Referrals are one of the most powerful growth levers in a photography business — yet most photographers treat them like something mysterious or magical that “just happens” when the work is good enough.

In this conversation, Stacey Brown Randall dismantles that myth completely.

She explains why great photos and happy clients don’t automatically lead to consistent referrals… and why the missing link is almost always the client experience itself. Not the workflow, not the quality of the images — but how clients feel at every stage of working with you.

Stacey shares the simple shifts photographers can make to turn happy clients into referring clients — without scripts, awkward asks, discounts, or gimmicks. From identifying “referral hot zones” to planting subtle referral seeds, to using handwritten notes and thoughtful touch points that genuinely make clients feel seen… she lays out a new way to think about referrals that’s grounded in connection, not tactics.

If you’ve ever wondered why your clients say they love you but rarely send people your way — or if you want to build a business that grows through trust, reputation, and genuine word-of-mouth — this episode will change how you approach your client experience.

The post 645: Stacey Brown Randall – The Referral System Every Photography Business Needs appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Luxury hotel photography isn’t a niche most portrait or wedding photographers ever think about — but after hearing Bruce Vincentiis’ story, you might see it differently. Bruce went from teaching himself photography through YouTube tutorials in Asian internet cafés to becoming an approved photographer for brands like Marriott, Accor, and Hyatt. In this episode, he opens a window into a world most photographers never get to see — the relationships, expectations, and opportunities behind photographing some of the world’s most beautiful hotels. You can explore his work at https://bdv.photography

The post 644: Bruce Vincentiis – From YouTube Tutorials to a Luxury Hotel Photography Business appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Nik Buttigieg’s business has transformed dramatically since the last time he was on the podcast. Back then, he was running sessions out of a tiny room in a caravan in regional WA. Today, he’s built a thriving portrait studio in Albury, with staff, systems, a full shooting and sales setup, and revenue pushing the $600K mark — with his eyes firmly on seven figures.

What’s most interesting isn’t just the growth, but the shift in how Nik thinks about marketing, client experience, and his role as a business owner. You can hear it in everything he says. He’s simplified, doubled down on what matters, opened up his offer, and stopped trying to pre-qualify his way to better clients. Instead, he’s engineered a studio experience that gets people through the door — and lets the work do the heavy lifting.

In this episode, Nik shares what’s been behind that shift, the mindset changes that unlocked his momentum, and how he’s built a studio that feels both profitable and sustainable — even with a newborn at home and a calendar packed with sessions, sales, and phone calls.

If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like when all the pieces finally click, this is a must-listen.

The post 643: Nik Buttigieg – The Low-Pressure Strategy Filling His Studio With Ideal Clients appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.