Do you run a nonprofit or are planning to launch one and thinking about offering tattoo removal as part of the services – or even the only service – you offer?
If that’s the case, there are a number of places you can turn to for help. And one of these is Astanza Laser, the Dallas-headquartered laser provider.
The company provides support to nonprofits that want to offer free or low-cost tattoo removal. And much of that support comes in the form of information and coaching.
“There’s a lot of info about tattoo removal out there, but a lot of it’s just marketing. Someone would have to dig deep on the web to find what they need,” says Opal Taskila, Astanza’s director of inside sales. “Astanza’s goal is to educate the people we talk to and put the resources in front of them to help them determine how to set up a program.”
Astanza helps nonprofits in several ways
Here are a few specific ways Astanza helps nonprofits face the challenges of starting a tattoo removal program. It provides information and advice on:
How to secure funding. – The biggest challenge that nonprofits face is funding, according to Taskila. “They always want to make sure that they can find funding before they get the other pieces in place. We can help advise people on where to find funding, largely based on where our nonprofits in the past have done that,” she says. A lot of the funding information Astanza shares with nonprofits is on how to deal with grant proposals. The company has specific details related to laser tattoo removal that would fit into proposals and provides the information the nonprofit would need to successfully compete for funding.
How to determine laws related to operating a laser. – Every state has different regulations on who can operate a tattoo removal laser. In more than half of the states in the U.S. non-medical personnel can fire the laser and perform procedures, and these states do not require an onsite medical director. Astanza has a webinar, Tips for Researching Laser Regulations in Your State, on its website. The company is also willing to help nonprofit clients identify their specific state’s regulations.
How to find a medical director. – Many states require tattoo removal programs to have a medical director, which, depending on the regulations, can be a doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant or naturopathic doctor. And even if you’re in a state that doesn’t require a medical director, you may feel more comfortable having such a medical professional on your team to turn to if any problems arise. Astanza can help with that as well. “We have a network of medical directors across North America who can serve as medical directors for our clients. When we know the technology that’s used at the clinic and the date that that technology will be installed, we’re happy to connect our clients with medical directors,” Taskila says.
Equipment purchasing. – In addition to information and coaching, Astanza provides its laser medical devices to nonprofits at cost. This is part of the company’s core values – to do what it can to help communities around the U.S. ensure that people in reentry, former gang members, and victims of intimate partner violence or sex trafficking can still get their tattoos removed even if they can’t afford to pay for the service.
Taskila says the company wants to make sure that nonprofits have the quality of technology that can treat every client they might see. “Most nonprofits serve a wide variety of populations. We want them to understand that what they’re getting is the right technology for the people they’re serving and it will be technology that will be sustainable over the long term,” she says
Astanza is also transparent and makes it very clear to nonprofits that the cost of the equipment is not the only expense of operating a laser. Maintenance will also have to be factored into the equation and is discussed up front for a clearer picture of the true cost of ownership. This is not always the case when shopping for laser medical equipment. While Astanza’s prices for service are not only comparatively reasonable, it also offers a discount to nonprofits.
Marketing support. – Astanza supplies website content for its nonprofit clients. “Our marketing team writes customized content for our clients that includes things like FAQs and how laser tattoo removal works,” says Taskila, “It’s completely complimentary like all of our support.” When a nonprofit client launches a tattoo removal program, Astanza staff will write a press release and distribute it through Meltwater. This, according to Taskila, will bring more attention to the nonprofit and could lead to additional funding from people who see the press release.
For more information
If you’d like to get an idea of some of the assistance Astanza offers to nonprofits, check out its pre-recorded webinar, “Deinked for a Cause – The story of nonprofit laser tattoo removal.” You can also send Taskila an email with any questions you might have.
