Tattoo booking is a complex process that demands more detailed information than traditional appointment scheduling. Unlike booking a haircut or massage, tattooing requires a deep understanding of a client’s artistic vision.
A comprehensive booking form ensures this vision aligns with the artist’s capabilities and availability. This process can be easily streamlined by using a user-friendly platform like Vagaro’s custom form builder. In fact, a robust, flexible form builder is a staple for any tattoo studio software. Let’s explore how you'd use one to create the essential components of a tattoo booking form below.
(Tattoo artists are visual people, so we’ve included a sample booking form for your reference RIGHT HERE!)
The Basics: Client Information & Profiles
The introduction to your tattoo booking form should be clear and concise. While self-explanatory, collecting basic client information here is important for creating detailed client profiles, which enhance record-keeping, emergency preparedness, and personalized service.
To ensure appointment confirmation, be sure to make the following fields mandatory
Full Name
Required for identification and appointment confirmation.
Contact Information
- Phone number
- Email address
- Possibly physical address (correspondence and appointment reminders)
Date of Birth
For age verification and potential medical considerations.
Emergency Contact
Provides name and contact information of an emergency contact in case of an unexpected incident during the tattoo session.
The Fun Part: Tattoo Idea Description
Here we go—the “fun” stuff! The first part of this section should provide clients with a big enough field (e.g., a nice, blank rectangle) to include a description of their desired tattoo, including style, theme, and any specific elements.
Some clients have been dreaming up their next tattoo for a while and can’t wait to share the details. Others might have just a spark of an idea. No matter where your client is in the tattoo planning process, encourage them to share as much as possible. The more details you have, the better you can bring their vision to life. Detailed descriptions also help in understanding the vision of new clients and ensuring their satisfaction.
The tattoo description is followed by small fields for:
Placement
Indicates where on their body they want the tattoo located. This might not be so cut and dry (left forearm), but could span a few areas (nape, upper back & shoulders), so give enough space to accommodate such a description.
Size
An estimated size. Specify whether you want this expressed in inches or centimeters so clients can accurately ballpark it.
Color
Whether the tattoo will be black and grey, color, or a combination.
This whole section is important because it’s where you'll catch those unexpected (impossible) requests from a person—like a chartreuse Destroyer-class battleship on someone’s ankle. By carefully reviewing these details, you can identify any potential issues before they become a problem.
Artist Input
Optionally, allow clients to request input from the artist on design elements.
By providing comprehensive options within the Tattoo Details section, you can gather essential information to accurately quote the tattoo and manage client expectations.
Getting Visual: Tattoo Picture Uploads
Maybe your client’s battleship tattoo request isn’t as outlandish as it sounds. Maybe the picture of said battleship in your mind simply doesn’t match the one in theirs. So, give them the space to upload a few images to clarify!
This next field should enable clients to upload multiple reference pictures, in addition examples with the part of the body that is to be tattooed.
Some pointers regarding size, quality and number of images:
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Specify acceptable image formats: Clearly indicate which file formats (e.g., JPG, PNG, GIF) are accepted.
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Set maximum file size limits: Prevent excessively large images that can slow down form processing.
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Provide image dimensions: Offer guidelines for optimal image size to ensure clear visibility.
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Encourage high-quality images: Explain the importance of clear images for accurate representation.
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Limit the number of uploads: Set a reasonable limit to prevent overwhelming the system.
Getting Real: A Tattoo Budget
Price is always a sensitive topic. Including a budget field that sets expectations on both ends. This gives you a sense of your client's budget, which helps you gauge the scope of the project. On the other hand, it helps clients understand the estimate for their desired tattoo. This open dialogue about budget can prevent misunderstandings and set the stage for smoother booking.
The budget field is a double-edged sword. It can be a reality check for both you and the client. Sometimes, their budget aligns perfectly with your estimate, but other times, there's a gap. This gives you an opportunity to adjust expectations or, if possible, suggest a more elaborate design.
Upsells are delicate, especially with first-time clients. The important thing is the language you use:
“I have good news: the design you want comes in under your budget. Since you’ve got some room here, if you’re interested, I have some ideas that can elevate the design...”
