Shifting the Mindset of The Tattoo Community

I wanted to touch on a couple of key points in the conversation that I think a lot of artists struggle with in tattooing. Sometimes if you're just running the show alone it can be daunting and it feels like you're spinning your wheels making progress. Having other artists or entrepreneurs around to talk with and bounce ideas off of can oftentimes boost your morale and allow new ideas and possibilities to flourish.

These are just a few of those kinds of ideas.

The Dilemma of Urgent vs Important:

There are occasions in an artist's career where resources and money can be tight. Maybe it’s “slow season” or you’ve moved to a different area where you have to make new clientele, medical reasons, and the list goes on. These things can often lead to panic and rash, short-term thinking. 

Let’s take the idea of discounting your tattoos to wrangle new clients. 

One reason you might do this would be to make a quick cash grab because people see that you’re doing the same work but for cheaper. This can give you some quick cash but it diminishes the quality of clients because there’s a high chance they’ll only return if you discount again. I mean why would anyone want to spend top dollar when there’s a chance to get it cheaper if they just wait.

Another reason you might discount would be to try something new in your designs or switching to an uncomfortable style, like going from illustrative to realism. You might want to discount something like this in the beginning because this lowers the risk for the clients while building your portfolio with work that you’re trying to move into. The when you feel more comfortable you have clientele that trusts you and a potential for a higher rate to go along with your new skillset.

Making decisions solely based on immediate needs can lead to challenges in planning for the long term, creating a disconnect between short-term solutions and future aspirations. The struggle arises when short-term solutions, like offering discounts, result in unintended consequences that impact relationships with clients and overall business stability.

• Urgent decisions may solve immediate problems but often lead to negative consequences in the long run.
• Important decisions, on the other hand, are focused on long-term benefits.

Checkout this sneakpeak Mindset Monday with The Inside Fireside Tattoo Club!