The Business Side of Escorting by Katy Alexander

[Ansley]

So often ladies come to this forum to get advice. Katy made this post in the business section almost a year ago. I thought it would be a great addition to this forum.


Katy Alexander
Verified Provider

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Join Date: Jan 6, 2010
Location: A rabbit from another planet
Posts: 727
Default The business side of escorting
While my post has everything to do with the business side of escorting, I must admit I have nothing to sell here. If I am in the wrong place I would appreciate being moved to a more appropriate forum, because I really do feel that this may help some people.


I think there are some amazing photographers, website designers and assistants around , but there are also some who exploit the inexperience of others. Sometimes it helps when we can share the knowledge that we have gained during our time as companions , so that we may learn from each other. What I have written below is just my opinion, and I am far from an expert on these subjects . I encourage people to add to this thread to share their own ideas, regardless of whether or not they agree, as that would be a great way to offer a far more balanced, and complete view of this side of our business.. It would be great if some of this information could reach those who are new to the world of companionship to help make better informed choices with not only their money, but also the personal information that often comes with it. My wish is that we can all just get along, and stay on topic here. I will start with what I feel are the more common services we use, and work my way down.




Photographers.... I think that there are so many talented photographers on eccie if I were local to the area it would be hard to choose. I do believe that if a particular photographer's work catches my eye there is nothing wrong with asking around to make sure their previous clients were happy with not only their results, but also with the way they were treated while working together. It is fine to ask questions regarding how many years they have practiced, and what type of classes they have completed related to photography. Sometimes it is not so much their experience level that counts , but more the way they react to the questions that will tell you what you need to know .

Also keep in mind that many photographers will have you sign an agreement stating that they do own the rights to the images they take of you. Be sure that you understand what you are signing, and what if anything they plan to use your images for. Most of the time I believe they are simply protecting their own reputation, but it is always good to keep things clear either way.

Website designers....There is so much more to a website than simply a pretty design. In today’s world anyone can create a website using all the free software that is currently available online It is the designers job to not just build you a site, but to code it, so that it loads fast.,appears the way it should in all the major browsers/screen sizes/internet mediums,and most important can be moved from one host to another if necessary. If a website has been built using software provided by one of the hosting sites it could become a problem if that particular host decides to change their policy on adult content, or goes out of business. Even if you just want to move your site to a more affordable host you will only be able to do so with a site that has been built with software that is independent of any hosting sites. It may never be an issue for you, but please keep those limitations in mind if you choose to take that option . Also make sure you understand how many changes you are allowed to have made to your site before you will be charged extra ,as well as how easy it may be to make the adjustments yourself.Some sites are easier to adjust on your own than others, so be sure to ask questions before deciding on who you wish to work with.

Content/ ghost writers.....I do understand that not everyone feels comfortable writing their own ads.If you feel the need to hire a content writer please make sure that they make the effort needed to stay true to your personality. And, do not “borrow” from another companions website or ad since it is unethical to do so, and will make you look extremely questionable to the type of clients that you may wish to attract. Content that is free of spelling errors, and offers proper sentence structure is also important since that is after all part of what you are paying for. We all make mistakes, but it is the content writer's job ( not yours)to make sure it is perfect, before anything is ever published.

Ad's and websites aside , I really do feel that it truly is a bad idea to let anyone post as you on a message board . Some people may use your identity to serve their own agenda when disagreements arise. Plus grammar is just like a finger print, we are all so unique in the way we write that it does not take people long to figure out they are not actually responding to the person they thought they were .My guess is it must be kind of creepy if you suddenly realize that the pretty girl in the pictures that you thought you were flirting with is actually someone else. Overall this is not the best way to introduce yourself.


Assistants.... Some women do benefit from having an assistant screen for them, and handle their schedule, but please make sure that is all she/he does, so there will be no conflict of interest there. Please Please Pleeeeaaaase, do your research thoroughly before hiring any assistant, because the information they are trusted with could ruin lives if placed in the wrong hands.
Also, do not let anyone pretend to be you by email, or phone , especially during the screening process. It is unethical, as your client should be made aware that he is giving his personal information to a third party. Some men will shy away from it, many will not, but it is his choice to make, not ours.