Like the tattoo description and size fields, the budget section is especially important. Make this section a requirement before submission (placing a little red asterisk above it is usually enough to get the point across).
Appointment Preferences: Book Appointments
A simple, yet important, interactive element to your tattoo booking form, the Appointment Preferences section is crucial for allowing clients to book appointments easily and matching them with available time slots and artists.
The convenience of allowing clients to manage their own appointments, including booking, choice of artist, rescheduling and cancellations, cannot be overstated.
Automated reminders and confirmations help ensure clients are prompt and organized, enhancing the overall scheduling experience.
Here’s an even more detailed breakdown of potential elements:
Time & Date
If you want to display available appointment slots in a clear, visual format, you can create a table in your form.
This part typically includes a pair of fields for dates, specifically:
FROM: MM/DD/YYY
TO: MM/DD/YYYY
Consider embedding a calendar table/chart for easier, more precise selection, and provide options for morning, afternoon, or evening appointments. Ideally, you’d like to allow clients to specify exact times if desired, and make sure to list your studio’s operating hours for clarity.
Additionally, managing appointments across multiple time zones is beneficial for clients and artists in different locations, ensuring efficient scheduling and coordination (this, of course, can be one of the bigger challenges of running multiple locations.)
This may sound complex, but you want to be as accommodating as possible—for both clients and artists. Also, while most tattoos are completed in a single day, this feature is necessary if an incredibly detailed piece takes multiple appointments to finish.
Artist Preference
If your tattoo website has bios of each artist that showcase past work and identifies their specialties, you may also include a field for Tattoo Artist Preference. If included, you should also allow clients to specify “No Artist Preference.”
Additionally, your booking system can manage artist preferences and appointments across multiple locations, enhancing flexibility and convenience for clients.
While optional here, you may potentially:
- Offer a dropdown menu of available artists
- Provide brief artist bios or portfolios for client reference
Consent & Releases: Custom Intake Forms
Consent Form
This is a section for the client to acknowledge their understanding of the tattoo process, aftercare instructions, and any potential risks.
Release Form
This is where the client grants permission for you/your studio to use photos of the completed tattoo for promotional purposes (i.e., on social media and in various ads)
Questions, Comments & Payment Information
Give your clients an opportunity to ask about anything you didn’t cover, or let you know about certain issues they may have, such as time or health constraints. Some fields to include here are:
Consultation Request
This provides a choice for clients to schedule an in-person or virtual consultation before booking an appointment.
Allergy Information
Any known allergies or medical conditions that might affect the client should be listed here.
Payment Information: How You Accept Payments
If applicable, create a section details about how you accept payments, including deposits.
If you’re creating a section for collecting payment information, you might include:
- Payment method options (credit card, debit card, cash, etc.)
- Cardholder name and card number (if applicable)
- Expiration date and CVV code (if applicable)
- Total amount due
By including these essential elements, your tattoo booking form will efficiently gather the necessary information from clients, improve appointment scheduling, and provide a clear understanding of the tattooing process, and how you accept payments for tattoos.
Some things to keep in mind:
- Customize the look and feel of the form to match your studio’s branding
- Include clear instructions and explanations for each field.
- Add conditional logic to show or hide questions based on previous answers (e.g., show deposit information only if an appointment is booked).
- Embed the form on your website’s booking page or create a dedicated booking page.
Using professional invoices can further streamline your payment processes and enhance the client experience by making it easy to create, send, and manage invoices securely online.
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A comprehensive tattoo booking form shouldn’t be an afterthought, as it is essential for effective communication between artists and clients during the booking process. By gathering detailed information about the desired tattoo, including style, placement, size, and inspiration, artists can accurately plan and execute the design. Clients, meanwhile, benefit from clear expectations and streamlined booking. Additionally, well-crafted consent and release forms protect both parties legally.
Along with other popular scheduling tools, such as personal time blocking, no-show & cancellation protection, and payment processing integration, custom intake forms can help tattoo studios improve operational efficiency, manage risks, and enhance customer service through data collection and analysis.
Forms are just one of many tools Vagaro offers tattoo studios, making it a comprehensive solution for scheduling and client management. Start your 30-day FREE trial and experience them for yourself!