Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michelle Carrington. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Michelle thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I began my journey in the beauty industry as a makeup artist over a decade ago, working backstage at Vancouver Fashion Week, making up brides for their big day, and doing makeovers at my local Sephora. The most rewarding aspect of my job was seeing the ear-to-ear smile on my clients’ faces when they looked in the mirror.

However, I noticed a recurring pattern: as soon as people sat in my makeup chair, they’d start apologizing for their appearance. “I’m sorry about my skin,” they’d say. “Sorry for my acne,” or “Sorry about my wrinkles.”
The worst and most shameful part was trying to find products appropriate for diverse skin tones. Back in 2012, most makeup brands only offered 14 shades of foundation (all shades of cream). The beauty industry has profited off of women’s insecurities for decades and has created a super narrow standard that only a select few can meet. And, did I mention the abysmal amount of waste? Sickening!

As time has gone by, we as consumers have pushed back demanding more from brands. Leading this big change are indie beauty brands.

When I transitioned from makeup artistry to marketing and eventually launched my copywriting business, I knew I wanted to support these brands determined to change this industry for the better.

So, Michelle Carrington Copywriting was born to help rule-breaking indie beauty brands shine through powerful messaging rooted in their mission, story, and customers — so they can transform the beauty industry into an inclusive, empowering, and more sustainable space.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

First, let me explain what a copywriter does not do. We don’t deal with copyright infringement, laws or anything like that. Copywriting is a part of marketing that in short terms, sells through words. Everything you read on a website, marketing email, and advertisement was written by a copywriter like me!

I specifically copywrite and develop messaging strategy for indie beauty and wellness brands. My decade of work in beauty has given me a true understanding of how fast this industry moves and how customers decide who to buy from.

The clients I work with are brand founders with truly amazing products, but their challenge is communicating the genius of their brand and product. They don’t know what to say or how to say it to capture people’s attention. This is where I come in.

Through my work, we find the key elements of their story that most resonate with their customers and then translate it into magnetizing copy for their websites and email. The goal is to attract the right customers and build community, become a leader in their niche, and stand out from the competition.

The beauty industry is hyper-competitive. I mean, it’s a multi-billion-dollar industry! So, it’s essential to have a strong story and message to truly stand out and build a sustainable business.

The best part about the job is hearing the stories of these passionate brand founders who have poured their heart and soul into their products. It’s truly a privilege to tell their stories and help them turn their concept into a brand.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

So, even though I’ve been in marketing for five years, my copywriting business is still relatively fresh, only been at it for three years. But hey, I’ve managed to carve out a reputation as the go-to copywriter for indie beauty brands.

The biggest factor that has contributed to my reputation is the client experience I provide. I LOVE my clients and everything I do is for them. My goal from the very start has been to make them feel as relaxed and cared for as my makeup clients did. So, I go the extra mile during our work together, making sure I overcommunicate and get to know their brand as much as possible.

When people love working with you, they talk about you and recommend you.

However, there are a few other factors I believe have contributed to my reputation:

– Genuine passion for my niche. I’m totally obsessed with the beauty world and love to talk about it. This has helped me form true connections with other industry experts and brand founders. We bond over our shared passion.

– Industry experience. My years making up faces and selling perfume have not been for nothing. My clients appreciate the insights and knowledge I bring to the table that not every other copywriter can bring. Having been on the front lines with customers has definitely been a big reason why clients choose to work with me.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Surprisingly, Instagram!

I say surprisingly because when I started my business, I was dead set on avoiding video and social media (I’m shy like that). A mentor shook me up and told me to just experiment with it. What’s the worst that could happen?

Turns out, Instagram is exactly where my audience hangs out, especially the type of businesses I work with. They’re growing, but still small enough that the founder regularly checks their brand’s Instagram account. It’s been great for starting conversations and building connections.

But let me be transparent, Instagram and social media, in general, are incredibly draining for me. That’s why hiring a VA to handle content creation has been an absolute game-changer for me. I still get to create quality content and interact with founders, but without getting sucked into the Instagram time vortex.

Moral of the story: figure out where your audience hangs and show up there.

Contact Info:

• Website: michellecarringtoncopy.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/michellecarrington
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellecarringtont/

Image Credits
Maria Fernanda Lima