Professional head shots with Eric Mull (Cleveland-area opportunity)

Need a New Head Shot?

I do! I no longer look like my old pics from last January and this is a problem for my business! It made me start thinking….

I know a lot of us have old pictures of ourselves that we have on our web sites or submit whenever we need to use a professional portrait for some purpose.

Take a good look at your current head shot.

· Do you have one? I hope so. Every professional should.

· Does it present you the way you look right now? If it was taken five years ago and you look completely different now, it could be giving the public the equivalent of deceptive advertising.

· If you have a very formal picture and your business is a little less formal, your head shot should reflect a little less formal tone. And vice versa.

· Are you just getting started in your business or still very new? A professional head shot makes you look more established – instantly!

· Are you just not happy with your current picture for any reason? Was your hair, makeup or clothing just not quite right? These are all are factors in making or breaking the photo! You deserve a picture you are happy with!

THE EVENT

I am joining with photographer Eric Mull (he does a lot of work for Cleveland Magazine), my favorite makeup artist, the fabulous Wendy Fitos and excellent hairstylist Julia Niedzialek to offer a special event to everyone in my community.

Date: Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Time: Morning appointments

Services & Pricing:

PHOTOGRAPHY - $100

Includes several shots and one selected pose as a digital file. Eric will clean up any blemishes, soften wrinkles, etc.)

This is an exceptional price for the caliber of work he does!

Extra shots will also be available for purchase. If you are interested in more than one outfit (an extra sitting), that will also be available for an additional fee.

MAKEUP & HAIR

$20 for makeup, $20 for hair styling (no cutting or coloring)

Both are optional, but highly recommended. If you’ve ever had a picture with flyaway hair or flat hair or haven’t worn enough makeup (and looked washed out) or wore too much makeup (and looked like a clown – I’ve been at both ends of the spectrum!) you can’t afford to miss this opportunity to have both done by professionals.

***

Please let me know if this is something you would be interested in. And please spread the word around to your friends and colleagues who may need this service.

Remember, it’s all about image!!! Your professional head shot sets the tone for your business persona. Is yours accurately representing all that you do???

Stay warm, everyone!

Kristen

Kristen Kaleal
President, AICI OH/PA Chapter

p 440.742.0385
f 440.579.0100
kristen@kkimagedesign.com

IF YOU WISH TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THIS EVENT, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

The Nordstrom Customer Service Experience

A Cleveland-Area Event

Ladies & Gentlemen –

If someone asked us who has a challenge with working one-on-one with clients, I would be the first to raise my hand. It’s just not my favorite part of what I do. I bet that a couple of you feel that way too. Sometimes I don’t feel like I give a 100% customer-centric experience and that bothers me.

But every time I go shopping on my own or take a client to one particular store, I have an amazing experience. It’s probably no surprise that it’s Nordstrom. They go above and beyond to accommodate my clients and me each and every time.

I have asked the store manager of the only Cleveland-area location if they would be willing to have a group of us come in to tour the store and learn about how they impart top-notch customer service skills to their employees and how that leads to greater sales and return customers.

Hey, we may not all own retail establishments, but isn’t that what we want too??

We are planning this event for early-to-mid February on a Mon, Tues, Weds or Thurs evening. It would be free to AICI members and $15 for non-members.

If it’s a success, then we could coordinate the same sort of mini-events for Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Columbus.

If you are in Cleveland, please let me know which of the aforementioned days works for you.

Warmest regards -

(literally! It's freezing here!!)

Kristen Kaleal
President
AICI OH/PA Chapter
kkaleal@aol.com
(440) 742-0385

Newsletter clarification

Hello Everyone!

I apologize for not stating this more clearly in my previous email -

At the moment, we will only be able to showcase the contributions of the OH/PA Chapter members in our newsletter. With our chapter beginning to hold meetings in Philadelphia, we have added several AICI members to our mailing list who are not in our chapter. It is our goal to keep everyone up-to-date on what is happening with us, whether you are a chapter member, a member of another chapter, or a former or future member.

With the newsletter, it is our goal to extend the knowledge of our members to others within the industry and excite those who want to get started in this wonderful and rewarding career.

Sorry for any confusion this may have caused. (Believe me, I hate having to create rules!!)

And thanks so much to everyone for your enthusiasm and support! It is a really thrilling time to be in AICI!!

