-
Dancers guarding customers
How would you handle this situation:
I work in a little neighborhood bar that also has dancers. There is no stage. Just lap dances out in the open around the bar.
Sometimes when I get to work, there are maybe 7 or 8 customers. 3 or 4 of them are jsut bar regulars who are there to drink and socialse ir drink and pout in their beer--the guys who never buy dances. Then ther are 3 or 4 guys who MIGHT buy a dance or a backrub. Then there are 5 or 6 dancers there. Each one of them has staked out a guy and is monopolizing him. Just sitting there, having a drink, BS-ing, etc. NOT selling him dances. From what I know of these girls, also not hustling, not really doing much of anything. Sometimes these guys look SOOOOO bored and trapped, like they just don't know what to do.
I know I could sell these guys. The trouble is, I don't want to be rude and inturrupt the girls (after all, I do have to wrok with them!) but they are accomplishing NOTHING. THey will sit there all night if they can.
How do I dislodge them from the girl they are sitting with?
Another tactic is, if a girl is convinced a guy will buy a dance "later" she will leave some personal possesion (drink, smokes, phome, keys, etc.) with im. Then when another dancer appraoches the target customer, she will return for her belongings, create a distraction, and totally ruin my pitch. I am left with a dumb look on my face and no custy.
How can I counteract that?
This is a small and frequently slow bar, with lots of turnover. If you can't sell a guy in the time it takes him to down 2 drinks, he is likely to walk out the door and nobody will sell him.
Any suggestions?
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
It would be rude to go up and take a customer right out from under someone's nose. Perhaps there is a certain number of drinks your club requires the girls to sell, I dont know, but maybe if they are sitting there getting drinks, thats one thing the girls are doing. Secondly, if the man was so bored, he would definitely get up and leave. Men have ways of slinking out from under a dancer. As for the personal belongings, you cant really bother them, as in, take them to mgt or anything, because the girl could get all pissy over that and get you into trouble. I would say just try to be as quick as possible to get to these men before or after the dancer has left. If the dancers that are leaving their stuff with the men leave it on the bar, have the guy follow you somewhere else. That way, if she comes up asking, just tell her where her stuff is, and lead the custy away from her.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
You can't dislodge them, and it's inappropriate to try (as annoying as it is when they do that. I fucking hate that - I want to just yell at them. Why the funk are you just giving it away? What is WRONG with you? Why are you training the customers to expect you to hang there for free?). If the girl has just gone to the bathroom or something, then you should respect her customer territory. If she has gone, gone, then she doesn't get to put him on hold. What do you mean by "distraction"? Like "Oh gosh. Look at the giraffe tap dancing in that corner?" How is she managing to edge you out?
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Man, I remember once the club I was at was dead, maybe 10 customers the entire night, of which maybe three or four were buying. Anyway, I'm bouncing around on stage, this other dancer had been sitting with this guy but she on stage after me, so she was in the dressing room getting ready. Guy gets up to tip me and says "take me for a dance after you get off stage, this girl is annoying."
Okay, get off stage, go over to guy, off to VIP lounge we go. On the way all he does is complain about how annoying this girl was, how all she talked about was how much she hated this club, this state, blah blah.
It was a discounted dance so I only got $5 + a $5 tip.
Dancer was furious! "you just waited until I was on stage to snatch him up."
"he asked ME for the dance while I was on stage!"
"bullshit!" *stomp away, bitch to other dancers*
After that she makes a point of jumping on the lap of the next customer I'm talking to [who didn't buy a dance regardless] and later on that night my shoes are mysteriously destroyed.
Basically, if girls at your club are that possessive, I don't think it is worth bothering with. You can try going up while she's away and say something like "hey, would you like to chat for a few minutes -over there-" or maybe post a note in the dressing room about how most customers make up their minds within 10 minutes. *shrug*
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
I worked in a club where the rule was you could sit with a guy for 3 songs and in that time if you didnt get him to buy a dance or paid you to sit with them longer you had to move off and let another girl try.
Worked out really well becuase then everyone had a chance and no one girl could monopolize any one man.
On the other hand another club had girls that were so driven they would tell their customer some crap about how the girl next to them had a comunicable disease or were a bitch or something in case they tried to chat up thier cussie while they went onstage.
