Posts by Cale Belford

2024 Legacy Scholarship Announcement

The APP is excited to announce the winners of the 2024 Legacy Scholarships! Congratulations everyone!

Our scholarship program was fully funded by our generous sponsors and the APP. We appreciate you!

Sponsored by Stiletto Piercing Supplies

Dave Kelso Scholarship – mi33tsu (Canada)

Ryan Markwell Scholarship – Josh King (USA)

David Vidra Scholarship – Breo Hoek (UK)

Gail Shub Scholarship – Xhules Gega (Germany)

Sponsored by LeRoi Fine Body Jewellery

Rick Frueh Scholarship – Georgia (UK)

Rick Frueh Scholarship – Andy Forest (Australia)

Sponsored by Canasteel Jewelry

David Vidra Scholarship (Canasteel) – Yürgen van de Velde (USA)

Sponsored by the Association of Professional Piercers

Legacy Scholarship – Victor Huaraca (USA)

Legacy Scholarship – Sonia Deineko (Denmark)

Legacy Scholarship – Phebe Rose (England)

Legacy Scholarship – Anna Skverna (Russian Fed.)

Legacy Scholarship – Vânia Graça (Portugal)

*Contribution to the scholarship program also made by Aurelie Gi

Implementing Change After Conference

Originally published in The Point: Issue 52

Article by Ryan Ouellette or Precision Body Arts in Nashua, NH.

So you’re back from Conference. Now what are you going to do
with what you learned? I have always found it challenging to take
what I’ve gotten out of Conference and incorporate it into my studio
effectively. I’ve been going to Conference for eight years, and every
year I come home with a laundry list of ideas. Honestly though, not
many are finished before I lose my motivation. My main problem
is that I try to tackle them all right away instead of focusing on one
and seeing it through to completion. There is so much information
available at Conference that you can easily get overwhelmed. Trying
to take all the information from the classes, round tables, and expo
and turn it into immediate change in your studio is an easy way to
melt your brain, or start a fight with your co-workers. Trust me; I
know.

This year, I tried a different approach. I put together my usual list
of ideas and changes that I would like to enact, then ranked them by
what I thought would be the most beneficial to my studio as a whole.
I also tried to get a good idea of how much time, effort, and money it
would take to complete each task. It really helps when you can think
step-by-step what it would take to improve a certain aspect of your
studio or your procedures. You might be surprised that the biggest
impact could come from faster, smaller improvements. I tend to
over-think things a lot in my studio. Way too many supplies, way too
many unnecessary steps. My big focus this year was breaking down
why I do what I do, and finding ways to simplify things without
degrading performance. Not all of it will work, and not all of it will
be permanent, but focusing on improvement is important in an
industry that changes so much from year to year.

One of my biggest obstacles is that I’m the only piercer in my
shop, but I have three tattoo artists who share my sterilization room
and decontamination practices. Coming home with a list of “piercing
things” that I would like them to focus on typically means I have
my tattoo staff fed up with me rather than changing their practices
effectively. It’s a good idea to consider what things on your list will be
the most helpful to other members of the studio, and even which ones
will be the most problematic. I decided to start with my sterilization
room because I thought I could improve our decontamination
chain while also making things faster and easier for all of the staff;
a win-win for everybody. I never really noticed that I had all these
extra glove changes and surface disinfects because I was simply doing
things on the wrong counter top or that I had supplies in the wrong
cabinets. When I sat down and thought it over with the information
I picked up at Conference, it was easy to see that I just needed to
move a few things around. Of course, it all seems so obvious now,
after Conference, but immediately after I reorganized the supplies
in my sterilization room, everything got so much faster and more
efficient. It only took me a few hours to move stuff around, but I feel
like it was a big improvement in the overall functionality of a central
aspect of our work week. Now we can zip through our sterilization
work without sacrificing safety or quality. Plus, the tattoo guys can
correctly process their tools faster without getting pissy and without
me staring over their shoulders.

