Thank you for this informative and helpful post. I will certainly consider cash. I never bought flowers for an SP for this very reason. Mostly small boxes of chocolates and gift cards, discreet quick consumables.
I was considering asking the booking agent (most of my regulars are agency girls) if she knew what my SPs would like. I don’t want to ask the SPs she works with for a few obvious reasons.
I didn't know this was an option. I would do that. Ask the booking agent. For sure.
I don't work for a "big company". And those client Christmas presents come right off the bottom line my friend.
And even "big companies" have to MAKE the money in order to spend it. In fact, some "big companies" have razor thin margins (Loblaws, Air Canada to name but a few I'm familiar with). I know, I used to work for a MASSIVE COMPANY and you'd be surprised how tight the cash can be. And everyone there is "just trying to make a living" too.
Nothing stopping her from offering her most excellent regular customers a freebie. After all, it's better to give than to receive at this time of the year.
A "freebie" is a little much in my opinion. Some extra time or maybe some money back on the session- sure, but an entire freebie session - no. I would never do that. Breaks the boundary lines. This is still paid work. Not to mention this time of year is very expensive for everyone. For me to do this, I would be giving up 25-50% of the "income" earned in a month if I did this for one client. I saw a total of 5 different clients this month and that is the most I have seen in a month in a very long time. Not to mention that most of my appointments are 2 hrs. Blanket statements like that just don't fit.
There are two types of SP's. Some will graciously accept and treat it as a gift and something personable. Then there's a few (based on some Terb responses) that indicate this as unnacceptable - their time is precious and to be paid for and requesting they eat with you and not paying is unnacceptable - at least that's how it comes across. Clearly Sophia fits into the first category.
Personally I'd be happy to cook a meal with an SP after and give her the lesson/recipe for the dish if the option was available. Or I help her cook something and I learn. Obviously this requires advanced planning and cooking facilities (so no hotel room).
First I think that Sophia was joking as you indicated above, but I have to say I do see a theme here that you may not be aware of and one you may not like.
You are okay in accepting OTC time for almost anything. OTC Conversation, meal, massage, etc. Which is fine. Yet you never seem to be accepting of anything that would remotely give the SP more then her "pay". Seems a little hypocritical in some ways if I am being politely honest. There is a lot of take take take but no room for give give give within the confines of the business transcation. Which creates a completely unequal dymanic between the parties.
Now to make this clear, I will give an example. I have no problem with and often do go over time. An hour is 90mins, 90mins is 2 hours, etc. There is about 30 mins of chit chat that is on my time. I have no problem giving that. That is me giving more of myself on my time/dime and is in apprecaition to the clients who come to see me. So that is my "give" and that is where the client takes. I can only give outside of the business transcation because everything within the transcation is already paid. A clients "give" would be inside the business transcation. Either by doing something for the lady during the paid time, or offering a tip/gift which adds to the business transcation by upping the value. That is the where the client "gives" and the SP takes. That is equal to me. That shows equality between the parties. You can't include the actual donation as that is the actual business transcation. That is not "giving" to the SP. That is paying her for her time and service.
What I am seeing with your posts is a whole heck of a lot of rules regarding the business transcation and what happens during that time - which is right and true - however I also see lots of willingness to take more if available. Again nothing wrong with that either. Just understand that is not equal between the parties and after time, an SP could be sick of giving and the client always taking. You may want to ask yourself where your giving is.
Now I know it could be said that your "giving" is in the massage, or the chat or the dinner being made, but that is simply not the case when we are talking SP/Client relationships. Taking me out for dinner is not a gift. I have friends who I go out to dinner with all the time. We flip who treats. That is equal friendship. Your pleasing conversation does not a gift make either. It is equally shared by the SP but since it is on her time, that is her "gift" to you. All these things you are willing to share with an SP OTC is not an equal give and take.
Just something I would think about. Because these gentlemen who are willing to give these things like cash value gifts, or tips or massages during the paid time is how some clients "give" back to the SP. Just like when a lady does something OTC, that is her "give". When both parties do these things, that is a proper equal give and take relationship. Anything solely on one side or the other is an unequal relationship and one party is left doing all the giving and the other is doing all the taking.
This dynamic is why most ladies will NOT do OTC anything. Because the client seems to feel that his "donation" or his equal conversation/shared meal, etc. is his act of giving and in reality, it is not.