Extracting a tip for conversation
I have had this experience a few times. I am having a nice time talking w/ custy, everythign seems to be going well, so I ask fo rthe dance. No, he says, I woudl rather talk to you. Well, I woudl jsut as soon talk as dance, so ling as I get paid for it. But I am not going to sit around and talk for free! I woudl rthar fo fix my makeup or have a technical discussion with the DJ, than sit around and give my time away for free.
So when it comes to that juncture in the conversation, how do you tell the guy that he needs to tip for any further expendature of your time? Yesterday, I told a guy I would like to talk longer but only if he was willing to take care of me, and he tipped me a single!! I felt like saying, "Thanks, big spender. You need change for that?"
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
be blunt, why waste your time and money beating around the bush? Politely explain how much your time is worth. Don't feel bad, if they don't wanna pay at least you know up front and don't feel like crap for sitting forever for a buck.
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
Try "well, here we have an hourly rate of x, but for you I'll do a half hour at x/2"
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
^^ Good one!! If you don't have to pay for your VIP, you can try:
"Would you like to continue our conversation in the Champagne room? It's quieter there. It costs X and hour with dances, but for chatting, it's X/hour"
If he says no: "Or, we could chat here on the floor for X for 1/2 hour".
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
I wouldn't explain that your time is worth money. It takes all the emotion out of the buying process and will probably rarely work. As you probably know by now since we've spoken before, virtually all sales decisions are made first by emotion and then backed up by logic. By increasing the logic end of the presentation, the less chance you have of making a sale.
So, a better solution to this challenge is to go the route of an assumptive sale. This will cause one of two things to happen, both of which benefit you. Buffis is right, your time is worth money, and you should never present it like that. Here is what you should say to such a customer who just wants to talk but not buy dances:
Customer: Colleen, I'm having a great time but I'm not so interested in having a dance as I am just having a nice conversation with you.
You: You know, I'm having an awesome time myself as you really are a cool guy to talk to. Tell you what, let's take this conversation to the VIP room and we can continue it in there where it's a bit more intimate and quiet.
This system works for you in two ways...
1. You may just go and get paid VIP room prices for not dancing. You would be amazed at how often this works. I've actually witnessed dancers sell VIP rooms two or three times a night using this technique.
2. He may say, "oh, no, I'm not interested in doing that". Then he just tipped his hand. This is a guy who isn't interested in buying anything from you. He just wants to soak up your time for free. This is now the right oportunity to say, "Well, my time is very limited and so I'm going to go talk to a few other customers."
So, either way, this is a win/win for you. Either you made a sale or you managed to eliminate this guy as a potential customer and not waste your time on a sale that isn't going to happen.
Now, here is one other similar tactic that is even more effective. An alternative way to say the assumptive sale in this situation is this:
Customer: Colleen, I'm having a great time but I'm not so interested in having a dance as I am just having a nice conversation with you.
You: I need to share something with you [customer name]. I've got two regulars in the club right now who usually take good care of me. For me to go spend time with them though is going to take quite some time and I'm really enjoying the conversation we're having a lot and don't want to leave you. So I'll tell you what, let's take this conversation to the VIP room this way I can give you my attention instead of them.
This turns up the desire and the pressure on the sale a bit. Again, it's a win/win for you and is also VERY effective. Remember, all it takes is 1 or 2 of these a night to work, and you just turned $0 into $200 in the blink of an eye. Now go knock 'em dead!
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
Ah, yes, but if your club has no VIP with set prices?
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
Quote:
Originally Posted by Susan Wayward
Ah, yes, but if your club has no VIP with set prices?
Then make them yourself. :) Just say, "We don't have a VIP room here for me to take you too, but I'll tell you what, I'll give you VIP pricing for us to sit and talk." Then create a price based on the prices in your club. If you charge $20 a dance, charge him $150 for a 1/2 hour or something like that.
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenny
Try "well, here we have an hourly rate of x, but for you I'll do a half hour at x/2"
I say something like that too. However, they NEVER bite because they come to the club with the specific intention of talking to the dancers for free. They honestly don't want to spend more than $20 on their visit. Unless you can toss him into the VIP and charge him accordingly, leave.
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
Quote:
Originally Posted by DancerWealth
Then make them yourself. :) Just say, "We don't have a VIP room here for me to take you too, but I'll tell you what, I'll give you VIP pricing for us to sit and talk." Then create a price based on the prices in your club. If you charge $20 a dance, charge him $150 for a 1/2 hour or something like that.
We don't have a VIP, and I've done this. If they're in a 'negotiating' mood, I sell my time instead of the dances in the CR (ie- $300/hour). My manager usually wonders how the hell I have them back there for so long when I'm sitting there not dancing much, and although this rarely works, with the right customer it's extremely worth my while (saves me a hour of hustling!). Of course, our club is laissez faire. I guess it wouldn't work everywhere.
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
What if oyu try lying that there's other guys there to see you but the club's kinda dead at the time and it's obvious you're lying? How can you pressure them then and make then think you're in demand, or be able to excuse yourself since there's no one else that's not already with another dancer for you to go talk to?
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
Well, obviously what I suggested will only work if there are other guys to talk to in the club. If there is not one other single person in the club to talk to, just use Option 1 that I suggested. "I'm having an awesome time myself as you really are a cool guy to talk to. Tell you what, let's take this conversation to the VIP room and we can continue it in there where it's a bit more intimate and quiet."
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
After he says "oh, I am having such a good time talking with you"
say "ok, it's $ for half an hr and $$ for an hour" in a matter of fact tone.