Kristen

A Chapter Newsletter!!

Being an ambitious AICI Chapter president, I feel that it's time to start a chapter newsletter, everyone! I hope all of our chapter members will join me in this new venture!

Have you written an article that would interest your fellow AICI members?

Have you answered a client question in an email or in print that could help others?

Have you been in the media – on TV or radio or in a newspaper or magazine?

Do you have an opinion you want to share on something related to our industry?

If so, we want to hear from you!

Send us your article before the deadline with a brief bio of 2-5 lines and a headshot, along with your email address and a link to your site or blog. Photos or images to illustrate important points are always welcome as well.

If sending us an article about you, please include the publication, link and date. For video or audio links, please let us know the program and date.

What are the benefits of participating in our newsletter?

Increase your visibility among your peers

Writing articles counts toward your future CIP designation!

Increase your chances of being found on the Internet (search engine optimization

You will have an article to send out as a newsletter to your clients and prospect

You will be a contributing writer in the image industry, which you can add to your resume or curriculum vitae
You can then submit the article to AICI publications or even publish them as an ebook!

Pretty cool, huh?!

Although there is no limit, we will include articles on a first come, first served basis and they will also be put on our blog (which is very sensitive to search engines). One article per person and as many media links as you can list (in the quarter covered by the newsletter issue).

Now are you interested?!!

Our newsletter will be sent out quarterly, starting on March 1st! The first deadline is January 31st.

Attached, you will find the editorial calendar with all issue dates and deadlines.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Warmest regards,

Kristen Kaleal

President

AICI OH/PA Chapter

kkaleal@aol.com

(440) 742-0385

Conference Call for New & Prospective Members

Winter Greetings Everyone!

We have been fortunate to have an onslaught of interest in our industry and our chapter recently. We have new members and a lot of people who are interested in becoming members.

Let’s chat - about AICI, what we do, where we meet, and how you can get involved.

From my experience, involvement in AICI is one of the fastest and easiest ways to establish oneself as a professional in the industry. I will share my story and I hope it will inspire you to join us and become part of a chapter that is starting to grow and thrive.

We are having a conference call on Tuesday, January 29^th at 8pm to address what AICI can do for you and your career.

We’ll address training options, resources, industry trends, career opportunities, and most importantly, figuring out what is right for YOU and YOUR CAREER GOALS.

Whether you’re already working in the industry, if you’re trained and ready to get going or if you’re just starting to explore the possibility of an image career, be sure to be on this call.

Any AICI member – past or present – is also welcome to join us for a refresher. (We have a lot of past members still on our email list. If you’re interested in getting back into the business, be sure to be on this call.)

I will send out the specifics (call-in number, etc) as the date approaches.

Bring your questions! We are looking forward to speaking with you!!

Kristen Kaleal

President

AICI OH/PA Chapter

kkaleal@aol.com

(440) 742-0385

P.S. We will have a conference call in February for anyone interested in becoming a leader

and board member! More info to come....

Web Update

Sent an update to AICI corporate 11/5 with Columbus meeting dates (PA meetings are TBD). Added pics from the retreat and the satellite meeting.

Minutes from the Board Meeting 11/4/07

Board Meeting Minutes
AICI OH/PA Chapter
November 4th, 2007
Columbus, Ohio 1:00 to 4:00

Board Members:
Kristen Kaleal (President) LisaMarie Luccioni (Treasurer/Past-President)
Erica Torres-Dudziak (Vice-President) Jill Haney (Secretary)

Proceedings

President's Report:

- Update on the Delaware Valley Satellite Meetings.

- The goal is to grow the chapter and have more Eastern Pennsylvania involvement, including leaders with board positions.

- Conference call to be held with current board members and interested OH/PA members from the Delaware Valley area – most likely in January. Will put out an open call shortly.

- The 2008 OH/PA AICI meetings will be held as follows: March 2nd, June 15th, September 7th, and November 9th. All meetings will be held on Sundays in Columbus, Ohio**.

- Discussed possibility of holding next meeting at Macy’s at Easton or Polaris (since we now have a PR contact) for a tour of the store, preview of spring trends, and secrets of department store shopping.

