Getting a Tattoo From Someone Other Than Your Regular Artist

 You have a tattooer that you really like.  He or she does amazing work, you have a good relationship, you get a fair price for your tattoos, and you have gotten a few tattoos from this one artist.  You feel like this person is "your tattooer", the person you go to for your tattoos and advice on tattoos.  Your tattooer is strongest, however, with one particular style of tattoos, and you want a tattoo in a style that you think will be outside their skill-set.  In other words, you have another tattoo artist in mind, but you don't want to damage the relationship you have with your current tattooer. What do you do?

 If this scenario sounds a little odd to you, it is because with most professionals this would not be an issue.  An Italian Chef is not going to hold it against his clients if one night they decide to go to an American Restaurant because they were in the mood for some American Food.  Unfortunately, tattooers are often a bit superstitious about the industry, maybe even a little paranoid.  We often find ourselves with the mentality that every tattoo done by another tattooer is an opportunity lost, and money out of our own pockets.  When one of our clients goes to another artist, we tattooers worry that the shop will be better, that the other artist will offer a negative opinion of our work or try to undercut our pricing, or will frankly just provide a better experience for the client. 

 The reality is that all of these concerns are valid, at least to a point.  We tattooers tend not to see that those concerns are well with in our control.  Being tattooers ourselves, we should assume that our work will be critiqued and the other tattooer will try to win over our client. The question we should ask ourselves is what steps we took to prevent that tattooer from being successful?  If we are concerned about the quality of our shop, then we should have stepped-up and corrected any deficiency.  If we are afraid of a negative critique, then we need to be our own worst critics and truly strive to improve and do our best work on every tattoo.  If we think the other tattooer might provide a better experience, then we need to know and correct the ways which we miss the mark.  

 In short, if our client needs to go to another tattooer for one tattoo because it is simply outside our skill-set, we need to be confident that this is the ONLY reason they are going to another tattooer.

 From the onset of this idea, we have a problem.  If your client feels that they need to be concerned about offending you, then you have already done something wrong.  Your client should recognize that you are a professional, fully aware of your own strengths and weaknesses.  If you are a professional, then you should have no issue discussing with your client what their tattoo needs are, how you can address them, and if you are unable to meet their needs, how they should go about finding an artist who can.  Indeed, as a professional caring for your client, it may even behoove you to have an artist or two in mind you know will do the job, offer a fair price, and treat your client in the same manner you would.

 A doctor will recommend their patients to a specialist when necessary.  A mechanic will send work to another shop if their customer's car needs something they do not offer. If your client comes to you seeking advice about getting a tattoo from another artist, you should feel good that you have built a professional relationship with your client and they see you as a resource they can trust in the tattoo industry.  Taking care of your client, even if it means sending them down the street for a tattoo that is outside your skill-set, is better than losing them because you have a poor attitude, or worse because you gave them a tattoo that was not on par with your normal work when you couldn't bare to do the right thing and send their money to someone else.  

 As a client, you should know that despite our sometimes fragile artistic egos, we tattooers tend to be realists.  If your tattooer does primarily American Traditional work, and you want a portrait, you should be confident that your tattooer will steer you right.  We tell our clients to always, always, ALWAYS look at portfolios when shopping for an artist, and we hope that the reason you selected us was founded on the strength of our portfolios.  With this in mind, we also must know that if a style of tattoo that you want is not in our portfolio, you will have concerns about our ability to execute it. You should expect professionalism from your tattooer, and that they will be willing to talk to you about any aspect of the tattoo process, including potentially needing to go to another artist.

 If you consider someone your tattooer, simply be open and frank with them.  Tell them what you want and what your concerns are about their ability to do the tattoo,  Be prepared also to give them the opportunity to show you what they can do with your concept.

 What that means is being willing to pay your tattooer's drawing fee and being open to seeing their take on your idea.  Your tattooer is your tattooer for a reason; you like their style and their technique.  It may be that they can present your concept in a manner that you had not considered, translating it into their style.  This will have the added advantage of keeping your work consistent, as you will hopefully get many additional tattoos from that tattooer. Being ready to pay when you have this discussion also demonstrates that you are sincere about your appreciation of their work and that you really do want to keep them on as your tattooer.  Your tattooer may even be willing to apply that drawing fee as a down-payment on your next tattoo from them, depending on your relationship.

 You, as a client, should never be anxious about addressing concerns with your tattooer.  If you are, then you may have reason to be concerned.  Not every tattooer can do every tattoo, and a professional tattooer will want you to have good tattoo work, even if the work is not their own.  They would rather have you sing their praises for taking care of them than have a tattoo you regret getting and they regret doing.

 Jason Sorrell is a writer, tattoo artist, satirist, artist, and generally nice guy living in Austin, TX.  He loves answering questions about tattoos.  Shoot him a message at https://www.facebook.com/tattoonerdz/.