Marketing consultant....... Just like website designers, not all consultants are created equal. There are some very savvy people out there who do know the higher end of this business or as best as that end can be understood. But, there are also others who without meaning to manage to do more harm than good . Be very weary of those who offer to boost your popularity in fast, and unethical ways. I have seen some consultants write fake reviews to help their clients launch their new image. This is not a good idea since most men can spot a fake review fairly easy, and insulting their intelligence is a lousy way to make a first impression.. Just like in any business, it can take time to reach a true level of trust, and success, but once you are there that success can last as long as you want it to.. A good consultant will be able to advise you on how to reach your goals the honest way, but will not promise any fool proof short cuts to get there.


There are some great people out there, and they are the ones who truly deserve our business and thanks. I know that my post is a bit long winded, but I would not have taken the time to write this if I did not feel it was truly an important topic to start..Please add to it, as I believe that we all have different ideas, on what is, or is not good , or even ethical , and the more diversified the information the more useful it will hopefully be for others.





Sincerely Katy,

The person formerly known as Becky

[R.M.]

So glad you posted this here. Great real information. This is a must read ladies...

[Zhivago52]

Nicely done. And a shout out to Ansley. Makes me wish I lived in GA!

[Ansley]

Originally Posted by Zhivago52

Nicely done. And a shout out to Ansley. Makes me wish I lived in GA!

Thanks Zhivago. I thought Katy made a lot of great points in her post.

By the way, where were you when I was visiting Houston a few times a year?

[Tiffani Jameson]

I've always admired this post, and am glad it's again at the forefront.

I'm on the fence about business services for escorts beyond photography and web design.

I can understand the need for ghost writers/content developers, as not everyone is as loquacious and expressive as others, and there's only so much you can say about yourself and what you offer.

Screeners/assistants I can tolerate, especially when you have more than one focus in life. But the ability to communicate personally is where connections are developed. Without that, you're REALLY just meeting strangers and keeping appointments.

But marketing consultants is where it really gets foggy for me. I feel that the day you need one is the day you need to rethink being a companion. It's akin to having a pimp. Someone tells you what pics to take, what to say to appeal to the masses, screens your calls/emails; all you do is show up. You then truly become a commodity.

Now we all have our beginnings. Some of us with agencies, others with instant immersion on BP. But in doing our research, and understanding how we like to present ourselves to anyone and not just our clients, we develop ourselves, and do what's possible to us concerning our marketing and customer service.

[Katy Alexander]

@ Ans.. Thank you for posting this here.I hope as it continues to grow, some people will find value in it.
@ RM...Thank you, I always appreciate your bumps

Originally Posted by Tiffani Jameson

I'm on the fence about business services for escorts beyond photography and web design.
I can understand the need for ghost writers/content developers, as not everyone is as loquacious and expressive as others, and there's only so much you can say about yourself and what you offer.

I have always been against the idea of hiring a content writer for myself for a number of reasons, but like you I do try to understand why others may find it helpful.In my opinion I can not say I have seen any truly great examples of ghost written content in our line of work.At best it usually reads like a bad romance novel, with a thesaurus throwing up all over the welcome page for extra effect. At worse there is often borderline, as well as blatant plagiarism going on. My guess is that finding a truly good content writer has never been easy, and I have to wonder if it is ever worth the $$$, and effort.. Sometimes simply doing your best, and asking a good friend or two for their input on your grammar, spelling and content may be the better alternative.

Originally Posted by Tiffani Jameson

Screeners/assistants I can tolerate, especially when you have more than one focus in life. But the ability to communicate personally is where connections are developed. Without that, you're REALLY just meeting strangers and keeping appointments.

