I Moderate 5 boards in 4 regions of the U.S. and talk with hundreds of top ladies, both locally, and touring-- I also date a provider-- almost without exception, they say business is horrible for this time of the year in most cities they visit. With heating bills through the roof, gas bills sky high, rising food prices, have you noticed a drop off in appointments, and if so, what are you doing about it? Feel free to post under alias (as many ladies will NEVER admit biz is bad/off-lol). Let's face it "the hobby" is discretionary spending for most guys.
My business is steady and growing. At the risk of sounding arrogant....my clients tend to be those with disposable income....or maybe they just can't resist my bitchy attitude (:
-- Modified on 2/18/2008 1:02:59 PM
Zayzha, glad to hear you're doing well, but all hobbying is discretionary/disposable income. I've talked to many ladies that have offered specials, and cut rates only to find biz is still lousy!
I suspect that as the economy starts to get really bad, you'll have women/men getting laid off from regular jobs, which will result in an increasing number of single mothers, house wives getting into the provider business part time. This will put downward pressure on prices, the established full time providers will try to resist this tooth and nail, but it won't work.....too much supply and less demand.
I predict this will get downright ugly with cat fights between providers, rumors of providers turning each into L.E etc.
Also more ladies will start touring various cities which will further infuriate established providers in those cities. I remember a lady who owned an agency would get a friend to call the touring provider and make several bookings over several days. The Touring provider would arrive and no one would show up for her appointments. Touring provider would leave town really ticked off.
-- Modified on 2/18/2008 1:46:04 PM
-- Modified on 2/18/2008 1:15:15 PM
Yup. Business sucks right now, and not in a good way. Sometimes, I am going days between one appointment and the next, and most days, it is just one appointment. I couldn't imagine trying to tour and cover the cost of travel and lodging with the way business is right now. This will be the first month ever when I make just barely enough to cover the basics and nothing more.
Despite business being slow, offering a "special" is out of the question. All that does is attract the bottom feeders and cheapskates who I know will never repeat again unless I run another special.
I am a single mother...trying to get established in the business while going through college...and i must say that i am a little offended that there was a mention that 'single moms' would pretty much lower the hobby...I get the rates that i ask for plus...and from what i have read, i get above average for my location. I am a part time, yet full time...i have a few regulars and meeting new fellas...i would like to say that it is crazy for any provider to play 'nasty' with other providers...when i lived in florida..me and a couple other providers would help one another...if i was not available, i would call the other 2 to see if they were available...i would get a cut for sharing...and vice versa...and if there were parties....if they were not available, they knew somebody that was...
You know its hard out here for a Pimp, when tryin get that money for the rent.
Yes, business is very slow and has been effected by the economy! More ladies are providing, you have more competition and are seeing much lower rates. I know a lot of ladies won't admit it, but I have been in the business awhile and this is the worst I have ever seen it! Plus, LE is getting tough as hell, makes me wonder if it is worth all the risks!
-- Modified on 2/18/2008 3:19:10 PM
Do you think it is related to the mortgage crisis ? Maybe guys can't get home equity loans to fund the hobby anymore ? Also maybe it is a trend where the baby boomers are getting near retirement (ages 44-62).
If business sucks so much how come 2 of my favorites just raised their rates? 
With lower prices you increase to chances that you might get a few who will be repeats. There a bunch of providers that I have seen many times because of the lower price.
It hasn't been good for me, either. I once went nearly 3 weeks without an appointment from new clients.
A lot of my friends actually retired because business was so bad for them.
Lucky for me, I've got other gigs going on (doing films and modeling) that has kept me afloat.
Touring will have to wait.
In Suffolk, business was horrible. All I got were the bargain hunters whom thought that $100 an hour was too much.
-- Modified on 2/18/2008 2:33:04 PM
raised their rate to compensate for the slower business. Nothing like spanking your regulars twice.
-- Modified on 2/18/2008 2:47:13 PM
When I said I was watching my pennies, one lowered her price to a 1/3 of what she used to charge.
It worked. I have been seeing her more than anyone else. The others that I see also charge less than I used to pay.
that is a chicken little post if I ever saw one.
Tell me, when is Armageddon again?
if it were business as usual in most parts of the nation.
Two very large business segments (RE and TV) in LA/OC have been crushed and there must be repercussions.
I have been in the mortgage biz for over 20 years and I've never seen a lending climate like this. My hobbying has been cut to almost zero as I prepare for a long economic dry spell.
Add in the other unfavorable economic conditions and high end providers have got to be experiencing a slow down. Just a guess but I bet it's pretty close.
I received an email this weekend from a popular NYC based lady. She was offering $-off only to guys she knows. This special rate would still place her in the upper end of the range in most cities but for me is an attractive offer; seems like a good way to avoid "bottom-feeders".
