As a sex worker of any kind, it is important to be able to find your target audience and market to them. Everyone has a market and has the ability to find the people who will spend the most money. So many of those people who give advice to strippers and sex workers on how to make money focus on things that people cannot change. I hear over and over, that if you are of a woman of color you are less likely to make money, or if you are tattooed you are less likely to make money, or if you have colored hair you are less likely to make money.
I can tell you that none of those things really matter, and you can make yourself marketable despite your looks.
You don’t need to have huge fake boobs or be a blonde to make money. You need to understand your base demographic and what they spend money on. Then you can cater more to them. Marketers study demographics and learn what appeals to each group of people, so businesses can use different tactics to appeal to them. This is key to making money off of your looks and personality in sex work.
If you are slim and appear young, most likely your client base will be older men. Learn what they like and what appeals to them. They may be interested in politics more than sports, and may like when you wear pink or light nail polish more than dark. They are coming from a different age, and are not used to the trends for women that we are. If you are thick you might appeal more to an urban male demographic, which means you should likely dance to music that fits that demographic, and can be more trendy with your nails and hair, because that is what that demographic is attracted to.
Sales demographics can often come across purely as racist. Take a peek into a college marketing book and you will see the blatant racial demographics that are used and how marketers sell to each of these groups. Groups are separated into standards for each race, which many within those racial groups may not follow. Generally, I am not sure how accurate the racial demographic research is, and how much of it stems from stereotypes and the amount of hatred that has been placed into our media against people of color and other target demographics.
A more realistic marketing tool in my eyes is generational demographics. Each generation is more susceptible to a different style of sales tactics. If you work on the internet or in a club it is likely you will be in contact right now with people from age 18 to 80. It is important to know how each of these demographics interact with sellers and how they consume, if you want to sell them your product (which in this case is your physical being and time).
Three generations you will interact most with through any modern form of sex work are Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials. Here is a quick breakdown of selling to each of these groups.
Baby Boomers: They were born between 1945 and 1964 (so in 2018 they are about 50-70 years old), in one of the most relaxed and thriving financial times in America. There was not a major financial crash during this time, and family values were very important. Think—the kids of a 1950s housewife. They care heavily about conservative and puritanical family values in their public lives, which often make them optimal customers. In this generation, white men rule, and there was little space in the workplace for women and people of color, giving white males a huge economic advantage. (In other words, they are the old white men with money.)
Generally, Boomers do not have a good conveyance of sexual energy in their own lives, because of both shame and their conservatism. When they go into a space with sex workers, women who are free with their sexual energy, they are more likely to spend more money for less work, because they are not used to having that openness in their sexuality, which they want to explore. However, they are also more likely to become abusive and controlling, because of their pent up energy.
Marketing yourself to Baby Boomers: This generation has been shaped by a media that generally only portrayed a eurocentric standard form of beauty. Slim, caucasian women generally appeal to this demographic, but slim women of color also appeal to men in this generation, as a form of exoticness they can handle. Their first TV crushes were Farrah Fawcett and the like, but they also fantasized over the Naomi Campbell’s of the world. Though they are not likely to have relationships with women of color, they are likely to pay women of color for sexual and emotional services. This generation is before Hip Hop being a large part of mainstream culture, and does not like Rap music, twerking, or Big Booties. Also they have not adapted to anything of an alternative culture, such as tattoos, colored or very short hair, or dark nail polish. They like feminine women, hair past the shoulders in natural colors, lingerie, and light pastel colors.
Generation X: This generation turns 36-49 in 2018 and is much more open to diversity than their predecessors. This generation was more likely than not raised by divorced parents, and have a worldview that is more open to people of color. Rap music was available to them as well as rock music, and both were pushed heavily by MTV which they grew up on. This generation was fed knowledge and entertainment through standard sources, so they still have some level of conservatism, but are much more open to people from different backgrounds. In this generation, you will see more wealthy black and hispanic men, who generally dress in button downs, and either expensive (gucci style) loafers, or high end sneakers. This generation is starting to become more successful in their careers, which allows them to spend more money more frequently. Gen Xers are not stuck in the enormous college loans that started in the early 2000s, so they are often educated without a great level of debt.
Marketing to Gen X: This generation is more diverse, so there will be more diversity in marketing to them. Overall, they respond well to women who appear to be happy. Smiling, making eye contact with them, and speaking with them, will generally be very effective. This generation likes one on one, face to face communication, but has also been influenced by the digital age, and have a highly visual sense of communication as well. Therefore, in this generation, looks are very important, though a wider range of attributes are more acceptable than boomers. This is the generation who will not be afraid of your blinged out stiletto nails, and neon rhinestone outfit. Actually they may like it. This generation is accepting to a more diverse group of bodies as well, from slim to thick, but generally any woman with an hourglass body shape (whether natural or enhanced).
Millennials: This generation of 21 to 35 year olds in 2018, is highly influenced by social media and the internet and has the ability to gain their own knowledge. This is a generation that is much more sexually free than their predecessors, and was sexualized at a younger age, due to the prevalence of internet porn and a more sexualized media. This generation expects more from women than simply a smile or their presence to spend money. Also, this generation is early in their career, and if they are educated, they have a high level of student debt, which prevents them from spending vasts amounts of money. The largest spenders in this category are tech nerds and those involved in hip hop culture (including rappers, promoters, and drug dealers).
Marketing to Millennials: This generation generally is highly visual, and is generally more accepting of women who do not fit the “girl next door” stereotype. This generation is more interested in women with surgical enhancements, very long hair extensions, and theatrical outfits. These men are used to “insta-perfect” models, and do not want to spend their money on women they believe are less than that. They are also much more interested in stage shows, and almost all millennials favor Rap music in some form, from radio rap to underground. This generation also values an online brand, and will spend more on women who have beautiful photos on the internet and a large amount of followers. Also, this generation offers an opportunity for online modeling and selling companionship services completely online, without having to meet in person. Of course always be mindful of protecting your safety.
Overall each group of clients has a “type”, or a product they are more likely to buy, because of either how it looks, what it does, or how it is presented to hem. If you are selling yourself as a woman and as a person, you need to be mindful that there is only so much you can change about yourself and the way you present yourself. You are still being yourself. So if you can find which target demographic you are able to market yourself to more easily, this can make it much easier for you to make more sales, and have better relationships with your clients, without feeling forced to completely change who you are.
Demographic information from: https://bigarrowgroup.com/connect-at-any-age/