Most tattoo artists are overworked and underpaid because they don’t know how to market their work and bring in new clients. Luckily, if you know a few marketing fundamentals, it’s possible to get as many clients as you want in three simple steps (without having to spend all your time on social media).
In this video, I'm going to show you step by step how to use these to your advantage for tattoo so let's break it down:
How to Sell Tattoos in 3 Steps
The Awareness Phase
The Awareness Phase is where potential customers become aware that you’re an artist by:
- 1Seeing your work on social media
- 2Hearing about you from their friends
- 3Passing by the shop and seeing your signs
People can't buy your tattoos until they know that you exist. That's why the goal in the Awareness stage is just to get people aware of the tattoos and the art that you do.
When it comes to Awareness, you want to expand your reach and get seen by as many people as you can. That’s why right now Reels are the way to go. Instagram wants more of their users to post video content, so it rewards you for making Reels by pushing it to a ton of different people.
Pro Tip:
Static posts to your Instagram profile are only shown to your followers. Reels can end up on anyone’s feed, which makes it easier for them to find you.
During the Awareness Stage, you want your posts to be eye-catching. For example:
Note:
A “Lead Magnet” is a free piece of content meant to attract potential clients. They will receive the the lead magnet in exchange for their contact information by joining your email list or Instagram broadcast channel.
The Consideration Phase
When people see your Reels, comment on your post, or even give you their contact information, they’ve moved into the Consideration Phase.
In the Consideration Phase, clients are comparing different artists and different tattoo styles. This is when you set yourself apart from the crowd. Show them your portfolio, share client testimonials, and provide information about your sanitation standards.In the consideration phase, you need to get potential clients to like you and show they can trust you with their hard-earned money.
To do that, you can share your journey as an artist, as well as highlight what makes you unique as an artist. For example:
Most potential clients need to see seven to 14 of your posts in order to build the feelings of relationship and loyalty.
Pro Tip:
If you want to speed up the process of people seeing seven to 14 of your posts, then you can get them on an email list or an Instagram Broadcast channel. That way, you pop up in their inbox or DMs instead of relying on showing up in their feed.
During the Consideration Phase, you want to post content that builds trust with your potential clients. For example:
The Conversion Phase
Once you’ve built up a relationship with your potential client, then they are ready to move on to the next stage, which is the Conversation Stage. This is where clients book in with you and get tattooed by you.
If clients are on the fence, they might need a little nudge. For example, you can highlight a unique aspect of your tattooing experience, remind them you offer a free consultation, or offer a booking discount. This will make it easier for them to say “yes,” and to be excited about choosing you as their artist.
However, a lot of people will still procrastinate booking in. Any limited-time promotion that you have will help people take that final step.
For example, you can use scarcity by offering something rare, like a deal that will never happen again. Or you could use urgency by offering a deal that won't last for long. This applies just enough pressure to help tip people over the edge to begin the booking process.
“Leads” are potential customers, and before booking someone in, you want to qualify your lead to screen out people that arent’ going to buy from you - or that aren’t going to buy from you right now.
The best way to do that is just by asking you a few questions.
What is Your Budget?
You might want to ask about their budget. If someone wants a back piece for $50, you could try to offer them a smaller tattoo for that price, or you could turn them down because $50 for a back tattoo does not pay well enough for your time.
In that case, that customer wouldn’t qualify.
What is Your Pain Tolerance?
It’s also helpful to ask what their pain tolerance is like. If someone wants a massive rib tattoo for their first tattoo and they have no idea what a tattoo feels like, then they might not come back for a second session.
What is Your Job?
You don’t want to tattoo a lawyer’s neck or face. A tattoo like that could cost them their job, and the client might come back to blame you. Checking in about their job or their future career goals is an important part of the process.
Are You Able to Go Ahead with a $50 Deposit Today?
If someone wants to book in, you’ll take a $50 deposit to set an appointment in your calendar. If a potential client won't come up with $50 for deposit, they probably won't be able to come up with the money to actually pay for the tattoo. They are more likely to cancel, no-show, or try to haggle with you over price.
Turning someone away who won’t pay a deposit might feel like you’re losing a customer in the moment, but it’s important in the tattoo industry to find good quality clients since it’ll save you a lot of headaches in the future.
During the conversation stage, your content should encourage clients to take action now. For example, you can:
Don’t Just “Lower Your Prices”
It can be tempting to lower your prices to lure in clients. However, this is a slippery slope. You’ll not only make less money, but your clients will expect those lower prices in the future.
Instead you want to add value. For example, give them a $50 gift voucher toward their next tattoo instead of taking $50 off a tattoo they're getting right away. It's a subtle difference, but it's a big one.
Break Into the Tattoo Industry with a Marketing Plan Designed by Professionals
Developing and using a marketing strategy on your own can be difficult. That’s why we build the 6-Figure Artist Blueprint Course. It has everything you need to build a brand and business around yourself so that you can reach the 6-figure earnings mark as a tattoo artist - no side gigs needed.
Inside, you’ll find pre-built programs, including:
Ready-to-use marketing materials like:
As well as step-by-step instructions that will show you how to set up important online systems that make your life easier so you can:
It’s all inside…