Once I tackled the sterilization room I suddenly got really
productive. I went back to my list, picked another job and followed
it through to completion before starting the next one. I was finding
little improvements I could make all over the place. A lot of them only
took an hour out of my day, and most of them didn’t cost anything.
I switched our shop over from spray disinfectants to wipes and put
wall mounts in each work area for them. I reworked the area where
we keep our general cleaning supplies so our counter girl doesn’t have
to go into the sterilization room to just grab a dustpan or extra trash
bags. I moved the front counter supplies like gloves, baggies, and
hand sanitizer to one central drawer. They’re small improvements
that make the shop much more efficient and make our work day so
much easier. These are things I’ve been telling myself I wanted to do
for months, or even years, but I just never worked out a game plan
to get it all done. Many little things are very attainable and add up to
make a big difference.

For years I’ve been coming home from Conference all energetic
and trying to do ten things at once, just to end up with ten half
finished things that would keep distracting me. After a while you
lose that Conference high and you just go back to the status quo.
This year I realized that having a system can dramatically impact the
amount you accomplish. Then when you get home from Conference
next year you can change it all over again! P

APP Conference 2024 Room Block

If you’re wanting to get a head start on Conference planning, the room block at Planet Hollywood is active for the Association of Professional Piercers Conference! This year’s Conference is taking place June 23-28, 2024.

We always suggest that you book with the host hotel, as filling the room block has an impact on the organization’s ability to negotiate the conference spaces and rates in the future. Additionally, staying at the host hotel fosters a bigger sense of community at the event and keeps you close to your “home base” for the week. After a long day of classes and socializing, taking the elevator back to your room is way better than taking a bus, taxi, or walking numerous blocks back to your hotel!

Our 2024 rates have already been discounted! Get the new rate and book now!

  • $135 Sunday to Thursday Nights (leading up to or following the Conference dates) New discounted rate$95 Sunday June 23 to Thursday June 27 Nights only
  • $195 Friday / Saturday Nights (leading up to or following the Conference dates) New discounted rate$165 Friday June 28th only

Special requests such as connecting or adjoining rooms, room location, king or double-double bed type, etc. are subject to availability at the time of check-in. All rooms are non-smoking at Planet Hollywood.

Additional persons will be charged at a rate of $30.00 per person, per night, with a maximum of four (4) persons per guest room.

The resort fee is $23/day plus tax instead of over $50!

These group rates are guaranteed until May 30th, 2024!

PLEASE NOTE: The APP contracts hotel rooms directly with Planet Hollywood. If any agency/company contacts you stating they manage the APP room block, in any way, this is not valid. In order to secure your room in the block, you must contact Planet Hollywood directly either online, through our dedicated link, or by calling the hotel directly. If you book with any other agency/company, your booking is at risk.

HOTEL POLICIES

APP attendees will be making reservations directly with Planet Hollywood Hotel. All reservations must be guaranteed with a deposit for the first night’s guest room and tax charge.

For guests that prefer to phone in their reservations, they may call our Reservation Center at 702-785-5555 or 866-919-7472 to secure a reservation on the group block. However, be aware that a processing fee per reservation will be incurred if you choose not to use the dedicated weblink. The name of the group is listed as Association of Professional Piercers 2024. Callers may also use the group code to identify the group, SMAPP4.

It is policy to require a credit card or debit card deposit upon check in for incidental charges. Current policy at PH is $50 a night, credit/debit card only. Policy subject to change. Holds on this deposit amount can last 5-10 days post-stay and vary bank to bank.

Check-in time is 4:00 PM and check-out time is 11:00 AM. Any departures after 11:00 AM are subject to the full day charge.

Each guestroom must have at least one registered guest twenty-one (21) years of age or older.

BOOK YOUR ROOM NOW!

https://book.passkey.com/go/SMAPP4

If you have questions about the room block, please contact Caitlin at info@safepiercing.org.

