TAT International
Temporary Tattoos, Big
Profits
by Jenifer Hunt
Founded in 2002, the Alto, Mich.- based company took the temporary airbrush tattoo industry by storm with innovative products and equipment. The company’s Duratat™ ink lasts up to twice as long as competitors’ temporary inks; and its Power Palette™ is a state-of-the-art airbrush applicator that makes applying temporary airbrush tattoos quick and practically foolproof.
“Learning the art of applying TATs is not difficult thanks to our training video,” says Knapp. “Once an employee watches the video and gets hands-on practice, they can be applying TATs like a professional in two hours. Our point-and-spray system requires no artistic ability.” TATs are relatively inexpensive and quick to apply and they benefit both sellers and customers.
“A typical TAT takes approximately one to three minutes to apply, and salons typically charge $5 per minute,” he says. “The price and impermanence of TATs are attractive, because what a person wants at age 17 may not be what they will want at age 57. TATs last approximately two weeks and are great alternatives for teenagers not allowed to get a permanent tattoo.”
Teenagers represent a sizeable market for TATs, and of no surprise to salon owners, they are also an important market for the indoor tanning industry.
“Teenagers are the future of the indoor tanning business and they account for about 75 percent of TAT customers,” he says. “It makes sense for salons to offer TATs because they can increase revenue by selling to their customer base while attracting new customers.”
Knapp developed the MVP Money Net™ marketing program to make obtaining and profiting from TAT systems as simple as possible. The program allows salons to inexpensively lease a TAT system and begin benefiting from the company’s extensive online marketing and advertising campaigns through customer referrals.
“Imagine all the potential customers in your local area whom have never heard of you, but want the services you provide,” he says. “Salons must market to these potential customers where they are—on the Internet, teenagers especially.”
“The MVP Money Net directs potential customers to a Web page created for the salon,” he says. “Salon operators do not need to own a computer or know anything about the Internet to benefit.”
Through its Web site, www.TATsore.com, TAT refers online visitors to salons nearest them. To ensure maximum online exposure and Web site traffic, TAT invested heavily with major search engines—including Google—to be linked with words and phrases relevant to temporary tattoos. As a result, its Web site consistently tops pertinent online search results, says Knapp. The company also has links to other high-traffic sites popular with teenagers.
“A salon can spend tens of thousands of dollars and man hours trying to duplicate what we do through the MVP Money Net program,” he says. “Each business receives the full benefits of our advertising according to their location. It is the smartest way, and possibly the only affordable way to advertise.”
The company allows salons to purchase TAT systems on a lease-basis for a monthly fee of $199 down and $69 a month, based on a 2-year lease agreement.
“A customer can try the system for 30 days and if they decide it isn’t for them they can return it,” Knapp says.
The MVP Money Net program was developed to give businesses optimal value for their marketing dollar, and Knapp has created a marketing tool that gives an extraordinary return on investment.
