social and education background and lack of sensitivity to the other party.

And for the ladies do you wear mini skirts at the workplace and expect to be taken seriously?

There is more to it than i could explain but what i can tell you is that it is very important to have the right image and potray it the way you want to be perceived by others. A professional image could lead you to a higher level in your life be it your career advancement or personal relationships.

If everyone in the community is being 'CONSISTENT and CONGRUENT' with their image then we will be able to increase the standards of professionalism and be more relevant and effective in what we do.

All the topics that constitutes to Image Building are all incorporated in my book 'IMEJ- DIRI ANDA ASET ANDA'. It is a an interactive reference coffee table book that gives you tips and guidelines towards self-branding and knowing your self attributes. Through this book I would like to share with you my experiences and knowledge towards recognizing your best asset which is -yourself.

If you would like to get a copy of the book please kindly place an order by emailing to adamayaconsultancyservices@gmail.com.or by ordering it at MPH bookstores.

Thank you for reading!

Basic Courtesy- What happened?

I took my son Adam and daughter Letisha to have dinner at Pizza Hut. We were given a table of five. There were another group of family of which i notice this particular lady was very immaculately dressed seated next to our table.

While we were enjoying our dinner suddenly that lady stood up from her table and crossed over to ours to grab a napkin from the unoccupied seat at our table. Stunned.. i just looked at her and she looked back at me without saying a word. At this time my daughter was having a funny a funny grin on her face.

So she wanted a serviette. Perhaps she could have asked one from the waitress or she could have politely asked my permission to take the napkin away from our table! Still I think it is so unethical of someone to just invade other people's privacy like that. It's called invading a 'personal space'.

What happened to the word 'excuse me', 'may i' , 'sorry'or 'thank you'? I thought it is our culture to be polite.

Then my son whispered to me, 'Mom why did that lady take the napkin from our table and she never asked you first?'. So I said to him maybe she forgot her manners....

This is what I am really concerned about. How can we expect youngsters of today to have tact when they are being brought up by parents like that. We have to lead by example and i believe it starts from home.

You can be so immaculately dressed from head to toe but if you don't have the manners you don't have a good package.

That is why Image Building is essential to everyone and it is crucial to have it nurtured from an early age.

Lets think about it.

Me,

Left school in 1986 and did part-time modelling for fun. Fashion is my passion . I had fun though money wasn't that great but i learned a lot about posing for the cameras, grooming and was given the opportunity to choreograph the fashion shows . Eventually I wanted a steady job and something more challenging.

I joined Malaysia Airlines as a flight attendant and joined a government TV station called RTM as a newscaster. I have always believe in multitasking and had no problems juggling two exciting careers plus the four figure income of course! I can still recall the times when I had just landed from a flight and had to rush to RTM with my uniform and trolley bag to read the prime time news at 8pm. Those were the days... but i treasure every moment of it. Malaysia Airlines taught me about discipline, responsibility and preserverence.

After 7 years of flying, [7 year itch..]I felt that i had a lot more to offer and was deeply inclined to explore seriously in broadcasting. I left MAS & RTM to join TV3 as a full time Anchor NewsPresenter & was hosting live talk shows. It was different when i was Rtm though we were all like a family and was ever willing to help each other , I was just reading the news. I had no training or journalism background.

Tv3 was a good training ground and i gathered an indepth knowledge in every aspects of broadcasting. I was ajournalist, scriptwriter, editor , producer and presenter. Another interesting experience that can't be bought.

I've always love beauty and i have kept a promise to myself that one day i would set up my own beauty centre. Through the years i did my networking with various people in the industry who eventualy became my close friends. After almost 8 years I decided to follow my dreams and left TV3 to set up Adamaya Salon, my own hairsalon. I believe in investing in knowledge so i took up a long distant learning course on Busines Management and got my Bachelors Degree. Then took up a course in Hairdressing got my Diploma after 8 months to fully equip myself in my new chosen field. Now we have diversified our business to Image Consultancy.

I took up a course in London & Singapore on Image Consultancy and have been certified as an Image consultant & a proud member of the Association of Image Consultants International, AICI. I have so much passion in my job that i really feel the need to document it and my vision is to help raise the standards of professionalism of the people of this country . I am hoping that schools and colleges could start a new syllabus specifically on Image Building among the students to cultivate good habits from an early age. My latest project is authoring a book called 'Imej- Diri Anda Aset Anda' [Image-You Are Your Best Asset]. It is an interactive referrence and motivational coffee table book about Image Building & Self Branding for career, relationship & personal development towards enhancing professionalism & effective individuals in the community. Through this book I hope i could collaborate with the government ministries such as the Ministry of Women & Community Development to organize workshops targeted to teenagers, single mothers and working individuals to become more relevant and effective.

Well thats just sharing with you what i have in mind.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you are willing to listen, I am more than happy to share with you my experience and knowledge about style , fashion , etiquette & lots more!