Clients and Competition

Clients and Competition

The next thing you need to know is about your clients. First, above all
else, cover your ass. If you’re tattooing then you need a good waiver sheet. If
you go to your local health department, in the "Environmental Services" office
you can request a copy of the body piercing and tattoo studio health
regulations. Another thing I would like to add; is keep good records. In the
end, if something happens, it will save your ass. Also, be nice to your
sanitarian. Keep your records filed in order by name or month. Nothing is
more aggravating then having to look for a consent form. Don't be scared of
the health department, they are good people trying to help everyone. The
packet is totally free and it has lots of good information inside about
sterilization. It also has a list of everything you need to open a studio,
including all of the proper paper work. In this packet you will find a generic
version of a liability form (consent form). Use this as a guide to make your
own, don't just copy it. You need to put your name and information on it or it
will not hold up in court. If you’re tattooing out of your house then you are
wasting your time because it's illegal anyway. This form releases all liability
from them suing you. Although you should know that this does not clear you
with the health department from being legally responsible on there end.
Always get your client to sign the release form before you ever touch them.
Now say you work in a shop and some one walks in for a tattoo. The fact is
that most people walk in to ask questions. Your job is to answer them to the
best of your ability. You can't be a smart ass, and you can't ignore them. They
came in so that means they want to talk to someone. You can not just think
that if they want to talk to you then they will ask. You will loose business.
The truth is almost no one knows what they want when they come in for a
tattoo. So you have to pry a little and find out what they are looking for, and
why they want the tattoo. The “what” will give you an idea of design, and the
“why” will tell you what style.
Some one comes in and says they want a set of angel wings and a halo
for their friend that died, and then you know they are not looking for
something dark and sinister. This part is common since. Don't try to talk a
school teacher into a skull and biker logo. Use your eyes, see what kind of
person they are and go from there. If you try to talk some gothic kid into a set
of roses, they are going to laugh and walk out. The hardest thing for me to
teach a student is common sense. Always be polite even if they ask three
hundred stupid questions, if they like your work then they will be back.
Number two, never tell a client "no", they will leave. You can suggest your
input but remember it's their tattoo. Some of the best artists I know go
months without work just because they are assholes. You have to sell your self
before you can sell your product. Let’s face it, as much of this industry that’s
art it's still a business, you want to pay your bills at least to keep the shop
open, and without clients you don't get to pay anything or tattoo. So be nice
god damn it!
Almost every person that walks in to get a tattoo is nervous, even the
guys that have a lot of them. You have to be charismatic, and make them
laugh as much as possible to make them more comfortable. A client and artist
relationship is like a client and shrinks relationship. You have to have a good
one or each of you is wasting the others time. The more someone comes back
the more you will get to know them and what they want, but until then you
have to fish a little. One of the best ice breakers is "What can I help you
with." It’s simple and to the point. If they are looking for a design they will
ask, if they have a question they will ask. As far as setting a price, one of the
best ways to do this is by asking them how much they want to spend. Don't be
shy about money. When they tell you how much then you can say "I can do
this for that much." Keep the price as low as possible; don't tax some one just
because they drive a nice car or have an expensive cell phone. You can always
get some one good once, or you can treat them right and make them a client
for life and then they'll bring all there friends.
Try not to push flash. Use flash as a tool for ideas. If you push flash you
will never learn, you just get to be a copy machine and they get to see their
tattoo twice a week on someone else. Be original, stretch your legs as an
artist and do custom work. Never claim other artists work. If you think you’re
the only one who gets the magazines and has every page of cherry creek flash
then you’re kidding yourself. I have six guys a week come in and try to push
old flash on me as their work. I make fun of them and usually send them
packing. Remember the term is "Artist" not copyist. Another cool thing is use
your computer when ever you can. A lot of paint programs have a new tool
called a background eraser. You scan in an image, erase the background, and
then take a picture of your client. Bring up the picture and copy/paste the
tattoo on their picture so you and the client can see what the tattoo will look
like before a needle ever hits them. A lot of the time this will help you get an
idea of what there wanting and how big, while you look like the most
advanced artist in the world. Take the time to get to know your clients; don't
rush them out the door. Tattooing is not a race. Take your time and make
them feel like they are your only client. It will pay off in the end. You get a
payday and you get to do more custom work because you earn their trust
much faster.
Here are some rules to follow when it comes to clients. 1. Never do the
same piece twice unless two people want a friendship tattoo. Respect your
art and the rest will come. 2. Never tattoo anyone under sixteen. I don't care
if there parent wants to sign for them. A fifteen year old never knows what
they want, so you’re just going to give them something they will regret and
anyone under sixteen will not take the time to do what is necessary for the
proper healing of the tattoo. It's your work, why do something that you know
will get destroyed. 3. Never tattoo a diabetic or a hemophiliac. The diabetic
will not heal right, and they are ten times more likely to get an infection than
anyone else. If you want to ruin your reputation then go right ahead. While a
hemophiliac will bleed out and only about twenty-five percent of the pigment
will stay in them. If you guarantee your work then you will be doing touch-ups
for the rest of your life. 4. NEVER tattoo anyone drunk or under the influence
of any drug. If they are under the influence then legally they aren't of sound
mind to sign consent. If you tattoo on them, then when they sober, if they
regret it, they can sue your pants off for tattooing them against there will,
and they will win. Besides, have you ever seen a drunk hold still? Try drawing
on something that’s running around the room. Oh ya, and it's illegal to tattoo
anyone drunk or under the influence. That’s about it for the clients. Just
remember, the only rule that has always been true with every client is: if you
do one right they will tell five friends, if you screw one up then they will tell
twenty.