Another crazy girl used to get a drink a guy had bought her and carry it around all night and whenever she went onstage put it in front of a cussie. Whens he came offstage shed whisper the girl sitting next to him that she was with him and to move off.
Of course this only worked with the newbies because her scam was so obvious to everyone else.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Well, you can't talk to them when a girl is there, BUT, BUT BUT........ Some dancers really are just there to kill time until something better comes along, they are just shooting the shit and the custy already said no to them. Sometimes they got a drink from the guy and are there to just drink it.
If a dancer leaves a guy I DO wait a few mintues and then, if he seemed interested in me while I was on stage or called me over, I will ask him if he is waiting on someone or if she will be coming back. I would tell him I don't want to step on any toes, this makes you seem polite and honorable and if any complications occur he can tell her himself that you weren't trying to "hone" in.
I've had customers say that "yes, she said she's coming back," or "No, please sit with me."
The dancers might get a little upset, but we get upset when a guy says no or takes someone back regardless of whther we asked them or not.
This is just a way of finding out if the guy really is bored with her and whether or not she has any "rights" to him.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Here is a suggestion on how you can not only dislodge them, but how everyone can win in the situation. When you see one of these dancers sitting next to a customer you KNOW you can sell, just walk up to the customer and offer that the two of you do a dance for him. Perhaps by taking the initiative and closing the sale for both of you, then the customer is happy, you make money and so does she. Either way, it also gives you the option of approaching this dancer later and tell her that you should team up and let you close the deal for the team. This way, everyone wins.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
........and if he wants to get rid of her then it gives him a chance to let YOU dance for him. But honestly, I would be out of a club like that with lightning speed. Men come and go, the bitches will have their chance.........
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Quote:
Originally Posted by DancerWealth
Here is a suggestion on how you can not only dislodge them, but how everyone can win in the situation. When you see one of these dancers sitting next to a customer you KNOW you can sell, just walk up to the customer and offer that the two of you do a dance for him. Perhaps by taking the initiative and closing the sale for both of you, then the customer is happy, you make money and so does she. Either way, it also gives you the option of approaching this dancer later and tell her that you should team up and let you close the deal for the team. This way, everyone wins.
AAAAAAH! NO! Whenever I hit a high roller, some skank dancer will put her boobs in my custy's face and demand a double. I hate this behavior and I hate doing doubles. Doubles are highly uncomfortable for me. Unless you are my very best friend or a very good ally, never ask for a double.
To be honest, I'd interrupt. If she's not presenting a sales pitch, she's not working. Sometimes I will sit with a customer because I don't feel like dancing or selling. I want to rest. If another dancer approaches and sells, good for her. She earned it.
Leaving a drink ... whatever. Go get him. He doesn't want to sit alone with a drink.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Quote:
Originally Posted by DancerWealth
Here is a suggestion on how you can not only dislodge them, but how everyone can win in the situation. When you see one of these dancers sitting next to a customer you KNOW you can sell, just walk up to the customer and offer that the two of you do a dance for him. Perhaps by taking the initiative and closing the sale for both of you, then the customer is happy, you make money and so does she. Either way, it also gives you the option of approaching this dancer later and tell her that you should team up and let you close the deal for the team. This way, everyone wins.
Ahh! No! This is just responding to something bad by doing something worse. Then you're the bitch and she's the victim. Rude, rude, rude. Don't hone in on another dancer's customer. That is inappropriate on an elemental level.
Plus - here's a fact of life. There is nobody you KNOW you can sell. Even the regulariest regular may eventually say no, and if you've never approached them before at all, then you get an excellent chance of a "no" and then you are a bitch and you didn't even get the damn dance.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenny
Ahh! No! This is just responding to something bad by doing something worse. Then you're the bitch and she's the victim. Rude, rude, rude. Don't hone in on another dancer's customer. That is inappropriate on an elemental level.
I disagree with you because if some dancer is sitting with a customer for a rediculous amount of time "guarding" him, he's not a customer of hers if she's not selling him on anything. As far as I'm concerned, he's more of a customer of the bartender than he is of the dancer in this specific situation. OF COURSE stealing customers is a bad idea...DUH! If he's not a customer to begin with, then it's a different situation. My suggestion is talk to the "guarder" dancer and say, "Hey, rather than have this guy sit there for 1/2 an our, how about we close this deal and make some money right now?"
