# United Tattoo Brand Language Guidelines

Version: 1.0  
Maintainers: United Tattoo Team  
Source: Brainstorming session facilitated by Business Analyst Mary (Dec 19, 2024)

Purpose
- Codify a practical, comprehensive rulebook for United Tattoo’s voice and language.
- Transform generic or corporate-sounding copy into authentic, human United Tattoo communication.
- Provide checklists, templates, and examples that are simple to adopt across all customer touchpoints.

Guiding Principle
- Would a human being actually say this? If not, rewrite it.

Foundations
- Respect customer intelligence. Avoid buzzwords, empty promises, and performance language.
- 7th grade reading level maximum. No one should re-read a sentence to understand it.
- Keep it practical, honest, and grounded in real tattoo shop interactions.
- Prefer brevity and clarity over cleverness.
- Talk like an expert who is comfortable and kind—not like a brand trying to impress.

Core Language Rules (from First Principles)
1) Direct acknowledgment beats diplomatic deflection
   - Rationale: When you leave things unsaid, people fill in the blanks and feel judged. Plain, friendly honesty prevents that.
   - Bad: “We understand everyone has different comfort levels.”
   - Good: “Holy-fuck yeah— that’s a lot.”

2) Offer practical solutions, not emotional theater
   - Rationale: Beautiful humans interacting with beautiful humans. No therapy sessions or performative empathy.
   - Bad: “We create a safe space where you feel supported.”
   - Good: “If you need a break, say the word. We can step out, take a smoke break, just hang out.”

3) Plain speaking about pricing/time
   - Example: “Because this is ~6 inches and the linework/shading will add ~2 hours, I’d be comfortable doing this for $650. Does that work for you?”
   - Principle: Transparent, specific, respectful.

4) Handle difficult clients with patience, like a human
   - No elaborate customer service scripts.
   - Solve the actual problem in front of you, calmly.

5) Describe work in quantifiable terms with justified confidence
   - Bad: “93% proficient in opaques.”
   - Good: “I’ve been doing opaques on shading for 5 years. Want to see a few examples so you can judge for yourself?”
   - Principle: If you can’t justify it with work or experience, don’t say it.

6) Talk about other shops with kindness
   - Quote: “The shop doesn’t fucking matter. It’s a building with some idiots in it. People come for the idiots.”
   - Focus on the artists and the work, not competitive positioning.

Voice and Tone
- Human, direct, and warm—but not performative.
- Use mild profanity naturally when it fits; never to posture.
- Show empathy through actions offered (breaks, pacing, clarity), not scripted emotions.
- Confidence is quiet and justified—show your receipts (portfolio, years, examples).
- Inclusive in a normal, human way. Avoid theatrical inclusion statements; prefer direct welcome.

Style Standards
- Reading level: Grade 7 or lower.
- Contractions: Use them. Sounds human.
- Jargon: Minimize. If needed, explain briefly.
- Numbers & estimates: Be specific when you can (inches, hours, dollar ranges).
- Swearing: Mild, natural, never as an aesthetic. Don’t punch down. Don’t overdo it.
- Capitalization & punctuation: Standard English. Avoid Title Case inside sentences. Use em dashes sparingly.
- Avoid abstract metaphors and grandiose claims.

Anti‑Patterns (Never Say)
- “For the ones who live loud, tattoo proud, and believe in better”
- “This isn’t your average tattoo shop”
- “We’re here to rewrite the narrative”
- “Where everyone feels seen, respected, and hyped to walk through our doors”
- “Elevate the experience”
- “Create a space where real connection matters”
- “We hire great people, not just great artists”
- “Bring both skill and soul to the table”
- “Every tattoo here is a story, a statement, and a shared moment”
Why: Forced verbs, defensive positioning, buzzword soup, vague feel‑good performance language.

Preferred Patterns (Do Say)
- “We’ve been tattooing for X years. Here’s our work.”
- “Good tattoos that’ll still look good in 20 years.”
- “Artists who know what they’re doing.”
- “It doesn’t matter who you are— you’ve got a home here.”

Copy Transformation Framework
Use this 4‑step filter to convert bad copy into United Tattoo voice.

Step 1: Strip the theater
- Delete buzzwords, transformation language, and vague hype.
- Translate abstract claims into plain, observable facts.

Step 2: Ground in reality
- Add concrete details: sizes, hours, dollar ranges, what will actually happen.

Step 3: Offer actions, not feelings
- Add helpful options (breaks, pacing, next step, example links) instead of performative empathy.

Step 4: Read like a human
- Contractions. Short sentences. Grade‑7 reading level. Ask “Would a human say this?”

Transformation Checklist
- [ ] No buzzwords or vague promises remain
- [ ] Concrete details replace abstract claims
- [ ] Practical options offered (what the person can do next)
- [ ] Grade‑7 reading level or lower
- [ ] Sounds like a human, not a brand
- [ ] Confidence is justified with examples/time/experience

Templates and Patterns

Pricing Template
- “Because [size/specs] and [technique/complexity], this will take about [hours]. I’d be comfortable doing it for [$amount or $range]. Does that work for you?”
- “If you want to keep it closer to [$lower], we can simplify [specific parts].”