**Other locations to be determined. We are looking for a meeting space that has a meeting room but will not pay for use of room above lunch price (hotels are currently charging $150-$250 setup fee, which as a small chapter, we will not incur). We are also losing $60 or more at each hotel meeting per meeting due to guaranteed counts. A possible option is Panera Bread, which typically has meeting space. If anyone in the Columbus area has any suggestions, please let us know.

Vice-President's Report:

- Discussed the AICI Leadership & VP Marketing conference calls.

- The AICI Publicity Handbook, which can be downloaded on the website, can be used to market our chapter and our own businesses.

- Anytime any of us is in the news, please send the information to AICI headquarters.

Treasurer's Report:

- Our chapter is fiscally sound! The Chapter Financial report was submitted and approved by HQ.

- This report must be submitted to HQ two times a year in order to get chapter rebate of $60 per member.

- Chapter checking account has a balance of $951.43 with additional rebates pending.

Other business:

- Board members discussed the idea of having a chapter retreat in 2009. Pittsburgh is a possibility as it would encompass both the PA members and OH members.

- Members discussed the option of getting CEU's for the retreat as this would help draw more members and possibly members from outside of our chapter, as there was an interest in the 2007 retreat from outside the chapter IF there were CEU credits offered.

- Submitted by Jill Haney, Secretary

Pics from the 1st Delaware Valley Satellite Meeting

JoJami Tyler, Nicole Green, Donna Dixon, Fatiha Occhialini, Brian Lipstein, Dana Persia, Sara Canuso, Ann Bernicker, Diane Reginato, Jennifer Ashton, Chris Baeza

Sara Canuso, Chris Baeza, Diane Reginato, Ann Bernicker

Brian Lipstein, AICI

JoJami Tyler (side of head to camera), Dana Persia, Nicole Green, Sara Canuso, Chris Baeza, Diane Reginato, Ann Bernicker, Jennifer Ashton

Photos courtesy of Renu Dalal

2008 Meeting Schedule for Columbus, OH

Greetings!

We had a very productive board meeting yesterday, and before the official meeting minutes are sent out, I wanted to let you know our meeting schedule for next year.

For those of you who have wanted to attend a Columbus-area meeting and it hasn’t coincided with your schedule, I’m hoping this will be enough advance warning for you :)

Don’t forget that you can always use the chapter blog as your resource for current information. The top section lists our coming meetings and other necessary info. We will also have this list posted on the official AICI chapter site very soon.

As soon as we know the Delaware Valley’s meeting schedule, we will put that on the blog and AICI site as well.

Columbus, OH Meeting Dates for 2008

March 2
June 15
September 7
November 9
(As always, these are all on Sundays)

**If any of the dates change, we will let you know as soon as possible**

We will have reports from yesterday’s board meeting and the first Delaware Valley Satellite Meeting (happening right now!) posted soon.

Here’s a picture of us from the meeting yesterday –

(L-R - me, LisaMarie Luccioni, Erica Torres-Dudziak, Jill Haney)

Kristen Kaleal

President

AICI OH/PA Chapter

kkaleal@aol.com

(440) 742-0385

Board Meeting Agenda - 11/4/07

Current Events & News

State of the Chapter
President’s Notes
Treasurer’s Report

Delaware Valley
Satellite Meetings

Membership Drive
VP Membership conference call – Erica
Brainstorming

Education & Development
Training Ideas
CEU’s

Leadership & Involvement
Future leaders conference call in January
Member of the Year

Promotion
AICI website, blog, email list, etc.

2008 Meetings
Columbus list
DVSM list (from Renu)

Nov. 4th Columbus, OH Meeting - Canceled

Hi Everyone -

Instead of having an Ohio meeting that is open to members, non-members and prospects, the chapter board has voted to use this meeting as a closed strategic planning session for the future of the chapter. We are currently poised to do great things, with meetings happening at two points within our boundaries.

We want to make sure to maximize these opportunities in order to make the chapter stronger and prepare ourselves for a highly successful future.

A couple of the agenda items include creating a list of all Ohio meetings for 2008 and brainstorming ways we can utilize the tremendous enthusiasm of the members in the Delaware Valley area to make us even better.

How exciting is it to be a part of a chapter that is on the move?! I told previous AICI president Marion Gellatly as well as current president Karen Brunger that it is my goal to be the preeminent small chapter in all of AICI. (For those of you who don’t know me well, my plans are always quite grandiose!) Let’s face it, we will never be as big as San Francisco or Southern CA or Atlanta, and that’s fine. But if we can be an exemplary chapter in our own right, I think that is pretty fabulous. Wouldn’t you agree?

