Like a phoenix rising from the ashes

[rogerG]

Why do I get the impression you're rather adept at generating free advertising on a popular site?

(Edit)

Since I clearly missed the point of Kevin Slater's comment, I decided to delete my original response.

Edited October 7, 2017 by rogerG

[+ José Soplanucas]

I suspect it has something to do with your level of intelligence.

 

Because I work at home, I've never been free to advertise my business. My location is not commercially zoned. Ever since I went on my own, my business has survived by word of mouth. I would be much busier if I could advertise.

 

However, when I managed a high-end spa/salon many years ago, I was responsible for all of its advertising. We were a huge corporation, and a few of our employees worked secretly as high-end escorts on the side. My education in marketing and merchandising personal services was hands-on, and it lasted well over a decade.

http://68.media.tumblr.com/5c8e2df81808ec7c4623a0bee5fc1716/tumblr_odm6quVRTC1vpdxe9o1_400.gif

What? I do not think you understood @Kevin Slater 's remark.

[rogerG]

If that is so, I'm sure Kevin can speak for himself. I find guessing games annoying.

 

(Edit) Now that I see Kevin has liked your post, latbear4blk, it's clear to me I did not understand his message or intent. I don't need to understand it, either.

Edited October 7, 2017 by rogerG

[+ José Soplanucas]

http://66.media.tumblr.com/02da95bc614b499e07527f6c3f4e64b3/tumblr_oatrkqrbIT1rpzv9jo1_500.gif

[FrancisCA]

Ha you can put if the client has to send an uber for the escort. I do miss the when you can put the exact times when you're available on certain days tho.

[JudasKane]

Out of curiosity, I created a profile. Very sparsely populated, but it is a new site and I noticed one familiar face from the area.

 

However, there is an additional red flag that I don't believe has been discussed. Escorts have two options for additional verification....

1. Approve by Skype - (that seems reasonable enough)

Or

2. Approve by Meeting - "give a FREE sample session to our representative to get his trusted comment in your profile" --- this is setting off all sorts of alarms for me personally.

[+ Tarte Gogo]

give a FREE sample session to our representative to get his trusted comment in your profile

Wow!

This is basically a bunch of guys who want free sex and found a way to get it.

 

Everyone should pay the advertised price. No freebies against a “good review” or something like this, that is not fair to our beloved escorts. This also means that that “trusted comment” is meaningless.

 

I now hope this site fails.

[rogerG]

1. Approve by Skype - (that seems reasonable enough)

Or

2. Approve by Meeting - "give a FREE sample session to our representative to get his trusted comment in your profile" --- this is setting off all sorts of alarms for me personally.

If you read the FAQs thoroughly, the owners (or whoever wrote the text) claim to have/want a new approach to user reviews. They don't want the same old bullshit we've come to know and distrust. They want to avoid every kind of fake review, so they think they have developed a way to include "owner endorsements," hoping this method will offer "verification" and "positive reinforcement" to the market writ large.

 

I admit, at first it raised an eyebrow, but on thinking about it further, the concept reminded me of Karen Brown's Boutique Hotels of Europe Guide. Karen Brown has created a decades long reputation for scoping out and actually trying the boutique hotels she endorses. Many hotels don't charge her for a stay, hoping to acquire one of her star icons. Millions of travelers around the world trust KB's reviews and recommendations. It's a major plus if a boutique hotel falls into her "recommended" category.

 

On its new surface, this concept may seem opportunistic. However, if the new owners are serious about developing a serious and trustworthy reputation in this arena, their "endorsement" could carry some weight with marketing. Imagine if Hooboy had owned Rentboy and offered a similar arrangement. I'm sure many escorts would have jumped at the chance to get a professional recommendation from Hooboy. A positive review/endorsement by Hooboy would have been enough to sustain a long career. Perhaps, all other reviews be damned.

 

On the other hand, the "owners" would need to identify themselves in some way in order for the distrusting public to buy this concept and accept the findings. If they don't find a way to do that, then it looks like it's just a free fuck. At least they offer the Skype option.

Edited October 8, 2017 by rogerG

[+ quoththeraven]

Still giving the "tryout" idea the sideeye.

[+ Tarte Gogo]

If you read the FAQs thoroughly, the owners (or whoever wrote the text) claim to have/want a new approach to user reviews. They don't want the same old bullshit we've come to know and distrust. They want to avoid every kind of fake review, so they think they have developed a way to include "owner endorsements," hoping this method will offer "verification" and "positive reinforcement" to the market writ large.