Sure there are good and bad weeks for everyone. But overall, my income has not decreased.
I believe it is about consisitancy. Most of my clientele are repeat costomers. I also travel regularly, so my client base may be a bit larger than a lady who does not travel.
Regardless, there are 100's of new ladies popping up in every city. The market is definitely expanding, and would not be if no one was spending. There is a lot more to choose from in every way, and for every budget.
I am sure that some ladies are feeling more financial pressure than others. We each have financial responsibilities. Some save, invest, and plan ahead for those slow weeks, and do not feel the pressure to run a special. Some are more care free, and may choose to run specials when it is slow, but then return to their regular rate when they are comfortable. That is just a result of how we manage our finances. Every cash based business runs into those cycles.
Bottom line, if any lady is not making at the very least 2x minimum wage doing this, she should look for another source of income.
Kisses~
Crysta
instead of lower $$, why not extend time for same rate? If biz is slower, the extra time would not cut into other client appointments, and still the hobbyist feels its a better deal, yet spends the number of bucks (so wouldn't attract just "cheapskates"). That seems like win-win to me.
just not a very good business model. Demand falls, so in response price goes up?
Its all about the way you market yourself
Where you market yourself
Where you travel too
if you are a local provider only.. Men like to see touring girls.. They know you will always be there to see -
When biz gets slow -
Market market market
Or Travel Travel travel
Or Both
Traveling providers know where to have incall so I can walk from the office. They also know where to be so it is convenient to get to. You call them up with your references and with in hours you have an appointment. Sometimes they are available on weekends so I can have some fun on the way to work.
I'm low volume BY CHOICE and live off of my school scholarship, not the hobby (it's more of a fun slush fund for me) but I've had more people than I can handle contacting me to hang out. I suppose if I had to pay back this scholarship, I might work more, but it's doubtful. I have a lot of schoolwork (hence why I like to come on here and procrastinate so much. hehe.)
Katie
My business has stayed consistent. Being low volume, it's ok to only have a few a week. I think it's like anything else, it runs in spurts. Some weeks my phone rings off the hook and other times I hear mainly from my regulars.
With more stress and demands at work due to the economy, I don't see things slowing down. Everyone needs a release. Once you find out what a release hobbying can be, it's hard to stop. (Thank God! lol)
Kari
Just because it's slow for many, does not mean it is slow for all... I work closely with many ladies. Some had a horrible winter, some made their bank in the cold months.
I used to be in corporate accounting and think myself adept at seeing business trends. It seems there is no rhyme or reason in this business.
.02 from a lady who is not suffering the slow down at this time...
there are a lot of girls, yes, but there are also a TON of men. It's a much larger area than some of these smaller cities that girls work out of...
Katie
There are a few California providers that I saw 3-4 times last year on the east coast. One told me that guys in her race don't pay for providers. Another has been all up down in California and told me things are terrible. Both of these providers do not do BBBJ. The demand for providers how do CBJ has gone down. Another one from the LA/San Diego only does CBJ. She is being forced to tour on the east coast also.
Old news-
Get an updated alias and some updated info
That has been going on for two years LOL
Dear Ms. Cox:
I am wondering have you been talking to other providers in other cities to ascertain the full effect that the economy is having on the business? I am also wondering would you have more success with the level of your revenue in Metropolitan areas like New York,Los Angeles and Chicago than in places like the Southeast and the Midwest which would tend to have a lot of Blue Collar cities?
I'm sure the oldest proffesion in the world is holding up pretty well.
You are way smarter than I am. I am scared.
CBJ is sorta like umm... let's see... I think this warming jerk off lotion is better. I hate the necessary evil that is condoms though
I did have one girl in Vegas that was amazing at it. But it only made me want the BBBJ more.
CBJ just drives you to try to date someone, I've never had a GF push that on me.
-M
In Suffolk, business was horrible. All I got were the bargain hunters whom thought that $100 an hour was too much. "
Lord have mercy, these penny pinchers need to die 
I highly doubt that. Did you stock up on supplies for Y2K as well? I think you're taking an extreme view of this that I really don't see happening.
Katie
Another side effect of traveling is not always being available where requested.
So...as a result, I have provided about 5 reference checks in the last 24 hours.
Sounds like business is booming to me.
that's why ya double and triple book. One of 'em will show up! Maybe one early and the other late.
Sometimes the schedule is very hectic because they show up!
that's what I always thought but I met some of my ATF's from specials.
I think I have already met all the one's that were not so nice and have their numbers stored as SL.
lol
Everyone I meet is awesome. KNOCK ON WOOD!!
Thats a good point you make, we as hobbyists always concern about the quality of the providers, but on the flipside, you set your donation rates the way you do as a partial screen to maintain a certain level of quality of clients...