With your participation, I am so pleased that we are already making it happen!

We will have a productive planning session on Sunday and we look forward to 2008, where we will continue to flourish in both Ohio AND Pennsylvania!!

All my best,

Kristen Kaleal

President

AICI OH/PA Chapter

kkaleal@aol.com

(440) 742-0385

Delaware Valley Satellite Meeting Agenda

November 5, 2007

5:30 – 6:00pm – Networking / Introduction and Welcome by Renu Dalal, MS, AICI

6:00 – 6:30 – Session 1 – Brian Lipstein, AICI

Topic: The Details of Menswear

· Machine vs. Hand construction in suits.

· What fabrics work best for your client?

· Quality vs. Quantity - how to justify the investment.

Brian Lipstein, AICI is Vice President and Co-Founder of Henry A. Davidsen, Master Tailors & Image Consultants. Building on over 100 years of family tailoring tradition, Henry Davidsen focuses on outfitting professionals and helping clients plan the strategic use of their image in their career.

6:45 – 7:15 – Session 2 – Sara Canuso

Topic: Clarity of your Fees and Services

· Being clear on your services, hourly verses package pricing.

· What are the services you are offering?

· Do you currently have a Niche?

Sara Canuso is President of A Suitable Solution and advises some of the Philadelphia region's most successful men and women on the impact of image. As a speaker, writer, teacher and motivator, she also helps clients entering the business arena to cultivate a polished professional image that commands respect and to acquire a winning presence.

7:30 – 8:00 – Session 3 – Chris Baeza

Topic: Intention; “What you think is what you will receive”

· Creating the vision for what you have “in mind” to be, do and have.

· Vision story

· Mapping

· Feng Shui tips @ intention

Chris Baeza is a trained Fashion Feng Shui® Facilitator. Fashion Feng Shui® is an innovative, transformational dressing technique inspired by Feng Shui, Fashion Feng Shui® teaches you how to dress with mindfulness & intention so that your clothes express your authenticity and attract your deepest desires. Chris has over 15 year in the fashion business, Fashion Feng Shui® Facilitator, and is apprentice to a Color Me Beautiful consultant.

First Delaware Valley Satellite Meeting

Dear AICI members of the Delaware Valley,

I already know some of you, but wanted to introduce myself for the benefit of those whom I have not yet met: my name is Renu Dalal, and I am a personal wardrobe consultant in Philadelphia; I have been an AICI member since 2004.

For some time now, I have been discussing with local colleagues about the inconvenience of going to NYC for AICI meetings, not to mention that Columbus, OH, is virtually impossible to get to without committing a full day or more...So when Kristen Kaleal, the president of the AICI OH/PA Chapter asked about member interest in putting together local meetings, I thought I'd volunteer to coordinate the first (of many, I hope!) Delaware Valley Satellite Meeting.

I believe it is very important to have an AICI presence here in the Delaware Valley - with almost twenty members total in Delaware, SE Pennsylvania, and South Jersey - it would be wonderful to have a network of colleagues with whom we can share tips, ideas, and even overflow business. I have already been in conversation with a few members about possible dates, locations, and topics of discussion.

Mr. Brian Lipstein of Henry Davidsen, has graciously volunteered his showroom at 17th and Spruce Streets, in Center City Philadelphia, as a location for our first meeting, and we are looking at the early evening (5:30-8:00pm) of Monday, November 5th as a tentative date. Please let me know at your earliest convenience if this date, time, and location would work for you - at least for our first meeting, I'd like to have as many people attend as possible.

In addition, if you have any ideas for topics of discussion, or questions you'd like to ask of your colleagues, or if you'd like to lead a short presentation, please let me know at your earliest convenience. Some topics already proposed include: fee structure - hourly vs. package rates; sources for outside sizes (plus, petites, and very tall); and men's' image. Also, just FYI, we would like to collect from each attendee, $5.00 at the door, to cover the cost of refreshments (bottled water, beverages, light snacks) for the evening.

I look forward to hearing from all of you soon - your participation will help us make our first meeting a great success!

