Social Media Manager. Virtual Assistant.

Girl Friday

to the wedding industry

sophie cooke social media manager virtual assistant wedding industry

Hey wedding supplier, do you need help getting shit done? Let me take care of the things you hate most to free up your time to work on the thing you started your business for in the first place - your creativity!

“Sophie has been such a huge asset to me, hiring her was one of my best business decisions.”

— Lisa Devlin, Photography Farm


 

About

For over a decade I ran a successful bridal accessories business. From being stocked in House of Fraser to accessorising for London Fashion Week, scoring press in Cosmopolitan, Grazia, Vogue and beyond to a sell-out collaboration with one of the most successful wedding blogs in the world, I learned on the job the ways to market yourself across social media - without spending a penny on outside advertising.

Before long, I realised that my passion in the business was no longer the making - it was making the sales. My husband took over design and production while I headed up marketing, social media, customer service, website management and so much more.

When 2020 hit and events took a backseat, I started putting my years of learned experience to good use helping fellow wedding businesses focus on the areas that they love the most. I grew @rocknrollbridemagazine followers by 56% in just 6 months, increased the Pinterest engagements by 47% and became a regular features writer for rocknrollbride.com

For Photography Farm, I head up content creation on Instagram, take care of blogging and put together copy for the newsletter. A recent mentoring launch I planned and implemented was so successful that Lisa needed to take on a second cohort.

The common factor for these successes? Showing up. Consistency is key for marketing yourself online these days, and I know just how daunting and time consuming it is to be visible in all the different places you need to be seen right now. Just don't ask me to point and dance on Tiktok. Nobody needs to see that.

Services

  • Blogging

    Think blogging is a thing of the past? Think again. Any content produced on your own website is the only place on the internet that's in your full control. It's not commandeered by the algorithm and won't fall foul to the latest social media crazes, and Google loves websites with fresh content so you'll be ranking higher than your competitors when your clients are searching for your product or service.

    I can help get you blog ready and prep a questionnaire to get all the juicy wedding info from your clients. From there, I will build the post, prepping it with SEO-friendly title, intro, and write the copy, resize and rename images ready for upload, include testimonial quote where available, add links to other suppliers and contact them asking them to share it. As well as blog posts showing off your latest work, I can also write more evergreen, search-friendly content based on your niche and help show you off as the expert in your field.

  • Press Outreach

    So you know that you should be showing up on your own blog, but what about the wedding blogs and publications these days, are they still relevant?

    Press features should always be a part of your wider marketing strategy, not only for the kudos but for brand building, audience growth and recognition. But the application process takes time and it can be a lengthy process to wait for a response before applying to the next.

    I can help you identify which publication your work is likely to be a good fit with and where you're most likely to get accepted, prepare a highlight gallery and intro copy for consideration and anything else required from the upload process.

  • Email Marketing

    Your customers want to hear from you enough to let you into the confines of their inbox, but are you treating them like the VIPs they are? Just sending out the occasional sales email will see you headed for the dreaded 'other' folder, but showing up regularly with a varied content strategy will make you feel like their new BFF (and much more likely to book with you when the time comes!)

    Much like your blog, your mailing list should form a cornerstone of your online presence as it's another area that you're not at the mercy of the algorithm. In line with your current marketing focus, I can write the copy, resize the images and prep attention-grabbing titles ready for you to tick yet another area of outreach off your never-ending list.

Social Media

Back when I started out with my product business in 2011, it was just enough to have a Facebook page, post some phone photos and watch the sales roll in. Oh how times have changed! Thanks, in part, to our friend the algorithm, it's now imperative to be visible on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, email marketing, Tiktok... All with different content, tailored to your different audiences, and all while you're supposed to be actually running a business as well?! Yeah, I'm exhausted for you.

  • Instagram

    Whether you're a photographer with a whole tonne of images to use but nothing to say, or a celebrant with plenty of words but not much in the way of visuals, I can help you with posting consistently, engaging with your community and growing your ideal audience to help you reach new clients and ultimately, make more sales.

