In This Issue…
Seasons Greetings
Hello Everyone,
Well, another busy month has come and gone and Exotic Publishing is growing each day. EP's next level of growth is upgrading to a brand new website that will be launching in the next few weeks.
I'd like to take this time to thank Stevie and Maleika for helping me design this amazing new look for Exotic Publishing.
Why is this important to you?
Because Exotic Publishing draws in customers who are seeking escorts agencies, and this may eventually help to further enhance your escort agency.
Our growth will also take us one step closer to offering you more of the resources and tools you need to help you run a successful escort agency.
Our other goal is to help change the escort industry to become more professional and well accepted, and we can already see changes such as the 2nd International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.
As the holidays are approaching and because my next ezine won't come out until the beginning of January 2005, I would like to take this time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah and a very very Happy New Year for 2005 !
All the best and stay warm and healthy
Michelle
Return To TopEscorts Come & Go
Last month. I provided you with just some of ways to hire good phone people so you can expand your agency and give you free time to breath. This month I want to discuss with you how to hire good escorts and how to keep them working for you.
There will always be a lot more turnover with escorts than you want, because that is simply the nature of the business. The trick is to always be advertising and interviewing, while keeping as many escorts staying with you as possible.
Heidi Fleiss, in the book "In Defense of Prostitution", reported that even in the most established and prestigious agencies, a handful of escorts left each and every week. However, since they were always hiring, fours times as many escorts were around to pick up on those shifts.
While interviewing you have to be careful to treat all potential escorts with respect and dignity because people who are treated with respect and are required to treat others in their workplace with respect, are much more likely to respect themselves.
Also, don't be too picky when deciding who to hire because not all escorts are gorgeous.
Turning away an escort because she is not YOUR type is not good business sense. Not every customer expects or even wants a supermodel. In fact, some of my best escorts were "girl next door" types.
There is almost always a demand for every area such as mature, overweight or small-busted escorts. Having the broadest selection possible will be the best way to serve your customers.
My recently launched brand new manual, "How to Become an Escort", is a great tool for any agency owner to have at his or her disposal. Many people who are opening their own escort agency or already have an agency are running to grab it.
It is full of information your escorts can use to stay safe, healthy and to be the best they can be for themselves, the agency and your customers.
I detail many ways an escort can learn to treat herself and your clients in such a manner that will ensure her success. Remember, her success ensures your success, because this means more repeat customers, happier escorts, and more money for you!
For a lot more information on how to advertise for escorts, plus interviewing, hiring and managing them, I refer you to Volume 2 - The Escort Section.
This volume will provide you with the girls' application plus many other forms and information needed to learn how to take care of one of your most valuable staff, your escorts.
Return To TopBringing in the Money
I know many of you struggle with finding reliable and secure ways in which to accept money from your customers without jeopardizing your business.
How does one jeopardize their business you ask?
Unfortunately a lot of banks won't give you a merchant account because you run an adult business.
I know it was very hard for me to keep my merchant numbers when I ran my escort agencies and I eventually had to find other companies that would run my credit card calls through for me.
First the company had to "fit the bill" by using their merchant numbers in the same way an escort agency would, then I had to pay them a HUGE percentage and trust that they would be honest and cut me a check for the money I had made the previous week.
Escort agencies and escorts were so happy when they came across PayPal, but now with PayPal's negative publicity regarding their $9+ million dollar law suit (Read all about it),and the fact that they are closing down all adult accounts, people are turning to more reliable forms of accepting payment.
So, I've worked hard to find you a solution for your merchant account problems and I've come up with a company that specializes in providing merchant accounts not only for mainstream companies, but also for all different types of adult businesses such as escorts and escort agencies. The bottom line is, you need to have total control over your own merchant account.
Even though the rates are slightly higher then what mainstream companies would pay and as you know, this can't be helped because you are in the adult industry, this company still provides competitive rates and good customer service. Customer service really matters when dealing with all types of companies, but especially when they are handling your money.
So, e-mail me directly when you are seeking a merchant account and even if you already have a merchant account, but want to find out if you can get a better rate with another merchant account company, e-mail me and we will see what we can do for you.
It's also a very good idea to have at least one more merchant account as backup just in case.
I guarded my merchant numbers like they were gold and I highly recommend you do the same, because if you do something to upset the banks, you will be blacklisted and never be able to get a merchant account again.
Remember, around 50% of your business is brought in via credit cards and you need to accept all the major credit cards, not just one or two.
You won't be bringing in the kind of money you could be if you aren't accepting credit cards and your escorts won't view you as a professional agency if you aren't running your business in a professional manner.
Return To TopHistoric Courtesans
The Pyramid Builder - Rhodopis
Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only the pyramids of Egypt remain standing today and according to legend, one of them was built for the famous prostitute Rhodopis.
Originally a Greek slave, Rhodopis lived in the sixth century B.C.
During her childhood she worked in the same household as the slave Aesop, the renowned author of fables. She was eventually taken to Egypt to work as a prostitute.
In what is surely one of history's greatest true love stories, a Greek wine merchant named Charaxus became so enamored with Rhodopis, that he paid a huge sum of money to buy her freedom. Charaxus was the brother of the famous poetess Sappho who wrote a poem chastising him for this deed.
Charaxus eventually returned to Greece, while Rhodopis continued working as a high-class prostitute in Egypt. She amassed vast fame and fortune and according to the historian Herodotus, every Greek soon knew her name.
In addition to these facts, there are many legends about Rhodopis.
One popular tale says she singlehandedly financed the construction of her own pyramid. Another states that a Pharaoh built a pyramid in her honor. Herodotus himself claimed that Rhodopis donated a great number of "iron beef spits" to the shrine in Delphi which was an impressive contribution in those days.
Rhodopis is also the central character of an Egyptian fairy tale similar to "Cinderella". In it, an eagle steals a slipper from Rhodopis and deposits it before the Pharaoh Amasis.
There is no way to know which of these stories are true, but we can be certain that the extraordinary prostitute Rhodopis exerted a profound influence on the ancient world.
"Hooker Heroes" by Blake L. Wilfong
Return To Top Monthly Legal Plans
One of the most important services we need when being in the escort industry is legal protection.
While nothing is ever fool-proof, not having a lawyer on retainer is a BIG MISTAKE !
I never had a legal plan I could pay into monthly that would keep me protected. If I had, I would have saved a fortune on legal fees of all kinds. I'm not just talking about needing a criminal lawyer you can call on at the drop of a hat for agency issues, but also any landlord issues (both residential and commercial), my will, real estate (for when you buy your house), family/divorce and even commercial/corporate issues that any professional escort agency may need help with.
Unfortunately a lot of lawyers just love to take advantage of people who are desperate and in need and when they smell adult entertainment money, it gets even worse.
I'm not going to go into all the horror stories I went through with all different types of lawyers I hired, but there are plenty to go around and almost everyone knows someone who has been ripped off or lied to by a lawyer. The reason I'm telling you this is because I found this legal plan that protects me from unethical lawyers and for that reason alone, I feel everyone should have this plan.
When you are interested in protecting yourself, your business, your family (kids and all) and even your escorts, come to me and I will put you in touch with someone who knows the ins and outs of which legal plan is best for you.
So, e-mail me when you want more information. It's never too late to start protecting yourself. Don't make the same mistake I did and leave things until the last minute.
Return To TopFeatured Article
What do you want in your Dream Web Site?
If you could have a dream web site, what would it do for you???
Please e-mail me with your thoughts and vision.
Thank you
Michelle
