Re: I want to raise my rates, best way to go about it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
oldster
>>>I've raised my prices a little bit but I'm basically at the height of what I can charge independently before I'm going to start cutting out of a huge part of my possible clientele. I had a lunch date with a guy this week who is a major hobbyist, I'm the 252nd escort he's seen, he knows everyone and posts on all the escort boards, and he says that my prices are high and the only reason I am getting away with it is my reviews and the fact that I'm American but that if I raise them at all I'm going to become too expensive for all the clients he knows, as I'm about $100 above what they normally pay for escorts.<<<
well, gee, and you are booked solid.
Audrey I know nothing about this business, but I have been in business for nearly as long as you have been alive and I will tell you that you are not overpriced. If they could get better for cheaper they would. That is business 101, my sweet beautiful girl, and do not forget it. You are doing what, listening to a customer on your pricing? Are you mad? One of these fuckwits made an account here just to berate you on how expensive[not to mention flat chested] you are and this is your business adviser? I have half a mind to hop on a plane and fly to London just to bonk you on the head.
OK, I will admit it, I cyberstalked you, and found some reviews, the phrases that stick in my mind sound like this "best I have ever had' 'so beautiful' " intelligent' 'real girlfriend' plus a lot about some mad skills we won't bother with in polite company. What, are you the best or are you just some cute chicky?
Risk and reward
Trust the woman at the agency, because if she is wrong, what is the worst case? You gotta do a 'mea culpa' and go back to the old way.
Not much is accomplished in the world without self confidence and the guts to go out and take what you want
Haha yes, let's not go into detail about my mad skills!
Well, I've talked to clients and other escorts-- when I tell other independent escorts what I charge, they usually respond with "how do you charge that much? that's crazy" And when I tell them I don't lower my prices when I tour they don't believe I get as many bookings as I do. I mean, no one says the same thing-- I've had many clients ask me why I haven't broken 200 pounds yet, and I've had guy say my prices are too high, same with girls.
I don't know why the rates are so much lower in the UK but they are-- you can get a hot British independent escort here for $100 less than what I charge and she'll probably let you cum in her mouth and fuck her in the ass, neither of which I do. You can get a hot Eastern European for $150 less than what I charge. I get away with the higher rates because British men all want to sleep with American women and 5 years of stripping has made me REALLY good at verbally entertaining clients which seems to be seriously lacking in escorts here, these ladies just can't seem to be arsed when it comes to conversation and I don't get it, and I have some unique sexual skills that I will keep of the details of to myself.
I guess what I'm debating Oldster is
a) it's better for me to continue as I am and slowly increase my rates, because that's what I've been doing, and it's been working because each price increase is accompanied by better reviews, more exposure, putting money back into my business to make my flat/myself more attractive.
b) jump into working with an agency where I will have access to higher-class clientele, increase my rates drastically/immediately but I PERSONALLY won't see much of a return-- I guess that's been the letdown for me, I didn't realize that they were going to take so much of my money, I thought you know I would charge 300 pounds and keep 250, but I won't, I'll only keep 200! Even though I'll be charging 250 pounds an hour and eventually 300 pounds, I'm going to be giving 30% of that back so I'm not going to be making a ton more than I am now-- I will see no income increase at the 250 pound mark, and a 30 pound increase at the 300 pound mark. I think I could get away with increasing my prices to 200 pounds in a few weeks but I just don't feel like I can increase to 250 pounds and still get the type of traffic I am at the moment, and I'm going to have a lot more competition at the agency-- there's another American girl at this agency and she has reviews (I won't have any on the actual agency website) and she offers CIM and A levels. There are a only a few American escorts here, the one at this agency and one other at another agency that is similar, all the independent are crap escorts (sorry but they are, I know my competition!).
Re: I want to raise my rates, best way to go about it?
Money is obviously important, but you have a clear handle on that.
What other factors would change if you went with this agency? Would they supply an incall/driver/security etc?
What sort of experience would it create for you versus your current set up?
Re: I want to raise my rates, best way to go about it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
audrey_k
I get away with the higher rates because British men all want to sleep with American women and 5 years of stripping has made me REALLY good at verbally entertaining clients which seems to be seriously lacking in escorts here, these ladies just can't seem to be arsed when it comes to conversation and I don't get it,
Well Audrey, maybe you are special?
