Opening A
Tattoo Shop
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A Guide To Opening A Tattoo Shop
- Kyngo Admin
- August 12, 2022
Starting a business is an exciting time for anybody, and as a tattoo artist, starting a tattoo shop is especially exciting. Starting a tattoo shop requires more than just the skills to tattoo someone, it requires careful planning, legal compliance, and a business strategy. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to launch your own tattoo shop, from a dream to reality.
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1. Research the Tattoo Industry
You should know and understand the tattoo industry’s landscape, including the local demand for tattoos. You should get a feel for how much business your potential and future competition has. Can you somehow stand out in your area?
As a tattoo artist and a business owner of a tattoo shop you will want to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the tattoo world. You will want to use platforms like Instagram and Pinterest to spot trends.
You will want to know the laws, licensing and zoning regulations in the area where you plan to set up your tattoo shop. These vary depending on where you plan to set up your tattoo shop.
A tip is to visit other tattoo shops to observe their operations, pricing and customer service.
These are some of the questions that you should be asking before you begin your journey of starting and opening a tattoo shop.
2. Develop Your Skills and Portfolio
You should always be working on your tattooing skills, as well as building your portfolio. These are two of the most important things you be constantly doing as a tattoo artist.
If you are new to tattooing, you can try to complete a formal apprenticeship under a licensed tattoo artist. These internships typically last between one and two years and teach you the skills to be able to tattoo a wide range of tattoo styles, as well as teach you about hygiene practices and products, tattooing techniques, and client interactions.
You should work on obtaining certifications like Bloodborne Pathogens Training and CPR, which are often required by health departments.
Building a strong and diverse portfolio will help you get you started attracting clients.
3. Create a Business Plan
Having a business plan is an important part of opening a successful tattoo shop. Your business plan should include the estimated startup costs, including rent, equipment, supplies, licensing, insurance an marketing. The typical amount of capital that is needed to open up a tattoo shop is between $50,000 to $150,000, depending on the location and size of the tattoo shop. You will want to take into account any recurring costs such as rent, utilities, supplies, payroll, etc.
You will want to calculate your pricing for tattoos and have an estimate of monthly clients as well as any seasonal trends.
Starting and having a business requires you to have a marekting strategy. You will want to have an idea of how you will get customers. Some ideas and considerations are the use of social media, sponsoring local events, advertising and more.
4. Securing Funding
Most people are not going have the money themselves to open a tattoo shop and will have to secure the funding to do so.
One option is to apply for a loan at a bank or to apply to the Small Business Bureau (SBA) for a small business loan. There are other options, however, this are the two most reasltic options.
5. Choosing A Location
One of the most important business decisions that you will have to make is where you decide to open your tattoo shop. Some of the considerations you will want to consider are visibility, accessibility, zoning and space requirements.
You may want to consider setting up your tattoo shop in a high-traffic area like a downtown district or in or near an arts hub. This will make easy and convenient for walk-ins as well as locals.
You will want to ensure that there is enough parking space available for your customers, as well know of any accessibility requirements that may be required. For example, some cities require that you provide a certain number of parking spaces depending on things like your retail space.
Within the tattoo shop itself, you will enough room tattoo stations, a sterilization area, a waiting lounge and possibly space for retail space so that you can sell merchandise.
You will want to negotiate a lease that fits your budget.
6. Getting Licensed And Insured
Compliance in the tattoo industry is non-negotiable. You need to register your tattoo business with your city or county.
Most states require tattoo artists to hold individual licenses. Health department permits will also be required. You should schedule inspections with your local health department. You should contact your local health department so that they can let you know of any specific requirements.
You will also need to get general liability insurance and professional liability insurance to protect you and your business against lawsuits or accidents. If you hire staff, you will also need workers’ compensatin insurance.
7. Equipment And Supplies
Investing in high-quality equipment can help ensure safety and client satisfaction. With that being said, these are some things to keep in mind.
You should purchase reliable rotary or coil machines. These cost between $100 and $500 per machine.
You will need to buy sterilization equipment and supplies. You can expect to spend between $1,000 and $5,000.
You will want to furnish your tattoo shop with furniture that suits the vibe and style that you want to go for.
You will want to stock up on supplies, including needles, ink, gloves, stencils and cleaning products. You may want to consider buying in bulk to save money.
Software to book and manage appointments and to accept and receive payments will be a factor that you will want to consider as well.
8. Your Tattoo Shop's Look And Feel
You will want to have an idea of the vibe, look and feel that you will want your tattoo shop to have. This should be inline with the type of customers that you want to attract. You will want a consistent look and feel across your tattoo shop as well as any marketing so that you can create a brand.
9. Hiring And Training Staff
As a tattoo shop, you will most likely hire staff at some point. When doing so, you might want to start by looking for tattoo artists that you know from working with them. Of course you will want to be careful and set up clear guidelines and expectations to avoid any future conflicts.
When hiring staff, you will tattoo artists that have a strong portfolio and good client reviews. You need also need to check their licensing and certifications.
You may want to hire a receptionist to handle appointments and bookings, payments and client inquiries.
Pay and commision rates should be competitive to go along with a positive work environment and benefits to attract top talent. Commission rates are typically between 40% and 60%.
You should have a training protocol for new hires as well as current employees.
10. Marketing Your Tattoo Shop
You should build up a client base before opening your tattoo shop. It will help your business get off the ground and making money if you have clients that already come to you for their tattoos.
Posting on social media has proven to be a good way to get local customers to local businesses. You will want to post high-quality, engaging content and photos on platforms such as Instagram, Tik Tok and Pinterest and make effective use of hashtags.
You should also create, or have a website created for you that features your portfolio, artist bios, pricing and booking information. The website should be responsive and SEO friendly. You should encourage customers to leave Google reviews on your Google Profile.
Some other ideas are to host a grand opening event, offer discounts, sponsor events, offer guest spots to well-known tattoo artists and to partner with local businesses.
11. Maintaining Compliance And Quality
Once your tattoo shop is open, you will want to prioritize safety and client satisfaction. You will want to follow strict sterilization protocols to prevent infections. You should regularly inspect equipment and dispose of biohazard waster properly.
You will want to stay up-to-date on any new techniques, equipment and safety standards through workshops or industry events.
Conclusion
Opening a tattoo shop can be a rewarding experience. You have to a combination of artistic passion for the art of tattooing, compliance with your local health department’s health regulations and requirements, people skills and a business savvy as well as marketing know how to succeed and to turn your dream into a reality.
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