Building a Photography Business That People Can't Stop Talking About

Most photographers spend an incredible amount of time trying to figure out how to get more attention.

We obsess over Instagram algorithms, SEO, email marketing, reels, and content calendars because we're convinced the next marketing strategy will finally bring us more inquiries. While marketing certainly matters, I think many photographers are solving the wrong problem.

During our conversation with Brady Puryear, founder of Blacksmith Print Co., Jared & I were reminded that the strongest businesses often grow in a completely different way. Instead of asking, "How do we reach more people?" Brady has spent years asking, "How do we serve the people we already have so well that they can't help but tell someone else?"

That mindset has built one of the most respected companies in the photography industry, and I think every business owner can learn something from it.

Your reputation is your greatest marketing strategy.

One story Brady shared has stayed with us long after we finished recording.

Before starting Blacksmith, he had spent well over six figures with another album company. After accidentally making a small mistake on an album order, he called hoping they could help him replace the cover at a discounted price. Despite years of loyalty and a significant investment in their company, the answer was simply no.

That experience didn't just frustrate him, It shaped the business he would eventually build.

Instead of creating another album company, he built the company he wished had existed when he was the customer. That meant answering his own phone, personally helping photographers solve problems, catching mistakes before albums shipped, and creating relationships that felt personal instead of transactional.

I think that's an important reminder for photographers because every frustrating experience we have as customers becomes an opportunity to ask a better question.

Instead of complaining about what another company failed to do, ask yourself how your own business could become known for doing the opposite.

Stop chasing more customers and start creating better experiences.

One of the biggest misconceptions in business is that growth always comes from reaching more people. Sometimes growth comes from serving fewer people exceptionally well.

Brady intentionally limits the number of photographers Blacksmith works with because he refuses to sacrifice the customer experience. That decision probably seems counterintuitive in a world obsessed with scaling as quickly as possible, but it's exactly what has made photographers fiercely loyal to the brand.

The same principle applies to photography. When clients feel genuinely cared for, they don't simply become repeat customers. They become advocates. They recommend you to friends, mention your name in online communities, and defend your reputation when you're not even in the room.

That's marketing no advertising budget can buy.

Build your business around values, not convenience.

One of my favorite parts of our conversation had nothing to do with photography.

Brady talked about the core values that guide every decision inside Blacksmith. One of them is simple.

Quality is the best business plan.

At first, that sounds like a great quote. Then he explained what it actually means.

If quality is truly one of your values, it has to cost you something. It might mean spending more on materials, taking longer to deliver a product, hiring more people instead of automating everything, or saying no to shortcuts that would increase profit but decrease the client experience.

That's when I realized core values aren't just words you frame on a wall. They're filters that help you make difficult decisions when the easier option would compromise what matters most.

As photographers, it's worth asking ourselves the same question. If someone looked at the decisions you make every day, would they be able to identify your values without ever reading your mission statement?

The businesses people love are built on generosity.

One analogy Brady shared perfectly captured his philosophy. He compared In-N-Out Burger and McDonald's. One company has consistently reduced human interaction, raised prices, and focused on efficiency. The other has invested heavily in employees, customer experience, and quality, even when it costs more. Interestingly, the company investing more in people consistently generates significantly more revenue per location.

The lesson wasn't really about hamburgers. It was about trust. People naturally gravitate toward businesses that make them feel valued. Customers notice when companies prioritize relationships over short-term profit, and over time that trust compounds into loyalty.

Photography works exactly the same way. Clients don't simply remember beautiful photographs. They remember how responsive you were, how calm you remained during stressful moments, how you solved problems before they even noticed them, and how you made them feel throughout the experience.

Those moments create the kind of reputation that no social media strategy can replace.

Relationships will always outperform algorithms.

Toward the end of our conversation, Brady admitted something that probably surprised a lot of people. He's not particularly active on social media. Instead of spending every day trying to grow an audience, he's spent years building relationships with photographers who genuinely believe in what Blacksmith stands for.

That philosophy immediately challenged us because our industry often convinces us that bigger audiences automatically create bigger businesses. The reality is much more nuanced. A thousand people who genuinely trust you are infinitely more valuable than a hundred thousand people who simply scroll past your content every few weeks.

Brady's business has grown because photographers recommend him to one another, not because he mastered every new platform or chased every algorithm update. I think that's one of the healthiest reminders photographers can hear today.

Social media can introduce people to your business while relationships are what sustain it.

Final Thoughts

As I reflected on this conversation, I realized Brady wasn't really teaching business strategy. He was teaching stewardship.

Every decision he described came back to the same question. How do we care for people better?

Ironically, that question has also become one of the strongest business strategies imaginable.

When you consistently choose generosity over shortcuts, relationships over transactions, and long-term trust over short-term profit, something remarkable happens. Your customers become your greatest advocates and your reputation begins opening doors before you ever have to knock.

And eventually, your business grows not because you became louder than everyone else, but because the people you've served can't stop telling others about the experience you created.

That's the kind of marketing every photographer should be building toward.

Listen to the full episode HERE

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