In the last couple of weeks I think the credit crunch is really hitting business.  Lots of punters are asking for deals due to the credit crunch.  Are other ladies finding this? 

As I have diversified on to other sites, and the fall off from AW has been replaced by Punterlink and my new website. I still have more or less the same number of jobs, (about 8 -12 a week) but I am working much harder to get them.  A blip or a trend?

I haven't reduced my rates, have any other ladies and if so has it increased business?

here in the states, the news and the presidential election coming up has everyone all tuned into the political bullshit, even gay.com chat rooms are filled with political chit chat.

No-one seems to have mentioned that anyone who thinks mumbling vague platitudes about the 'credit crunch' (which is meaningless media-speak to the majority of people anyway who would, if asked, be hard-pushed to explain what it actually means) in order to try and bag themselves a discount (which I assume is what is meant by 'deal') is outrageously rude - if you can afford to go whoring at all, you haven't got too much to worry about just because your house value has fallen a bit. Boo hoo.

I have a number of valued regulars who do get a small discount, as I know many other ladies do, but this is something that has been offered, not asked for and there's a big difference. Trying to haggle my prices is one of the fastest ways to get yourself blacklisted, and that is never going to change. I have never lowered my prices and do not intend to - fees in this industry have remained stable for a long time and for the most part represent very good value considering that they were practically the same ten years ago (unlike everything else). I can honestly say that I am no quieter than I was six months ago - maybe because I do not live in a particularly affluent area and people here don't have a great deal to lose in terms of bonuses and so on.

This week was bound to be quiet - school holidays combined with the run up to payday for many, multiplied by all the Christmas stuff really starting to make it's presence felt - it's never going to be a busy time. I have to disagree with the OP though - I knew it would be quiet this week, so last week I took plenty of bookings (some of which I would normally have turned down as I don't need to work that much) and had my second busiest week ever - I was exhausted by the end of it and that was after eleven bookings, the majority of them two hours. If 8-12 a week is not enough for you then I sympathise - I would be like the walking dead if I had to work like that every week!

I am not sure what is meant by having to 'work harder' to get bookings; if this means answering enquiries promptly, maintaining self and premises, keeping advertising up to date and so on, surely we are doing this anyway?

Quote from: amy on 01 November 2008, 03:21:50 pm

No-one seems to have mentioned that anyone who thinks mumbling vague platitudes about the 'credit crunch' (which is meaningless media-speak to the majority of people anyway who would, if asked, be hard-pushed to explain what it actually means) in order to try and bag themselves a discount (which I assume is what is meant by 'deal') is outrageously rude - if you can afford to go whoring at all, you haven't got too much to worry about just because your house value has fallen a bit. Boo hoo.

I have a number of valued regulars who do get a small discount, as I know many other ladies do, but this is something that has been offered, not asked for and there's a big difference. Trying to haggle my prices is one of the fastest ways to get yourself blacklisted, and that is never going to change. I have never lowered my prices and do not intend to - fees in this industry have remained stable for a long time and for the most part represent very good value considering that they were practically the same ten years ago (unlike everything else). I can honestly say that I am no quieter than I was six months ago - maybe because I do not live in a particularly affluent area and people here don't have a great deal to lose in terms of bonuses and so on.

This week was bound to be quiet - school holidays combined with the run up to payday for many, multiplied by all the Christmas stuff really starting to make it's presence felt - it's never going to be a busy time. I have to disagree with the OP though - I knew it would be quiet this week, so last week I took plenty of bookings (some of which I would normally have turned down as I don't need to work that much) and had my second busiest week ever - I was exhausted by the end of it and that was after eleven bookings, the majority of them two hours. If 8-12 a week is not enough for you then I sympathise - I would be like the walking dead if I had to work like that every week!

I am not sure what is meant by having to 'work harder' to get bookings; if this means answering enquiries promptly, maintaining self and premises, keeping advertising up to date and so on, surely we are doing this anyway?

Thanks for all the comments.  By working harder, I mean getting listed on punterlinks etc and getting a website, and spending more time refreshing the profile on AW.  It is addictive being on the computer! Distracts from my real job - especially reading all the interesting forums.  I have only been doing this for about 5 months since the dreaded "CC" hit my real job.  I still have two other real jobs to do as well, and the escorting merely plugs the drain.  It is great fun though, I love it and it gives me a social life, albeit unorthodox.