When Chan moved his practice from Melbourne four years ago, he was among the first certified image consultants in Hong Kong. He has helped set up four accredited programmes at local universities, training 200 students in the arts of appearance, behaviour and communication.

The Hong Kong chapter of AICI has more than 40 members and Chan's firm, Image du Monde, has a client list of artists, executives and major comapnies, including HSBC, Hutchison-Whampoa, Sino Group and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation.

'Businesses are looking for a new competitive advantage - what you might call an invisible dimension,' Chan says. 'They've learned about image-consulting and seen its value and said, 'This is something else we can do. Instead of finding another lawyer or accountant or fung shui expert, we have something new'.'

In November, the KCRC sent its employees to a workshop where they learned not only how to improve their dress sense, but also develop conversational skills. Participants were paired off, given the opening of a conversation and taught how to engage the other person to ensure a dialogue, instead of a one-sided chat.

'Many hadn't thought before of the skills needed to start a conversation or maintain relations in a social or business gathering,' says KCRC senior training officer King Lee. 'They found learning these skills very useful. There was a lot of positive feedback.'

Image consultant Ada Yim Kit-man says her catwalk skills as a former model can also be used to improve morale and productivity in business situations. At a recent session for China Insurance staff, she had the employees walk one at a time across the front of a lecture hall while she inspected their form.

'You wouldn't believe how many people walk like this,' she says, demonstrating a simian-like gait across the floor. 'They think it shows that they're motivated and confident, but it looks horrible. I have them start with their backs against the wall - three points: head, butt and heels - and walk forward, always looking straight ahead.'

Yim says her bigger satisfaction comes from working one-on-one with clients who are more eager to apply her lessons to their personal life, if not their profession. 'Someone who could never become a model can improve their life by learning many of the skills that modelling teaches. It's important to give people the tools to do it themselves. It's not just about image, but about imagination.'

About 70 per cent of Chan's clients are companies and 15 per cent private consultations. Of the latter, 80 per cent are women, but men's mindsets are changing as they learn that image isn't just what they see in the mirror.

'My approach is holistic,' Chan says. 'You can't just say, 'These glasses look good on you and this tie is your colour.' You have to work from the inside out. You have to know your temperament - how you behave and what your values are - before you can present your better self. I focus a lot on psychology.'

That's why about 15 per cent of Chan's business comes from people who want to learn image-management skills, including wedding organisers, interior designers, hair stylists, lawyers and bankers. Many are also taking accredited courses to apply those techniques to their own professions.

Educational psychologist Lydia Tso Mei-kuen says she benefits from Chan's expertise. 'I work with adolescents who are at the time in their lives when they're developing [their self-image],' she says. 'Because [image consultancy] considers both people's outer appearance and their inner development, it's given me quite a different perspective.'

Tso says she's creating programmes to show teachers and parents how to help youngsters build confidence and self- esteem - the primary ingredients of a positive self-image.

Another of Chan's clients is lyricist Chris Shum Wai-chung, whose phone has been ringing with offers of work since he won a Golden Horse Award last year for his song Crossroads in the film Perhaps, Love. 'I mostly have to communicate by phone, so my choice of words and the tone of my voice are very important,' he says. 'Producers always ask me to quote my fee and I was previously embarrassed to do this. I'd say, 'Uh, I don't know'.'

That kind of reply, Shum learned, suggests that he mightn't be professional enough, and a better response in this situation should include elements of experience and empathy. 'So now when they ask my price I'll first say, 'The market price for a lyricist for TV or film or stage is blah, blah, blah. And you're welcome to propose a price according to that range.' Then I'll talk more about my experience and negotiate a price that suits us both. And it's worked.'

Chan admits that looking and sounding better isn't always necessary. 'I had a client who asked if she should change her style and start wearing makeup,' he says. 'I asked her what type of clients she has and she said they're all recently retired and wealthy, but wear shorts and slippers and go fishing every day. I told her to keep her current style. If she suddenly started wearing makeup or toting a designer handbag, her clients might wonder what she was doing with their money.'

Looking more moneyed than her clients would be a sign of disrespect, Chan says. And respect is what improving your image is about.

'When we're doing something to make ourselves more presentable, it's a kind of respect - respect for your job, respect for your boss, your subordinates, your clients,' Chan says.

Yim puts it in more personal terms. 'If I don't dress nice when I meet someone they might think, 'Ada must not feel I'm very important if she came out looking like that'. Especially if I consider someone my friend, I want to look nice for them.'