Thoughts

WordPress page from davetedder.com: "Pricing Guide" (https://davetedder.com/pricing/) Dave Tedder's published pricing for Japanese tattoo work at The Custom Tattoo Company. Ranges based on scope, time, and typical investment. Final quotes depend on design, placement, and existing work. Turtle Back (Kame-no-koh): Full back coverage collar to below beltline. 4-6 sessions, $4000-$6000, $300 deposit. Turtle Back with Short Pants (Kame-no-koh to Hanzubon): Full back coverage collar to above knee. 6-8 sessions, $6000-$8000, $300 deposit. Long Sleeves (Nagasode): Full arm coverage shoulder to wristbone. 3 sessions per arm, $3000-$4500 per arm, $300 deposit per arm. Long Sleeves with Chest (Nagasode to Hikae): Full chest/arm coverage pectoral to wristbone. 4-5 sessions per side, $3500-$5200 per side, $300 deposit per side. Long Pants (Naga-zubon): Full leg coverage hip to ankle. 5 sessions per leg, $5000-$7000 per leg, $300 deposit per leg. Open Front Suit (Gaijin-Munewari): Full body coverage with open ribs and stomach. 24-27 sessions total, $19000-$27000 total, $1000 deposit. Split Front Suit (Munewari): Full body coverage collar to ankle with split front. 28-33 sessions total, $23000-$33000 total, $1000 deposit. Full Front Suit (Donburi): Full body coverage collar to ankle with solid front. 28-33 sessions total, $23000-$33000 total, $1000 deposit.

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