DWnyc

Exactly
my reaction when someone I’ve politely told it’s not going to work comes back with a revised proposal isn’t “you’re not professional, you don’t know your real value, you’re undermining the market” - it’s “you’re being realistic and trying to close a deal, good for you for trying“ (and also “let’s drop the martyrdom act”)
 

As discussed elsewhere there the culture of “I know my own worth”, “I don’t want to deal with cheap clients” etc can disrupt what should be easy market dynamics (ie it works or it doesn’t work so move on).
And all this gets internalized by some to equate their rate to self esteem etc 
What should be the freest market becomes tangled with all sorts of 21st century / millennial entitlement
 
 

With due respect, I’ve held back on my personal views and practices in this discussion to try and be more objective.
I happen to be medically trained and spend most of my volunteer time working in my geography with people (of all declared orientation) dealing with addiction and health issues from meth and other substance abuse). I’m fully aware of the potential effects on the mind and body as well beyond that on their relationships, professional lives, economic well-being etc.
However, I have not sensed much genuine compassion or concern let alone empathy on here when the subject is discussed. It is presented as a binary of a bad choice by sex obsessed deviants far removed from our daily lives where the adjudicators of good taste are somehow morally exempt from society’s verdicts. The nuance of different degrees of use are is ignored despite, I assume, most people’s exposure to other substances that are frequently abused ranging from “social use” to “addiction” eg alcohol and nicotine which are legal but have severe health consequences also (liver, heart, brain, oral health, diabetes, blood pressure, strokes, deaths from car accidents etc).
We’ve seen comments here ranging from “i do cocaine, but surely not meth good God no .,, ” to “weed is ok but not ..” to “I didn’t even know what Pnp was, aren’t I so cute and innocent” (all while discussing escorts to donate to). And in the paradigm of how this such an obscure practice. And when concern on health is raised we don’t stop to think how this moralizing and stigmatizing makes it harder for people who genuinely want to control their use to seek help or speak to others about it. 
I’m not trying to normalize anything in terms of encouraging use or dismissing the consequences. But use is far more prevalent than certainly discussion on here would suggest and denying that is a big part of the problem. Before we even get into opioids etc wreaking havoc across our entire society. 
Most of us on here don’t know each other personally and likely never will. There is no need to gain points on our supposed superiority to others whether as providers or clients. 

As discussed elsewhere there the culture of “I know my own worth”, “I don’t want to deal with cheap clients” etc can disrupt what should be easy market dynamics (ie it works or it doesn’t work so move on).
And all this gets internalized by some to equate their rate to self esteem etc 
What should be the freest market becomes tangled with all sorts of 21st century / millennial entitlement
 
 

Exactly
my reaction when someone I’ve politely told it’s not going to work comes back with a revised proposal isn’t “you’re not professional, you don’t know your real value, you’re undermining the market” - it’s “you’re being realistic and trying to close a deal, good for you for trying“ (and also “let’s drop the martyrdom act”)
 

Particularly if the have a long list of “here’s what I won’t do”
but that amount pre tax is around $500 an hour … 4 hours a week = $2000 … so start doing the math and it doesn’t take long to be better off Than most New Yorkers 
 

Particularly if the have a long list of “here’s what I won’t do”
but that amount pre tax is around $500 an hour … 4 hours a week = $2000 … so start doing the math and it doesn’t take long to be better off Than most New Yorkers 
 

Exactly
my reaction when someone I’ve politely told it’s not going to work comes back with a revised proposal isn’t “you’re not professional, you don’t know your real value, you’re undermining the market” - it’s “you’re being realistic and trying to close a deal, good for you for trying“ (and also “let’s drop the martyrdom act”)
 

Exactly
my reaction when someone I’ve politely told it’s not going to work comes back with a revised proposal isn’t “you’re not professional, you don’t know your real value, you’re undermining the market” - it’s “you’re being realistic and trying to close a deal, good for you for trying“ (and also “let’s drop the martyrdom act”)
 

The economics is fascinating for those that can make it work (that doesn’t mean lucrative - it’s just one of the few examples of very free market economics in labor and price clearance)
Most female providers see very little of the sums charged
Most regular service providing models (eg law, audit) see fees go to owners of the business who (unless sole or limited proprietors) aren’t actually on the frontlines dealing with clients who expect service based on the value of the fees to them 
When people say “I know my value”, with no disrespect to anyone intended,  I roll my eyes a little - unless I’m sure they know what all the aspects of that word they have fully thought through. And I bite my tongue when I want to reply with something like: I know the value of what I’m prepared to hand over to anyone for anything as well, as I know what it took for me to earn it 
 

