DEAR HATERS — and hello to my wonderful darlings who are probably curiously reading this: you get the best version of me now, enjoy ;)
I was told, “Oh no, you shouldn’t do it.” “You’re not as young as you were.” “You’ll lose business.” “Clients will stop seeing you.”
Well, one week in and SO MUCH HAS CHANGED….
For the better!! Between LeoList and terb, I could easily spend $100 in a day (although terb doesn’t have a daily amount, do the math and it works out much cheaper than LeoList, there are other reasons why I’m done with them that I will explain later in this post). Terb charges approximately $3-6 per day for an independent SP without a banner. LeoList is highway robbery; you have to first pay for the original ad, which is about $10 CAD (LL uses Euros). But you can’t just pay for that small of an amount unless you go through the headache of buying LiteCoin cryptocurrency and then transferring it to your LL account. So whichever app/company you use to buy LiteCoin and the app/company you use for your LiteCoin wallet each have to get paid a fee of up to $2.
LeoList also has all these other charges built in so you’re stuck in seemingly never ending cycle of buying crypto and spending it on LL to “bump” your ad; simply put, to place it in front of everyone else’s on the first page. I almost wonder that some of these “fake” accounts clients are subject to are, in reality, LeoList bots that ensure that the advertisers have to pay more money to keep their ad on the first page. LL actually even has a package where you can purchase time slots for x number of hours for your ad to remain on page 1. Not sure if there is a way to monitor/regulate this to make sure that LL isn’t doing this — or if it’s even illegal. It costs for “bumps” and the minimum number you can purchase is a package of 2 bumps for a little over $10. Im comparison, Backpage was a one time fee of about $10, and then $2 to bump. But times have changed!
So, at this point, if I bought my two ads, the fees associated with using crypto, and two bumps to get my ad onto the first page — I’ve already spent almost $30. The package to keep your ad on the first page is a minimum 3 hour purchase that costs you approximately $4.50. The cute function that gives you a different shade for your ad and an emoji in the top right corner is also a minimum 3 hour purchase for $6.28. The “carousel” feature that puts all your photos on a continuous moving reel and slightly larger than the average ad will run you $1.84 for three hours. The sash that declares you available (and adds you to a special list of available escorts) is $0.68/hr. $1.78 gets you an hour of having a “Featured Ad” where you get to be one of two special ads with coloured text of your choosing that break the regular ads into blocks of about 10-15. Then, last, but definitely not least…my ABSOLUTELY LEAST FAVOURITE: the ability to use emojis in your ad headline. It only costs $1.36/24 hours. So if you choose each of the minimum lengths of the features (and terb’s $6/day, which only allows you to post one ad each day) you’re spending $50, give or take. Every. Single. Day. #fuckLeoList #boycottterb
Ahhhh, Terb. The Toronto Escort Review Board. Once upon a time this page was almost sacred to me and mostly everyone I knew in the industry. Unlike Lyla, formerly CERB, the Canadian Escort Recommendation Board, the Review board allowed for negative things to be said when discussing an SP, making it more “honest” and allowing others to get a whole picture of someone, not just the “rosy” parts. This is why Lyla was nicknamed the “rosy board”; only recommendations are allowed, negative information or criticism is deleted.
Once upon a time not long ago (about 2013-2016) I revered the classy gents of the Terb board. Some of them were my absolute favourite clients of all time. Okay, honestly, some of the Terb board members are still some of faves, but they make up a much smaller percentage than before. Terb used to be my go-to for everything when I was first starting out. I asked about the best way to way to write ads, I did my research to learn about things clients loved and things they hated, I engaged regularly answering questions about myself and on behalf of the girls I worked with. And although the threads have mysteriously all been deleted…I had my good reviews and my not so good reviews. But even those who didn’t like me still respected me. There wasn’t any of the crass, vulgar play by plays that somehow slip through the cracks in Terb’s mod team.
I’m shocked and disgusted that not even 12 hours after my advertising status had expired a few months ago, in the middle of the night, no less — Mods saw fit to erase everything I had written on my profile, deeming it “promotional”. I fail to see how asking if one prefers dessert before dinner is a huge MISS KATHRYN banner…or past dates and times I had been available for…yet my website and Twitter account are allowed and asked for fields on my profile. Censorship, in the strangest, most nonsensical form…
Then there are these reviews that are allowed to remain on a provider’s thread for weeks that are obviously fake. I understand that everyone has their first review. But for a user to start his Terb membership by giving me a 10/10 for communication, 10/10 on location yet a 3/10 for my looks as his first and sole contribution seems clear enough to me that it is not a real review — it’s someone with some kind of vendetta. I’m clearly shown, from the top of my head down to my feet, smile on full display in my ads, on my website and on my Twitter. I’ve been recognized by kindergarten classmates is how much my looks have changed over the years. A 3/10 suggests that I was clearly not their type — so why did they book with me at all?
Another questionable decision on behalf of the Terb team is that of the many reviews that once existed of Guilty Pleasures’s girls (the girls who worked with me at the agency I founded and ran in 2013/2014) have almost all been deleted, as have many of the old ads I had written. Sure, it’s been nearly a decade — however, Terb has kept reviews and ads that were older.
Maybe I’m reading too much into all this. However, when you’re in my position, attempting to connect and communicate with clients, after having recently lost almost the entire life I knew…I question most things more mindfully and intentionally.
I questioned deposits and the intense, extensive screening that is much more prevalent now than it was before my hiatus. When I make decisions regarding my interactions with my clients, know that I don’t “jump first, ask questions later”. I make sure that the decisions are based on getting information from as many sources as I can and on my comfort level with the outcomes that may occur.
LoL…
Back to the past week, since I have implemented a higher rate for new clients and a lower one for my old and new regulars alike for the month of May. I certainly didn’t want to push away those who I cherish; and instead am attempting to show them appreciation. I hate feeling transactional and being lowballed and the attempts at negotiating my boundaries so my minimum time for new clients is one hour. It’s kind of the only length of appointment for new clients unless they are willing to send a $10 deposit via crypto, e-transfer, or Amazon gift card code. Two of three of these methods are extremely discreet and not any more traceable than cash; e-transfers are sent to a random e-mail that is not associated with me or anything really in particular. I wouldn’t invest in my website, my Twitter, and my advertising if I wasn’t real; if you aren’t willing to invest $10 of the over $300 cost you’re undertaking—that’s a red flag. Why not just take the hour appointment?
This past week the days I didn’t use LeoList or Terb were much less stressful and hectic. The days I had lovely advanced bookings (even if only a day in advance) I was relaxed and my phone wasn’t ringing off the hook. I did have some cancellations but CANCELLATIONS — not no call, no show. Life happens, I totally get that. But have the courtesy to take a minute to let me know you can’t make it and if you can’t be contacted back due to the situation, rather than block me and leave me hanging — just say you can’t make it and you will reach out when you are free to do so. I have always respected others’ privacy and discretion — as I want mine respected as well.
So I’m thinking I am going to keep my new adjustments. I will continue to offer a LOWER price on one hour appointments to clients who I have seen at least once in 2022, and I will offer repeat clients the option of shorter, quickie appointments. First time clients I want an hour to get to know you and knowing you’ll respect my boundaries is the only way you’ll set foot in my bedroom.
Have a fantastic weekend and Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas out there ❤️❤️
✗ღ
Kathryn
