We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Mcconnell Mcconnell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah McConnell below.
Sarah McConnell, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump right into the heart of things. Outsiders often think businesses or industries have much larger profit margins than they actually do – the reason is that outsiders are often unaware of the biggest challenges to profitability in various industries – what’s the biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?
When you work in the wedding world as a wedding vendor, it is easy to share the usefulness of the product you’re selling–you might offer a bride her dream attire, stock the premium linens that all the big venues prefer to use, or bake the most beautiful, tasty cake that melts in your mouth. However, being a wedding planner is a much harder role to sell, as you in a way are presenting yourself as the product, with no tangible evidence of what you are capable of prior to making bookings. I have found this to be true in my own experience, as I have worked hard to build my business organically, using social media as the propellent for getting my business in the mouths of the respected wedding vendors in my area.
When I first started posting on Instagram, I took a lot of time to figure out what I could offer the wedding world online that was unique and not already over-shared. I needed my voice or presence to sound like me and give tidbits of my experience and insight without removing the need for a client to make a booking with me. I started posting in the height of the rise of AI assistance. Using AI intrigued me, as it seemed to save so much time, but as I researched its uses I decided that for my voice to remain authentic I wanted to put in the hard work myself. This is not to say that at times I have used AI for small phrases that I can’t quite grab, almost as if I was using an instant thesaurus, but I have overall taken the time to create posts, captions and content that is fully my own.
After I captured my first few bookings, I had content from the weddings I had worked at to share. This helps tremendously, as it showcases what you as a person can offer to the space you are marketing in. I highly recommend to anyone starting their own business in the wedding world to share as much of their own work as possible, as this is what draws people to you. They can relate to your humanness and individual taste much more than a curated collection you found online.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Before I had kids, I worked professionally in the world of Executive Management and HR. Since I have a love for spreadsheets (I know, eyeroll!), I always wondered if I could have a touch for project management in the wedding industry. As I researched what sector of this industry might be a good fit for me, I had several friends reach out to me about helping them plan their wedding. It was a no brainer for me, to translate my experience with my own wedding plus a few friends, into creating a brand that could service other couples looking for help with their own big day.
I quickly discovered there was a need for three main services, which are what I still offer now: wedding day coordination, basic planning help, and full-scope planning. Basic wedding day coordination gives my clients the peace of mind that someone who shares their vision will be onsite the full day, making sure everything goes according to plan and flows beautifully. This includes help with setup and tear down, logistics management, vendor coordination, rehearsal coordination and more. Adding on my planning service gives my clients personalized recommendations for vendors, specific design services and unlimited contact to me before the big day. For full-scope planning, my level of involvement is even deeper, where on top of everything listed prior I assist with keeping my clients in budget, provide complimentary film photography, and bring a team with me for their wedding day needs.
What truly sets me apart in this industry is the ability I have to filter the water hose of wedding information down for my clients, specific to their wedding location and tastes, to help them easily and quickly make educated decisions about what vendors they would like to hire and how they would like their day to run. This takes the guess work out of the way, allowing them to focus on enjoying their engagement and not stressing about the details. Let me be your worker bee and new wedding best friend!
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The single-handed most effective source of new clients for my business has been entirely based upon word of mouth. I cannot stress enough the importance of making connections in your industry, whether through events you are a part of or simply making time to get to know other people of position in whatever field you are affiliated in. My guesstimate for my own business is that 90% of my own clients bookings have been made upon the recommendation of other acclaimed vendors in my area. I am so grateful for their recommendations of my work to their own clients. If you are just starting your business, take the time to get to know the people you relate to in your field. I believe this is fundamental for success.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
If you’re looking for ways to foster your own personal development, I would highly recommend checking out these resources: Atomic Habits by James Clear, The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, and the podcast “The Body Language Expert: Stop Using This, It’s Making People Dislike You, So Are These Subtle Mistakes! Your Resting Face Matters & How To Fix It” by the Diary of A CEO and Steven Bartlett.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://auburn-bridal.squarespace.com
- Instagram: @auburnbridalevents
Image Credits
Ana Pierson Photography, Abigail Olivia Studios. Christine Bianca Visual