Episode 35

full
Published on:

3rd Sep 2026

The Free Publicity Most Pet Photographers Never Use

Two of my clients have been on television recently. Neither of them paid a cent for it. They both sent a press release.

In this episode I'm talking about press releases, which I think is the most underused free marketing available to pet photographers. I'll walk you through what my clients actually did, what it produced, and the part almost everyone skips: being featured doesn't get you booked unless you go and use the coverage afterwards.

I also cover the two things that stop most photographers sending one. Not knowing what to write, and not knowing who to send it to. Both are much smaller problems than they feel.

In this episode

  • Why a press release is free advertising, and why most of us never send one
  • The fear that actually stops people, and it isn't the writing
  • How Aubri's beer can label contest raised $87,341 and got picked up by Global News Calgary
  • How Stacey got on Philadelphia TV without having to be the story herself
  • Why press buys you authority and credibility, not just visibility
  • Being featured is not the same as being booked, and the four places your coverage needs to go
  • The three questions that come up every single time I talk about this
  • How to find the right journalists, and why that isn't the hard part
  • One thing to do this week: find your angle

One thing to try this week

Look at what you've got coming up over the next few months. A campaign, a charity project, an award, a new studio, a collaboration with a local business. Pick one, and write down the angle in a single sentence. What's the reason a journalist would run this, and why now. That's the hard part. The writing is easy once you've got that.

Work with me in The Consistent Bookings Mastermind

The mastermind is currently open for enrolment. It's a group coaching container focusing on implementation support to help you build your repeatable marketing system along with comprehensive support of your business from pricing, sales, and mindset. My marketing templates library is included, press release templates and all, which is exactly where Aubri got hers.

Apply here: The Consistent Bookings Mastermind

Consistent Bookings Audit

If you're getting inconsistent bookings and you don't know what's causing it, do the free consistent booking audit quiz to find out which gaps is costing you.

Complete the audit here.

Connect with Ina

Instagram: @inaj.thepetphotoceo

Email: ina@inajphotography.com

Mentoring & Coaching for Pet Photographers: https://www.inajphotography.com/for-photographers

Links and resources mentioned

My projects

Aubri Poon

Stacey Sherman

Press I've had from sending a release

Show artwork for The Pet Photographers' Journal

About the Podcast

The Pet Photographers' Journal
Building Confidence and Consistency in Your Pet Photography Business.
Welcome to The Pet Photographers' Journal, a practical and unfiltered podcast for talented pet photographers ready to build a business with more purpose, passion, and profitability.

I’m Ina J, a pet photographer who turned my side hustle into my full-time career. In this podcast, I share exactly what I’ve learned and actually applied in my own business. We talk about pricing, mindset, marketing, client experience, and sales, without feeling pushy.

Some lessons I picked up from others but I always tweak things to work for me and I’ll tell you how you can too. I overshare sometimes but in the best way possible because I believe in learning from real-life experiences not just theory.

Whether you’re just starting or scaling to five-figure sales this show is your behind-the-scenes guide to pet photography business success.

About your host