Thoughts

Tat-Tally Pricing & Packaging Decisions (March 2026 Brainstorm) PRODUCT MODEL: Tat-Tally is a self-service, software-only contest management platform. No hardware sold, shipped, or rented. Promoters source their own hardware from a provided spec sheet. Per-event pricing (not monthly SaaS) because promoters only run events a few times a year and would resent paying in off months. PER-EVENT PRICING TIERS (annual volume): - 1 event/year: $449 - 2-5 events/year: $379 each - 6-9 events/year: $319 each - 10+ events/year: $289 each Tier boundaries are mathematically validated so total cost always increases with more events (no cliff pricing). ONBOARDING: - 10+ tier: Up to 2 hours hands-on onboarding included, available multiple times per year as needed. - All other tiers: $500 for hands-on onboarding (optional). Self-service docs and AI chatbot included free for all tiers. SUPPORT MODEL: - First show free live support for every new customer. - AI chatbot handles first-line troubleshooting 24/7, escalates to Dave when it can't resolve. - After first show: $250/hour for direct human support. - Chatbot quality is critical to keeping this passive income vs a part-time job. HARDWARE (promoter-sourced, spec sheet provided): - 5x 32" TVs (Amazon Fire TV recommended) with floor stands - 3x tablets for judges, 1x tablet for MC (iPads recommended) - Mobile hotspot (T-Mobile/Verizon) for dedicated Wi-Fi - Estimated ~$2,000 total if buying everything new - Fire Stick option: promoters can buy $30-40 Fire Sticks for non-Fire TVs and set browser homepage to display URLs. Simple enough for their tech person. TARGET MARKET: - ~100-120 unique US promoters running 150-200 conventions annually - ~3 promoters at 10+ shows (Villain Arts ~30, Ink Masters ~18, Body Art Expo ~7-10) - ~5-10 promoters at 5-10 shows (Days of the Dead, World Oddities) - ~10-20 promoters at 3-5 shows (United Ink, regional touring) - ~75-90 promoters at 1-2 shows (long tail, most price-sensitive) - No known competing digital judging system exists in this space. PRIORITY OUTREACH (first 7 targets): 1. Villain Arts (Troy, 30+ shows, the whale account) 2. Ink Masters (18+ shows) 3. Body Art Expo / Mega Show 4. Days of the Dead 5. World Oddities Expo 6. United Ink Productions 7. Hell City (Durb Morrison, 2 shows) REVENUE PROJECTIONS: - Priority 7 promoters (~80 events): ~$20,000/year - Add 10 single-show promoters: ~$24,500/year - 32 total customers (~120 events): ~$33,000/year - Mature state (50+ promoters, ~170 events): ~$47,000+/year KEY STRATEGIC INSIGHTS: - Troy (Villain Arts) gets charter/founder pricing at $289/event, not free. He's the only whale, giving it away undervalues the product. - Every artist who experiences Tat-Tally at a Villain Arts show becomes an unpaid evangelist to their local promoter. Adoption engine. - Promoters are not tech companies. Typical convention grosses $150,000-$350,000+ (booths at $700-800 each, gate at $25-60/person). Tat-Tally fee is less than 0.3% of event gross, less than one vendor booth. - Most promoters have at least one tech person on staff, so "frictionless" means clear docs, not zero effort. - No monthly subscription model. Per-event only. Promoters pay when they get value. FILE REFERENCE: Full pricing document saved at TattooContestSystem/docs/pricing-and-packaging.md