Sharing The Wealth

In the 1990’s, Jim Ward observed that there were a lot of body piercing studios opening
up. Over the years since the 1975 establishment of Gauntlet, Jim and his staff had
developed and refined the best in body piercing techniques, with safety and successful
outcomes in mind. Jim decided that that expertise should be shared with the inevitably
expanding body piercing profession. First the Pierce With A Pro videos, and then
Gauntlet’s body piercing seminars – Responsible Body Piercing – made the techniques
widely available.

Go to runningthegauntlet-book.com to get your copies of these
historical looks at what was state of the art.

Looking back at performance art.

The following pages feature articles from issue 49 of Piercing Fans International Quarterly, 1992. Over 30 years have passed, but the art was as vital then as it is today. Used with the permission of Gauntlet Enterprises.

Cover of PFIQ issue 49 with Spike the Holocaust Girl photographed by Christine Kessler.

Back cover of PFIQ Issue 49 featuring Ron Athey in the “st. Sebastian Enlightened in a Zen Garden” scene of The Casting Out/A Crown of Thorns performance at L.A.C.E. Los Angeles, November 13, 1992. Photo by Dikon Lewis.

Paul King

Image from David Wojnarowicz photo series Silence Through Economics.

In demonic drag Paul King torments Andrew Fucker during the San Francisco performance of Man’s Ruin.

Motivation and presentation may have changed, but the act of the artist using bodily fluids and perforated flesh as a vehicle of expression is nothing new. In the 70s, artist/groups such as Marina Abromovic and Coum Transmissions, later known as Throbbing Gristle, incorporated blood letting in their performances. In the 80s blood performances attracted greater atten tion. The artist Stelarc suspended himself from a crane over the streets of Copenhagen, held by giant hooks through his flesh.

Portraying the human body as “obsolete,” he gained international notoriety. The collaboration team of Ron Athey and Rozz Williams, known as Premature Ejaculation, was filleting and nailing themselves—and a few road kill—for Los Angeles audiences. On the subject of nails, performance artist Bob Flannigan would hammer the head of his dick to a board and then pry the nail out. AIDS activist/writer/ performance artist David Wojnarowicz utilized similar techniques when he stitched his lips shut as a visual testimony to the concept “Silence = Death.”

Through literature, music videos, high fashion, media sensationalism and governmental hysteria, the sub-culture of permanent and performance piercing has penetrated the mainstream. Don’t be surprised when Barbie starts sporting a “belly button ring.” Increased public attention, both negative and positive, has enabled cutting edge artists like Ron Athey to break from the underground circuit to “proper” performance theaters. Performing in established art environments with greater budgets, the artist can more accurately and elaborately bring their vision to stage.

Performance piercing in the 90s originated in the nightclub. At L. A.’s nightclub “Fuck!”, friends of the promoters included S/M practitioners, who started bringing their sex lives to the dance podium. Performers such as Elayne Binnie, Ron Athey and Crystal Cross were at the forefront.

Fetishism and exhibitionism were the primary motivations. Initial responses ranged from shock and revulsion, to admiration and lust. Most of what you see in nightclubs these days has become narrowly focused on shock value.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good shock more than anyone. However, one cannot rely on sticking needles through flesh to be shocking forever. At some point the shock fades. With repeated exposure even a strong image will lose its power. Just think of TV violence. Unfortunately for most viewers, there’s little variation available. Play pierced lips and ball dances are becoming as passé as navel piercings. It’s difficult to pinpoint where content and progression began to evolve with the individual performer. The process seemed to evolve unconsciously through the repetition of recurring fetish themes.

I was doing shows in nightclubs and as demonstrations for S/M organizations. I became detached; mechanical. The repetitive action of sticking needles through skin had become monotonous; perhaps I had just come to realize that action alone is empty. I began to incorporate my darker feelings into the pieces, creating a sort of psychodrama. Oftentimes I had preexisting relationships with my collaborators and assistants. When I allowed my feelings for the person to fuel the inspiration, the pieces developed depth. My work was now the expression and release of love, obsession, fear, insecurity and vanity. I used images of operating rooms, dungeons and dark basements. Bodily fluids, such as vomit, blood, piss, spit and tears are my favorite medium.

