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This is the 'One' - part 2 of 1 2

Published 01/04/2013

"There's also no longer any VAT on digital books whatsoever," Gail adds by way of highlighting another benefit. "And, for any samples that people want to buy to see how it looks and what the quality is like, we also offer a 30 per cent discount. We offer lay-flat right across the Expressions range too of course. It's important to us that when a book opens it's perfectly flat - you've not got leaves that are stuck up in the air."

As far as the Naturals Designer Baby Frames range goes, another new product for 2013, Gail adds that this is another one proving very popular for the brand. "The baby market is obviously very, very big, and there are some very quirky designs available, as well as the option to add birth announcements. It's an idea that's originated in America, but we've found it works really well over here too," she reveals.

The designer frames have the same quality and utilise the same processes as GFSmith's standard Naturals Collection, whereby a photographer's images are printed onto MDF. As with the bespoke Expressions digital albums, a set of templates and instructions are provided in order for you to create your own stunning frames.

Again, see the GFSmith website (details at the end of this feature) for 'how to' instructions and the relevant downloads you need.

Affordable quality and excellent customer service As we discovered last year, it's clear from chatting to Manager Gail Mellors that GFSmith is constantly striving to come up with inventive and innovative new ideas for print presentation to drive the market forward. "We're very conscious, with our latest products, of the way the market is at the moment," she elaborates. "It is still a little bit of a depressed market so we've very much wanted to bring out products that are affordable, so people can still offer brilliant quality to their clients at a good price. It's very much the case from those photographers we speak to that their clients are trying to drive down their prices. The market is very price driven at the moment, which I think is due to a combination of there being so many photographers out there, plus the state of the economy at the moment. But we are still striving to bring out products that will allow photographers to stay competitive. We realise it's tough out there and times are tight, so we're doing all we can."

Although its products may be affordable, GFSmith has realised that it is essential to keep the quality high - so that it will have a high-perceived value for your own clients. Other pluses naturally include the fact that as a company it is UK based, a fact which many photographers like, in that they are supporting a UK company. It is also very customer focused; not least in the way it maintains a team of five on-the-road salesmen covering the whole of England and Ireland, who will happily pay you a visit to talk through the GFSmith range and show you the goods.

"We can take products along for photographers to browse at their leisure," says Sales and Marketing Manager Gail. "It's a very personal touch. The reps have got an extensive sales kit, so we can cover whatever the photographer wants to see." Another advantage of GFSmith having sales representatives out and about talking to photographers is that your wants and requests are more likely to be fed back into product development.

You can find your local sales rep simply by clicking on the 'Contact Us' section of the company's website, which, like its product range is also poised to be overhauled and revamped this year.

With the Print Presentation division of company looking forward to 30th anniversary celebrations in 2015, the focus is very much on being customer focused and product driven. "We're al about offering the best service that we can and the best quality products," concludes Gail Mellors. As a potential customer, one couldn't really ask for more. For more info, please point your web browser at www.gfsmithphotomount.co.uk where you can find your local GFSmith Sales Rep by clicking on the Contact Us section. Alternatively call 01482 588037 or email pp@gfsmith.com

"We are still striving to bring out products that will allow photographers to stay competitive. We realise it's tough out there and times are tight, so we're doing all we can."

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1st Published 01/04/2013
last update 09/12/2022 14:57:07

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