In the tattoo industry, thinking outside the box is essential. There are 26,210 tattoo artists registered in the US today. If you don’t think and act uniquely, you will become a part of the crowd, which can be bad for your business. There is a need to stand out by adopting creative strategies to grow your revenue.
Many tattoo artists are seeking new ways to boost their tattoo businesses and differentiate themselves from other studios. Many tattoo shops even create a separate website just for their portfolio. This allows them to display their work on an online platform. They can easily update it with new designs or images as frequently as necessary.
Here are a few other strategies you should use to drive your tattoo business’s revenue and growth:
1. Building a Strong Online Presence
Your site should be easy for potential clients to find on search engines like Google or Bing. So, make sure you implement a proper SEO (search engine optimization) strategy with keywords related specifically to tattooing, such as “tattoo” and “tattoo artist.”
Additionally, include links from other websites where possible. These may include social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram pages. People can also find Twitter handles where they can follow along with what’s new in the world of ink. Finally, ensure that any images posted are high quality because nothing looks worse than blurry or dimly lit pictures.
2. Expanding Your Tattoo Portfolio
Another thing you should try is expanding your tattoo portfolio. Here are some tips that can help you get started.
- As you start building your portfolio, make sure to include a variety of styles and designs that showcase the breadth of your talent. Your work should be original and familiar enough for clients to identify with it easily. You should also segregate the tattoos based on type, design, color, etc. For instance, a Fortune Tattoo Business Insight market study states two kinds of tattoos: temporary and permanent. You can have separate categories for each type for easy accessibility by viewers.
- Social media is an excellent way to promote yourself and attract potential new clients. Post photos from completed tattoos on Instagram or Facebook, then tag them with relevant hashtags like #tattooartist or #inkedup. You can also share these images in groups related to tattooing; the more people see them, the better.
- When someone loves one of your pieces enough to want one just like it, they’ll knock at your door. Make sure you charge what you’re worth. Don’t sell yourself short because someone else thinks they can get away with charging less than market value.
3. Leveraging Local SEO
Local SEO optimizes your website to drive more organic search traffic from Google and other search engines. Local SEO is not only about optimizing your tattoo business’s name and contact details. Instead, it is about developing a comprehensive strategy to help you rank high in local search results.
To implement local SEO on your website, you need to:
- Add a business location and contact information to relevant pages on your website. This includes an address, phone number, and a link to your Google Business Profile listing.
- Optimize each page with relevant keywords that people will likely use when searching for tattoo artists nearby. For example, if you’re in Los Angeles and specialize in blackwork tattoos, some good keywords might be “blackwork artist Los Angeles” or “best blackwork tattoo artist Los Angeles.”
- Create and optimize your Google Business Profile. According to SEO Inc, a Google Business Profile is fundamental for local SEO. It entails giving precise and current business details, such as the physical address, contact number, operational hours, and customer feedback.
4. Diversifying Revenue Streams
As a tattoo artist, you know that you have a unique skill set. But did you know that your business can be more than just one-dimensional? If not, here are some ideas for ways to diversify your revenue streams:
- Sell custom artwork on T-shirts, mugs, and other items. This is a great way to make extra money with minimal investment in equipment and supplies.
- Offer classes on various aspects of tattoo artistry, such as shading techniques or line work styles like geometric or tribal patterns. This can be done personally at local community centers, colleges, or universities.
- Expand your studio’s offerings into tattoo corrective services. These corrective services include several different directions you can go in, whether it be cover-up tattoos for those who want a tattoo, but have fallen out of love with what they currently have, or tattoo removal for those clients who simply want to be rid of their ink.
Expanding your offerings not only diversifies your revenue streams but also gets you in front of new clients who very well might be in the market for a different service you offer. If you provide a high-quality service like tattoo removal or cover-ups, there is a good chance they will come back to you if they are looking to get a new tattoo down the road, as you have built that trust with them.
5. Marketing and Promotion
To thrive, you’ll need to develop a marketing strategy. Advertising, social media, and word of mouth are all effective ways of getting the word out about your business. A strong brand identity is essential for success in this competitive tattoo industry.
For example, suppose people know that they can find information about tattoos on your Facebook page or Instagram profile. In that case, they’re more likely to book an appointment with you when they’re ready for their tattoo.
6. Prioritizing Financial Management
Financial management is crucial to running a business, especially for tattoo shops. The money you make or lose will determine whether or not your shop is booming.
As with any business strategy, there are plenty of ways to approach financial management in the tattoo industry. The following steps offer some ideas for how you can use this information:
- Create a budget so everyone knows their responsibilities when managing expenses and revenue.
- Set goals based on past performance so everyone knows where they should be at any given time during the year.
- Track progress against those benchmarks throughout each quarter, month, week, and day until they reach their goals.
7. Embracing Technology and Automation
Embracing the latest technologies is vital to increasing your tattoo business revenue. There are several ways to use technology to your advantage, and you should consider every single one. Here are some tips that can help:
- Automate processes wherever possible. This can be done through an app or even a spreadsheet with appropriate columns. This spreadsheet will allow you to track important metrics for each client. These metrics may include how many appointments they’ve had in the past month or their average tip percentage.
- Use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system to store and track your customers’ information. This information can help you contact them with various offers, personalized marketing efforts, etc.
8. Networking and Collaborations
As you’re starting, you must network and find new clients. In addition to marketing your services, you should seek other people to help you grow your business. This could include tattoo artists willing to collaborate on projects or events.
Social media collaborations with tattoo or fashion influencers can also be helpful. A recent survey results published in a CNBC article show that many tattoo artists estimate that 70% of their customers come from Instagram. You can use social media platforms to collaborate with influencers or tattoo artists.
Asking for referrals from current clients is another great way of growing your client base. Once someone has had their first tattoo done by you, they’ll probably be happy enough with the experience that they’ll recommend it. This will improve word-of-mouth marketing, which will help gain more customers.
Conclusion:
Similar to most other fields, a tattoo business is a great way to earn revenue, but it’s not easy. To succeed, you’ll need to put in the hard work and dedication required of any entrepreneur. The good news is that there are plenty of resources for tattoo artists who want to grow their tattoo business.