The first work of mine that contained any real substance was “Fuck Art…This is Love.” My partner at the time, Bud Cockerham, was an artist who is HIV positive. I delved into my unconscious fear of watching someone I love being reduced, wasted, and destroyed. I focused my anger at the idea of making love becoming synonymous with cross contamination. Intimacy was death. My anguish materialized. The piece takes place in a plastic-encased operating room. The

audience’s view is clouded and nightmarish. Masked , goggled and garbed head to toe in surgical scrubs, I catheterized him, infused his scrotum to monstrous proportions, sutured his lips shut, carved “HIV+” into his chest, and sprayed him and the enclosed room in his blood. In later performances this image was pushed and the ending changed. I introduced another character who is HIV-. Both drenched in their own blood, they make love through a polyurethane wall.

Mic Rawls in a Paul King performance Halloween night in New York.

“Puff-n-Snuff” is playtime in my darkest fantasies. The piece is a tribute to the bogeyman, killer clowns, Texas Chain Saw Massacre and of course, Dennis Cooper. It’s a snuff (murder) fantasy. The killer clown has two victims in a basement, mummified and tied to ladders. Hundreds of pictures of one of the victims are obsessively scattered all over the walls. One of the pictures is placed over a victim’s face. The clown straps on a dildo harness equipped with a 10” steel knife and proceeds to fuck one of the victims to death. A sterile piercing needle is attached into a battery powered drill which the clown presses through the victims’ cheeks. The clown then uses a circular saw to rip through arms and gut the abdomens of the victims. The lights dim while the clown writhes in organs and masturbates with the intestines. Don’t worry; all mutilations, except the drilling, are  stunts.

My recent work has gotten lighter, even playful. In the piece “Man’s Ruin,” co-creator Brian Murphy and I brought to life the elements of the traditional tattoo flash of the pin-up girl sitting in a martini glass framed with playing cards and dice. The image pays respect to vice and the sorrow it brings. The piece is staged as a game show hosted by a Las Vegas devil boy and devil girl. Flashing lights, blaring trashy rock, outrageous costumes and props set a dream-like mood. We tempt the contestant with the vices of sex, money, drugs, liquor and vanity. Every time he reaches for his desire we “hook” him. The viewers are the game show’s audience. Their cheers and cries egg us on to hurt him more. One by one, fishhooks pierce his finger webs, cheeks, scrotum and legs which are then strung up to a frame in the image of giant dice. The game continues until he dies. The show ends with rock-n-roll drag-queen nurses body bagging and toe-tagging the loser.

Owning my feelings and fantasies, confronting social taboos and phobias is my work’s passion. Catharsis became the mother of invention. The audience doesn’t always understand the artist’s motivation or the message; with art that isn’t always relevant. Whether awe-inspired or repulsed, rarely is one unmoved. v

Changing Myself While Changing Others

By Jezebel Voulé

What has been your favorite piercing moment? It is a question that has haunted me since the first time I was asked. An echo of this makes the voice in my head always think “maybe this piercing will be the one that defines my piercing career.” Several people have shared their defining moments with me: some of these turning points involved meeting their piercing idol while, for others, it was defined by where they worked, who they worked with (or worked on), and, in some cases, a paycheck. The ways people have been affected by their careers are as unique as the individuals who had the experiences.

Most days there are no moments that change me, or at least affect me in a drastic way. I take a client in, bond with them and then let them go, hoping that we connected enough for them to return to me for their next piercing experience—or, better yet, remember my name to bring me more clients to bond with and release.

However, when asked about my favorite moment there is one I always relive. An older lady, at least seventy years old, came in to get her earlobe pierced. We took a moment chatting but as I started to get set up for the piercing she stopped me. “I need you to know that I have Hep C. I understand if you can’t pierce me.” After asking if she had talked to her physician about getting a piercing I smiled and said “Thank you for telling me but I have no problem piercing you. I take many precautions so that both my safety and yours are taken care of.” She was shocked that I didn’t respond like she had expected. She thought I would react poorly and then proceed to treat her as a leper, sending her on her way. Both she and her wife were overcome with joy. It was something she had wanted to do for a long time but had been afraid to get because she would have to expose a secret that had given her so many other bad experiences. (I later found out how much that experience changed her perception of herself. She, for a moment, felt like she was human rather than a disease and not worth common decency. I had felt like I had changed the world, and for her I had.)