Warm Regards,

Renu
484-270-8355
renu@flairconsulting.com

Thank you, Renu! Looks like everyone is looking forward to this event!

- Kristen

Satellite Meetings

If anyone cannot make it to our quarterly meetings in Columbus, OH, but is interested in connecting with other AICI members in your area, please let me know.

We are already setting up some get-togethers and education sessions in Cleveland, since we have a large group of AICI members here. I have suggested that the Cincinnati/Kentucky contingency do the same.

We have several chapter members located in Philadelphia, most of whom we’ve never met, and I’m sure you haven’t met each other either!

If anyone is interested in putting a small local meeting together (maybe over coffee) with members that are close to them, please let me know and I would be happy to make the connections for you.

Kristen Kaleal

President

AICI OH/PA Chapter

kkaleal@aol.com

(440) 742-0385

Next Meeting & AICI Membership Info

Greetings!

It’s the first day of autumn, everyone. Bye-bye summer :(

I just wanted to keep you informed:

1) Our next meeting is on November 4, 2007 in Columbus, OH. The location is

still to be determined. We are always open to suggestions.

2) Our featured speaker will be Jill Haney, AICI.

Boutique Business:

Serving your clients and enhancing your business through relationships with boutiques.

Jill will also discuss choosing the right jeans for your clients and you and how to track fashion trends like a pro.

Jill Haney has over 15 years of retail experience in sales, management and as a buyer. She was the managing owner of one of Cincinnati's premier boutiques - which was profiled as one of Cincinnati Magazine's "Best Of.”

3) Last year our board of directors voted to limit attendance at our meetings by non-members to two times.

If you have attended your allotted two meetings (this includes August’s retreat), we invite you to join us and continue to enjoy the unique educational opportunities and camaraderie we are proud to provide.

(Also, AICI members receive discounts on our international conference – May 2008 in Tampa – and on our chapter meetings.)

If you are interested in AICI membership, the membership categories are as follows:

Associate Member
Dues: $275 per year
Privileges: As an Associate member, you can

· Vote locally and internationally;

· Hold local office and serve on local and international committees;

· Attend local and international meetings; and

· Use the AICI logo and “Associate Member of AICI” under your name.

To Qualify, you must be an entrepreneur or corporate employee working in the field of image consulting or a related field.

Affiliate Member
Dues: $275 per year
Privileges: As an Affiliate member, you can

· Serve on local committees if it is not a conflict of interest;

· Attend local and international meetings; and

· Use the designation “Affiliate Member of AICI” after your name.

To Qualify, you must be an individual working in an affiliated business and be supportive of the Image Industry.

Student Member
Dues: $165 per year
Privileges: As a Student member, you can

· Serve on local and committees;

· Attend local and international meetings; and

· Receive a reduced rate for membership dues, conference registration fees, and, at the discretion of the chapters, local meeting fees.

To Qualify, you must be enrolled at an accredited educational institution (college or university) in preparation for an image- or fashion-related career. Proof of registration and enrollment are required. Student status cannot exceed two years.

Here’s the link: http://www.aici.org/join/categories.htm

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Happy Fall to you!

Kristen Kaleal
President
AICI OH/PA Chapter
kristen@kkimagedesign.com
(440) 742-0385

Image Consulting as a Career

Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 1, 2007

Improving the Image

You've seen them while watching TV shows such as Extreme Makeover, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy or What Not to Wear. Image consultants are paid to show people how to create a fabulous impression. They also offer advice that can help people land a job, get a promotion or find someone to love. Kristen Kaleal is founder and president of Kristen Kaleal Image Design, a Cleveland-based image consulting company.

Q: What are the opportunities in this field of work?

A: Image consultants can do a variety of things from working one-on-one with clients where we organize closets and shop with them or for them to speaking for companies and organizations on professional image and style. Some cities are naturally more image-conscious and present more chances to ply your trade.

Q: What are the typical requirements for employment?

A: You must to be willing to work for yourself with the understanding that it means not having a steady and stable income. You are the greatest example of your abilities, so presenting your own flawless image at all times is a must. A lot of people believe that if you love to shop, you can be an image consultant. There is a lot more to it than that.

Q: What are the frustrations?

A: Cleveland is not intensely image-conscious, like L.A. or New York, so creating a profitable business here can be a challenge. Working outside of the area at times is mandatory.

Q: What changes do you think are coming?

