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First tattoo - How to take away the fear from your customers
You as a tattoo artist certainly have one or the other tattoo yourself and certainly your first tattoo was quite a while ago. How did you feel back then? Can you still remember it? Nervousness was certainly one of the feelings that accompanied you at your first tattoo, mixed with anticipation and excitement.
Often your customers have exactly the same feelings at the first appointment and whether you can understand this or not, empathy should bring every tattoo artist. We show you how you can best respond to your customers and take away their fear
What exactly happens during tattooing?
First of all, it must be understood what the customers are afraid of. Many customers are afraid of the needle and the pain associated with it. In most cases, customers imagine the pain to be much worse than it actually is. Through social media, customers usually get a first impression of what is happening and can get the wrong impression through close-ups and slow motion during the procedure.
Often it looks in the slow-motion videos as if the needle would pierce incredibly deep into the skin and thus cause severe pain. But tattooing is by no means a modern method of torture. Explain to your clients that a tattoo is just like a superficial abrasion. The needle when vaccinating or even the cannula when drawing blood go much deeper into the skin than your tattoo needle.
A motive should be well considered
Another fear of customers is that they regret the chosen motif in the end or it does not meet their expectations.
Unfortunately, we do not have a crystal ball and thus can not see whether the customer still finds the tattoo good in 10, 20 or even 30 years. Taste for the style or even the stitched motif can change over time. Therefore, you should point out in advance during the consultation that a tattoo is for eternity and the customer is aware of this.
Unfortunately, we do not have a crystal ball and thus can not see whether the customer still finds the tattoo good in 10, 20 or even 30 years. Taste for the style or even the stitched motif can change over time. Therefore, you should point out in advance during the consultation that a tattoo is for eternity and the customer is aware of this.
Many tattoo artists advise their customers against fashion tattoos for exactly this reason, as these usually only please temporarily.
But what if you make a mistake and the motif is even botched? This fear is not entirely unfounded, either from the customer's point of view or from the tattoo artist's point of view. Everywhere where people work, there are also mistakes. With a tattoo such a thing is of course more than annoying, but the risk is very low. If you are well advised in advance and choose an experienced and talented tattoo artist, this rarely happens.
But what if you make a mistake and the motif is even botched? This fear is not entirely unfounded, either from the customer's point of view or from the tattoo artist's point of view. Everywhere where people work, there are also mistakes. With a tattoo such a thing is of course more than annoying, but the risk is very low. If you are well advised in advance and choose an experienced and talented tattoo artist, this rarely happens.
Choose the right body part
When advising a first-time customer, you should also always talk about the advantages and disadvantages of certain parts of the body.
In some places, tattoos fade and blur more quickly over the years than in others. Particularly affected regions are, for example, the hands, fingers, elbows or wrists. Also, some areas of the body age faster than others because skin elasticity decreases over time. This includes the abdomen, chest and upper arms. Please also advise women that tattoos on the abdomen can be affected by pregnancy.
In some places, tattoos fade and blur more quickly over the years than in others. Particularly affected regions are, for example, the hands, fingers, elbows or wrists. Also, some areas of the body age faster than others because skin elasticity decreases over time. This includes the abdomen, chest and upper arms. Please also advise women that tattoos on the abdomen can be affected by pregnancy.
In addition to the external characteristics of the various body regions, they also differ in their sensitivity to pain. Of course, the sensation of pain is individual and usually also dependent on the form of the day, but there are definitely places where it is clearly more painful. Especially painful are places like the ribs, the belly, the hand, the foot or the neck.
Excellent places for the first tattoo are, for example, the upper or lower arm, the calf or even the shoulder. Here, the pain sensation is less.
Excellent places for the first tattoo are, for example, the upper or lower arm, the calf or even the shoulder. Here, the pain sensation is less.
The day before the appointment
The big day is approaching and there are only 24 hours left until the appointment. How can your customer best prepare for this?
Be sure to advise your client to get enough sleep and eat something before the appointment to keep blood sugar levels from plummeting. Also point out that alcohol, drugs and blood-thinning medication are an absolute no-go before the appointment.
It is best if your client brings water and a small snack to the appointment.
Be sure to advise your client to get enough sleep and eat something before the appointment to keep blood sugar levels from plummeting. Also point out that alcohol, drugs and blood-thinning medication are an absolute no-go before the appointment.
It is best if your client brings water and a small snack to the appointment.
Especially during a longer session, make sure that the circulation and blood sugar levels remain stable.
Also ask your customer to wear loose and comfortable clothing. Especially if the tattoo is in a difficult to reach place, the customer should dress appropriately so as not to make your work unnecessarily difficult. In addition, it can remain longer in comfortable clothing on the tattoo chair and does not chafe later on the stung tattoo.
Also ask your customer to wear loose and comfortable clothing. Especially if the tattoo is in a difficult to reach place, the customer should dress appropriately so as not to make your work unnecessarily difficult. In addition, it can remain longer in comfortable clothing on the tattoo chair and does not chafe later on the stung tattoo.
Care for the tattoo thoroughly
As already written above, a tattoo is like a graze. Therefore, a good care routine is recommended after the appointment.
Your customers should make sure to touch the tattoo as little as possible. Through constant touching, there is a risk that dirt or germs get into the wound. Only to cream the customer should touch the tattoo and for this please always wash your hands thoroughly.
Your customers should make sure to touch the tattoo as little as possible. Through constant touching, there is a risk that dirt or germs get into the wound. Only to cream the customer should touch the tattoo and for this please always wash your hands thoroughly.
Bathing should be avoided during the healing process, rather take a short shower instead. Bathing in chlorinated water is a complete no-go during the healing phase.
Please also inform your clients that sports or saunas are not allowed in the first period. Sweating unnecessarily prolongs wound healing.
A wrong as well as insufficient care can influence a tattoo to the negative.
Please also inform your clients that sports or saunas are not allowed in the first period. Sweating unnecessarily prolongs wound healing.
A wrong as well as insufficient care can influence a tattoo to the negative.
The right time
In general, no suitable time for a tattoo can be determined. But of course, the different seasons bring their advantages and disadvantages.
In summer, for example, a tattoo can heal faster, because mostly oxygen gets to the wound. However, one must protect his tattoo here especially from the strong rays of the sun. Also before chlorine and sea water you must rather take distance the first weeks.
In summer, for example, a tattoo can heal faster, because mostly oxygen gets to the wound. However, one must protect his tattoo here especially from the strong rays of the sun. Also before chlorine and sea water you must rather take distance the first weeks.
In winter we have the exact opposite. Here you have to worry less about aggressive UV rays and also sweating is not a danger here, but through thick clothing less oxygen gets to the tattoo. Thus, the healing takes longer than in the summer.
A tattoo is for eternity and should therefore always be well thought out. To remove it is not only expensive, it is also much more painful than the stitching itself.
Finally, a tattoo is always a symbol of a certain phase of life and not an accessory that will eventually go out of fashion. This also helps many customers to overlook the pain.