Article
How This Artist Booked Out 6 Months in 24 Hours (You Can Too)
We sat down with Austin Maples to find out exactly how he fills six months of appointments in a single day, every time.
February 23, 2026
It Starts With Relationships
This kind of result doesn’t come from a viral post or a lucky drop. It comes from 16 years of treating clients like people worth keeping.
"I have a large number of clients that are loyal and there's a lot of retention."
The way Austin built that loyalty is pretty simple: be responsive, be kind, and stay in touch. A follow-up text after an appointment. A happy holidays email. Small touchpoints that remind people you exist and that you care. Do that consistently, and booking out stops being a hustle and starts being inevitable.
The Three-Touchpoint System
When it's time to open his books, Austin runs the same playbook every time.
"We let people know three times just to remind them: hey, we're going to book. This is the date, don't forget. And then when books are open we send out an email with one link."
Three months out, he announces the upcoming window. One month out, he sends a reminder. Day of, he drops the link. By the time clients are ready to inquire, they already know the deal. His response to most inquiries is literally one sentence:
"Love this idea! We accepted your appointment request, just pay your deposit and you can pick any day on the schedule that works for you."
Between booking windows, his custom books are closed. That keeps demand high and makes each opening feel like an event.
Where CO:CREATE Comes In
Opening your books to thousands of people at once only works if the system can handle it.
"It makes it easy for thousands of people to come in all at once, pick what they want whether that’s flash or custom, and fill up the six months in a single day."
About 25% of Austin's bookings come through Wanna Dos, which he calls the easiest wins. The other 75% are custom work handled through CO:CREATE's inquiry form, where approvals and deposit requests happen fast. Clients pay their deposit, pick their own date and time, and they're booked. Back and forth is nearly nonexistent.
"90% of my clients have brought up how cool they thought CO:CREATE was, or how easy it was to use. It's made my life a lot easier and my clients a lot happier."
The Mistake Most Artists Make
Over-relying on Instagram.
"People don't see your posts. That's why a mailing list is important. If I was starting over today, I would push ads to my followers on Instagram to have people join my mailing list."
Instagram reach is rented attention. A mailing list is owned attention. When you need thousands of people to see your books are open at exactly the right moment, that difference is everything.
The other thing that kills bookings is friction. Too many DMs, unclear next steps, no easy way to pay. If clients have to work to book you, a lot of them won't.
Where to Start
You don’t need 16 years or a massive list. You just need to start.
"Gather every email you can find of anyone you've tattooed. Offer a discount as a thank you for getting tattooed by you before. 20% off any appointment booked in the next six months for example."
Dig through release forms, old DMs, booking confirmations. Load what you have into an email system like Mailchimp. Send them your CO:CREATE link. Keep it simple, stay consistent, and the list (and your bookings) will grow from there.
Want to talk through your booking strategy? We got you.
or shoot us a text at (423) 556-6137.
About Austin Maples
Austin Maples is a Los Angeles tattoo artist with 15 years of experience, blending American Traditional and alternative techniques in smooth grayscale. Known for bold lines and meticulous shading, he specializes in large-scale pieces and delivers a white-glove, deeply personal tattoo experience.
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