Every tattoo shop faces slow days when the chairs stay empty and the buzz of machines is quiet. Whether you’re a tattoo artist or studio owner, you’ve probably asked yourself, “How do I get more tattoo clients?”
The truth is, talent alone isn’t enough to grow a steady client base. People need to find you, trust you, and feel excited about booking with you.
Beyond great tattoo designs, you also need smart promotion ideas, a strong brand, and excellent customer care.
This guide breaks down 14 practical strategies on how to get more tattoo clients and boost your revenue.
1. Design a Professional Website
A professional website is often the first impression potential clients have of your tattoo shop. It can make the difference between someone booking with you or moving on to another artist.
When people research online for tattoo services, they expect a clean and user-friendly site that answers their questions quickly.
Start by building a simple website layout that highlights your portfolio, shop location, and booking details. Include high-quality photos of your work or your studio, since images speak louder than words.
Add an “About” page that shares your story and style, so new clients feel connected to you.
You can also embed a tattoo appointment form, which allows site visitors to schedule time with your tattoo artists.
To bring in more bookings, include a lead magnet, such as a free tattoo aftercare guide or a discount code for first-time clients, in exchange for their email. This keeps potential clients in your network, even if they’re not ready to book right away.
Back this up with good SEO marketing strategies. Publish regular blog posts and insert relevant keywords to help your website appear in local search results.
2. Use Social Media Strategically
Having active social media accounts can help you reach thousands of people who may have never walked past your tattoo studio.
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are especially powerful because tattoos are visual, and people love to scroll through great artwork.
To attract clients, you need to do more than post high-quality photos of your latest work. Consider sharing behind-the-scenes content and short videos of the tattoo process.
Set a schedule to post several times a week, respond to comments, and talk to your followers. Don't forget to use hashtags related to your city and tattoo styles so local people can find you.
Make it easy for followers to schedule an appointment by adding calendar links or booking forms directly to your social media profiles.
3. Establish a Personal Brand and Create a Signature Style
Your personal brand is what sets you apart from every other artist in town. When clients see a design and immediately know it’s yours, you’ve created a signature style that works like a walking billboard.
Every tattoo you draw advertises your skills and helps you gain exposure beyond your shop walls.
To establish a strong brand and style, decide what you want to be known for, whether that’s bold traditional work, realistic portraits, or fine-line details.
Build your portfolio around that specific tattoo style and share it both online and offline. People are more likely to book with your studio when they see you consistently deliver a good tattoo in your chosen area.
4. Optimize Your Google Business Profile
If you want more local walk-ins and bookings, your tattoo business needs to show up where most people search.
A Google Business Profile gives you free exposure on Google Maps and local search results. This makes it easy for potential clients to find your tattoo shop, call you, or get directions.
Make sure to fill out every section of your profile, including website link, shop hours, services, and contact information. Upload clear photos of your tattoo studio and your artists' work.
If you don’t appear in local searches, you’re missing out on free marketing. Optimizing your profile is one of the simplest ways to bring more clients through your door.
5. Use Email Marketing to Stay Connected
Email marketing is a smart way to keep your tattoo shop in the minds of both new and existing clients. Unlike social media, where posts can get lost in the feed, emails go straight to a person’s inbox.
Sending professional campaigns allows you to share updates, showcase new flash sheets, announce promotions, or remind people about aftercare. This helps you stay connected and build stronger relationships with your client base.
You can collect emails through your website, social media, or in-person visits. Offer a freebie to encourage sign-ups.
Send regular emails to make sure clients don’t forget about you. When done right, email marketing creates a steady stream of returning customers.
It’s a budget-friendly way to fill your schedule and make sure people think of your studio first when they want their next tattoo.
6. Consider Paid Advertising
If you have some extra money to invest, paid advertising can be a powerful way to bring in new clients quickly.
Platforms like Google Ads, Instagram, and Facebook allow you to run ads that reach your ideal target audience, whether that’s people in your city searching for tattoos or those who follow pages related to body art.
Start small with a clear goal, such as promoting a flash event, showcasing a new tattoo artist, or pushing walk-in specials. Use eye-catching photos or short videos that highlight your style and add a call-to-action like “Book Now.”
Track your results and do some A/B testing so you know which ads work best.
When used wisely, paid advertising helps expand your clientele and keeps your chairs filled. It’s not mandatory, but if your budget allows, it can boost business growth faster than organic marketing alone.
7. Choose a Prime Business Location
Where your studio is located has a huge impact on how many clients walk through the door. A tattoo shop set up in a high-traffic area will naturally get more attention than one hidden in a back alley.
People are more likely to stop in, check out your work, or grab your card if they see your tattoo studio while going about their day.
Study your target location and compare local studios. Look at how visible they are, how much foot traffic they get, and what kind of businesses surround them.
Being close to complementary businesses like barber shops, piercing studios, or gyms can also help attract more potential clients.
If moving locations isn’t possible, make your current shop more noticeable with signs, murals, or window displays. The easier it is for people to find and remember you, the more likely they are to book.
8. Offer Promotions and Discounts
When business slows down, promotions can give people the push they need to book. After all, who doesn’t love a discount on something they already want?
Offering limited-time deals creates urgency and makes your tattoo studio stand out compared to others charging full price. This strategy attracts new customers and encourages repeat visits from people who already trust your work.
