It was interesting to have a conversation with one of the artist at Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo about the difference between a so called Custom Tattoo shops and So called regular Street Tattoo Shops. What is the definition of a Custom only shop? This is a shop that is more like a private studio only that sets a large amount of money as its shops minimum. Some of these custom shops have $100 minimums up to $250 Minimums. It sounds like a great place to work as an artist doesn't it? You would figure the artist is making a whole lot of money wouldn't you? If you said yes I would have to disagree. Just because a shop has a high minimum that doesn't mean that the artist will make the money. For one to be charging that high of a price you better be a national known artist. Or you have to have a strong following of clients that will be able to afford the prices in the first place. Artist who wish to work in to these types of shops have to have a strong business plan because regular walk-in clients will 99% of the time will refuse to pay those inflated prices. If an artist does nothing but work the convention circuit I believe it is totally possible to bring in those types of figures. A booth at a convention circuit usually averages $6,000 on a weekend. So yes being a custom only artist would be beneficial in that area. You will get to do the traveling and partying that comes along with the circuit.
A street level shop makes most of the industry up. Even street level shops have minimums of usually $40 bucks which on my eyes is still really stupid. The street level shop may get the business but do you really think a disappointed customer will really come back because some artist charged $40 for a name tattoo? Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo starts at only $10 bucks. We don't believe in charging the stupid prices most other shops do. We believe in a solid business model of "Putting our Customers First". That means when you walk into our shop you will be greeted and treated like part of the family. It's funny walking into the shop on a weekend and seeing the staff dancing or just having a hell of a time. We strive not only to make it a great work environment but also one customers will like coming into. We are proud to be a street shop if thats the category we are put into. Yes we have flash on the walls and books to look through. But we also have a staff of professional artist ready to draw up that custom piece. We have the best of both worlds here at Aberration.
So the morale of the story is customers is what dictates the type of shops that are in business. Artist might think they have total control on prices and what kind of work is being put out but in reality they might be sitting out on the street wishing they would've left the Rock Star attitude at the door. Street shops will be where you start your career and more then likely finish it. Remember Rock Stars like Kat Von D is few and far in between. An artist has a real short chance in making it on TV or being a world famous tattoo artist. It will take dedication and marketing to make it to that level. Dreams are good to have but don't over reach where the dreams cannot be achieved.
Boy oh boy, I could write volumes about this post, but in respect of everyone who has to read it, I'll keep it short.
ReplyDeleteYour number one priority as a business is to get people to walk through your door. Customers have to feel that the prices for the work they'd like is fair. If this is accomplished, you've got a customer.
Once the customer is in your building, you should be able to upsell your products or services - and turn a $50 job into $60. It may not sound like much, but it all adds up quickly.
HOWEVER, there are a million things that will turn your customer away. Cleanliness, Decor, Staff, Ambience, Products, Pricing, and Service are just a few factors.
If your customer feels that they've had a positive experience, and received a valuable service for a fair price you will get referral business. Once you have a solid core of customers you can branch out with new marketing campaigns to draw more in. Before you know it, you will be very busy.
Contrast this to a shop that has a $40+ minimum charge. If your tattoo takes two minutes to complete, they may feel it wasn't worth the cost.
Bottom line here is, my furniture repair business was very successful the first three years - my charges were lower than my competition, and I attracted more business than I could handle by offering this to most of the major furniture retailers in the Rockford area.
In other words, if I charge a minimum $40, I will eliminate every 'easy' job, because someone else could probably do it equally well. If I charge $25, I get the job, do the repair (which means I'm practicing my craft, and getting more and more experience, making me a better craftsman.) So...price high and work only the tougher and bigger jobs, or price low, and be TOO busy....I'd rather be busy than bored.
totally true... i rather be busy than bored and broke
ReplyDeleteAt $10 minimum compared to $40 for a name tattoo is a huge price difference. I'd be all for keeping the customers coming/happy but undercutting so much may affect the general market. Last thing I'd ever want is an undercutting competition to see who can make the least money. http://www.tattoomachineequipment.com/
ReplyDeletewhat?
ReplyDeleteok...first off there is no problem with having a $100 minimum. for one it eliminates the people that want to bargain shop for something permanent on their body. it also eliminates the people that don't want to put time and effort into a drawing for their tattoo. a tattoo should be a practice without being rushed. why would anyone want a cheap tattoo? cheap tattoos bring laziness, a lack of ambition, poor techniques in proper sterilization, cheap product, cheap needles, cheap ink, etc. i do extremely well in my practice and i have not a client complain about price or quality. a good tattoo is worth time and effort. the client should always respect and understand this. the people that don't should deserve a $10 tattoo because that's all they are worth. FUCK the people that don't want to pay for a decent tattoo at a good hourly rate. Fuck the people that don't want to wait for a tattoo. i'd rather be bored than putting ridiculous tattoos on people that aren't happy with what they have. i'd rather put out one good tattoo a month that lasts a lifetime then do $10 tattoos that aren't worth the time and effort it should take regardless of the size and theme. because for every happy client there are 10 people they are going to boast about their quality tattoo. a $10 tattoo doesn't look good. never will look good. why is there always justification for what you do? there is no other perspective when you do $10 tattoos. there is no justification whatsoever!! every LEGIT tattoo shop in the nation looks down on the $10 tattoo and $10 piercing shops! we are the "other guys" that have to constantly put up with the stubbornness and stupidity of people that want to constantly bargain with something permanent on their body! how is it that people want to pay more for what they wear?!?! why is it that people pay more for their STUPID FUCKING Jordan's than a good clean tattoo?!?! why is that?!? i will never understand. maybe someone should enlighten me on why this is. for every $10 tattoo that walks in the door that i have to fix, i give 1000 FUCK YOUS. but hey. i get another client. i get another happy customer. so in reality it's good these shops exist.
ReplyDeleteThat was amazing information.
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