As a PMU artist, you’ve invested in your craft, honed your skills, and created beautiful transformations for your clients. You’re talented, passionate, and you’ve got something special to offer. But if you’re not actively putting yourself out there, how can anyone know about it?
I hear it time and time again: “I’m not booked,” “I don’t want to promote myself,” “I don’t want to seem salesy,” or “I want things to happen organically.”
While I totally understand the desire for things to unfold naturally, let me give you a hard truth: you can’t expect to grow a business without promoting it.
Let’s break this down because either you put in the work or you stay unbooked. There’s no middle ground.
The Reality: Word of Mouth Isn’t Enough
Yes, word of mouth is a powerful tool, but relying solely on it can leave you stuck in a cycle of slow growth. Word of mouth is limited to the people your clients know. In today’s competitive landscape, especially in the PMU industry, relying only on this method is simply not enough.
If you’re hoping for organic growth without putting yourself out there, you’re expecting your business to run on autopilot without actually taking the wheel. It’s like having the best kept secret in town, but no one ever hears it.
Why You Have to Put Yourself Out There
1. Visibility Equals Opportunity
You can’t attract clients if they don’t know you exist. Social media, email lists, collaborations - these are all ways to expand your reach. When you create visibility, you create opportunity. Every time you share a post, host a collab, or engage with others, you’re opening the door for a new potential client. No visibility = no clients.
2. The Fear of “Salesy” vs. Confidence in What You Offer
I get it. The fear of sounding “salesy” is real, but think about it: You’re not selling a product - you’re sharing your talent and service. If you truly believe in what you offer, promoting your business isn’t pushy; it’s necessary. Every time you hesitate to post, you’re doing your clients a disservice. They’re out there looking for someone just like you - so why not let them find you?
3. Collaboration and Networking = Growth
When’s the last time you collaborated with another artist or influencer? You may be avoiding it because it feels like a “sales pitch,” but collaboration creates community. Community creates connections, and connections are the foundation of long term success. Without putting yourself out there, you miss out on those opportunities for partnership and referrals that can help you grow.
4. It’s Not About “Organic” - It’s About Strategy
While organic growth is wonderful, it doesn’t happen without strategy and effort. No one stumbles upon success. It’s earned through consistent work. You want to be organic? Great. But understand that the more you put in, the more “organic” the growth feels. It’s about laying the groundwork so that your efforts are rewarded.
Choose Your Hard: Do the Work or Stay Stagnant
You have two options here:
- Put in the work to actively promote your business, collaborate with others, post on social media, create an email list, and build connections.
- Stay stagnant, relying solely on word of mouth and hoping things will “happen” without effort.
Both paths are hard. But you can choose the hard that leads to growth and success.
The hardest part of growing your business is the initial push. It feels uncomfortable and it’s easy to get discouraged. But you can’t skip that part if you want to see long term results. Every post, every email, every connection is an investment in your future.
The Bottom Line
If you want to be booked out, you need to put in the effort to get visible and make connections. Promote yourself, make your services known, and build a community around your brand. Because guess what? No one is going to come knocking on your door unless you show them you’re worth it.
If you’re sitting there waiting for things to happen on their own, I hate to break it to you, but you’re likely going to stay unbooked.
But if you commit to showing up - whether through social media, collaborations, or a simple email list - you’ll start seeing the results. Your business will grow, and your schedule will fill up with clients who value what you do.
So, which hard are you choosing? The one where you stay stuck and unbooked or the one where you show up, promote yourself, and watch your business thrive?
The choice is yours. But remember, nothing happens until you put yourself out there.