HOW TO START AND OPERATE A DATING AND ESCORT AGENCY
Starting and operating a successful Dating and Escort Service can
bring in $40,000 or more per year for the sharp, aggressive,
imaginative business person.
The secret to success with a business of this kind is advertising
that presents your services with a "show business" flair - while
still maintaining good taste.
Most successful Escort Services are natural expansions of
businesses begun originally as Introduction and Dating Services.
To get started, you need an impressive looking application form.
Research into a number of successful operations seems to indicate
that a four-page application works well.
This should be typeset with an attractive letterhead or company
masthead, folded in half to give the impression of a
'personnel file' upon printing.
Your best paper colors are either pale blue or ivory.
The better paper stock you can afford, the more impressive your
application will be, giving a greater aura of credibility to your
business, and thus to prospective clients.
In addition to the usual questions such as name, address,
telephone number, marital status, place of employment, hobbies,
likes and dislikes, your application should contain:
A short personality test which can be obtained with a bit of
research at your public library.
For ideas, samples, and even tests you can use intact, be sure to
check some of the women's magazines.
And don't discount the idea of registering at an already
established business of this type; or possibly you can see their
application form without actually involving yourself any further.
Or inquire among friends and acquaintances who have registered
with a dating or escort service.
Near the end of the application, you should include a short
paragraph pointing out the fact that your organisation, in
addition to bringing people together as a dating service, also
provides an escort service for out of town visitors and local
non-members.
You then pose the question: "Would you be interested in these
kinds of dates, which would include all expenses, and a minimum
fee of $50 for what usually amounts to a very delightful time with
an interesting person. Your only obligation ever is to be your
usual charming self and enjoy".
Just before or above the blank for your applicant's signature,
include a legal disclaimer to any responsibilities or promises
implied and/or not specifically stated within the application.
The building in which you locate: for this one, you'll need a
store-front office, and it should be in a better part of the area.
Try to select a site that is upbeat and attractive without being
"jivey" - one that would appeal to the more conservative or mature
as well as the younger generation.
Many of your clients are going to be mature, and be reminded, the
mature, intelligent sector of our society is "getting younger" and
more vigorous, "still interested in life" more than in years past.
In other words, the section where you locate should reflect a
modern attitude, but with solid values.
The reception area of your office should be large and comfortable,
with as expensive a look as you can manage.
Your receptionist is very important.
She should be attractive, with a vivacious and outgoing
personality.
She should be able to quickly put your prospective clients at
ease, and generally make them feel that belonging to your group is
going to be the beginning of happier times, fun, and lasting
friendships.
You should have at least two expensive looking picture scrapbooks
on the coffee table in your reception room.
These you can fill with portrait or candid shots of your members
and clients.
These pictures can pose a problem for you while you are in the
beginning stages, so don't hesitate to gather pictures of various
relatives, friends who are not necessarily located in your area -
or even visit a nearby college and ask if you can take some
photos.
You will need to get a release signed by each one, and you simply
explain that you are putting together a picture display book of
people in the area for the promotion of your business, and their
names and any other information will not be publicised or
released.
After your prospective client has filled out the application, the
next step is a personal interview.
Your office should be cosy and comfortable, but business like, and
you should arrange for uninterrupted time in complete privacy with
each person.
You should use this interview as the basis of your estimate of the
kind of person most likely to match this client.
Be empathetic with your clients; you are going to meet people who
are tired of the "dating game" as it is usually played out in
singles bars and unproductive groups they had joined before.
You might get added help in the interviewing by writing for
advertising material and brochures from similar services in other
areas, adapting any techniques you like to your own interviewing
process.
Most escort services we looked into publish a monthly newsletter
with tidbits of information.
Who's doing what, job changing, who's travelling, plus a listing
of upcoming events and activities.
Some of these newsletters feature 'girl and guy of the month',
with lots of pictures, involved in hobbies at home, and candid
shots of everyday life.
Usually, the escort service itself will sponsor an "all
membership" party about once every three months to introduce other
members and project a sense of "family" and belonging.
As we said earlier, advertising is the key to your success with
this project.
A small classified ad, run about for a week in the "Personal
Column" of your area newspaper should start the ball rolling.
Some ideas for pulling enquiries from men might read like this:
'Career woman, new to area, seeking dates with honest, fun loving
guys. Call Barbara, 555-432-3754'.
or
'Young recent divorcee ready to start dating again. Call Linda on
555-264-7453'.
And for attracting enquiries from women:
'Young business executive wants to meet eligible ladies. Call Ron
at 555-264-8643'.
or
'Active and ambitious young man wants to meet wholesome kind of
girl. Call Brian on 555-432-8743'.
At the time you have an ad of this type running, you'll want to
have bulletin board ads and notices everywhere, in a many company
newspapers as you can get into, and wherever people are most
likely to take notice.
This ad should be a straight advertisement inviting people to "get
out of the rate race" of the singles game by joining your
organisation.
You'll of course emphasize confidentially, respectability, and the
fact you only deal with people who are really serious about
meeting new friends and forming lasting relationships.
Your ads soliciting new members should tell readers you'll help
them meet new friends and enjoy dates with people, especially
matched to their own likes and dislikes.
A sense of fun and excitement should be conveyed, but at the same
time, honesty, respectability and trust.
You cannot use flashy headlines or pictures of models that give a
connotation of an invitation into the bedroom.
Write your ads from the point of view of the people you want to
sell to - build from what you believe to be their special wants,
and visualise their thinking.
Put yourself in the place of a prospective new member, and
understand that it takes a great deal of nerve, we might even call
it courage, to make that move to ask for help in dating - it is
generally easier to just let things slide along - stay in that
same old "rut" than to ask for help - and risk disappointment.
You'll have to have a "planned explanation" when people call in to
answer to your ads.
Quickly get the name and phone number, ask a few questions, and
set up an appointment for him or her to come into your office.
When you are in the interview, be bright, inviting, but factual
and brief, and don't lose control of the conversation.
Best to have your questions and answers written out in the order
that works best to pull the prospect into your office, and then
follow it to the letter.
When you're ready to expand with Escort Services, get the word out
to all the likely places where people wanting these services will
see your ads or hear about you in friend-to-friend conversation.
Have some interesting posters made up inviting people to call
asking about your charming escorts for every occasion - dinner
dates, banquets, parties, theatre dates, dancing and special
occasions.
Try to get one of these up on the wall at the airport, train and
bus stations, and in the better hotel lobbies in your area -
anywhere where travellers are likely to notice them.
Run a regular ad in your Thursday and Friday papers, and also in
the Yellow Pages.
Pass out business cards to all the car rental agencies and the
restaurants near the travel centers and to anyone and everyone
having anything to do with convention or tourist arrangements in
your area.
You will have to experiment and test to determine the right fee to
charge for providing an escort, but with most escort services, the
minimum is $100 plus all expenses.
This is a business that will provide pleasure and profit to a
person who is outgoing, fun-loving, gregarious, but who is
sensitive to the needs of others, and enjoys seeing people 'get a
new start', or seeing more reserved ones 'come out of their
shells'.
