How Do Personal Stylists Find Clients?

If you’re a budding personal stylist, the biggest question you’re probably asking yourself right now is:

“How do personal stylists actually find clients once the training ends?”

It’s one of the most common — and most important — questions I get from my students. You’ve completed your training, learned how to analyse colour, edit wardrobes, and take clients shopping with confidence. You’re ready to start helping people transform their lives through style… but you’re wondering, “Where do I even begin finding my first client?”

That’s exactly why I created my 5-Day Intensive Training Course — an essential add-on to the 3-Day Essential Training Course, which covers Colour Analysis, Wardrobe Styling and Personal Shopping.

The 5-Day Intensive adds two golden modules: Business Planning and Menswear Styling — and in my experience, these two modules make all the difference between simply being trained and being successful.

Let me explain why.

Why Finding Clients Begins with a Clear Plan

During the Business Planning Session, which is a one-to-one session with me, I get hands-on in helping each stylist design their personal client-attraction strategy. This is where the real work begins.

After completing their foundational training, most new stylists are bursting with excitement — and rightly so. They’ve learned how to style anyone: any age, any gender, any body shape, any lifestyle. The natural instinct is to want to style everyone.

But here’s where I have to gently rein them in.

You can’t effectively market to everyone. The most successful stylists are those who can clearly identify who they want to serve most.

So, during this session, I ask my trainees key questions:

Who do you feel most confident styling — men, women, or both?
What age range excites you most to work with?
What social demographic do they fall under?
What are their lifestyle habits and fashion challenges?
What differentiates them from others? Culture, menopause, beliefs?

This is where the magic begins.

Once we narrow down a stylist’s ideal target audience — the people they truly get and feel comfortable helping — we can then build a strategy to make their services irresistible to that group.

We’re not saying they can’t work outside of that audience. We’re simply saying: this is your focus for now.

When you know exactly who you’re talking to, every marketing decision becomes easier — from the tone of your website to the photos you post on Instagram.

Be Seen and Heard Where Your Clients Are

The next step?
You have to show up where your target audience hangs out — both online and offline.

Maybe your ideal client is a busy mum on the school run.
Or perhaps it’s a corporate professional at a networking event, or a gym member at a luxury health club.

Wherever they spend their time, that’s where you need to be visible.

And this doesn’t just mean turning up physically. It means engaging, connecting, and being seen as a confident, stylish authority in those spaces.

On social media, that might look like joining local Facebook or WhatsApp groups, or following community pages where your audience interacts. Offline, it could mean attending events, collaborating with local boutiques, or even offering a style talk at your local women’s group.

Why Old Marketing Tactics Don’t Work Anymore

So many new stylists still believe that printing leaflets and leaving them in coffee shops, salons, or boutiques will bring in a flood of clients.

Let me be blunt — those days are gone.

People today want more than a flyer. They want a connection. They want authenticity. They want to see results, stories, and transformations that they can relate to.

That’s why word of mouth remains the most powerful way to grow your business — but there’s an art to generating it.

The Power of Strategic Free Work

In the early stages, you have to be prepared to offer some of your services for free — but you must do it strategically.

Don’t just offer free styling to anyone. Offer it to people who are:

Visible in their community or profession
Connected to your target audience
Likely to rave about your services to others

For instance, offering a complimentary wardrobe edit to your local hair salon team can be an incredible move. Hairdressers are around your target audience all day long. They chat. They recommend. They love a good story.

Style them for free, and suddenly you’ve got an army of advocates telling their clients about you.

Be Your Own Walking Advertisement

One of the simplest and most powerful marketing tools you’ll ever have is you.

You are your best advert. Every time you step out the door, you are a walking portfolio of your work.

Wear your colours. Dress in a way that represents your brand. Be bold and intentional. Let your outfit start conversations.

When someone compliments your look, don’t just say thank you — use it as an opportunity to plant a seed.

Try saying:

“Thank you! I’m wearing my seasonal colours — they make such a difference!”
or
“I used to struggle with my wardrobe too, but learning how to dress for my shape has completely changed how I feel.”

That vulnerability connects. When you step into your audience’s pain points — body confidence, weight fluctuations, confusion about what suits them — and share your personal transformation, people instantly trust you.

They see what’s possible for them through you.

Building Local Presence and Partnerships

Being known in your area is priceless.

Go beyond your immediate circle — partner with local businesses that align with your target audience.

Hair salons, beauty clinics, and boutiques are great starting points. Offer to style their team or host a “mini style workshop” for their clients.

Once you’ve built confidence and credibility, move on to corporate settings. HR departments are often looking for team-building incentives or wellness initiatives — and a styling session is a perfect fit.

I’ve had many delegates secure long-term corporate clients this way after just one short presentation.

The Secret Advantage of the Intensive Course

These are just a few of the strategies we dive into during the Business Planning Module of the 5-Day Intensive Training.

After nearly 20 years in the industry, I’ve learned what works — and what doesn’t.

Every delegate who joins the Intensive course benefits from my real-world experience and gets a tailored plan that fits their personality, lifestyle, and goals.

Because here’s the truth: no two personal stylists are alike.

Franchise companies like Colour Me Beautiful or House of Colour tend to market stylists based on postcode. But I know true success goes far deeper than where you live!

It’s about who you are, who you connect with, and how you tell your story.

Becoming Discoverable: The Style Me Stylist Network

Once my delegates complete the Intensive Training, they receive a professional photoshoot and a feature on our Style Me Stylist Directory — our exclusive database where potential clients can browse stylists, read their stories, and find the perfect match.

Why does this matter?

Because choosing a personal stylist is personal.

There has to be a synergy between stylist and client — a genuine connection that builds trust and ensures amazing results.

That’s also why my stylists aren’t in competition with one another. Each attracts different types of people, based on their own unique style, story, and energy.

Word of Mouth: Your Most Valuable Marketing Tool

After all is said and done, word of mouth will always be your strongest form of marketing.

That’s why we include Menswear Styling in the Intensive Course — it’s a natural expansion that multiplies your client base.

When you style a woman to perfection, she’ll rave about you to her sister, her mum, and her friends. But she’ll also want her partner, brother, or son to look just as good.