I like asking this question because I often hear artists proclaim with dead certainty that there are busy seasons and dead seasons. Because people don’t favor summer, it’s not because they are unwilling to get tattooed. Most people want to get tattooed as time and money allows. That means in the “dead seasons” artists need to make it EASY for people to book and commit. Having an automated scheduling tool that allows people to reschedule, use wait lists, get notified, and book themselves in is a necessity for any artists that wants to keep their workflow steady. Moreover, take a deposit. It doesn’t have to be big, but it’s a gesture of commitment. Show up for your clients and they’ll show up for you.

Classic question. Water is an absolute basic that every artist should have in their studio. An assortment of sugary drinks should also be a staple. I go through more Dr. Pepper than any other kind of soda. I think I’ll be adding Gatorade to the mix. Then, for snacks, something sweet and something salty. I usually have protein bars kicking around but I’d like to improve my offerings.

Over half say “no need”, 38% voted “only for the spicy ones”, and 9% voted “Oh hell yeah”. The takeaway is that most people can handle just about any tattoo without numbing. I have a simple approach with this one: I just don’t offer it. If the client requests it, I inform them that they need to source it themselves, and I try to educate them on what it could mean for their tattoo. Everyone’s skin reacts differently with numbing. The effectiveness and length of time it works is variable. Also, how it affects the tattoo, healing, and “richness” of the tattoo is also variable. I’ve seen some tattoos not heal as dark or rich because of the numbing cream. I’ve also noticed unusual skin irritation that persists longer than normal. Because numbing brings in several new factors to the tattoo process, I never recommend it, but if a client is informed and has their mind made up, I will accommodate their request.

TALK TO ME!

Connection between artist and client is a huge part of the tattoo process. Even if you’re just watching a movie together, there is a level of connecting happening. I’m an introvert for the most part and sometimes connecting doesn’t feel the most natural, or comfortable, but I’ve picked up a few tools over the years to help me bridge some gaps. I’ve gotten great value from learning to listen better and asking better questions. Becoming a better listener also helps me feel when someone maybe just doesn’t feel like talking.

Also, I’ve noticed that as my skills with tattooing have improved, I’m able to free up my brain to have better conversations. For a long time, my hands would stop as soon as my mouth started moving. For clients, if your artist is stressed, feeling challenged, or being called to focus, they’re likely not intentionally closed off. They’re just trying to do their best at the task at hand.

For large sessions I usually like to turn on the TV for clients, even if it’s just for background noise. For sessions shorter than 3 hours I try to challenge myself to take that short time to have conversation and connect. It goes a long way.

A lot of responses are along the lines of “just go for it!”, with a few along the lines of “take your time.”

I think people intuitively know which piece of advice they need to hear. I also think people can take both. Take time to plan, do your research, find an artist you like, follow your gut, don’t overthink, and then leap!

Such a variety of answers! What’s clear is that a great tattoo experience is unique to every person. Tattooing being a service type industry, so how artists approach hospitality is vital to creating these experiences. It goes way beyond simply doing a technically good tattoo. This is a good reminder for me to continue improving myself as a host in my studio. Every client is a unique individual, worthy of care, and should be treated as such. Their project matters and so do they.

This question shines a light on the flip side of the same coin as the previous question. For a lot of bad experiences the artist wasn’t prepared or equipped to show hospitality. Sometimes, there simply wasn’t a proper tattoo artist present, period!

I also gather that some tattoo experiences just suck with no fault to anyone. Like getting tattooed in a really painful place. For an artist, these are still situations where we can bring in consideration and hospitality.

This is a good reminder for me to make some mental checks when I approach every session: Do I care about this project? Do I care about the client? Am I experienced enough to carry this out comfortably and positively? Am I prepared enough to carry this out comfortably and positively?

To create the best experience, all of the answers need to be “yes!”

Long story short… People are weird! Have patience. Build comfort. Show them that you care. Communicate clearly and openly. Also, be yourself and be kind!

80% of people are so happy to tip when they feel it’s deserved. The takeaway I get is that artists don’t need to feel weird about receiving it.

There is a significant number of people that either don’t know that tipping is a thing or that just simply aren’t a fan of it. With that, my takeaway is to just inform clients ahead of time so that they’re not blindsided by a request on the machine or in some other manner. Tipping should never be obligatory and I believe that should be explicitly communicated. I do my best because I care, not because I want tips.

At the beginning of this year I took away the tipping option on my payment machine because I wanted to make paying feel more light. I’ve had a lot of clients ask me “how do I tip?” as a result. Seeing that most people want to tip, I’ve decided to bring the tipping prompt back.

This was a fun one to ask. It was amazing to see that just about everyone is willing to overlook an artists lack of ability to be timely, so long as they’re pleasant to work with and good at what they do!

Obviously every artist should strive to be strong at all three. I certainly try, but if I’m being honest I know that I am not always timely!

The big value here is that I can say with confidence to another artist, especially a junior artist, “Make it good, and be good to work with. If you’re slow right now, that’s okay. They’ll forgive you. Handle the other two first.”

I’ve heard it many times over the years when I’ve asked for more time on a design, or taken more time than I thought on a tattoo, “It’s okay! I don’t mind you taking the extra time to make it perfect!”

I like asking this question to try and get a feel for how well it’s worked, and what clinics I can recommend. Such few people get laser that I can never seem to get good clarity on this topic. That said, more people have answered “yes” than previous years. I’d predict more and more people getting laser removal as time goes on.