Quote:
Plus - here's a fact of life. There is nobody you KNOW you can sell.
This may be your reality, it's certainly not mine. If you want to subscribe to this program for yourself, that's fine, but please don't project this out to everyone else.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
I will never ask to double up on a guy when some psycho trash stripper bitch is guarding him. That's just asking to get bruised boobs when he isn't looking.
Just approach when she runs off for a moment if you see what she is doing. Or pay a waitress who is in your pocket a couple of bucks to accidently "clean" up the table and take her drink away.
Always have a waitress in your pocket. I like my idea MUCH better than DW's..........
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Quote:
Originally Posted by DancerWealth
I disagree with you because if some dancer is sitting with a customer for a rediculous amount of time "guarding" him, he's not a customer of hers if she's not selling him on anything.
Okay. This is not really a contentious topic. Yes it is bad to "guard" customers. It is also bad to move in on a table that already has a dancer, uninvited, and I would be rightfully pissed about a girl who decided I had been sitting with a guy for too long and thought that meant she had a right to move in on my customers.. It is actually a much worse breach of stripper etiquette than guarding them in the first place. It is rude and inappropriate, plain and simple. On the other hand, if this advice is meant for girls who have no sense of good behaviour and courtesy, then you are right on the mark.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DancerWealth
This may be your reality, it's certainly not mine. If you want to subscribe to this program for yourself, that's fine, but please don't project this out to everyone else.
Okay, that's really cute and all, but it's also a "thinky-positive" dreamworld. Any dancer knows that you are inevitably going to get a certain amount of no, and they also know that no customer is a guaranteed sale (although some seem close). Nobody, anywhere, has a 100% success rate, and I myself have (while still obeying all dancer etiquette rules, I might add) charmed away many a girls "guaranteed" regulars, and I've had more than a couple manage with mine. To say that it is state of mind is just naive.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Just to clarify, this is a TINY club where every sale realy does count. Most of these girls are not bitches, they just don't know how to hustle. They sit and talk. .. . . . and talk and hope. . . . and think a drink is perfectly appropraite compensation for thier time . . . and probalby would be pretty happy to get a double sale, as opposed to none at all. The will sit which guys all night, drink and BS, and then wonder why they go home with $50 in thier pocket.
As for knowing you can make a sale, sometimes it is pretty obvious that a guy wants to see you or spend time with you, like when he is watching you dance for every other guy with his eyes practically comong out of their sockets on stalks! I also suspect the novelty of getting a double show would help overcome some of these guys inertia.
I think I will approach some of these girls when I first come in and see them. That will avoid the akward moment of walking up to them and cathing them off guard. Since it is really slow lately, I can always suggest that this is a way we can BOTH make more money.
I get along well with almost eveybody in the bar, and I know whose regs are whose, so I don't think I would step on many toes that way. I am on good terms with all the girls because I always lend supplies and costumes and help them whenever I can.
PS: Don't knock DW until you have taken his seminar. THe stuff he tells you is MAGIC!
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Colleen - if you come to an arrangement with these girl beforehand, power to you. In fact if you come to an arrangement in which they INVITE you over when they feel they need help, then you can avoid stepping on anyone's toes at all. And I know how much it sucks when girls sit there for free. But think about how you'd feel if, when sitting with a customer, another girl comes up and starts selling him. I'm not knocking DW or his techniques in general - but this one specific tip was bad. I mean, you just talked about how much you hated girls coming up and interrupting you when you were with a customer.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenny
Colleen - if you come to an arrangement with these girl beforehand, power to you. In fact if you come to an arrangement in which they INVITE you over when they feel they need help, then you can avoid stepping on anyone's toes at all. And I know how much it sucks when girls sit there for free. But think about how you'd feel if, when sitting with a customer, another girl comes up and starts selling him. I'm not knocking DW or his techniques in general - but this one specific tip was bad. I mean, you just talked about how much you hated girls coming up and interrupting you when you were with a customer.