The Shit Talking Game
People love to talk trash. This is the very reason you never want to talk
bad about another shop or artist. Most clients go to the shop that happens to
have an opening that day. To them it really does not matter who tattoos
them. Since most client travel between shops a lot of them like to play games
with the tattoo artists. Tattoo artist have a known history of trash talking the
competition, every one knows and will play on this. Some will say that “Such
and such said he will do the same tattoo for less.” Don’t make any comment
about there quality of work. Every artist thinks they are the best. The client is
trying to get you all worked up so you give them a tattoo cheaper out of
spite. I hate to tell you this but almost every time they never even talk to the
other artist. If the other guy is willing to price cut then let them. Just tell the
client that your price is whatever and direct them to your portfolio so they
can make their own decision. If you don’t like the other artist’s work then just
say “I have seen some of their work I agree with and some I don’t.” If you
stick to your guns then in the end you earn more respect. There is nothing
wrong with dropping off a few bucks to give someone a deal, but if you cut a
price in half then the client thinks that you are a push over, unsure of your
own ability, or hurting for money. In this case, they will go around and tell
everyone that you are going under.
A large amount of the time you will hear that some clients are going to
scratchers that work out there house. Don’t give them a lecture or say
something mean spirited. Just say “I hope they are using disposable
equipment because most home artists can’t afford an autoclave.” and also
tell them to look at a portfolio before any work is done. Usually the threat of
disease and poor work will be enough to scare them away. Really you should
get as much information as you can and report them to the health
department, but no one wants to be a narc. For the most part, I just leave
them alone until it becomes a public safety issue. If someone tells me they
got Hep form a home made tattoo then you bet your ass I’m going to have
them file a complaint. Another way to think about it is that you get to cover
all the crappy work they are pumping out so you get to tattoo more. Just
make sure they are not a safety issue.
Other tattoo shops play games as well. The tattoo industry is the most
cut throat profession in the world. I have had other shops threaten my life and
my shop, and have gone as far as physical confrontation because they think
that someone trash talking has merit. Many shops think that violence and
talking trash affect your business. It does to a degree, but if they are talking
smack to all these people and you let your work speak for its self then they
come out looking like jackasses. If a shop talks smack and tells everyone how
horrible you are or that your shop is unclean then it just shows that they are
afraid of you being better than them. Don’t play their games. Be above that
and just tell the client or whom ever to compare the work for themselves.
Never go to another shop in anger unless you are looking for a confrontation.
If another shop says something that you just cannot let go then call them and
ask why they said whatever. Most of the time you’ll find it’s the client stirring
the pot. If another shop ever threatens you with violence or comes to your
shop looking for violence then call the police. That’s their job, and the other
guy will have more problems then you will from them running their mouth. Be
above the game, keep out of it. Don’t fall into the shit talking trap. Once you
start it’s done and that’s your reputation. Let them do their work and you do
yours, if someone starts talking smack then just say “I guess they should come
see my shop in person; it’s obvious they haven’t yet.” Here is a little secret
about the competition that no one seems to understand. There is no
competition. You will always have your clients and they will always have
theirs. You don’t need to fight over it. People will always want to get
tattooed. I live in a fairly small town that at the moment has eight shops, yes
eight in a small town. We all do just fine despite the shit talking game.