Recently another experience left the same type of lasting impression on me. While at Omega Red Studios a man came in asking questions about his daughter. She had cancer and, as a result, had made a “bucket list.” On that list was a lip piercing. He wanted to help her fulfill her wishes and asked if I would be willing to perform such a task on her. I had replied that I would be willing, after I knew it was okay with her doctor. The next day he came back with a handwritten note. Skeptical that the doctor was in on this idea I Google searched the doctor and found out everything I could about not only her but the entire hospital. I talked to lawyers, her doctors, and parents about what I expected, what they should expect, and the young girl’s expectations. I did not hold back on making demands on what I would need to make a safe and positive environment for her. Many of them were personal things to increase my comfort. After all, my safety is just as important as hers.

It took three days to come to an agreement on piercing her. After speaking with the doctor we decided the nostril would be a more acceptable piercing rather than the lip. I learned that the reason there was so much passion behind her parents getting this one thing done was because she had just received a dire prognosis. The likelihood that she would be alive long enough to even see her piercing heal was slim. She had fifteen things that she wanted to do before she died. Her parents chose this task, as it was most obtainable, and came in search of me. Completing one of her bucket list tasks was important in helping her fight the feeling that all was lost for this fourteen year old whose life was on a count down. The before and after effect on her life was immediate. She went from a child who looked and acted sickly to a young girl who wanted to walk around with her father as she felt a kind of rejuvenation.

***

These moments have stuck with me, as it has been these moments that have pushed me to realize how much I could help the world just with a tiny prick of my needle. Sometimes a navel piercing is more than a belly adornment, it is a story—a celebration—of a woman reclaiming her body. It amazes me how much a person can be changed from something that, for me, is just a way of life: the impact of one life to another. Everyone has different reasons for loving their job. So please take a moment and relish yours.

Originally published January 2nd, 2014 by Jezebel Voulé

2024 APP Legacy Scholarship

The 2024 Legacy Scholarship Program is now taking applications to attend the upcoming APP Conference & Exposition, taking place at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, June 23-28!

This is funding for approximately 8 piercers in need of financial assistance to attend this educational event and recipients are required to work more than 30 hours during the Conference. Accommodations and Conference registration are included in the Scholarship, but you must provide your own transportation to and from the Conference and cover your own meals.

So, do you qualify? Here’s a few things that are required for eligibility.

-You must be 21 years or old by the time Conference happens.
-You must have never attended Conference before (some exceptions do apply).
-You must be working in a studio and have at least six months experience before Conference.

All applicants will be considered based on the following criteria.

-Financial Need: This scholarship is for piercers who cannot attend the conference without assistance.
-Participation in the industry outside of your own studio.
-Demonstrating interest in bettering your skills/circumstances.
-Enthusiasm for the opportunity.
-Spirit of volunteering / Demonstrating work ethic / Humility

Do you feel that this scholarship applies to you? Take a peek at the detailed information and the application right here through this link: 2024 Legacy Scholarship Information and Application.

You have until January 31, 2024 to apply.

Good luck everyone!

2022 Board of Directors Election

Another APP Board of Electors election is happening right now and is going on until December 1st!

Your vote matters! If you are a Business Member or Business Member At Large in good standing then you are eligible to vote. Check your email for more information or view the candidate biographies and vote through your member portal on our website www.safepiercing.org.

It is our duty and responsibility as business members to participate in the APP elections, so make your voice heard and vote today.

Good luck to all of the candidates!