I agree that interrupting is inappropriate and I would never suggest anyone do that. I even teach methods to help prevent people from doing it. Given the instance of either nobody making any money or two people making money, I'd take some initiative and go with Plan B. Teaming up with someone ahead of time is of course the better arrangement and if they are open to it, then that's far and away the best way to go without a doubt.
As for your "thinky-positive" comment, I couldn't disagree with you more on that. EVERY time I walk into a sale, I do so with the confidence that their name is being signed to the deal the moment that I shake their hand. I KNOW it to be true, and hence it later becomes true. It's this mentality Jenny that separates the big fish from the small fish. Can everyone sell anyone all the time? Of course not, it doesn't change my belief that I can though. There is an old Buddhist saying Jenny, If you want to hit an eagle with a rock, don't aim for the eagle. Rather you should aim for the moon and then hit the eagle. When I'm in a selling environment, I don't make the sale 100% of the time. I do come pretty damn close though and I can also state that if you put me in a selling enviroment with other sales people, I WILL beat them all time after time and my track record proves it. It's also why I'm in high demand for teaching sales seminars and why I'm frequently published and interviewed on the topic. A "thinky-positive" attitude isn't the sole reason that makes or breaks a sale, and yet it's extremely importiant, if not crutial, to the process. Again, big fish and little fish. I'm not saying this to be mean, rather it is important you realize the difference between positive and negative programming will do. The results are massive and myself, and tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of other people will back me up on this. I'd be happy to refer you to a few multi-millionaire friends of mine who would.
I'll tell you what, the next time you come to vegas, It would be my profound pleasure to give you a ride in my Ferrari and then you can give me your opinion as to the results of what a "thinky-positive" mentality does? ;)
http://www.dancerwealth.com/ferrari4.jpg
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Well, it's the difference between looking at hard facts and following good motivation. I wouldn't discourage either one from being stated here.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Okay. I can see that I was snarky, and that is what led to this. So I will be mature and apologize for being snarky. I was not doubting your sales ability. I'm sure it's great. But you said yourself, that nobody has a 100% sales rate. What I'm talking about is simply a grasp of reality, not thinking positive while walking into a sale. That saying "I KNOW I can sell that guy, so it's perfectly acceptable for me to rob the girl sitting next to him" can really, really blow up in your face. Again, it's nothing personal - I just think that particular piece of advice is really, really wrong.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenny
Okay. I can see that I was snarky, and that is what led to this. So I will be mature and apologize for being snarky. I was not doubting your sales ability. I'm sure it's great. But you said yourself, that nobody has a 100% sales rate. What I'm talking about is simply a grasp of reality, not thinking positive while walking into a sale. That saying "I KNOW I can sell that guy, so it's perfectly acceptable for me to rob the girl sitting next to him" can really, really blow up in your face. Again, it's nothing personal - I just think that particular piece of advice is really, really wrong.
I'm glad we can meet in the middle here and I completely agree with you as far as robbing customers. Fair enough.
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
What about my idea ya'll??????? I'm hurt that no one acknowleged it ;)
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katrine
What about my idea ya'll??????? I'm hurt that no one acknowleged it ;)
Getting the waitress to take her drink is brilliant!
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
Quote:
Originally Posted by colleen
Just to clarify, this is a TINY club where every sale realy does count. Most of these girls are not bitches.
I get along well with almost eveybody in the bar, and I know whose regs are whose, so I don't think I would step on many toes that way. I am on good terms with all the girls because I always lend supplies and costumes and help them whenever I can.
OOPS! Then my suggestion doesn't count. It works for me because I DO work with a bunch of meanies. If they lose a customer, then they weren't working!
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
I know this is not exactly the situation which was presented; however, I did see a few mentions of possibly teaming up or making some pre-arrangements to work together.
In that case, this thread may be of interest.....
http://www.stripperweb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42295
This approach may really be effective especially in the setting you described where the dances are basically out in the open.
Best of luck!
-
Re: Dancers guarding customers
well theres nothing that could be done if theres a girl sitting there it would be rude to go up to the guy and ask for dance ..so......when the girl eventually does get up off he behind and go to the bathroom,dressing room etc..........then go up and ask him for a dance......or find a better club to work at with more customers.