by Rob Paterson
March 27, 2008 at 2:01 pm
· Filed under Escorts, Personal Branding
A year or so ago, my sister Diana and I were writing a series on courtesans – we were exploring the unconventional aspects of relationships where some women had the upper hand. Where they used their minds and their innate understanding of men to gain power and an independent life. Women like Madame de Stael or Pamela Harriman.
As I posted, my blog was discovered by a leading light in the escort community – Yes a Governer Spitzer kind of escort but one with the difference that at the really high end, women like the English Courtesan work for themselves only.
The English Courtesan – whom I regret I have never met – is a true advocate of the culture of social media is excellent at connecting with her own world.
Here is a taste as she introduces some of her friends. As you can see, Blogging has become a central tool in the highly personal branding that the high end woman of the world has to have. I love her “About” page too.
The other blogs may surprise you – here is a link to a video of one of the women introducing an artist at a reading dinner. Why might she do this? Because I think at the high end, the real appeal is that they offer warmth and intellect as well as the obvious. This is miles away from CW!
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Thank you so much Rob – I am blushing and beaming at being called such delightful things! Like you I thought Joyce’s video was tremendously appealing and she would certainly make a superb high end courtesan in my view should she ever decide to follow that particular path. A sense of humour and the ability to laugh at oneself, as well as the warmth and intellect you mention, are essential attributes for both enjoyment and survival in this line of work.
Social media is a fascinating topic and I love your writings on the subject. Having a blog, being on MySpace and/or appearing in videos certainly have their risks, as Ashley Alexander Dupre has amply demonstrated, but you’re right that they can also serve a very positive purpose in terms of communicating a brand.
In my case, the blog is the only real branding I have. I don’t send out photos, for reasons of safety and discretion. What someone reads on the blog really is the only reason why they might proceed to a booking.
That may seem peculiar, in that most people assume that seeing an escort is a purely physical thing, so the portrayal of physical attributes, by way of photos, would be of paramount importance. Yet the blog works for me and I’ve spoken to other blogging escorts who tell me that their blog is their most significant source of referrals, in comparison to website adverts, print adverts and other ’static’ media forms.
However I also think there’s an interesting line between a blog that is real and honest and a blog that is pure branding in an overt advertising sense. A genuine blog, that’s true to who you are and what you believe, can be a valuable source of the right type of clients, but a blog that is unappealing, whether overly image conscious, snobbish, badly spelt or garish in terms of photos and colours, can put people off.
On that note, I am off to peruse your archives! An initial glance earlier suggested it might be time to upload my dulcit tones to Vocalo…or in the interests of discretion maybe not… 
Livvy xxx
Hi Livvy great to see you here – I see a book that you might write – How the Oldest Profession was changed by Blogging – really.
Escort 2.0! Where the relationship is more complete than the traditional transaction
Oprah is waiting for you
Rob
What a fascinating idea Rob – I am whooping with laughter at the thought of Escort 2.0 but you are so right! Blogging has changed the nature of this business is so many ways, both positive (blogs as a cost-effective way to build a relationship with potential clients) and negative (the raids by the media on Kristen’s MySpace pages in the wake of the Eliot Spitzer scandal). I find myself hoping that one day you’ll persuade Diana to write her memoirs and publish extracts on the web – I just know she will make compelling reading.
Perhaps one of the biggest changes of Escort Web 2.0 is that girls’ voices are suddenly being heard. One of things I like about the courtesan and escort blogs I read is the sheer diversity, of girls, of rates, of voices. Some share information, others market, a few rant, some write erotica, many post pictures, a few confess, and there’s room for it all on the Web. Blogging has come to serve a multitude of purposes for escorts, whether marketing, informative, social or psychological.
Another aspect I think is interesting is the number of client blogs out there, usually anonymous as with escorts. I’m thinking of some of the boys on my blogroll who use their blogs to share tips on discretion, views on the politics and legalities of escorting, recommendations of girls, and more. I think Escort 2.0 started with mostly escort girls, but now clients have joined in too.
On that note I must go and return Oprah’s call – rumour has it she doesn’t like to be kept waiting…
Livvy xxx
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