I mean You can buy a Hyundai for 15 grand or a Ferrari for 150, the Hyundai gets better mileage and has more cupholders, but that is not the issue for the buyer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
audrey_k
and I have some unique sexual skills that I will keep of the details of to myself.
Oh, you are no fun!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
audrey_k
b) jump into working with an agency where I will have access to higher-class clientele, increase my rates drastically/immediately
IF this is true it seems worth a risk IF they treat you well IF they have the clientele
Quote:
Originally Posted by
audrey_k
There are a only a few American escorts here, the one at this agency and one other at another agency that is similar, all the independent are crap escorts (sorry but they are, I know my competition!).
And we are back to you being the best aren't we...........
As I said before, I don't know this business, but I understand business and in a market where a commodity[your time] is in limited supply the price will climb until other commodities become more attractive. You have not reached that point.
Re: I want to raise my rates, best way to go about it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
amberlly
Money is obviously important, but you have a clear handle on that.
What other factors would change if you went with this agency? Would they supply an incall/driver/security etc?
What sort of experience would it create for you versus your current set up?
For example, I work with lots of other girls. I decline clients requests to meet them independently and keep all their money. I like being in a familiar surroundings, with other girls running around, the de-briefs over lunch and club atmosphere. It is more important to me than the incremental increase in $$. I prefer not to have to know anything much about the clients or deal with them in my personal time.
None of that :( No driver, no security, still have to pay $600 a week to use an incall flat. No surrounding that involves other girls, would be sitting at my incall flat alone all day like I do now.
I guess that's why I'm so on the fence. For such a small (and in the beginning non-existent) financial gain compared to the risk of low-business, I don't know if it's worth it.
The basic difference would be that, instead of me sitting around taking my calls/e-mails/texts and setting up my schedule, she would do it all for me. She would screen my clients, I would have access to their client base, etc. They may be more high-class clients and probably reliable, as my clients can be hit and miss in that area-- I had 4 people booked today and two cancelled, I usually get 2 cancellations a week and one no-show. So there are definite pluses, as long as my bookings stay the same! I didn't really think about the competition with this other American girl and now it's really starting to worry me.
Also, the touring thing is a BIG issue, I think it's ridiculous that she won't let me lower my prices for touring! NO ONE CAN PAY $500 outside of London-- no one! It basically is going to mean I can't tour. England is sort of strange economically as I have learned, London is SUPER expensive but outside of London people are not anywhere near as wealthy as we are in the USA. It's not like where NYC is super expensive but then you also have Chicago and San Francisco and Boston and etc, even when I go to the big cities it's a big struggle to get people to pay and I can tell the only reason they're doing it is because it's just a really special occasion for them to get to sleep with an American.
Re: I want to raise my rates, best way to go about it?
There are two other top agencies that are accepting new girls, neither of them have any Americans so I'm wondering if they're a better bet, going to send in an application. Will keep you guys posted! x
Re: I want to raise my rates, best way to go about it?
^I would imagine other agencies would give you a cut similar to this one that you want to turn down, so why not just stay independent, especially if you're rocking it?
Re: I want to raise my rates, best way to go about it?
^for the positive reasons I listed earlier about going with an agency.
Re: I want to raise my rates, best way to go about it?
Being cynical for a moment, my observations with agencies in various fields are:
- Most of them aggressively scout talent and promise the access to their database and bigger money clients
- There is a degree of politics, certain talent tends to be well managed and promoted and the lower end largely ignored and low earning
- Issues with payment, i.e. how prompt it is. Can be a lot of chasing.
They earn their money on commission and tend to be more client focused than talent focused.
Re: I want to raise my rates, best way to go about it?
^good points!
I've decided to stay independent for the next few weeks until I get my BA-- I'm so close to having my savings goal and I just want to know my income will be the same for these weeks, plus it seems pointless to begin working with them and then leave, I didn't realize my surgery was coming up so close until today! Once I come back to work in October I'll re-evaluate, but I'm leaning towards independent, because I can't deal with escorting full-time, it's a bit too much on me mentally. The stripping season will be great then and I want to do 50/50 to avoid burn out.