How do you up your hustle when slow season hits?
I'm just curious to see what you ladies who have been in the industry for a while do to continue making consistent money when the slow season hits. I live in Portland, Oregon, and there are so many clubs to choose from that it starts getting really slow when summer ends. I have been dancing since February, and the season was just picking up when I started. There's a lot of competition in my club when things start slowing down. What do you do to keep your hustle strong, or even increase it, when the crowd thins out?
Re: How do you up your hustle when slow season hits?
I really amp up my regulars hustle during the slow times when there isn't much fresh meat coming into the club. That means I make sure to work consistently, let my customers know my shifts, and put forth a bit more effort via text/email to encourage them to come see me. I may also sit with them on the floor a touch longer than normal since, if there's no one else to hustle anyway, I may as well build on our existing rapport and maybe even get them to start spending more.
With new customers, I'll try and get to them first (but after they've had time to settle in) and try and turn them into regulars (tell them I had a great time with them and can't wait to see them again and when they can find me in the club).
All that said, I don't make consistent money in the slow season, certainly not compared to the busy times. That's just the nature of the business in many areas. It's why it's so important to save and budget appropriately so you're not SOL when the club dies down.
Re: How do you up your hustle when slow season hits?
The last slow season I got through by working practically every time the club doors were open and saving as much as possible in my savings account...living very frugally. I'm not the best at holding onto regulars so I would work 5-6 shifts/week if needed. You do risk burn out this way, but if you take a mini vacation every month or so it helps. My other dancer friends and I would take little road trips or go have spa days together at least once a month to prevent burn out.
Re: How do you up your hustle when slow season hits?
You need to approach this business just like you would any other... Focus on marketing. A lot of girls have text/email relationships with customers, but stop there. They need to focus more on social media. Instagram and twitter are two biggies. This lets you reach out to all of your customers in a more efficient manner. How about next time a new customer comes in and gets a few dances, you give him your twitter handle? Once he follows you, you can market to this guy all day long. Engage in convo with your customers, update your instagram frequently. This builds up a following that you can take with you anytime you move to a different club, and can also be used to your advantage during the slow season. Unfortunately, most clubs suck at marketing. How many clubs actually post roll calls on their site or twitter feed? Not many from what I've seen. It's up to you to create a "brand" for yourself so that you can survive despite a poorly run club or slow times.