Typical

There is an old saying, that I don’t fully support but understand directionally, that “The customer is always right”. Arguing with, or in front of, potential customers is a mistake every single time. No one owes you business and controversy sends people away, especially in NYC, where there are hundreds of alternatives If you provide good service that is value for money, you will get repeat clients and referrals and all will be well. If you imagine you provide $400 service but it’s subpar, you will sit in your studio alone creating new ad content to hopefully gin up business. The standoffish “you are picking on me” attitude isn’t going to help you at all in this town. Nobody cares about your business challenges. One of your biggest problems here is that a well known contributor to this forum indicates you accepted a deposit, didn’t take the appointment, and blocked him. Your response was uninspiring asking him to jump through hoops and prove he sent a deposit. I think he made a mistake by sending a deposit (never, ever, ever send a deposit!), but was that resolved? If not, why would anyone make an appointment with you?

This really isn’t designed to be an advertising forum. I know that people do it and I’m unaware of any rules against, but the act invites a certain amount of ridicule. The more over the top ridiculousness of the sales pitch, the more ridicule it will unleash. If you think your business is singled out in this regard, let me introduce you to Yelp and Reddit. The deposit thing has been discussed ad nauseam. Probably 95% of deposit requests are linked to a scam attempt: I’ve never heard of one that wasn’t. That’s just an unfortunate reality. When you ask for a deposit you alienate a majority of potential customers. It’s not wise to send deposits with the current proliferation of fraud. Doing so is downright naive. Without deposits you will have some no shows. It’s the cost of doing business. Restaurants have to throw out unsold food. Retail establishments absorb theft. Hair salons try to fill no show slots with walk ins and sometimes can’t. The list goes on. It’s too bad, but, again, it’s realty. It’s a competitive market. You have to operate within the boundaries of the marketplace. Deposit requests are currently well outside those boundaries.

What are the chances the Welsh fitness instructor is doing massage work in Palm Springs, LOL? I wonder what he would think of his photo being used in this scam. I guess that’s another risk of social media exposure. Ugh.

I saw the new space about a week ago as they were moving in. Decorating was in progress. I think this will be the best Hush space so far. There is now a full bathroom within the suite, FWIW.

Of course it’s a scam. Deposit = Scam. If this person pictured has ever been within 500 miles of Palm Springs, or if he even exists, I’ll eat my television. They aren’t going to use a troll photo to get you to send $50.

This guy’s ad, from the photos, to the text, to the strange pricing, all say to me loud and clear: HE’S NUTS! I would be startled to hear that anyone had a satisfactory encounter with him from what I see. I’m surprised someone hasn’t been hurt. I’m relatively adventurous, but it wouldn’t occur to me to get in a room alone with him.

For clarity, you never saw Adam? You reached out (once?) and you didn’t get a response of any kind? Perhaps he missed the message or was away? thanks.

You, sir, were punked! LOL. $500 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 (Unless you were inquiring at the Four Seasons Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat Spa with a day pass and lunch included, something was lost in translation.).

Take it easy. Book (think) ahead with known therapists. Yes, most anyone who wants a deposit is a scam. We all know that by now. Are there any gay spas in Boston? I don’t know of any.

If the massage is good, and by good I mean professional competency, not just okay or good enough because he’s cute, then a $200 price point in NYC would be fine for the above described scenario. $250, I agree, would be silly and a fast pass. If the massage isn’t good, the whole event sounds pointless regardless of the fee amount. Aside from his looks or his body, is there an opinion on his massage competence?

Masseurs provide their photos because they are marketing their services and handsome fellas in general get more clients and can charge higher rates. The “equity” of the situation is that the client is PAYING, and generally they are paying multiples of the amount they could hire an unseen random person in a random storefront down the street. It shouldn’t matter what the client looks like. If a client does appear in a Grim Reaper outfit, the masseur can bolt the door! I think I have been asked once out of hundreds of appointments over the years for a photo. I simply ignored the request and the appointment proceeded just fine without another mention. In NYC it doesn’t seem to be a thing because there are plenty of options and most clients would move to next. But, as you say, people can do whatever they wish with photos or tipping or whatever, but a picture request of a client is, as a practical matter, pointless, unless a therapist is screening. Okay then; I’ll send a photo if I get a discount. 😅

I fail to see how a photograph might prevent a harrowing client experience. If a prospective client is a well recognized area sociopath, will he send his actual photo? If the client is a less publicly known sociopath, will he send a photo that indicates potential peril? Will he send the picture of him with his ninja sword in hand? Or his photo showing fangs and blood? I doubt it. If a client is nefarious, he probably won’t send a photo which indicates danger to establish an appointment, right? Presumably even homicidal maniacs keep reasonably innocuous pictures on hand for just such an occasion. it’s a nonsensical request.

No, I don’t think so. When you text them they, 99% of the time, reply with one or two rates that quite easily and logically fit within the app categories. Rarely is there a complex set of answers that can’t be easily described in the ad. So, again, what was the point of not including the price in the advertisement? Do they particular enjoy getting rate request messages all day long?

It seems like 90% of RM ads request that clients ask for rates rather than just state them plainly in the rates section. Why? I can’t decipher a good reason. Is dynamic pricing in play? Doesn’t seem like it. Is there an extra charge for displaying the info? It seems like a whole lot of fruitless back and forth must ensue. It’s annoying. Is there any rational point to it?

I feel like we might circle jerk this one to death over the few days. 🤪