Aftercare Callout
- “Read our aftercare instructions (informed by the National Environmental Health Association’s Body Art Model Code).”
- Keep the main page short. Link to the details.

Nervous First‑Timer
- “Being nervous is normal— we all were before our first tattoo. If you need a break at any time, say the word. We can step out, take a smoke break, or just hang out. We’ll go at your pace.”

Picky Client (Lots of References)
- “That’s a lot— which is fine. Grab a seat and walk me through the top 2–3 things you care about most. We’ll build from there.”

Tattoo Style Explanations
- “This is realism. This is American traditional. This is neo‑traditional. This is cyber sigilism.” (Short, clear, label things plainly. Link to examples.)

Difficult Situations
- “I hear you. Here are two ways we can solve this today: [Option A], [Option B]. Your call.”

Before/After Examples

Example 1
- Original: “Artistry with integrity.”
- United Tattoo: “We’ve been tattooing for [X years]. Here’s our work.” [link]

Example 2
- Original: “More than ink— it’s identity.”
- United Tattoo: “Good tattoos that’ll look good in 20 years.”

Example 3
- Original: “A space where creativity thrives.”
- United Tattoo: “Artists who know what they’re doing.”

Example 4 (Inclusivity Hype)
- Original: “We’re here to rewrite the narrative, where everyone feels seen, respected, and hyped to walk through our doors.”
- United Tattoo: “It doesn’t matter who you are— you’ve got a home here.”

Reading Level and QA
- Standard: Grade‑7 max.
- Tools: Use any readability checker (e.g., Flesch‑Kincaid or Hemingway). Adjust until it passes.
- QA Checks:
  - [ ] Short, clear sentences
  - [ ] Concrete details
  - [ ] No buzzwords/performance language
  - [ ] Offers practical next steps
  - [ ] Tone: calm, confident, kind

Governance
- Ownership: Content lead and shop manager sign‑off on high‑impact pages (pricing, aftercare, booking, artist bios).
- Review cadence: Quarterly review of top pages. Spot‑check new pages at publish time.
- Updates: When adding new styles/services, add 1–2 plain examples + portfolio links. Re‑run transformation checklist.
- Training: New hires read this guide and do one transformation exercise before publishing copy.

Implementation Plan (from Action Planning)
1) Implement Reading Level Standard
   - Audit all website copy
   - Create a simple reading‑level checklist
   - Rewrite problem areas
   - Target: 2–3 weeks

2) Create Brand Language LLM Filter
   - Document rules (this guide)
   - Build before/after examples set
   - Draft initial prompt template (see below), test on worst offenders
   - Target: 1–2 weeks

3) Transform High‑Impact Pages First
   - Prioritize pricing, aftercare, artist bios, booking flow
   - A/B test if possible; otherwise collect anecdotal feedback
   - Target: ~1 week

LLM Brand Filter Prompt Template
Use this with your preferred LLM to transform drafts automatically.

"""
You are the United Tattoo Brand Language Filter.

Transform the following copy into United Tattoo voice using these rules:
- Human, direct, grade‑7 reading level max
- No buzzwords, no transformation theater
- Offer practical options/actions instead of performative empathy
- Justified confidence only (backed by examples/experience)
- Prefer concrete details (sizes, hours, dollar ranges)
- Would a human actually say this?

Output format:
1) Original
2) Rule Violations Found (bullets)
3) Transformed Version
4) Notes (what changed and why, keep brief)

Copy:
[PASTE TEXT HERE]
"""

FAQ Fragments and Microcopy

Booking CTA
- “Book a consult”
- “Message an artist”
- “Get a price range”

Portfolio Nudge
- “Here are 6 pieces similar to what you want.”

Rescheduling
- “If something changes, tell us as soon as you can and we’ll rebook you.”

Deposits
- “Deposits lock the spot and go toward your total. If you cancel last‑minute, they don’t come back— our artists set aside that time.”

Touch‑Ups
- “If something heals weird, message us. We’ll take a look and figure out the best fix.”

Quality Claims (Justified Only)
- “We’ve done [X] sleeves and [Y] portraits this year. Here are a few.” [link]

Appendix: Why This Matters
- Corporate speak looks “professional” but actually insults intelligence and creates distance.
- Authentic shop communication = vulnerability + practicality + justified confidence.
- Brevity with clarity builds more trust than verbose claims.
- Credibility comes from clear examples, clean portfolios, and honest constraints— not big words.

Quick Reference Cards (Printable)

Card A: 6 Rules
- Direct over diplomatic
- Practical over performative
- Plain pricing/time
- Human patience
- Justified confidence
- Kind to other shops

Card B: Do/Don’t
- Do: short, concrete, helpful
- Don’t: buzzwords, vague promises, defensive positioning

Card C: Rapid Pricing Script
- “Because [size/specs] and [technique], ~[hours]. Comfortable at [$]. If you want to stay near [$lower], we can simplify [parts]. Work for you?”

Card D: Nervous First‑Timer
- “Nervous is normal. Say ‘break’ anytime. We’ll go at your pace.”

End of Guidelines
