Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

Belinda Richards of www.belindarichards.com popped up on my radar following a beautiful email from PhotoBizX premium member and German-based photographer Birgit Zimmerman.

I jumped over to check out today's guest's website, and OMG… SO GOOD!

Her website is filled with humour in the form of copy, images, and a video on the home page—which is fantastic.

In addition to all that, her photography is first-class. And you'd expect nothing less when you see the number of awards she has earned, including the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Australian Pet Photographer of the Year!

All her photography is done in studio.

She started her working life as a dog groomer. Later, she completed her diploma in photography, which led to a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

And today, she is the proud owner of what looks to be an incredible business: Frog Dog Studios.

In this interview, among other things, Belinda shares her game changing strategies for attracting the right photography clients to her business.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

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  Awards build trust & boost SEO – Win credibility, attract premium clients, and get free publicity.

  
  
  
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  Niching is your secret weapon – Specialising (like pet photography) makes you stand out and scale faster.

  
  
  
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  Stop getting ghosted – Clear pricing and pre-shoot consults turn inquiries into bookings.

  
  
  
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  Gear won’t grow your business – Business coaching and financial skills will.

  
  
  
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  Profit and creativity can coexist – Charge what you’re worth with smart business decisions.

  
  
  
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  Awards aren’t just for bragging – They open doors to media coverage and premium clients.

  
  
  
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  Want better SEO? Get featured – Media coverage (like Forbes) boosts rankings and leads.

  
  
  
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  Make journalists notice you – Build relationships and get easy media coverage.

  
  
  
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  Press releases falling flat? – Write them in a way that actually gets picked up.

  
  
  
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  More gear ≠ more success – Coaching grew revenue to $205K—without a new camera.

  
  
  
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  Earn more, work less – Scaling down to $130K meant more balance and fulfilment.

  
  
  
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  Attract your dream clients – An exclusive model lets you work less and earn more.

  
  
  
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  Love photographing dogs? – A dog-only studio turned into a thriving business.

  
  
  
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  Admin killing your time? – The right CRM, accounting tools, and automation fix that.

  
  
  
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  Hate phone calls? – Email and text make bookings way easier.

  
  
  
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  Want a fully booked calendar? – Two key promotions locked in a year of bookings.

  
  
  
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  No clients yet? – Portfolio-building promotions get you booked fast.

  
  
  
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  Viral success isn’t luck – One “Footy Dog” shoot led to massive exposure.

  
  
  
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  High-end pricing, big results – “Grow Sessions” turned puppies into $5,200 bookings.

  
  
  
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  Learn from the best – Get insights from top industry mentors and workshops.

  
  
  
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  A welcome video changes everything – A government grant made it happen—here’s how.

  
  
  
  

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

I initially started entering awards because… I leveraged free publicity… of bringing trust, and then people start to know you as the expert in your field. – Belinda Richards

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

One of the things that I did know, because I had previously owned businesses, is that I needed to pay for help, not buy a new camera. – Belinda Richards

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Belinda shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

I never get on the phone to my clients. Everything is done by email and text message. They book online. They're, you know, get they pay online, apart from when they, you know, they come in here for the ordering appointment.- Belinda Richards

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Belinda or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

PhotoBizX with Johl Dunn presents this FREE training…

Last year was a shocker. The last 4yrs even!

Let’s not sugarcoat the fact that it has been challenging and that there has been a lot of uncertainty in the market.

So why have some businesses struggled and some thrived?

It all comes down to mindset, habit and our distorted view of reality (Johl will explain more in the training).

In the training. Johl will share:

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• The Real Reason Some Businesses Thrive While Others Struggle
  
• Breaking Free from Burnout: Practical Strategies to Reclaim Your Energy
  
• How to Create More Balance & Still Run a Thriving Business
  
• Productivity & Focus: Working Smarter, Not Harder
  
• Unlocking Joy & Fun in Your Business (Yes, It’s Possible!)
  
• The Ultimate Mindset Shift: You Are the Key to Your Success
  

When: Thursday, February 27th @ 7AM AEDT – your local time is here

Cost: FREE

Recording? Yes, if you are registered, I'll have a recording available after the live training with free access. If you're not registered for the live training, the cost will be USD$47.

REGISTER HERE: https://learn.photobizx.com/unblock-your-business-registration/

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

It is more about refining your voice, like I really enjoy art and art history and things like that. And I think that education in the fine art degree that I did at RMIT has really helped me in creating the artworks that I do… – Belinda Richards

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

I'm making sure that I'm directing my product and myself as a brand towards pet lovers… I'm not just a pet photographer, I'm a pet expert in a way. – Belinda Richards

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

Here are the latest reviews…

★★★★★ Incredibly Useful!

Via Apple Podcasts by London-based documentary photographer Gary Williams, in the United Kingdom on February 8th, 2025.

I’ve enjoyed Andrew’s podcast for a long time (and finally had the honour of being a guest last year).

I just love how super practical and useful Andrew makes each interview.

He asks the questions that we photographers really want answered.

Thank you, Andrew!

★★★★★ I’m always learning from your guests

Via Apple Podcasts by Western Australian rural photographer Caro Telfer, in Australia on February 11th, 2025.

The latest instalment sounds like an episode I need to listen to! But what I find is that even the podcasts I think don’t relate to me at all—boudoir, pet photography, etc.—always have something valuable to teach me, whether it’s about customer service, CRM, or marketing strategies.

Thanks, Andrew, as always, for the best photography business podcast available!

Caro was also featured on the podcast: 529: Caro Telfer – How to Generate an Income with Stock Photography

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Belinda Richards Website

Frog Dog Studios Website

Frog Dog Studios on Facebook

Frog Dog Studios on Instagram

No one gets to have a session with me unless they're prepared to come to full consultation first… And then they come back to actually do an IPS design and ordering appointment… they actually hit my studio four times before they actually take their artwork home and and hang it on the wall. – Belinda Richards

Unblock Your Photography Business – FREE TRAINING

Thank you!

Thanks for listening! A massive thank you to Belinda for sharing her invaluable insights on growing a profitable photography business. From nailing your niche to booking high-paying clients, she’s proof that success isn’t just about taking great photos—it’s about making smart, strategic moves that actually grow your business.

I'm immersing myself in the pet industry, not the photography industry. – Belinda Richards

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

Andrew

The post 604: Belinda Richards – Game Changing Strategies to Attract the Right Photography Clients appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.