Point #66: Outreach Update 2013 – 2014

Julie Taylor headshotBy Julie Taylor

Each year, the APP Outreach committee takes on a wide range of activities, and from educating healthcare professionals to junior high school students, the committee is always looking for new ways to spread the safe piercing message. The following is an account of our 2013-14 activities:

  • We reached out to health professionals by attending the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and the American Public Health Association (APHA)  annual conferences.  Despite feeling a bit nervous about fitting in with health inspectors from all over the U.S.—and as far away as Australia—A.J. Goldman and Lou Quino had an overwhelmingly positive experience at the NEHA conference. (The inspectors were excited to to see the APP booth and A.J. says “they asked a lot of questions and

    Outreach committee chair Ash Mishako.
    Outreach committee chair Ash Mishako.

    genuinely seemed interested in the answers, and we handed out a lot of brochures for them to take back home!”) Nicholas Adams, Laura Jane Leonard, Brian Moeller and Jef Saunders had a similarly wonderful reception when they staffed the APP booth at the APHA conference. As Jef mentions issue #65 of The Point, “so many people stopped and said, ‘Thank you for being here.  This is definitely a great public health topic!’”

  • A PowerPoint presentation for junior high schools was created—spearheaded by Outreach committee chair Ash Misako—and has been the focus of much of our activity this year.  From autoclaves and spore tests to jewelry standards and portfolios, the PowerPoint is full of facts that will equip young people with the tools to search out safe piercing experiences—and we are proud to have created a presentation to educate students around the world.

  • We have continued to meet our goal of having articles published in each and every edition of The Point, with Courtney Jane Maxwell writing about last year’s Conference in #64 and April Berardi and myself writing about preparing for this year’s Conference in #65.

We’ve had a great year and are looking forward to facilitating our second Outreach round table at Conference this year.  I hope to see you there!

 

Point #63: Making Piercing Viral – Social Media Dos & Don’ts

April Berardi headshotJulie Taylor headshotBy Julie Taylor and April Berardi, with support from the Outreach Committee

To find out how piercers can use social media effectively, we interviewed several social media savvy piercers—April Berard from Born this Way Body Arts, A.J. Goldman from 12 Ounce Studios, Courtney Jane (CJ) from Saint Sabrina’s, Derek Lowe from Saint Sabrina’s, Christina Shul from High Priestess, and Crystal Sim from Evolution—and asked them to list some simple Do’s & Don’ts of online media usage. But first, remember that our audience doesn’t have the intimate relationship we have with piercing and industry related news. (One post could be someone’s first impression of you or piercing, so be sure to post with that in mind.)

Below are some recommendations to keep your page—and posts—positive and interesting:

DOs:

DO have a social media page and keep it active!  Because—after all—our clients are media savvy, and online.

DO create a Facebook page just for your work (especially if you’re not comfortable sharing your personal life with the public).

Screen capture, used with CJ Maxwell’s permission, is an illustration of how posting pictures of clients and new shop jewelry can bring your page positive attention.
Screen capture, used with CJ Maxwell’s permission, is an illustration of how posting pictures of clients and new shop jewelry can bring your page positive attention.

DO post and share photos of cool piercings, unique placements, or new jewelry—and when companies release photos of new products, sharing them on your pages can generate instant interest, resulting in potential sales or special orders.

DO give credit if you repost an image. Be sure to list and link, whenever possible, to the names of the image creator, piercer, studio and/or jewelry manufacturer.

DO post healed piercings for piercing portfolios as much as possible.

DO post fresh work for status update posts.

DO answer questions promptly! If you leave your page(s) unattended for too long, your clients could seek out other studios (or friends) to help them. According to Derek, “Even if it’s not your intent to engage your clients that way, they are going to expect to be able to engage you [on your social media pages]. If you don’t respond, you’re blowing them off.  No good, obviously.”

DO consider posting only the things you would be proud to show your mother, young kids, the health department, a respected peer, or a potential employer.