A: There is currently a backlash against strict corporate image - the navy suit mentality, I call it. People are happiest at their jobs when they are allowed to be themselves while still dressing appropriately for work. Business casual dress was supposed to bridge this gap, but has created its own challenges. It really is an exciting time because a new professional standard is being created, and I get to be one of the people making it happen.

Q: What does it take to succeed?

A: The one inescapable fact is that if you want to be a working image consultant, 80 percent of your success is in how well you market yourself. I have an e-mail newsletter, a style column on ClevelandWomen.com and my blog. Professional affiliations are also a must. I am president-elect of the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) so I can actively watch the industry from a local, national and international perspective.

So You Think You Want to be an Image Consultant?

By AICI OH/PA president Kristen Kaleal (http://kristenkaleal.blogspot.com)

I receive several calls and emails every month from people who want to do what I do for a living.

People naturally assume that my career involves lots and lots of shopping. How fun does that sound? For most women, it probably sounds like the best job in the world!

While yes, I do provide personal shopping services, there is far more to it than that.

There are several prerequisite skills for an image consultant:

- A Great Eye – This is something that can’t be taught. We look for harmony, balance and visual interest in our clothing and accessories. What flatters our coloring, our body and our face?

- Knowledge of Color – There are many facets of this. Personal color is just one of them. Which colors look best on a person? While this skill is entirely learnable, one must also have a great eye to put colors together to create visual interest and harmonious outfits. There is also the psychology of color and the use of color in creating slimming body lines.

- Understanding of Proportion – How do you make a long torso balance with shorter legs? What size print should a petite woman wear? Why are horizontal stripes almost always a bad idea? Again, this falls into the “great eye” category. You can learn this, but academic image training can only take you so far before instinct needs to kick in.

- The Art & Science of Shopping – This doesn’t mean if it’s pretty, you buy it. Shopping is easier said than done in most cases. Can you build a wardrobe from the ground up that looks like it was created with a master plan in mind? Can you help someone shop in their own closet – seeing new ways to use what they already have?

- Do you understand Fit? You don’t have to be a master tailor to know if an article of clothing needs a mere tweak or if it won’t fit properly regardless of what work is done to it.

If you want to be a working image consultant and do this full-time, it is imperative to have a good business mind. I spend the majority of my time – probably 80% - marketing. Networking, speaking engagements, my newsletter, the articles I write, my blog, and even my forthcoming book are some of the ways I market what I do. I have relationships with the media and with people in related professions who refer me business. I am in the paper, in magazines, or on TV on a regular basis.

We recommend the book The Perfect Fit by Lynne Marks, AICI CIM and Dominique Isbecque, AICI CIP to determine if image is the right field for you.

Retreat Minutes

Minutes from the OH/PA of the Association of Image Consultants Summer Education Retreat in Cleveland, Ohio Friday, August 17th-19th, 2007
Recorded by Jill Haney, Secretary

The OH/PA of the Association of Image Consultants Summer Education Retreat opened Friday, August 17th with a one hour Lolly the Trolley tour of downtown Cleveland. Who knew there were so many fascinating and innovative ideas and buildings that originated in Cleveland?

After the tour we had a fabulous etiquette training dinner presented by our very own LisaMarie Luccioni at the Metropolitan Cafe. Thank you LisaMarie for all that you taught us regarding table manner and dining etiquette. It was very educational indeed.

Saturday morning opened with Introductions of the Board and welcome to speakers:

Chapter Board
Kristen Kaleal, President
Erica Torres-Dudziak, Vice President
LisaMarie Luccioni, MA AICI CIP, Treasurer & Past President
Jill Haney, AICI, Secretary

Erica gave the history of AICI

Founded 1990 and currently has over 900 members in 40 countries!
In addition to image consultants, members of AICI include: dieticians, hair stylists, business consultants...a very broad range of members.

Saturday Presenters:
Coach Joelle Prochera gave a very motivational and informative presentation on living passionately and daring to dream big.

- Who we are in the future has nothing to do with who we have been in the past.

- Everything starts as a dream and we can be A Master Life Creator! In order to do this we need to follow the rules: play, show up. and be open, flexible, and curious.