The economics is fascinating for those that can make it work (that doesn’t mean lucrative - it’s just one of the few examples of very free market economics in labor and price clearance)
Most female providers see very little of the sums charged
Most regular service providing models (eg law, audit) see fees go to owners of the business who (unless sole or limited proprietors) aren’t actually on the frontlines dealing with clients who expect service based on the value of the fees to them 
When people say “I know my value”, with no disrespect to anyone intended,  I roll my eyes a little - unless I’m sure they know what all the aspects of that word they have fully thought through. And I bite my tongue when I want to reply with something like: I know the value of what I’m prepared to hand over to anyone for anything as well, as I know what it took for me to earn it 
 

OP said in his question that he wanted to know what orientation would generate interest from the greatest number of clients. OP is having a tough time drumming up business with no kissing, no bottoming, and charging $350/hour.  He wants to know if changing his advertised sexual orientation would attract more customers willing to pay the price for the company he offers.
Consensus on the replies is that changing his advertised orientation to "straight" is likely not the solution.

In a way, I’m glad when they don’t reply. It goes to show how they don’t care about clients.  They’re automatically taken off my list.

Among those that consider it a city … 😉

The economics is fascinating for those that can make it work (that doesn’t mean lucrative - it’s just one of the few examples of very free market economics in labor and price clearance)
Most female providers see very little of the sums charged
Most regular service providing models (eg law, audit) see fees go to owners of the business who (unless sole or limited proprietors) aren’t actually on the frontlines dealing with clients who expect service based on the value of the fees to them 
When people say “I know my value”, with no disrespect to anyone intended,  I roll my eyes a little - unless I’m sure they know what all the aspects of that word they have fully thought through. And I bite my tongue when I want to reply with something like: I know the value of what I’m prepared to hand over to anyone for anything as well, as I know what it took for me to earn it 
 

Not only market research but also marketing! 

The economics is fascinating for those that can make it work (that doesn’t mean lucrative - it’s just one of the few examples of very free market economics in labor and price clearance)
Most female providers see very little of the sums charged
Most regular service providing models (eg law, audit) see fees go to owners of the business who (unless sole or limited proprietors) aren’t actually on the frontlines dealing with clients who expect service based on the value of the fees to them 
When people say “I know my value”, with no disrespect to anyone intended,  I roll my eyes a little - unless I’m sure they know what all the aspects of that word they have fully thought through. And I bite my tongue when I want to reply with something like: I know the value of what I’m prepared to hand over to anyone for anything as well, as I know what it took for me to earn it 
 

The economics is fascinating for those that can make it work (that doesn’t mean lucrative - it’s just one of the few examples of very free market economics in labor and price clearance)
Most female providers see very little of the sums charged
Most regular service providing models (eg law, audit) see fees go to owners of the business who (unless sole or limited proprietors) aren’t actually on the frontlines dealing with clients who expect service based on the value of the fees to them 
When people say “I know my value”, with no disrespect to anyone intended,  I roll my eyes a little - unless I’m sure they know what all the aspects of that word they have fully thought through. And I bite my tongue when I want to reply with something like: I know the value of what I’m prepared to hand over to anyone for anything as well, as I know what it took for me to earn it 
 

What’s surprising may be that-  if your numbers are correct - they don’t actually disclose that fully. And then they still expect to be paid on the basis of vague descriptions of service or claiming the payment is for time rather than anything specific.
No problem if everything is really fully disclosed. But it often isn’t. Many providers don’t hide that they are intentionally vague and openly mock those they can lure in.:

In spite of all the (ridiculous) calls of "homophobia" above, there is definitely a market for str8 tops.
The fine line is in spelling.
"Straight" is a fantasy. If you were actually straight you're not fucking random men up the ass.
"Str8" is commonly understood as straight-ACTING Which you seem to believe is your "look".
I definitely prefer a straight-acting man who's into men. Effeminate men are (sexually) repugnant to me. Not interested in the opinions about why...it just IS.  So when I'm slapping down my hard-earned ca$h I want what I want. And if that's a provider to pretend one of those hot straight boys from college I used to drool over, is letting me service him...then that's my business and a good marketing strategy to any provider who can pull it off.
Plenty of men here pay for the illusion of intimacy when they clamoring for a "good kisser". Obviously their provider isn't actually in love with them. So if you are selling the illusion that you're leaning straight I don't see the difference in selling a fantasy.