 

I admit, at first it raised an eyebrow, but on thinking about it further, the concept reminded me of Karen Brown's Boutique Hotels of Europe Guide. Karen Brown has created a decades long reputation for scoping out and actually trying the boutique hotels she endorses. Many hotels don't charge her for a stay, hoping to acquire one of her star icons. Millions of travelers around the world trust KB's reviews and recommendations. It's a major plus if a boutique hotel falls into her "recommended" category.

 

On its new surface, this concept may seem opportunistic. However, if the new owners are serious about developing a serious and trustworthy reputation in this arena, their "endorsement" could carry some weight with marketing. Imagine if Hooboy had owned Rentboy and offered a similar arrangement. I'm sure many escorts would have jumped at the chance to get a professional recommendation from Hooboy. A positive review/endorsement by Hooboy would have been enough to sustain a long career. Perhaps, all other reviews be damned.

 

On the other hand, the "owners" would need to identify themselves in some way in order for the distrusting public to buy this concept and accept the findings. If they don't find a way to do that, then it looks like it's just a free fuck. At least they offer the Skype option.

I imagine they would insist for in-person if the escort is their type, but insist that Skype is good enough if he isn’t.

[rogerG]

Still giving the "tryout" idea the sideeye.

I think the idea could be genius, if it's handled with 100% integrity. I remember when early Rentmen offered their own escort video interviews. It's a similar concept without the sex, a review, and a private encounter endorsement. The video interview helped me make many a decision, but it didn't tell me how the guy would perform with another guy. A lot of escorts don't want to do an on-camera interview because they don't want to show face. A private encounter endorsement by a "site owner with integrity" is a whole other kind of "selling" opportunity.

I now hope this site fails.

Some of the responses are very negative and cynical. I guess that's to be expected.

 

If I were an escort, I'd be writing the owners with some smart questions. Then I would judge them by their answers. If they responded to me with as many words as latbear4blk received, and the words made smart business sense, then you can make an educated decision.

 

Given what I know about running a service business, this group sounds very interesting to me.

Edited October 8, 2017 by rogerG

[Good Grief]

Out of curiosity, I created a profile. Very sparsely populated, but it is a new site and I noticed one familiar face from the area.

 

However, there is an additional red flag that I don't believe has been discussed. Escorts have two options for additional verification....

1. Approve by Skype - (that seems reasonable enough)

Or

2. Approve by Meeting - "give a FREE sample session to our representative to get his trusted comment in your profile" --- this is setting off all sorts of alarms for me personally.

 

I think the idea could be genius, if it's handled with 100% integrity. I remember when early Rentmen offered their own escort video interviews. It's a similar concept without the sex, a review, and a private encounter endorsement. The video interview helped me make many a decision, but it didn't tell me how the guy would perform with another guy. A lot of escorts don't want to do an on-camera interview because they don't want to show face. A private encounter endorsement is a whole other kind of "selling" opportunity.

 

Some of the responses are very negative and cynical. I guess that's to be expected.

 

If I were an escort, I'd be writing the owners with some smart questions. Then I would judge them by their answers. If they responded to me with as many words as latbear4blk received, and the words made smart business sense, then you can make an educated decision.

 

Given what I know about running a service business, this group sounds very interesting to me.

 

If you were an escort would you go for a free sample session?

 

That's too much and somewhat weird....

 

But I'm not trying to get a new site started.

[rogerG]

If you were an escort would you go for a free sample session?

In order for a masseur/masseuse to get hired in the famous spa I managed, they had to perform a 1-hour massage on one of the owners for free. It was the only way to get a job if you didn't come with a full clientele. The fame of the spa provided instant trust.

 

Given that rentboy.pro is a new startup, the trust issue matters. If I were an escort, I would engage in dialogue and test the trust waters. If the information I receive is music to my ears and makes good business sense, then I would negotiate a deal that makes sense for me. The deal does not have to be a free-for-all.

[+ Tarte Gogo]

In order for a masseur/masseuse to get hired in the famous spa I managed, they had to perform a 1-hour massage on one of the owners for free.

Well, that is just as wrong. It should have been a 1 hour paid massage.

[+ quoththeraven]

Well, that is just as wrong. It should have been a 1 hour paid massage.

Ditto for this. Otherwise it's exploitation, pure and simple.

[+ José Soplanucas]

I question the morality of the for free demand. Why the owner cannot pay the regular fee, and therefore maintain his independence? I have been offered free session in exchange of a review in my blog and I have not accepted. If I take the free token, then I will feel obliged to reattribute with a positive review. I prefer to pay and keep therefore my ability to not publish a review if I did not find the experience satisfactory.

Asking a session for free is, in my opinion, abusive.

It has also happened to me that certain professionals have ended in my sack without a contract. In these cases they never asked for a review.

