I was recently thinking about the Payless social experiment that happened late last year. So, it dawned on me that there are a few valuable lessons that we can learn from that experiment.

What I took away is that when it comes to brand, image is everything. But, of course I already knew this.

Payless proved that with the right imagery and packaging, they could sell their $50 shoes for $600 to social media fashion influencers.

One of the biggest dangers of the makeover is that the consultant or stylist will superimpose an inappropriate image on the victim — I mean client. In many cases, the client will discard the new image (or certain components of it). In other cases, the client will continue to pound her/his “round self ” into the “square hole,” generating an image that strikes most observers as artificial or phony.

Most people believe that improving their style requires a lot of time, money, and a personal glam squad. While those things certainly don’t hurt, I often help my clients realize how they can enhance their appearance and style with just a few tips and tricks. They are usually amazed by how a few tweaks can make such a huge difference. As a result, they feel more confident when they walk into a room, they feel more powerful during a business meeting, and they also feel like they can take on bigger challenges, simply because they are less worried about how the look.

Many people assume that image refers solely to our personal appearance — to our fashion sense, grooming habits and physical fitness. Thanks to this assumption, fueled by various TV makeover shows, people tend to equate image management with fashion consulting, with the makeovers seen on programs such What Not to Wear.

In reality, physical appearance is only one component of our image. It is one of a myriad ways that we express who we are (or think we are) to the world.