I agree,and aside from the very good points that you bring up I need to add, I would never trust an assistant who offered to pretend to be me while screening a potential client.It is just plain wrong to do that to the men who believe they are giving their information exclusively to the woman they plan to meet.I know that some women do benefit from having an assistant, but the information that is shared is far too sensitive to trust to just anyone. If there were ever a time to do tons of research on the person you hope to hire this is it..

Originally Posted by Tiffani Jameson

But marketing consultants is where it really gets foggy for me. I feel that the day you need one is the day you need to rethink being a companion. It's akin to having a pimp. Someone tells you what pics to take, what to say to appeal to the masses, screens your calls/emails; all you do is show up. You then truly become a commodity.

Now we all have our beginnings. Some of us with agencies, others with instant immersion on BP. But in doing our research, and understanding how we like to present ourselves to anyone and not just our clients, we develop ourselves, and do what's possible to us concerning our marketing and customer service.

Very well said, and I couldn't agree more.I think as escorts we often sell ourselves short on the type of potential we truly have.I believe that the more effort we put into ourselves the more we learn, and much of that knowledge will stay with us regardless of what we choose to do in the future.I am glad that you took the time to bring up the points that you did. I know that when I originally wrote this post I was so focused on the basics I forgot to mention that with few exceptions we are capable of doing most of these things ourselves and will ultimately end up better off for what we can learn.

[Guest062114-5]

This is great info, Katy. And thanks Ansley for sharing it here!

[Tiffani Jameson]

Originally Posted by Katy Alexander

I have always been against the idea of hiring a content writer for myself for a number of reasons, but like you I do try to understand why others may find it helpful.In my opinion I can not say I have seen any truly great examples of ghost written content in our line of work.At best it usually reads like a bad romance novel, with a thesaurus throwing up all over the welcome page for extra effect. At worse there is often borderline, as well as blatant plagiarism going on. My guess is that finding a truly good content writer has never been easy, and I have to wonder if it is ever worth the $$$, and effort.. Sometimes simply doing your best, and asking a good friend or two for their input on your grammar, spelling and content may be the better alternative.

It's not. I have a friend who's hired two just to see the results she'd get. And one ghostwriter was a lady whose own content is quite good! The more 'famous' content providers quote you rates based on your presentation. I'm sure we can all point out content where the content writer obviously didn't have any good intentions towards the companion.

But in the end, collaborating with a good girlfriend in this industry will keep you from looking like an idiot.

Originally Posted by Katy Alexander

I agree,and aside from the very good points that you bring up I need to add, I would never trust an assistant who offered to pretend to be me while screening a potential client.It is just plain wrong to do that to the men who believe they are giving their information exclusively to the woman they plan to meet. I know that some women do benefit from having an assistant, but the information that is shared is far too sensitive to trust to just anyone. If there were ever a time to do tons of research on the person you hope to hire this is it..

I agree about the pretense. But that aside, you REALLY never know what someone else is doing with your client's information. I know the victim of a screener's mis-dealings. They do things that even their clients don't know anything about. Then there's the issue of ethics. You get a screener that is so vested in getting you the money, they may cut corners on screening. I know a lady who's had issues with that. Going through her records, she had seen several clients that didn't submit screening information.

Originally Posted by Katy Alexander

Very well said, and I couldn't agree more. I think as escorts we often sell ourselves short on the type of potential we truly have. I believe that the more effort we put into ourselves the more we learn, and much of that knowledge will stay with us regardless of what we choose to do in the future. I am glad that you took the time to bring up the points that you did. I know that when I originally wrote this post I was so focused on the basics I forgot to mention that with few exceptions we are capable of doing most of these things ourselves and will ultimately end up better off for what we can learn.

Bingo on this. I wish all ladies, just in looking at other ladies on the internet had the self esteem to recognize the potential in themselves. But they say pimps serve a purpose too, just like any marketing professional.

In essence, "hookers" are lazy. They just want the clients to call and the money to roll in. They don't care to put the in effort to present themselves in a respectable manner. Most don't care to put the effort into an appointment to keep a client. If it weren't for the 'guidance' of someone, there's no telling how they would turn out.