  • Facebook

    Listen, we might all love to hate Facebook these days but I'll bet you're still doom scrolling like the best of them; so your ideal couples will be too. Whether you have a Facebook page that looks like you've ghosted it in recent years or you've got a group but nothing to say, I can help bring life back into your presence (oh, and it means you'll no longer have to deal with business suite - winner, winner!)

  • Pinterest

    Newsflash: your couples are doing their wedding planning on Pinterest. So why aren't you getting your work on there? I can fill up your Tailwind (don't know what that is? Don't worry, I can set that up too) with lots of lovely images, optimised titles and key-word packed descriptions that will make your couples want to click through and find out more.

  • TikTok

    I’ll level with you - I'm not about to sell myself as the latest Tiktok star, but here's one instance where done is better than perfect (and one of the nice features about this app!) From trending audios to the ubiquitous for you page, there's plenty of ways I can help you show up on this platform without either of us having to dance or lipsync your way through - phew!

For Product-Based Businesses

  • Product Listing + Marketplace Management

    So as well as showing up on all the different social media platforms, for product based businesses it's also good to have your eggs spread across different baskets and be available across a variety of different marketplace platforms like Etsy, NOTHS and Shopify, and you're supposed to use different product descriptions, learn how to use each platform's CMS, all while eating your vegetables and staying hydrated? Seems fake to me.

    Let me take care of getting your products out to a wider audience with product copy writing, image resizing, adding categories and anything else needed to get your products onto different marketplaces and diversifying your income stream.

  • Instagram/Facebook Shops

    If you're a product based business you'll know how important it is to be able to tag your offerings on social media but the process of which is a mystifying dark art dictated by the Gods of Business Suite.

    Ok, maybe that's a bit far fetched, but it is damn time consuming so get this outsourced to me and I'll take care of putting together your shop to be able to tag your products on Facebook or Instagram.

  • Launch Planning + Implementation

    Got a new collection to launch or a new service to offer? Your hard work deserves a song and dance, so let me choreograph that for you! You might think that a successful launch means posting about your new offering and sitting back to watch the sales roll in, but think again. You need a pre-launch plan to make sure you're reaching all the right people, bringing new audiences in and that your existing audience is primed and ready to buy before hitting them with an offer so irresistible they can't refuse!

    This is a multi-platform approach that you can hire me for on a one-off basis or as part of ongoing services. POA.

“If you are struggling to keep on top of social media, I CAN NOT recommend hiring Sophie enough. She’s the best!”

— Kat Williams, Rock n Roll Bride

Pricing

My rate is £35 per hour and together we will build a bespoke package tailored to your business needs. I work with all aspects of the wedding industry from service based businesses like photographers, film-makers, planners, stylists and make-up artists to product-based businesses like florists, stationers, dress and accessory designers. Some examples of what your package could look like include:

Get Shit Done Weekly Package


This would suit someone who still enjoys using social media, but is struggling with knowing what to post and showing up consistently. You’d still take care of engagement and community management.

£210

1 x 'latest work' blog post including image resizing and renaming, SEO friendly title, copy written from your couple's questionnaire and testimonial - 1.5 hr

+ submit to wedding blogs for publication - 30 mins
+ contact all suppliers and ask them to share - 30 mins

5 x Instagram grid posts prepped and arranged for you to post in Planoly or Later including image resizing, copy + relevant hashtags, supplier tags and accompanying story slides  - 2 hrs

3 x Facebook posts planned + scheduled to autopost in Creator Studio or Later including caption, links, tagging fellow suppliers - 30 mins

Tailwind filled with 2 x Pinterest posts per day to customised boards including optimised titles and key-word packed descriptions, linking back to your site - 30 mins

 

New Collection One-Off Launch

This is best for someone with an annual multi-product collection to launch or for service-based businesses with a one-time offer to promote.

£POA

4 week multi-platform strategy including audience-growth and engagement-building focused build-up week and anticipation week through to cart open. Includes branded content creation, product copy, sales copy and products uploaded across all marketplaces and press outreach.

Bells + Whistles Weekly Package


This would suit someone who hates social media, doesn't want to be on it at all and wants to hand over the reigns on strategy and engagement.