[+ Tarte Gogo]

I question the morality of the for free demand. Why the owner cannot pay the regular fee, and therefore maintain his independence? I have been offered free session in exchange of a review in my blog and I have not accepted. If I take the free token, then I will feel obliged to reattribute with a positive review. I prefer to pay and keep therefore my ability to not publish a review if I did not find the experience satisfactory.

Asking a session for free is, in my opinion, abusive.

It has also happened to me that certain professionals have ended in my sack without a contract. In these cases they never asked for a review.

Hear! Hear!

Who also wants to marry @latbear4blk ? Here is a man with principles.

[Kevin Slater]

I question the morality of the for free demand. Why the owner cannot pay the regular fee, and therefore maintain his independence? I have been offered free session in exchange of a review in my blog and I have not accepted. If I take the free token, then I will feel obliged to reattribute with a positive review. I prefer to pay and keep therefore my ability to not publish a review if I did not find the experience satisfactory.

Asking a session for free is, in my opinion, abusive.

It has also happened to me that certain professionals have ended in my sack without a contract. In these cases they never asked for a review.

 

Further, what makes them think a session that the escort knows will be reviewed would be at all indicative of his typical performance? Shouldn't a trustworthy review be conducted without the escort being forewarned?

 

Kevin Slater

[+ Tarte Gogo]

Further, what makes them think a session that the escort knows will be reviewed would be at all indicative of his typical performance? Shouldn't a trustworthy review be conducted without the escort being forewarned?

 

Kevin Slater

That is why I think it is more about getting great sex, than about getting a realistic view on the performance.

[+ Tarte Gogo]

Further, what makes them think a session that the escort knows will be reviewed would be at all indicative of his typical performance? Shouldn't a trustworthy review be conducted without the escort being forewarned?

 

Kevin Slater

Furthermore, the people giving out Michelin stars to restaurants always pay for their meal, and make sure no one knows who they are so that they never get an exceptional treatment. That is how you get global respect for your reviews.

[+ bashful]

I remember when reviews on Masseurfinder would occasionally have a review from a staff member of Masseurfinder. Don't see them anymore, but my impression was the reviewer walked in as any other client, and paid the going rate.

 

Still giving the "tryout" idea the sideeye.

 

I prefer the term "stink eye"

[Kevin Slater]

I get about a solicitation a week by some wannabe site claiming they're going to be the new game in town. Then they disappear. The only reason we're even discussing this one is because they co-opted the rentboy name and font.

 

I'd be thrilled for a new entrant to break up the one-site dynamic that we have right now, but I'd rather move in the direction of being less shady, not more.

 

Kevin Slater

Edited October 9, 2017 by Kevin Slater

[Kevin Slater]

Furthermore, the people giving out Michelin stars to restaurants always pay for their meal, and make sure no one knows who they are so that they never get an exceptional treatment. That is how you get global respect for your reviews.

 

Ruth Reichl has a few wonderful anecdotes about this in one of her books. The lengths she would go to to not be discovered, the disparate treatment received when she was.

 

Kevin Slater

[rogerG]

Well, that is just as wrong. It should have been a 1 hour paid massage.

Then I suppose you believe actors and actresses should be paid for their auditions?

 

Hairdressers need to do a free haircut, sometimes 2 haircuts in a try-out for a salon. Make-up artists often have to work for free, doing a trial run, before being hired. Same with facialists in a spa. In television, interns can work for free up to a year before being offered a job. Many don't receive offers when their internship ends. Photographers often have to work for free if they want to shoot editorial for a magazine. Cooks have to work for free before being hired in a restaurant. And on and on it goes. You may not think it's right or fair, but this is the reality for a lot of people who provide a service.

 

Comparing the endorsement of rentboy.pro to Michelin seems a bit of a stretch. The Michelin Guide for dining was created in 1926 by the two brothers who started the tire company in 1889. Michelin's story is interesting. Perhaps there's room for some famous name to put his mark on a reliable escort rating institution, but I won't be holding any breath.

 

I agree that shade will be a problem to overcome. Smart, determined people can overcome the need to work in the shade if their idea is worth pursuing. Time will tell if these guys have the stuff.

 

Still, Skype is a valid option for verification. It's not easy to fake a Skype call.

[+ Tarte Gogo]

Then I suppose you believe actors and actresses should be paid for their auditions?

Wrong equivalency.

An audition cannot be used to make the movie. It has no value to the receiver except to select the actor.

The massage has actually relaxed the receiver.

You may not think it's right or fair, but this is the reality for a lot of people who provide a service.

Well, you do whatever unfairness you like, I am no CHEAPO.

 

I don’t hire interns for a $0 per month, like so many do, just because “they are learning on the job, it is good for them”.

In civilised countries, that is actually illegal.