Martyn Greswolde of Greswolde Photography has been a Foto SF user for the last couple of years. Here he talks about his work and how Foto SF has helped him in his business.

What’s your name and what do you do ?
I’m Martyn Greswolde, I run Greswolde Photography, a photography business in Wolverhampton, West Midland

When did you start your business ?
I have been a freelance photographer since 1999 and started my own company back in 2005

What kind of work do you specialise in ?
I mainly shoot weddings and location portraits but also undertake commercial shoots as well as large dance events such as Global Gathering and Creamfield

You’ve been using Foto SF for the last few years, how has Foto SF helped you in organising your business ?
I started using Foto SF when version 2 came out. Like many photographers I started up because I loved photography and not because I loved paperwork. Unfortunately paperwork is a must with any business so I needed a system that was quick, accurate but above all else, easy to use.

Before I had Foto SF I never really bothered tracking such simple things as business mileage or the costs of stamps, I saw then as just too time consuming with such little reward. In the first year of using the software, my claim for these two simple items more than paid for the software outright!

I now find it easy to collate all of the information required to run my business and better still, when a client calls, I can have ALL of their information on screen within seconds. This makes me look and sound much more organised and professional which is a must to secure ongoing and repeat business

What is your favourite feature ?
This is a difficult question to ask and similar to asking what is your favorite ingredient in a meal. All of the features come together so well its hard to single one out. If I was forced to answer it would be the reports. As simple and as boring as they seem they give you an insight into your customers and products. Within a few clicks you can see what products are selling well, how much money they make you and who is buying them. This information is invaluable and at the heart of any marketing I do.

Has Foto SF helped you save money on accountancy bills ?
While Foto SF is great, unfortunately it doesn’t complete your tax return for you, for that I rely of the services of a professional. When I first gave my accountant my paperwork as well as the reports automatically generated by Foto SF, my accountant was impressed. When he gave me my audited accounts I was impressed that I saved 50% of the original accountancy quote. My accountants found that the reports I submitted were so detailed and relevant they had to complete far less work than normal and as a result charged me less.

What advise would you give to photographer’s who currently don’t use a database.
Working in an industry like ours without a database is like working for nothing, let me explain. You may take the best pictures in the world and you may give the best customer service in the world, but without a database all of your hard work is lost at the end of your job. Every new booking and every new photo shoot you will be starting afresh. Your database allows you to engage your existing clients and market effectively to new ones. By transferring this work from job to job you will build up data that will allow you to be more productive and spend less time in front of your computer.

Still not convinced ? Why not try our 7-day challenge and see how you can improve your productivity and profits for your business. Download the free trial version. It only takes 10 seconds to fill the form!

This fantastic video shot & edited by Greswolde Photography.