£350

5 x Instagram grid posts prepped + pushed live from Planoly or Later including image resizing, copy, relevant hashtags + fellow suppliers tagged, daily engagement with community, replying to comments, tagged photos and relevant hashtags - 3 hrs

3 x branded story sets prepped + pushed live including behind the scenes, latest designs, moodboards, topical news content etc - 1 hrs

1 x Tiktok/Reel fully edited and posted with caption and hashtags, using trending audio or theme - 1 hr

Tailwind filled with 2 x Pinterest posts per day to customised boards including optimised titles and key-word packed descriptions linking back to your site - 30 mins

1 x weekly email including advice, latest designs, real bride stories, press features etc - 1 hr

1 x latest work' blog post  (requesting photographer usage if required) including image resizing + renaming, copy written from your couple's questionnaire and testimonial if available, suppliers linked - 1 hr

+ submit to wedding blogs and publications - 30 mins
+ contact all suppliers asking them to share - 30 mins

1 x Evergreen blog article including copy written (approx 300-500 words) including SEO optimised title, image resizing + renaming - 1 hr

1 x monthly planning meeting - 1 hr

The Basics Weekly Package


This would suit a face-paced, trend-driven business who may not yet have their own website or just wants to focus on one platform social media for now.

£140

5 x Instagram grid posts per week prepped and posted from Planoly or Later including image resizing, caption, relevant hashtags + fellow suppliers tagged, daily engagement + community management - 3 hr

1 x Reel fully edited and posted with caption and hashtags, using trending audio or theme - 1 hr

 

Product Based Weekly Package

This would suit someone who has multiple social media platforms and marketplaces to update with regularly updated product offering.

£175

5 x Instagram grid posts per week prepped to post in Planoly or Later including image resizing, caption, relevant hashtags, tagging products in your shop + fellow suppliers tagged where appropriate - 2 hrs

5 x Facebook posts per week planned + scheduled to autopost in Creator Studio or Later including caption, links or product tags - 1 hour

1 x Tiktok/Reel fully edited and posted with caption and hashtags, using trending audio or theme - 1 hrs

5 x products uploaded to Etsy/NOTHS etc including image resizing, product copy reworking, relevant categories and tags - 1 hour


All service examples are rough estimates. Actual time spent per task will be logged using a tracker and a monthly report provided with invoice. For on-going social media management, a minimum term of 3-months is required and a monthly retainer of 50% of booked services to secure your spot. All clients will receive a quarterly planning meeting and regular day-to-day comms during office hours via Slack.

Testimonials

“Outsourcing to Sophie has been one of my best decisions. Knowing that my socials, marketing and blog posts are looked after frees me up to progress the other parts of my business and take more time off. She’s a Girl Friday with of range of skills and effective strategies. She’s on top of trends and she speaks in my voice better than I do.”

— Lisa Devlin, Photography Farm

“Hiring Sophie to do the Rock n Roll Bride social media was one of the best business decisions we’ve ever made. Having Sophie on the team means I’m no longer stressing about updating every single platform myself. She’s also so great for bouncing ideas off, and she’s always bringing us ideas on what sort of content we can create too.

We’ve now been working with Sophie for 2 years on our Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest accounts and since then she has grown the Instagram account from 15k to nearly 60k, increased Facebook engagement by 31% and increased Pinterest monthly views by 1.5 million!

If you are a small business struggling to keep on top of social media, I CAN NOT recommend hiring Sophie as your social media manager enough. She’s the best!”

— Kat Williams, Rock n Roll Bride

"Sophie has been my right-hand girl for a year now, keeping my Tailwind full for Pinterest, scheduling content to my Facebook page and heading up community management my secret-society Facebook group. These are areas of my business that I had neither the time nor inclination for, and it was such a weight off knowing they were covered. Sophie stays on top of trends with social listening, has a knack for writing copy in my exact tone, and says yes to pretty much any task I throw at her. I know that once I send a task or project her way, I can rely on her to use her knowledge and initiative to take it on and I can tick it off my list and feel confident in the results.”

— Veronica Dearsley, Veronica Dearly

Get in Touch.