About this episode

This episode discusses how referrals have transitioned to a digital format and the importance of online presence for brand photographers.

A couple weeks ago on this very podcast, I said referrals are not a marketing strategy. And because nothing is ever black and white in my brain, the second I said it, I thought, “Well… they can be, though.” 😅 Here’s what I realized: referrals haven’t gone away. They’ve gone digital. “I’m going to send you her Instagram” is the new referral. Someone hears your name from a friend, past client, or business owner they trust—and then they go look you up. They binge your Instagram. They read your website. Maybe they listen to your podcast. And what they find online can either build on the trust that referral created… or make them question it. For brand photographers especially, that matters. You’re asking people to trust you with their brand, which means your own online presence is doing a whole lot more than just looking pretty. That's what this episode is about. We’re talking: Why word of mouth has officially gone digital What referrals are actually doing after they hear your name Why “hot mess” isn’t a strategy for brand photographers The difference between being yourself and intentionally curating your brand How your online presence can shorten the time it takes someone to trust…

People in this episode

Host: Maddie Peschong

Topics covered

• digital referrals
• online presence
• brand photography
• trust building
• word of mouth
• branding strategy

Keywords

• referrals
• Instagram
• branding
• trust
• marketing strategy
• online presence
• brand photographers

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Invisible to Inquiries

More episodes of Take It Personally

• My Million Dollar Story · September 3, 2026 · 17 min
• Complicated Content Is Killing Your Business · August 27, 2026 · 13 min
• Your Referrals Are About to Run Out · August 20, 2026 · 12 min
• Why Photographers Who Are Great at Their Job Still Struggle to Get Clients · August 13, 2026 · 10 min
• The Instagram Mistake That's Making You Invisible · August 6, 2026 · 14 min
• Signs It's Time to Raise Your Prices · July 30, 2026 · 16 min

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