Leslie Carruthers-TheSearchGuru.com

- Marketing on the internet. Your customers are searching for you online. Can they find you? Websites can be a highly productive sales channel.
- Have a strategy so your customers can find you.
- Clear business objectives: protect your domain, improve visibility (remember customers are looking for you), and increase traffic, sales, and market share through testimonials.

Assessing your website.
- Never change your domain EVER because an older domain outweighs a younger domain.
- Follow the rules of usability and be compliant on accessibility.

Set Benchmarks.
- Determine your website statistics: how many clicks, how long did visitor stay, and who are they? Check this information monthly.

Identify Keyphrases
- Understand the importance of titletag, metatag, and keyphrases. These all set a strng foundation for your SEO efforts.
- Perform keyphrase research at least once a year.

Blogging helps your business develop a corporate personality and helps grow your website. Make sure blog is on your website and not on blogspot (for example).

People and spiders need to be able to find you. People first and spiders second. Make sure those spiders can find you!

Research how your html is running.

Make sure every page of your website has a call to action.
- For example, call or e-mail for your free image consulting consultation.

Kelly Smith: Messages from Martha

The ClevelandWomen.com trend columnist was fortunate to have the opportunity to hear Martha speak on being a successful entrepreneur.

- Regarding image, Martha suggests to always look pulled together, make sure we present ourselves in a positive note when meeting someone for the first time (a positive first impression) and take into consideration how we present ourselves to others. In order to have a powerful presence we need to be aware of our attitude towards others.

- Riches in Niches: In order to be successful how can we fill a void in the marketplace and offer what no one else is offering. Always relate decisions back to the customer and how to make them happy.

- Successful entrepreneurs surround themselves with creative and supportin g individuals. They will help keep ideas fresh.

- Remember the ultimate consumer...be aware of the small details (devil is in the details as they say). Keep on top of business practices by connecting with clients and consumers.

Everyone in attendance received a copy of The Martha Rules, courtesy of the AICI OH/PA Chapter!

Debbie Carney, CPO - Business Organization Strategies
Debbie provided us with organizing solutions for our business and our personal lives.

- Organization is all about making decisions. Disorganization translates into lost revenue!

- Debbie gave us many tips and tools to help keep us organized. In particular she likes the website seejanework.com for cute tools to get our offices organized. She also recommends RoboForm software to manage and organize our passwords.

Our very own Kristen Kaleal spoke to us on Platform Building: Getting to the next level NOW!

What is a Brand? The promise of an experience. Are we consistent with who we are? What are our goals, visions, and attitudes that help us deliver the promise of our brand?

What is a Platform? That which makes you stand out from the competition. As image consultants it is important to always look the part.
- You never know if your big break is right around the corner. It's best to keep an official record of everything you do.
- We need the credentials to back up what we do. (For example, membership in AICI and testimonials from clients.)
- We need strong connections with movers and shakers in the community.
- Why do we need a Platform? It brings value to everything we do, creates buzz in our community, and makes us the obvious choice.

How to start your Platform.
- Have a website and know how many hits it receives a month.
- Speaking engagements are key in helping create buzz (check out buzzdoodle.com for tips). Always get email addresses from participants at speaking engagements.
- When on the radio or tv maintain a library for your website.
- How to build a Platform template. Have an organized resume or biography that lists your current projects, education, all professional qualifications, and all media appearances (print, radio, tv).
- Make it happen! Have a newsletter to send to everyone on your email list, schedule speaking engagements, write a book, if possible, it lends credibility and can be your ticket into the big time.

Jen Gonzalez - Hair stylist from Joey and Me salon in Amherst, OH
Jen was cute as a button and offered great information on what products to use.
Poker straight hair is out and more voluminous hair (think hot rollers) is in. Also, bobs (think Jenny McCarthy and Victoria Beckham) are hot.

- Products are our friends. Great tip...put product in wet hair and put on makeup and get dressed. Let the product sit in the hair for a few minutes. On a personal note, I have been doing this since the retreat and I notice a big difference.

- As we age hair can become very dull. Toners can provide a rich, shiny color and last 3-6 weeks. Ask your stylist about toners.

- Best home hair color is Clairol and worst is Feria. Do not use Feria because it contains sulfur and will make it difficult for hair to be treated with another color.

- Hair below the shoulders does nothing for the shape of the face....Hollywood take note.

Samuel Hilliard - Menswear specialist for Jos. A. Bank
(coming soon!)