Keep Your Appointment (and What to Do When They Don't)

 Tattoo Nerd,

 I have been in the business for about 8 years now, and I have this client that got work from me when I was just staring out.  I hear from her once every year or so.  She asks about a tattoo for herself or a friend, and sets an appointment.  We hash out some of the details before I notice that she is getting a little flakey about keeping in contact and confirming her appointment.  This last week, she settled on a day but not a time, told me two days prior that she would get back to me about the design, never confirmed, and did not respond to any of my messages the day of the tattoo.  It is frustrating, and I am thinking that I should just write her off and not deal with her anymore.  I feel bad, because she was one of my first clients, but I think I have hit my limit.

 What do you think?

 First of all, let me say that I just love that people are starting to refer to me as "Tattoo Nerd".  I consider it high praise that I am being recognized for my work.  

 I think we, as tattoo artists, have all had clients like the one you described,  In fact, probably multiple clients.  I am not certain if the problem is a matter of casual disrespect or an exaggerated view of tattoo artists.  On the one hand, it could be that people do not consider being a tattoo artist a "real" profession.  They have no real concept of the time, dedication, and effort that goes into being a tattooer, often because they have not experienced that kind of effort in their own pursuits.  They may also fail to recognize the expense of setting-up for a tattoo or drawing a design in advance, because, hey, that is what we do for fun, right? 

 On the other hand, they may realize we are professionals and have a high degree of respect for what we do.  In their minds, we tattooers are all "cool".  We are causal and laid back.  If they cannot make their appointment, it is okay, because we are hip and understanding.  That is why we are tattooers, because we are cool and talented.  It is no big deal to us.  

 Dear friends and tattoo patrons, neither of these perspectives are correct.  Tattooers are business professionals.  They can be more casual about their approach to business, but when you fail to make your appointment it hurts our bottom-line.  We are not paid an hourly wage, and any time we spend engaged with a client is with the goal of there being a cash-reward for our efforts.  This includes email exchanges, phone calls, drawing, follow-up discussions, confirmation of an appointment, and setting-up for the tattoo.  Those materials on the tattooers table; medical liners, ink caps, needles, tubes, inks, paper towels, ointments, etc, are not cheap, and come out of the tattooer's wallet.  The shop may provide for some of his or her supplies, but even that is with the expectation that a cash-reward will result from their use.  When you skip-out on an appointment, it is costing your artist money.

 As a customer, ask yourself this: you set an appointment with your tattooer and when you arrive at the studio, he or she is not there.  No call, no note, just not there.  How many times would this need to happen before you sought out another tattooer?  If you put up with this twice, you are extremely charitable.  

 It is tempting, as a tattooer, to take this attitude and black-list those clients that consistently skip-out on appointments.  As business-persons, we cannot afford that mentality.  Think of it this way; you own a retail store.  There is a guy who comes in once a week.  He browses your wares, asks you some questions, doesn't cause any problems, and doesn't buy anything,  He just wastes some of your time.  You could tell him to buy something or get out, but that will create an unhappy customer.  He WILL tell everyone he knows that you treated him badly; the fact that he was wasting your time weekly and never made an actual purchase will not be mentioned.  Not only have you made no money, you now have a black-mark against your reputation as a business.  You are better off just dealing with it, and maybe one glorious day that "customer" will actually buy something.

 When a tattooer is just starting out, we feel lucky just to have someone consider us for work.  We listen to every pie-in-the-sky promise to be on-time for an appointment, to bring friends to us, to help get our name out, etc.  It takes a few years to realize that cash is king, and that all the promises in the world are meaningless until the money is in your hand.  It takes a few more years before we are good enough to establish that kind of standard.  An appointment is not an appointment without a deposit.  When I started out, my clients would have balked at the idea that they needed to pay me $50 in advance to keep a slot in my schedule open for them.  Now, it is expected that my time comes at a premium.

 For sentimental reasons, I understand the reservations about changing the way you handle one of your first clients, but after 8 years of experience, you have grown enough to start being taken seriously.  Don't black-list your clients, but do let the know that you have grown as a tattooer and that your time is in demand.  When your client reaches out to you again for a tattoo, let them know that you cannot set an appointment without a deposit.  No drawing anything up, no penciling anyone in.  When they are ready to pay a deposit, they are ready to set an appointment.  They are always welcome to walk-in and see if you are available, but without cash in advance there will be no promises.  Those who appreciate your work and respect the value of your time will have no problem with your policy. 

 Jason Sorrell is a writer, tattoo artist, satirist, artist, and generally nice guy living in Austin, TX.  He loves answering questions about tattoos.  Shoot him a message at https://www.facebook.com/tattoonerdz/.

Following Through With Your Client

 "Jason,

 I read one of your articles, and I have some questions.  I recently got a tattoo and I am concerned about the way it is healing.  I don't want to ask my artist because I don't want them to get angry with me for doing something wrong..."