Keep your offers simple and easy to understand. For example, you could run a “$50 off for first-time clients” campaign, bundle flash tattoos and piercings at a flat rate, or provide discounts for groups of friends booking together.
Announce these special deals on your website, on social media, and through email or text to attract more clients.
9. Build Referral and Loyalty Programs
Word-of-mouth marketing is among the most effective ways to get more tattoo clients. Referral and loyalty programs help encourage it.
When happy clients recommend you to their family and friends, it carries more weight than any online ad. The tattoo community thrives on trust, so giving people a reason to share your name can quickly expand your reach.
Create a referral program where both the referrer and the new customer get a benefit, such as a discount or free aftercare product.
To increase client loyalty, offer rewards after a certain number of sessions or dollars spent. These small perks make people feel valued and give them a reason to keep coming back to your tattoo studio.
10. Showcase Client Testimonials
If people still have doubts about booking with you, strong testimonials can help remove hesitation and build trust.
Many potential clients rely on online reviews to decide which tattoo artist or shop feels safe, professional, and worth their money. Seeing real experiences from others gives reassurance that your work is solid and your shop is reliable.
To get positive reviews, ask happy customers to leave feedback on Google, Facebook, or Yelp. Highlight their words on your website, social media, and even inside your tattoo studio.
Adding photos of healed tattoos on the client's skin or short testimonial videos makes the praise even more convincing.
11. Attend Industry Events
While most tattoo artists focus on their own shop, those who attend events often gain more exposure and new opportunities.
Consider joining events like tattoo conventions. Doing so allows you to showcase your skills in front of large crowds and meet potential clients who may travel to see you later.
You’ll also build credibility while networking with multiple artists who may invite you to do guest spots at their studios. Guest work in other cities is a great way to tap into new client bases and spread your name beyond your local area.
12. Partner With Local Businesses
Working with nearby shops is another way to grow your visibility and bring in new clients. Coffee shops, barber shops, gyms, and fashion boutiques all attract people who may also be interested in getting tattoos.
Approach local owners and offer trade promotions. Display each other’s flyers, share posts online, or create bundle deals. For example, a barber could hand out your tattoo discount cards while you promote their services to your customers.
You can also provide free stickers or branded merchandise to partner businesses to make your tattoo shop memorable.
13. Offer Flexible Payment Methods
Money can be a deciding factor when someone is choosing whether to book a tattoo. Consider offering flexible payment options to make it easier for more people to say yes.
Not everyone has cash on hand for a large piece, but options like checkout links, mobile payments, or even buy-now-pay-later plans remove that barrier. The easier it is to pay, the more likely clients are to book without hesitation.
Set up multiple payment choices in your shop and promote them on your website and social media. Highlight that you accept major cards and other mobile wallets through a tattoo POS system, since convenience matters to many customers.
As a pro tip, always keep transactions simple and transparent. Explain processing fees upfront and provide receipts for trust.
14. Deliver Exceptional Customer Service From Start to Finish
Great tattoos attract clients, but excellent customer service keeps them coming back and referring friends.
Tattoo studios that prioritize the entire client experience often see more long-term success than those that only focus on the art. Every step should feel smooth and professional, from the first message to the healed result.
Start by using a tattoo scheduling app that accepts online booking. Next, send automated reminders to reduce no-shows and last-minute cancellations. You might also want to collect deposits to protect your income.
On the appointment day, replace paperwork with digital waivers and consent forms. Clients complete waivers from their phones, while you store information securely in one place.
Once the tattoo is done, send detailed aftercare messages so clients feel supported even after leaving the shop. You can also remind customers to submit online reviews to boost your online visibility.
When customers have a positive experience throughout the entire session, they’re far more likely to return for their next piece and recommend you to others. Service matters as much as the tattoo itself.
Grow Your Tattoo Business With Porter
Want to attract more tattoo clients through smart marketing? With Porter, you can send targeted campaigns that actually convert. Run SMS blasts for flash events, promotions, or new art drops. You can also email existing clients to share shop updates, seasonal specials, or new styles.
Porter also lets you segment customers based on their visit history, appointments, purchases, and more. This helps you send relevant offers that feel personal instead of spam.
But that’s not all. Porter ensures a smooth client experience from start to finish. Clients can self-book via your website or social media links.
The platform even handles digital waivers and consent forms, sends automated reminders, and delivers aftercare messages right when clients need them.
Tattoo artists and shops that use Porter have seen 15% more appointments and 17% more revenue per appointment.
FAQs About How to Get More Tattoo Clients
How to get more clients for tattoos?
You can get more tattoo clients by building a strong online presence, showcasing your work on social media, and keeping an updated Google Business Profile.
Combine these strategies with referral programs, professional customer service, and email or SMS campaigns to keep your schedule consistently full.
Why am I not getting tattoo clients?
If you’re struggling to attract clients, it may be due to limited visibility, lack of marketing, or inconsistent service. Poor-quality photos, outdated websites, or ignoring reviews can also drive people away.
Focus on building trust, improving online promotion, and offering a better client experience.
Is $200 per hour a lot for a tattoo?
Tattoo pricing varies depending on skill, location, and demand. In many cities, $200 per hour is a fair price for experienced artists offering quality work. Some artists charge less, while top professionals charge more.
What matters most is delivering value and results that clients feel are worth paying for.
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