DO post fun things that happen in the shop. CJ advises “Our job is very much seen as ‘cool’ by the general public, so

giving them a peek into the fun/funny things we do is great advertising. Even more, it gives us a chance to promote the positive side of the business. Imagine, if people think you can say literally anything you want to, and what you choose to post is how awesome your shop/customers/job is, they are going to get a really good feeling about what we do…I intentionally post some things about my private life, because I know my clients like to feel like they ‘know’ me. It makes them more comfortable with me, and certainly more loyal.”

DO post regularly; routine is key.  If you post often, your clients will begin to put you into their own media routine. Derek says, “you can’t just have a FB page or tumblr page and expect people to flock to it and interact with it. You have to put out content regularly to keep people engaged and interested. Simply having the page isn’t enough.”

DO actively take part in discussions on your page. Your clients love interacting with you, so if they are commenting in a thread about new trends, join in the conversation and give them your professional input.

DO keep your network abreast of local, national, or even international trends. (If septum jewelry is flying out of your studio, tell your readers how hot septums are.) The same goes for legislation changes and any news that pertains to the piercing and tattoo community as a whole.

DO post tips on caring for body piercings.

DO post compelling, interactive, and relevant content:

  • Ask your readers to interact by requesting their opinions in your posts (ex: Which pair do you like best? What do you think of this color combination? What do you think of this new piercing placement?)

  • Use tags. Jesse notes that “taking pictures of your client’s piercings and tagging them in a photo on your fan page will also generate some great feedback and possibly new followers…which will potentially lead to new clients.”

  • Make posts visually striking. Derek told us, “I think that piercing (and tattooing) are very fortunate in that they are both visual mediums…so they can benefit greatly from social media sites which are wonderful tools for delivering the visual. So, the more visually interesting/impacting it is, the better it utilizes the power of social media.”

DO make occasional, unplanned, short-term specials.

This image, courtesy of Facebook, illustrates how online media can help you gain a better understanding of your client base, and how well you are interacting with your followers. Note: These options and analytics are unavailable on personal pages.
This image, courtesy of Facebook, illustrates how online media can help you gain a better understanding of your client base, and how well you are interacting with your followers. Note: These options and analytics are unavailable on personal pages.

DO tell your clients about your pages. (This means that you give your social media contact info to everyone.)  CJ says, “I give my facebook URL to every single person I pierce, or to people that I haven’t pierced but came to me for troubleshooting advice. I even tell my clients to link me to jewelry they find that they like so I can help them make sure it’s good quality, or at least help them find something similar that is”. Jesse’s tip – “During my aftercare speech I will also discuss with my clients the social networks that I’m available on and also have the links on all of our aftercare brochures.  Plus I’ll personally ask them to join our fan page, or randomly discuss Facebook or Instagram etc. during the actual piercing appointment.  This has earned me many followers/friends over the years as my clients felt comfortable finding me online and asking questions.”  

DON’TS:

DON’T post illegal activities or activities that could be construed as medical procedures. Crystal suggests, “If this is your lifestyle, try flying under the radar.”

DON’T be afraid to talk positively about yourself and your accomplishments, or the cool things you like.

DON’T be a miserable online complainer.

DON’T repeat yourself every day. Things like “I’m here piercing until 9pm” get old fast.

DON’T post anything you aren’t prepared to answer questions about, or get lots of requests for.

DON’T post ANYTHING online that you wouldn’t be proud to share with clients. CJ says, “My Facebook is primarily for work…I avoid anything excessively vulgar or profane, and generally try to keep things PG-13.  I want the things that are posted to reflect me in the same way that I would want to be seen if I were with a client in my shop.”

DON’T make negative posts about clients—even when it is hypothetical, or when no names are mentioned.

DON’T make any negative posts about other studios, piercers, or the industry.

DON’T sign up for more accounts than you can handle. If you do not have the time, manpower, or resources to oversee the page, do not create it—out of date information and unanswered questions can do more harm than the good.

Rather than try to take on too much at once, use these Do’s and Don’ts to fine tune what you are already doing.  Start with a few that will work for you, and watch your social media presence grow, as there are few things you can do with your business that will have the kind of immediate return and positive impact on your piercing business than social media interaction will.