I'm going to go ahead and post the guide I wish I had found when I  first got interested in the hobby.  This is for the ladies out there who  want to see a provider on their own and aren't sure and/or are a bit  nervous about how to do it (and you know who you are 

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Rule #1:  Do not use Backpage.  I can't think of a  more dangerous scenario than a female going to meet someone by herself  off of Backpage.  Many legitimate providers advertise on BP, but they  also have profiles on other sites.  You will want to use the other  sites.
 
Rule #2:  Get an account on Preferred411.com (P411).   It costs money and they will verify you are who you say you are, but  it is an absolute must.  All providers on P411 have been verified as  legitimate and it is a safe, easy way to contact ladies you are  interested in and set up an appointment.  When I first started, I set up  a custom search which filtered for my city (Dallas), selected ladies  who had listed Bisexual in their activities, were newbie friendly, and filtered out agencies and  visiting providers.  This will give you the initial list of ladies to  choose from.  
 
Next Step:  Data Mining.  From your list of  (hopefully) bisexual newbie friendly providers, decide which ones you  are interested in learning more about.  ECCIE is the place to this.   Even if the provider is not active on ECCIE, chances are pretty good a  few gentleman have reviewed her and/or posted about her.  And she may be  an active poster on ECCIE which is all the better for your research.   Here is the caveat:  you need to have premium access to view the full  details of reviews and only men can get premium access (females are not  allowed).  Use your best judgement in legitimately getting information about the providers you are interested in without breaking the rules.
 
What you are looking for with information about a provider is this:  Is the  gal you're interested in consistent?  Is she personable?  Is she  reliable?  Is she prone to personal issues that interfere with  appointments?  Some red flags are:  Perpetual  lateness or cancellations.  A pattern of Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV)  with different clients.  Disinterest during sessions.  Any drama  before, during, or after the session.  
 
From this point, you should have narrowed the list  down to the top one or two ladies you are interested in.  Do a search on  ECCIE for the provider's name in the subject and body of posts.  You will frequently find  threads where favorite providers are listed.  Does her name come up  during the "Who do you like the most" type of threads?  On the flip  side, do you see lots of posts where she stood someone up (otherwise  known as a NC/NS) or other red flag type posts?
 
Next, search for posts by the provider herself.   Some ladies don't post much but for those that do, it will help you  determine whether you should contact her.  What is her demeanor like in  her posts?  Does she have the type of personality you would feel  comfortable with?  You can also gain more info on whether she is truly  bi as it does come up sometimes in threads.
 
Now that you've finally narrowed it down to the gal  you would like to see, it's time to contact her on P411.  How you go  about contacting someone is definitely a personal choice.  I have a  photo on my P411 profile.  I also make it clear I am a female by myself  and not part of a couple.  My initial inquiry is usually very short and  something to the effect of:  "Hello <First Name>, I was curious to  know if you are willing to see female clients..."  She will invariably  look at your profile which should be filled out as much as possible and  then she responds.  Her initial response is key.  By her first response,  you will know whether you should proceed.  If she seems a bit unsure, my  advice is to not do it.  It will likely be an uncomfortable situation  for both of you.  Ultimately it's up to you to decide if you want to go  through with booking the appointment, so go with your initial gut  feeling. 
 
Once you decide to book, make sure you are clear on  the price up front.  I personally like longer sessions - a minimum of 90  minutes.  If a two hour rate is listed, I always go with that.  If it's  not, I assume there is no special pricing for 2 hours and go with 90  minutes.  If you are unsure about anything, ask during the initial  booking.  Every provider has her own method of giving you instructions  on where you will meet and how you should contact her.  If you are  remotely unsure, ask her to clarify at the time of booking.  If you book  the appointment a few days ahead of time, send her a message on P411  the day prior just to make sure everything is still set.  This helps  minimize confusion.
 
The last step is the one you've been waiting for:   Appointment time.  There's not a lot to this.  You've done your  homework.  You researched and found a provider who is awesome and you  know what to expect when you see her.  My last bit of advice:  Have the  donation ready in an envelope and put it on a counter or table soon  after you enter (within 5 minutes).  Obviously, don't mention it, just  take it out and set it down where she can see it.  And now...have fun!