I just want young ladies to know that no matter how you start, today is the first day of your life. You ALWAYS have the power to change.

[Exec_Enchant]

This is a very valuable post for any companion looking to setup business. The truth is that no one is a specialist at everything. Many women in this industry have a difficult time making ends meet because they have a mom & pop shop mentality to running their business and attempt to do it all and fail at keeping client satisfaction and a personal life.

Just imagine if Steve Jobs had been purely responsible for all aspects of Apple. Not only being the creator, inventor, designer who was solely responsible for marketing, advertising, sales, distribution, and accounting. Do you think we would know Apple today?

[Katy Alexander]

Originally Posted by Tiffani Jameson

I agree about the pretense. But that aside, you REALLY never know what someone else is doing with your client's information. I know the victim of a screener's mis-dealings. They do things that even their clients don't know anything about. Then there's the issue of ethics. You get a screener that is so vested in getting you the money, they may cut corners on screening. I know a lady who's had issues with that. Going through her records, she had seen several clients that didn't submit screening information.

Great points...When all is said , and done I believe that if there is anyway at all that a woman can handle her own screening she should try to do it.In the long run it will be far more secure for herself as well as her clients. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but switching the way we handle the initial contact, or slightly adjusting our rates when the response is too much can change a difficult part of our job into a very manageable one.

My best advice for those who simply feel more comfortable working with a booking agent is please do your research. Stay away from people who seem to attract a lot of drama, or have a hard time controlling their temper.Our clients deserve to have their privacy protected by a professional as well as stable person.

Originally Posted by Exec_Enchant

This is a very valuable post for any companion looking to setup business. The truth is that no one is a specialist at everything. Many women in this industry have a difficult time making ends meet because they have a mom & pop shop mentality to running their business and attempt to do it all and fail at keeping client satisfaction and a personal life.

Just imagine if Steve Jobs had been purely responsible for all aspects of Apple. Not only being the creator, inventor, designer who was solely responsible for marketing, advertising, sales, distribution, and accounting. Do you think we would know Apple today?

I appreciate your point, and do understand that attempting to do it all is not always the best idea. I have always had fun with the creative end of things. This has to be one of the only situations where you can be as unique as you wish, but as long as you are being true to yourself you can not kill off your own business.Even then there will often be things that I know I just can't do on my own. There are some truly talented professionals around.It is just a matter of knowing what to look for when help is needed.

[R.M.]

Originally Posted by Katy Alexander

@ RM...Thank you, I always appreciate your bumps

Its always a pleasure. Hows Edward? Sasha Belle and Lilly sends kind regards.

[Katy Alexander]

Originally Posted by R.M.

Its always a pleasure. Hows Edward? Sasha Belle and Lilly sends kind regards.

I am really glad to hear that Sasha Belle, and Lilly are doing well. Ed has turned into the worlds most adorable senior citizen. We take a lot of naps these days lol.

[R.M.]

Originally Posted by Katy Alexander

I am really glad to hear that Sasha Belle, and Lilly are doing well. Ed has turned into the worlds most adorable senior citizen. We take a lot of naps these days lol.

Sasha Belle is right behind in the senior citizen department. Lilly is keeping her fit. She has lost a couple of pounds. It was Lilly's first Christmas and she had a blast. She hated the fire works on New Years eve.

[Zhivago52]

Adorable dogs!

Olivia H, now retired, was one of the smartest ladies I've met when it comes to managing her secret life like a business. Very smart lady. She's got a few posts recently on this topic. It comes as no surprise that the more business savvy a provider is, the better companion she is as a provider!

[bobbi12]

I am having difficulty on this website. I hope I am in the right forum. I just want to be respected and I want my standards to be kept classy and elegant but these men I meet have been so off. They think my rates are too high but I feel I am a top noth companion and deserve the world. I love my men and appreciate them but I feel misunderstood at times and I don't want to lower my standards. I can't be the only one out there feeling this way. I guess I needed to vent.
Hugs and Kisses Bobbi