 I get an email like this at tattoonerdz@gmail.com at least twice a week.  Today, after responding to one such email, I found myself wondering why the client did not go back to her artist?  If I go to a doctor and have a question about the procedure or the instructions I was given, I call that doctor and ask.  Ditto for my electrician, my plumber, my auto-mechanic, even my grocer.  If I have a question about a service, I go back to the source.  Why is it different for these tattoo artists and their clients?

 I do not consider myself a great artist.  I am always striving to improve, and I do well as a tattooer, but I am not great.  I write a fair article that people seem to enjoy, but I do not consider myself a great writer.  I am not well known in the tattoo community.  I am making a bit of a name for myself, but even the greats in tattooing are only known by a minuscule percentage of the population.  My point is that these people did not seek my advice because of who I am.  They came to me because of something their artists did, or did not, do.  

 When I get a question from another tattoo artist's client, I do everything I can to avoid being critical of the artist or their work.  This is not a matter of professional respect for my fellow artists, but of respect for their clients.  They are already so clearly anxious about their tattoo that they have reached out to a total stranger for advice. They don't need some guy they will probably never meet making things worse by telling them they made a huge mistake with their choice of tattooer.  That ship has already sailed.  When they get to me, they want an answer, and they want to be re-assured.  

 I give them the information they need based on my own experience and research, and I always encourage them to talk to their tattoo artist and follow his or her instructions.  It is your work, and if you are a professional then you will be fully invested in making certain that the tattoo is the best it can be and your client is happy.

 But, if your client understood that, then why did they reach out to me?

 Getting a tattoo is intimidating.  As artists, I think we forget what it is like to walk into a tattoo shop for a client.  For us, walking into a tattoo shop is like coming home.  For a client, they have no idea what to expect, but they know tattoos involve pain and can go wrong. They know they are going to spend potentially hundreds of dollars in the hope that the artist they select can give them a tattoo they will be happy with.  There is always some trepidation for a client when getting a tattoo, especially that first tattoo from an artist they just met.

 Artists are usually very good at the sell.  They point out the strengths of their portfolio. They demonstrate a firm expertise about safety procedures and best practices when tattooing.  They have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of tattoo history and the industry.  When they get their client in the chair or on the table, they can be very personable.  They can chat the client up and keep their mind off the pain of the tattoo.  They joke and keep things light.

 However, once the tattoo is completed, it usually is about getting the client out the door.  For the artist, the transaction is complete.  They offer after-care instructions, maybe set an appointment for their next session, and thank them as they leave.

 That is not what your client needs.

 We generally tell the client that the tattoo healing process will take about two weeks.  We also know that while they are looking at their new tattoo in the mirror, they are not listening to us.  That ink in their skin is your reputation.  If you are wise about your business, you see every tattoo you do as an advertising investment.  You know that most issues with a tattoo occur when the client does something wrong during the first two weeks.  Why would you leave your reputation to chance in the hands of your client?

 When I go to the doctor, I get a call from a nurse a couple of days later.  It is called a "wellness check", just to confirm that I understand the instructions I was given, that the treatment is effective and not having any unforeseen consequences, and that I am generally content with the visit to the doctor.  In any real sense, how different is what we do from what a doctor might do who performs minor surgery?  

 I typically reach out to my clients after just a few days for the same reasons; do they understand and are the following the instructions I gave them, and do they have any questions or concerns?  That wellness check, after a few days and toward the end of two weeks, confirms in the minds of my clients that I am responsible for the work I did, and that I will follow through with making certain they are satisfied with their tattoo.  It confirms for them that I am a professional who cares about my work, and who sees them as more than a source of income.  That simple email, instant message, or call to ask how they are doing with their new tattoo lets them know that we are in this together.  That bond means they will come back to me for more tattoos, and that they will tell their friends.

 Close out the tattoo session with a solid discussion about after care and ask the client how best they can be reached (phone, email, Facebook, etc). Let them know that you will follow through with them in a day or two, and emphasize for them the ways they can reach you if they have any questions.  That conversation, and the wellness check, is what makes a client into a repeat customer.

 Again, I do not consider myself a great tattoo artist, but those artists who do not follow through with their clients, who do not establish that bond of trust and treat each tattoo as an investment in their own reputations, should know how their clients respond when I give them my advice.

 "Jason,

 Thank you for the email.  I feel so much better now, and I will follow your advice and talk to my artist.  If I were in Austin I would be coming to get my next tattoo from you!"  

 A client should never leave your shop thinking that you will be angry with them for asking a question.  Your client should have the confidence in you as a professional to reach out to you and know you will be as professional and competent as when they were getting the tattoo.  It is more than their ink, it is your reputation.

  Jason Sorrell is a writer, tattoo artist, satirist, artist, and generally nice guy living in Austin, TX.  He loves answering questions about tattoos.  Shoot him a message at https://www.facebook.com/tattoonerdz/