This is the Transcript of the #WeddingMarket Chat on May 25th, 2016 with Event Planner & Author Sasha Souza. The answers were made on Twitter so responses will appear different.
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sasha Souza was raised by a flower-child mom who encouraged her daughter’s flair for the dramatic. Cultivating a background in the theater arts, Sasha emerged as a businesswoman with a gift for theatrical styling and, after helping numerous friends and family members plan their weddings, she opened her first event design firm called The Whole Shebang!. Today she is an event scholar, designing events and weddings the same way a Broadway producer approaches a play – she makes sure that the stars shine and the audience/guests always go home wanting more.
She was also a featured event planner on the Style Network TV show “Whose Wedding is it Anyway???” Sasha and her work are also frequently featured on television programming including CBS “Early Show”, ABC’s “Primetime” wedding series special, “Inside Edition”, “Eye on LA”, and “In Wine Country”, “Get Married” and upcoming on “Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen” for SyFy, among other shows.
Sasha Souza was also a featured celebrity speaker at the Conde Nast Bridal Group’s Wedding March series part of the March on Madison series as well as a regular speaker at The Special Event Show Conferences and Event Solutions Conference and Tradeshow. She is an active keynote speaker for events across the country. Her speaking engagements have taken her all across the United States, Mexico, Canada, Trinidad, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Anguilla and to Tokyo, Japan to educate her peers & couples about the hottest trends in wedding & event design.
Learn More About Sasha Souza at www.sashasouzaevents.com
Q1: What makes wedding pros stand out from others?
Answer
Sasha Souza: It’s all in your personality. Your first introduction is mostly web and it should be infused with your signature. If you have the same colors and style as others, they won’t remember you. Don’t play into being like everybody else. I’ve always said “be yourself everybody else is already taken” awesome quote from Oscar Wilde. If you need help, you can always look into getting a nudge from experts. A friend of mine said that they were able to get help from groups to improve their skills. This is a fair option as, to name one example, Scotwork’s negotiation solutions are tailored to better fit your specific negotiation needs, which can help someone learn how to stand alone and stand out in this industry.
Q2: How do you define your brand?
Answer
Sasha Souza: I’m known for being eclectic/colorful/diverse. I thrive on different and love a challenge. I want to stand out not blend in.
Q3: When meeting clients for the first time how do you make sure that they align with your brand or goals?
Answer
Sasha Souza: My clients know if they align when they see my work. in person, it’s a first date & about meshing personality-wise. My goals for my business don’t need to mesh with my client, I don’t turn away work from potential clients. If they trust me and like what I do and have the budge to support the events we design, I’m happy to work with them.
Q4: How do you work with brides or customers that you can’t satisfy?
Answer
Sasha Souza: As best you can, I suppose. People like that are never happy no matter who they are working with. Don’t take it personally.
Q5: How do you determine price in your market?
Answer
Sasha Souza: We price our services based on cost of our time plus profit. I don’t use other planner fees to base my costs. If you are not comfortable with that, ask venues what their clients tend to pay for services, they can assist you. We also ask clients outright what their budget is for us so we have a ballpark of what they are expecting to spend.
Q6: What are some ways that wedding pros can use personality marketing for their biz?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Figure out who you are and what makes you shine. Don’t be a yes person to your client – give them your opinion. Don’t be the same as everybody else in what you put out there, make it about what makes you different. Don’t use the same catchwords like swoon, bespoke, chic, etc. If everybody else is using it, find something else.
Q7: How do wedding pros edit their work to showcase the best parts of the event?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Make sure you show images that are flawless. Focus on what you want to sell – designers shouldn’t have 100 photos of brides. Show images of decor, design, color. Same with caterers – 1 or 2 bride pix but all else is food and décor you designed. If the image isn’t perfect, don’t put it out there. Mushroom heaters are not attractive and neither are crooked chairs. Try keeping your flatware out from under your chargers, light your candles and don’t have condensing water glasses. I think I’m on a rant now.
Q8: What are the secrets of having a successful photo shoot?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Take your time. Get EVERYTHING right. Straighten chairs, put the forks & knives on the CORRECT side make sure it’s tidy. Different isn’t always better. It doesn’t have to be groundbreaking to get you work it needs to be cohesive. You don’t have to put every crazy idea you’ve ever had into one photo, either. Edit, edit, edit, peoples…
Q9: How do you use social media to increase awareness of your brand?
