Does a tattoo studio require visual (corporate) identification? Tasks and regulations for competent branding.
Corporate identity is what sets your tattoo studio apart from others in the face of intense competition. It may seem that you shouldn't be bothered with creating your studio's visual identity if you have a good location, a balanced pricing policy, a staff of professional artists, and high-quality equipment. Unfortunately, this is not always enough to be successful in our industry.
Have you ever had a situation when your communications with clients didn't bring the desired result, promotions were "bypassed", and studio designs or advertising materials changed many times upon what's currently fashionable, and consequently led to additional cost and randomness at work?
All this may be a direct consequence of the lack of visual identification in tattoo studios. Therefore, tattoo studios' branding helps to identify your "ideal client", communicate with him adequately, and maintain his interest.
In this article, we'll look at what the visual identity of a tattoo studio is, how to develop it, what makes the studio recognizable, what to pay attention to when creating a corporate identity, and what mistakes to avoid.
Benefits of branding: what is the visual identity of tattoo studios for?
Corporate identity isn't only a logo and a name - it's a motto and a specially chosen combination of colors, fonts, and typography. In other words, it's a whole set of elements that make the brand unique and consistent.
Below you'll find just a few reasons why you should pay attention to these characteristics:
- Brand recognition. It's all of the little details that are the studios' business card that the client will remember. If these ideas are associated with pleasant impressions, which of course largely depends on the quality of the service, believe me, your audience will appreciate you and soon, they will become your customers.
- An investment in a troubleless work environment in the future. Even the most profitable tattoo studios have periods of silence from time to time - this may be due to, for example, the seasonality of certain treatments, the departure of a talented artist, or other factors. In such times, regular customers who will remain loyal to the brand and won't look for another place for a tattoo will definitely help; and the more loyal your customers are, the more likely they are to bring new people to your studio.
- Simplify your business scaling. Whether you choose to expand your studio to a network level or sell a franchise, proper branding will save you a lot of time and money. As a result, you'll have in your hand a brand book that facilitates the opening of several tattoo studios made in a similar style.
Let's view the specifics of the main parts the visual identification of tattoo studios consists of.
The main elements of visual identification of tattoo studios
The "tattoo studio style" consists of many details, the most important of which are:
- Logo, i.e. an inscription made with a specific font. As a rule, this is the name of the studio, which optimal length should fit in 4-7 letters.
- Catchphrase. The phrase that customers will remember you by - will appear on all visual identification media, such as logos. The slogan should be short, simple, and have a clear and unambiguous message. No murkiness or strange associations.
- Company color or color combination. Every large company has its own color scheme where everything from websites to employee cards is decorated. Think about the impression you want to make on your target group: gold is usually associated with luxury, white with purity, black with style and restraint, red with constant development and the desire for something new, and green and blue with naturalness and freshness.
What else should be kept in the same style?
- design and arrangement of interiors,
- signboard,
- business cards,
- leaflets,
- elements of outdoor advertising,
- merch,
- discount cards,
- vouchers,
- website,
- Social Media (Instagram, Facebook etc.),
- mobile app for tattoo studios,
- advertising
etc.
Further, think about what else can make the image of your studio as consistent as possible.
What to pay attention to when creating the corporate identity of the company?
In order for the visual identity of a tattoo studio to fulfill its tasks, make sure it meets the established conditions. Try to stick with basic rules such as:
- Relevance to the target group. The visual identity of a tattoo studio must meet the expectations of your audience.
- Originality. Keep in mind, that your brand image cannot resemble the style of other tattoo studios; otherwise, you could be accused of plagiarism, which would harm the institution's reputation. Although you may think that everything has already been invented, you still have a lot of room to show off to become original. Remember about a catchy and unique name or a creative decor.
- Versatility. Elements of visual identification should present themselves well on many elements.
- Good associations. The name and slogan of the tattoo studio, company colors, logo, studio design - all this should evoke only positive emotions and associations in visitors.
- Compliance with the price segment. Studios with high standards and luxury prices tend to have more sophisticated and expressive logos than the cheaper venues.
When creating a visual identity, consider the class of tattoo studios: economic, middle, premium, or luxury.
"Economic"
In inexpensive tattoo studios, overly luxurious decor elements may be out of place.
"Middle"
Middle-class studios use more expensive finishing materials in their premises: natural stone, wood, porcelain, stoneware. Furniture can be chosen in the Empire, Classic, or Baroque style, the main thing is to support it with other decorative elements, for example, paintings on the walls, mirrors in carved frames.
"Premium/Luxury"
In this class, the studios offer their services at a high price, often using styles such as loft or minimalism in interior design. Such shops are usually spacious, finished with elements such as leather sofas, luxurious tools, or unique decor details.
"Economic"
In inexpensive tattoo studios, overly luxurious decor elements may be out of place.
"Middle"
Middle-class studios use more expensive finishing materials in their premises: natural stone, wood, porcelain, stoneware. Furniture can be chosen in the Empire, Classic, or Baroque style, the main thing is to support it with other decorative elements, for example, paintings on the walls, mirrors in carved frames.
"Premium/Luxury"
In this class, the studios offer their services at a high price, often using styles such as loft or minimalism in interior design. Such shops are usually spacious, finished with elements such as leather sofas, luxurious tools, or unique decor details.
Development stages and specialists
Creating your own image is a time-consuming process that involves various stages, such as:
- Studio target group research,
- marketing research,
- name development,
- logo creation,
- developing a slogan,
- letterhead set of fonts and colors,
- studio design,
- artist progression,
- development of promotional materials.
The result of your work should be a tattoo studio logo book - it's a document that gives you a complete picture of your tattoo studio's "mission", style, course of action, and recommendations for the design and use of visual identity. To do all of this, you can entrust the development of visual identification to professionals to a specialized advertising agency. Professionals will be able to carefully study the target audience, their desires, needs, and requests - and without this, the branding of tattoo studios will not be that effective.
What mistakes should be avoided when creating the visual identity for tattoo studios?
The main goal of branding is the recognition of tattoo studios and thus expanding the customer base. When developing a style, it's important to avoid common mistakes:
- Incorrect positioning. If your tattoo studio's services are aimed at, for example, young people, your visual identity should be more creative and bold. It's acceptable to use bright colors or vibrant visual images. If, on the other hand, your audience is middle-aged men and women, it's better to resort to traditional design.
- Poor choice of communication methods with clients. Women are believed to be more responsive to Instagram advertising messages or discount page promotions. Therefore, it would be more rational to advertise services for adequate sex in this way, especially if a new promotion has started in the studio or service among the previously unavailable services has appeared. Tattoo studios should create a sense of belonging to a specific club where each client is treated as important, without familiarity.
Hence, by competently approaching the creation of a visual identity for tattoo studios, you can take your business to the next level and attract more customers. Remember that no matter what branding you choose for your shops, clients should feel as comfortable as possible.
Each person entering the door of your tattoo studio is a guest who must be warmly greeted, with a sincere smile, and cared for. The studio will not save a well-thought-out style if the client comes into contact with too much pathos or a disrespectful attitude. Love for your business, customers, and professionalism are the foundations of a successful business and the key to your brand's good reputation, and your own image is a way to emphasize your mission and vision.