Most of my customers know I am paid for my time and if I get a new customer I just explain how it is done with my other customers and let him decide if he would like that arrangement.
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
In our club we get bonus pay if we get a certain number of drinks during the week, so if he says he doesn't want a dance, I will usually talk to him for a few more minutes and then ask if he could get me a drink. If he says no to that then I just excuse myself and say I have to use the restroom or something and I leave. Don't waste time on someone who won't spend money on you. You're there to make money, not to make friends with the customers. I know that sounds rude, but it's true- you don't make money off of conversation and friendship if the guy is cheap
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
Quote:
Originally Posted by colleen
I have had this experience a few times. I am having a nice time talking w/ custy, everythign seems to be going well, so I ask fo rthe dance. No, he says, I woudl rather talk to you. Well, I woudl jsut as soon talk as dance, so ling as I get paid for it. But I am not going to sit around and talk for free! I woudl rthar fo fix my makeup or have a technical discussion with the DJ, than sit around and give my time away for free.
So when it comes to that juncture in the conversation, how do you tell the guy that he needs to tip for any further expendature of your time? Yesterday, I told a guy I would like to talk longer but only if he was willing to take care of me, and he tipped me a single!! I felt like saying, "Thanks, big spender. You need change for that?"
I'm having a similiar problem with this at my club. Here the way the girls make their money is mostly from lap dancing. I hate it when you ask a customer if he'd like some company and after a few songs you'll ask if he'd like a dance and he says not right now but maybe later. Why would you say yes to my company if you weren't interested in a dance?? That's wasting my time!>:( I use to work at another club in D.C. where everything was stage dancing and making tips after sitting with customers. There were quite a few customers who would hand over $1.00 bills when you'd ask if they'd like to tip you for your time. I think the best thing to do is to say it's $20.00 for the 15 minutes we've spent together..If they say something like oh that's to much or I don't have that then I'd give the dollar back to them and tell them that this is for stage tipping.. That was very rude for that guy to only give you a single! You made it clear to him that he would have to tip you for your time and I'm feeling as if he was taking advantage of you. You need to let them know that this is not acceptable and tell them the appropriate amount they owe you.
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
We have VIP booths at my club that really wouldn't be very comfortable or effective for selling conversation. They are small (a single love seat with walls around it) and dirty. The lap dance areas definately aren't that comfortable they are basically like a bench seat, like a restraunt booth bench that runs around the entire room. Soooo for conversation it'd be best to take the custy somewhere quiet and comfortable on the floor. I've had a few guys where I've said "Well I can stick around as long as you want if you tip me for my time" and they will say okay I'll take care of you and stick a single or two in my bra every 5 to 10 mins. How can I politely ask them for all the money up front rather than random dollars in my undergarments and without trying to sell them a VIP?
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
Quote:
Originally Posted by MadisonM
In our club we get bonus pay if we get a certain number of drinks during the week, so if he says he doesn't want a dance, I will usually talk to him for a few more minutes and then ask if he could get me a drink. If he says no to that then I just excuse myself and say I have to use the restroom or something and I leave. Don't waste time on someone who won't spend money on you. You're there to make money, not to make friends with the customers. I know that sounds rude, but it's true- you don't make money off of conversation and friendship if the guy is cheap
I think I'm going to need to use this approach. When I sit and talk with a guy for a few songs, and then pop the question this is how they play me. I feel like a total loser sitting, thinking "dam I just wasted my time" I think that instead of using the "pay for my time" I will use the "drink" approach. I think I will take the initiative to asking the custy to buy me a drink, rather than the waitress asking, and having the custy say no.
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
Quote:
Originally Posted by Foxey
random dollars in my undergarments
LOL, Foxey! ;D
After reading this thread, I am jsut going to tell them, "I would love to stay and talk to you, and my time costs $$ per half-hour."
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
I dunno I think saying "My time cost __$__ blank" just sounds kinda callous, or impersonal. So speak of the devil, I had this scenario play out last night. After talking to a custy for about 10ish mins give or take I asked he if wanted to go have some fun. He said he wasn't comfortable with lap dances but he'd rather just give me the $20 instead. So I said "Alright, cool. I can stay with you for as long as you want as long as you continue to tip me." So rather than the $20 he put down a $50. I was surprised and not sure how much time to spend. As he rambled on about his divorce, mother dying, and broken foot I gauged the club and decided I'd be lucky to make $100 an hour considering it was Monday night and slow so I decided to give him 30 mins for his $50. Well it paid off! He ended up paying me $150 for just over an hour and hell on a dead monday I'm really not gonna complain. I'm hoping I've got a new regular!
Re: Extracting a tip for conversation
Quote:
Originally Posted by Foxey
I dunno I think saying "My time cost __$__ blank" just sounds kinda callous, or impersonal. So speak of the devil, I had this scenario play out last night. After talking to a custy for about 10ish mins give or take I asked he if wanted to go have some fun. He said he wasn't comfortable with lap dances but he'd rather just give me the $20 instead. So I said "Alright, cool. I can stay with you for as long as you want as long as you continue to tip me." So rather than the $20 he put down a $50. I was surprised and not sure how much time to spend. As he rambled on about his divorce, mother dying, and broken foot I gauged the club and decided I'd be lucky to make $100 an hour considering it was Monday night and slow so I decided to give him 30 mins for his $50. Well it paid off! He ended up paying me $150 for just over an hour and hell on a dead monday I'm really not gonna complain. I'm hoping I've got a new regular!
so did he come back?