Is it common for providers to advertise on their websites, that they will exchange a 'freebie', or a substantial discount, to hobbyists who give them a good review?

This is not very common, and many perceive it to be unethical. A review should be at the hobbyists' discretion, and should be an accurate reflection of the encounter. If the encounter is free/discounted in exchange for a good review, that premise right there takes away the idea of objectivity. The only way this could work is if the review clearly stated that this was the situation, and the provider was requesting a "review" NOT a "good" review or any other specifications. The only requirement should be an honest review- plus in this case, how do you know her performance (knowing she's being reviewed) will be a reliable indicator of her usual performance? This doesn't seem to be a good approach for either a hobbyist or a provider, but it depends how it's approached I guess. Overall it's not the greatest idea imo and exploits the review process.

Best of luck!!

XoXo,
Marea

-- Modified on 5/28/2008 6:10:55 AM

...basically is a very bad thing.  

Firstoff, anybody who thinks that their single good review will result in an increased amount of business is fooling themselves.

Secondly, what if it is a cheap/free session, and the session basically is terrible?   If a good review is written, then others will soon learn about the poor experience provided, and she will suffer anyways.

When you said "provider bonus miles", I thought you meant something like "Buy 10 sessions, get 1 free or something like that", which is something that more women should consider.  Pretty much every service oriented industry I frequent has some sort of frequent guest program (whether official or not) to keep good customers coming back.

if I was planning to write a review. It has always been at the end of our date, and never had any implications that if it was a good review, I would be compensated for it. Although I've seen it on a few websites, I've never experienced it personally.

Now that is a good concept! Maybe the ladies can get cards made up for the gents to use to keep track of their dates. This idea gives a whole new meaning to "Getting your ticket punched!" LOL

the meal then writes the review of the restaurant.

As a low volume provider, I will give discounts after multiple visits.  I prefer to have a select group of friends that I see on a regular basis as opposed to new clients every week.  It's a basic business principal.  Reward your repeat customers, let them know that they are appreciated.  Instead of the mentioned ticket punch, I prefer to "stamp" them with my love juices....

Kari~~