Wondering if having tattoos will prevent your sales career from taking off, or cause it to crash and burn? This was one of my primary concerns upon getting my first tattoo. Tattoos are becoming more and more common in todays world, but they can still have an effect on your overall career. As someone who has (and wants more) tattoos, this is a topic I hold dear to my heart. I will also preface this by saying that every situation, every tattoo and everybody is different, and so my opinion is not the end-all-be-all. There are a number of considerations that you need to make before a decision on your tattoo.
Before I get into it, I’ll say this:
Tattoos will not destroy your career.
But they can.
Sidenote: I’m writing while my latest tattoo is healing — I’m currently working on a full sleeve.
1) Location
Location is easy.
If it’s something that’s always covered, then you can probably stop right here, and get whatever you want! If not, then we shall proceed.
My general rule of thumb is to always get a tattoo somewhere that you can cover if you need to. Tattoos that are ALWAYS visible may not be the best idea. Simply because, YOU CAN’T HIDE ‘EM. If your tattoo isn’t perceived very well by your coworkers, or potential clients, then you can screw yourself (not as fun as it sounds). So to be safe, I would stay away from anything on the head, neck, and/or hands*. I, myself, have tattoos on my arms (I’m building my sleeve, baby). I’m usually a roll-up-the-sleeves kind of guy, but I leave the option to cover up the tats if I ever need to.
Upon sifting through Reddit (a modern day Encyclopedia, hehe), I came across another great tip. “Cover everything possible on the first meeting.” Once you get a feel the vibe of your audience, then you can adjust accordingly upon the next meeting. When it comes to tats in general, better safe than sorry.
*Some interesting stats HERE
2) Your Tattoo Can Be a Conversation Piece
The next factor to consider is the meaning of your tattoo. This is actually something that can work in your favor (depending). For instance, my first tattoo was on my forearm, and said “Do What Thou Wilt”. Now we will definitely tackle the meaning (to me) of DWTW in another post, but this tat has actually made a great conversation piece. Getting to know each other on more personal level is a great way to break the “salesman” barrier (you can read why that’s so important HERE). I have had countless clients ask me questions about it, and we typically share a bond over the beauty in the meaning of it (whether they agree with the philosophy or not). That conversion allows my clients to know where MY values and MY beliefs are, as a human being not just as a sales person. Now I don’t exactly recommend this approach if you’re planning on getting R-E-B-E-L tattooed on your forehead. But hey, ya never know.
3) A Form of Expression
All in all, tattoos are a form of expression. Everyone should have the freedom to express themselves, and in my experience, clients tend to have respect for the fact that you are willing to do so. Expression takes courage, self reflection and thought, which are all traits of a great salesman — and your clients will see that. Just be very careful if your ink reflects any topics that can be controversial for lots of people, as that could work against you.
4) Quality
The quality of your ink can be a reflection of your character. It takes time, effort and thought to find a great artist*. A tattoo with bad quality can (sometimes) reflect a lack of character and judgement on your part. It can show that you can act impulsively, have lower quality standards or do not plan effectively (Now I’m not saying that’s who you are, I’m just saying that’s what a bad tattoo can reflect). A beautiful tattoo takes planning to design. You have to find the right concept, the right theme and the right artist to execute it. A great tattoo can show that you take your time, have high quality standards and really stand for what you believe in — especially when it comes to something that will be on your body indefinitely. These are all traits and qualities that clients like to see in a sales person. Your clients will see that the make informed decisions, and so they’ll be more likely to trust your opinions and recommendations.
*Some great advice on finding a tattoo artist HERE
Conclusion
As a salesman with tattoos, I can say with confidence that my ink has never worked against me. It has never hindered my ability to get sales or build relationships with coworkers and/or clients, it’s actually done the opposite. If anything, to quote Ryan Stewman, “I’d say it’s MADE me sales, not cost them.”* I 100% intend on getting more ink in the future, but I’m being sure to be smart about it. These are the guidelines that I use:
1) I take a concept that I absolutely love and believe in.
2) I find a talented artist who does QUALITY work to help me design and execute the tattoo.
3) I find a TASTEFUL way to design it — I choose a theme that is awesome on its own, regardless of the underlying concept.
4) I find a part of the body to place it — typically somewhere that is coverable (if its necessary).
Bottom line. When done correctly, tattoos can make for a great asset to have in your sales career.
Happy Inking!
HERE’s another great blog on this topic!
I’d also love to hear your opinions on this, so leave a comment! What tattoos do you guys have? How have tattoos impacted your careers?