When Brooklynne Russell roamed the halls of Bridgeport High School, her style was undeniable. She was known for putting together outfits featuring unique accessories that gave her a big-city look on a budget and her classmates took notice. She was also known for snapping pictures of everything, offering a new perspective to her daily routine. After having her daughter, Havenly, last year, she has given new life to her old hobbies and both her and her daughter are influencers for several companies from across the nation.

 

“I always loved the science behind marketing,” she said.  “It is so interesting to watch trends and see what works and what doesn’t work for companies.  In my research, I have found that people respond to ‘normal’ people using products in their everyday lives, giving first-hand accounts of their experiences.”

 

What Russell described is called influencing or repping, an advertising technique that features individuals using products they are given in order to reach audiences that might otherwise not be exposed to the product. Russell became was travelling with her boyfriend, a pipeliner, she was bored and wanted to work, but they moved so often, she couldn’t commit to a career.  Using her creativity, she began to find ways to use social media to reach friends, family and new followers as she posted pictures of her fashion stylings.

 

When her daughter, Havenly, was born, she took note of how many people were commenting on how cute she was dressed and asking Russell for advice on what products she used for her daughter. Her followers that looked to her for fashion advice were now looking to her for advice for their children too and Russell saw an opportunity to revisit her high school love of marketing, fashion and photography.

 

“I educated myself of what was best for Havenly,” she said.  “ I found that many commonly-known products are often questionable in terms of safety, environmentalism, or company ethics.”

 

Through her research, she discovered The Small Shop World on Instagram and Facebook, a conglomerate of moms who work out of their homes in order to offer unique items at affordable prices.  Many of the items are hand-made, which appealed to Russell, and she also liked the idea of helping struggling mothers contribute to their household.  After posting her daughter wearing some of the items, she was approached to become a rep for some of the women.

 

Influencers enter into a contract with sellers and negotiate to make sure both parties are happy with the terms.  After securing several contracts, Russell began marketing to their audiences and her followers while posting pictures of Havenly wearing their items.  She is given discount codes to share with her followers and is given first dibs on products when they launch.

 

Russell starts her day each day by getting herself and her daughter dressed in cute outfits and accessories and creating content for the companies. She posts pictures, videos of her unboxing products, and stories that have the products featured in them. By showing how the products work in her everyday life, she creates an approachability that celebrities don’t have and she has the opportunity to reach audiences that many small businesses may not be able to reach.

 

Currently, Havenly is a rep for Boosh Baby Shop in Seattle, Little Texas Babe VIP, Mia’s Messy Bows, Texas GetUp VIP, Bmore Top Knothced VIP, and Coffee Chaos Apparel. Russell’s own influencing career includes Evolve Boutique, Dales Clothing, Sugar Creek Clotihing, Amazon, and Caroline’s Closet, located in Buckhannon.

 

Some of the companies send her hard-to-sell items and have her re-style them in order for customers to see new ways to wear them. Some of them have her integrate new styles into her existing wardrobe and some simply require her to tag them in her posts. She has found that by getting dressed every day, it has helped her stay focused and driven and helps stave off depression and anxiety, all while spreading a message of empowerment for women.  Her styles offer affordability, discounts, and advice for those who seek help with fashion.

 

For more information about Brooklynne's discounts and companies, visit brooklynnerusselli.wixsite.com/smalltowngal