Answer
Sasha Souza: As far as being an inspiration to other event creatives, I use it to show that I’m a real person and connect with others. I use it also to promote things I’m doing within my company (books, mentoring, etc) and show pretty parties.
Q10: Is there certain social media platforms that are more important than others to reach brides?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Clients check out all social media when deciding who to hire. I don’t get inquires from SM, but I can win or lose a client. Instagram gets the most <3 followed by Facebook & Snapchat. I love snapping event days and travel. I'll post my snapcode. Insert snapcode Snapchat lets them see what you're like to work with behind the scenes. Instagram is www.instagram.com/sashasouzaevents and that's all pretty and inspiration. Q11: Is it a good idea to add on new products or services to your brand?
Answer
Sasha Souza: LORD YESSS! You should have 5 streams of income, always as an entrepreneur. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. I have my design co, books, speaking engagements, the Consultancy for Creatives that I just launched and site management.
Q12: How do you make yourself unique from other wedding companies?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Company has my signature on it. Nobody else can be me, will see events the way I see them. I keep my eyes in front of #weddingmarket. I keep my eyes in front of me, don’t pay attention to the noise around me with “competition” & focus on being the best.
Q13: How do you avoid burnout?
Answer
Sasha Souza: I keep a regular work schedule during the week and only work weekends when we have events or I have to travel. Clients don’t get cell # until the week of the wedding unless I travel with them. Otherwise, there’s no reason to give.
Q14: What is the Signature Sasha Consultancy For Creatives?
Answer
Sasha Souza: It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Mentoring and business consulting for the special events industry goo.gl/p9WeUT. I love everything about it – the clients I have are all so different and it’s amazing being able to share all I’ve learned. I offer an all Access package that includes an apprenticeship, a design consulting and accelerated consulting.
Q15: What types of event pros do you work with #SignatureSasha Consultancy For Creatives?
Answer
Sasha Souza: I work with planners, designers, floral designers, caterers. Any creative business in events. The all access consulting includes monthly calls with me to work on your business and take your business to a next level. Accelerated consulting gets your business in order in 90 days. Design consulting helps you go from planner to designer or florist to event designer.
Q16: What upcoming wedding & event conferences can the #Weddingmarket see you at this year?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Next in the US will be @weddingmba in October where I’m doing two sessions. Next year will be at @Catersource_llc for sure and also @TSECONF_EVENTS in February. There are a lot of regional speaking that I do also. Zacatecas, Mexico, Vermont, Virginia…
Q17: What would you like everyone to take away from this #WeddingMarket Chat?
Answer
Sasha Souza: I hope they get that they can be who they are and will be more respected and set themselves apart. Don’t be a sheeple.
#WeddingMarket Chat Questions
@FrillsBridal How do you handle it when a customer’s aesthetic just does not match with your own?
Answer
Sasha Souza: My esthetic doesn’t need to match. I need to make sure I deliver a wedding they love with the flair we bring.
@SoThisIsLov Do you feel those that copy trends to satisfy clients hurt their own brand ?
Answer
Sasha Souza: For sure. Take the trend, twist it into something different.
@Fallin_4_Autumn How did you get into wedding planning?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Long story 21 years ago. Theater background, saw a book about home based business, joined @BridalABC. History
@Fallin_4_Autumn For someone new, looking to break into the industry, what should they focus on?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Defining your niche, who you are. Don’t look at other planner websites. No comparisons.
@UMBERbridegroom Do you turn down brides that request your services?
Answer
Sasha Souza: No not if they can afford the budget for the event.
@VanessaLeBeau2 What tips do you have to professionally drive men’s interest into the wedding planning more?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Our grooms are very invested so I don’t have to push them to be more involved.
@Beauweddingapp Do you incorporate apps or other #wedtech into your wedding work?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Yes. I use @AislePlanner @honeybook @AppyCouple.
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@FrillsBridal I’ve seen some wedding vendors mix their personal life into their work social accounts, what do you think of that?
Answer
Sasha Souza: I put a little personal in, but I think people want to know who you are but they don’t need to know everything.
@Beauweddingapp What is your strategy when using Instagram? Is it for promotion or also for engagement with others?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Both. I prefer engagement.
@Fallin_4_Autumn For someone who’s done this for a while, is there a trend that keeps coming back over time, design-wise?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Yes. colors come around. dogs in weddings isn’t new. Neither are themed food stations.
@VanessaLeBeau2 Have you worked with any food trucks at weddings?
Answer
Sasha Souza: Yes, starting back in 2001…
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