guys and gals,

better than getting the name wrong!

This is not a law firm or a court room  
where you have to sir me or I have to call a girl Madame.  

As to your question, I'm not wild about "hun" or "babe" but they are just throat-clearing terms and there's nothing really wrong with them.

My soon to meet up "date" did use the lingo "my love," which I thought was cute.  (Do people still say that, like the old days, in those British shows where the local tramp/damsel goes 'Hi Love!')

I find it strange when myself and a provider refer to each other with enduring sweet names like "sweetheart" or "honey" at first contact.

I generally stick with their name, as given to me. After that I often use other words, but that is what I do with all of my friends IRL too. It's just part of how I communicate naturally. There only time there may be an exception to this, is if I've been writing someone for a longer period of time before we meet in person. Then I may switch to something softer, especially if they do first.

names like "honey" and "babe" in correspondence with guys you like, then I think you should also not be shy about using terms like "asshole", "dickwad", and "douche" when those terms appropriately describe your feeling about the person you are talking to.  

I like when clients keep it professional until they have met me because it seems insincere when you are already calling me by endearing names and haven't even met me.  
but after we have met and established a friendship feel free to call me anything you'd like LOL

and have an established connection then I will use "Hun" or "babe" with prior approval.  If not, then I use "Ms. ----".

has always bothered me... I expect a waitress in an IHOP to call me Hun..

Not ever.

I would never use them setting up a date but do not mind them coming back at me...sort of depends on whether the emails are chatty or terse. The weird thing is the hobbiest has at least an image of the provider (albeit it could be the blurred face image) whereas the provider has no idea about the guy.

I often times use "Fabulous" when first getting to know a provider. Y'all owe me a beer if you start using it now.

...babe, honey, or baby, so I certainly won't call a potential client any of those terms of endearment on our first correspondence. I also don't consider it as a good way to break the ice; it just sounds stilted and fake. Getting more comfortable with each other is mainly done in person.

Once we are friends, and it's apparent that there's an ongoing relationship, this is not only OK, but expected.  Not before or unless, except maybe while we're together in session.

But I am not a fan of people that don't know me using terms of endearment like "hun". But I just shrug it off. It also seems a bit unprofessional but if your punctuality is professional and you are as advertised your professional enough for me. Again it is not a big deal and in no way a deal killer.

I prefer to keep it professional when making contact. If I reach out to make contact using your name and sign it with my name and your response is "sure Babe I can see you". I tend to think there won't be a very good connection.

It can only mean one thing...
You are the hottest man alive!!
You're my hunny bunny! My lamby whamy my sugar baby

Babe I can deal with but honey or sweetheart sound like something my mom or grandmother would say so no on that.

Hun is the South Jersey dinner-waitess-speak singular form of "yous". Hate the word, if you can even call it a word.

I am very impressed when a first time meet is arranged with professional correspondence. Words like hun and babe (and cheri in french) when we have not met comes through as being insincere and manipulative. You can still communicate affection with terms like 'I am looking forward to getting to know you'.  

I think it's fine to use them as an icebreaker.  If you get together, and there's no chemistry, you simply never see that person again, and your terms of endearment will be used on those who actually matter to you in the end.

...all the time in my everyday life, so I also use it when I'm corresponding with clients, especially my regulars. We have connections, and to me, those little terms of endearment seem appropriate and comforting.

When guys call me 'baby' or 'sweetie' I get turned off.  

I personally get sketched out by strangers using terms of endearment with me, new clients included. I've only had creepy old men do it to me in real life and it just feels...unnerving.

As it pertains to me, I think it sounds insincere. Even with clients, our connection is still going to be based on our natural chemistry - which I can't develop until we've actually met. Idk. I just prefer to call people by their names.