So let me ask again - why did the OP pose the basic question in this thread?
Market research?
Or if he finds most of his clients assume he’s straight what does that mean to them given they seek him out (that’s his sex life of choice outside work and he happens to be doing this because it’s a job, or that he is guaranteed to be dismissive or insulting once the session begins etc) 
And why does he think most of his clients assume he’s straight? Reacting to something deliberate on his part? Or not doing something to correct a perception (but again based on what)?
The provider-client interaction is almost always an act on part of the provider (and the better he is or wants to be, the client may even leave thinking at least part of it wasn’t) - so the supposed straight man can pretend to be into it (we’ve all seen the porn on the straight guys who discover the joy of being with men, or find their bills being taken care of justify showing they enjoy gay sex whether or not this is sincere etc). Or he can exaggerate or make up condescension  (“you can’t get a girl … you’re not a real man …” type stuff) and downright humiliation even violence.
 
Or as some have expressed here - it can be irrelevant and he just follows instructions and leaves the client with what he wants - and that’s no one’s business but theirs. 

I actually don’t negotiate with providers -. at most I’ve accepted revised terms after their persistent efforts while doing nothing myself. And that’s not just my opinion, it’s my experience in multiple instances with providers well regarded on here and elsewhere, and the experience of many I know personally. 
And to be clear: my non negotiation position is not because I put providers on some pedestal. I don’t respect or disrespect a provider arguing they know their value and won’t budge from that - it’s irrelevant as what I care about is if the terms work for me. I’d rather move on to someone else if the terms don’t work for me as initially stated, and I wouldn’t want to be literally exposed with someone resentful at the circumstances of being there even if they accept them voluntarily.
When I say that’s not how the world works (negotiation does in fact occur) I’m not saying it’s the case for 100% of providers or interactions. So you can have your position on this, and the world can still work a different way for a significant number of people / experiences. What I’m saying is it’s not 0% (no negotiations) and occurs frequently enough to be considered normal. 

I actually don’t negotiate with providers -. at most I’ve accepted revised terms after their persistent efforts while doing nothing myself. And that’s not just my opinion, it’s my experience in multiple instances with providers well regarded on here and elsewhere, and the experience of many I know personally. 
And to be clear: my non negotiation position is not because I put providers on some pedestal. I don’t respect or disrespect a provider arguing they know their value and won’t budge from that - it’s irrelevant as what I care about is if the terms work for me. I’d rather move on to someone else if the terms don’t work for me as initially stated, and I wouldn’t want to be literally exposed with someone resentful at the circumstances of being there even if they accept them voluntarily.
When I say that’s not how the world works (negotiation does in fact occur) I’m not saying it’s the case for 100% of providers or interactions. So you can have your position on this, and the world can still work a different way for a significant number of people / experiences. What I’m saying is it’s not 0% (no negotiations) and occurs frequently enough to be considered normal. 

So let me ask again - why did the OP pose the basic question in this thread?
Market research?
Or if he finds most of his clients assume he’s straight what does that mean to them given they seek him out (that’s his sex life of choice outside work and he happens to be doing this because it’s a job, or that he is guaranteed to be dismissive or insulting once the session begins etc) 
And why does he think most of his clients assume he’s straight? Reacting to something deliberate on his part? Or not doing something to correct a perception (but again based on what)?
The provider-client interaction is almost always an act on part of the provider (and the better he is or wants to be, the client may even leave thinking at least part of it wasn’t) - so the supposed straight man can pretend to be into it (we’ve all seen the porn on the straight guys who discover the joy of being with men, or find their bills being taken care of justify showing they enjoy gay sex whether or not this is sincere etc). Or he can exaggerate or make up condescension  (“you can’t get a girl … you’re not a real man …” type stuff) and downright humiliation even violence.
 
Or as some have expressed here - it can be irrelevant and he just follows instructions and leaves the client with what he wants - and that’s no one’s business but theirs. 

Agree 100%
BTC