When it comes to tattoo artists, there is one type of customer that they can all agree upon loving the most.
No, it’s not the easiest.
No, it’s not the best looking.
It’s the most loyal.
For some people, they get a tattoo on the fly. A momentary decision that leads to a small, random image placed upon their bodies. For these customers, any artist will do. They generally don’t research or shop around, comparing portfolios and interviewing artists. They just pick one and go.
But, for others, getting a tattoo is planned out. It is an event that spans several weeks, months… For some, even years. They search for the right artist– one who will match their style and personality, who will be able to bring their inner vision to life. 
Often, once a person like this finds their artist, they tend to stick with them. Like when you find a good hairstylist…no matter what happens or where you end up, only that stylist can touch your hair. When it comes to body art, there are some customers who become devoutly loyal to their artist, refusing to allow anyone else to ink their skin.
In addition to this loyal customer being a decently steady stream of income for the artist, there is another perk that comes from these types of clients.
They’re essentially a walking billboard. 
For artists, most advertising is done via word of mouth. There are very few shops which run newspaper ads or television/radio commercials. You won’t see many loyalty e-mail programs or paper mailers. No. In the tattoo world, most people decide to visit a shop based on work they’ve seen on someone else.
This is what makes these loyal customers so amazing. They walk around like a portfolio, displaying an assortment of their favorite artist’s work. If they’ve stuck with one artist, they clearly have had a good experience and so, in addition, are going to give rave reviews of the artist, the shop, and the overall process to all who ask. Their loyalty to one artist, instead of having a smattering of work by multiple artists, speaks testament to inquiring people and future customers.
Regardless of what artist you speak to, they will all tell you the same thing… They all love a loyal customer.
