Recently I went to two strip clubs with a friend who had several hundred dollars of cash earmarked for lap dances. When we arrived to the establishments, we noticed two things: 1. A room full of guys who were staring at the stage with blank looks on their faces, NOT buying dances. 2. Twenty girls standing along the wall talking to each other with scowls on their faces.
It reminded me of the chicken and the egg question…which one came first? The bored customer or the frustrated dancer? I’m pretty sure the guy who paid for cover charge and the overpriced drink didn’t walk into the strip club with the intention of being bored or ignored…..why is he watching the game on TV? Could it be that hardly anyone has smiled at him or welcomed him to the club? Why are his arms crossed? Maybe he feels uncomfortable and is dreading the inevitable “Wanna Dance?” that he knows is coming? Even as nice as he can possibly be with “Maybe later” or “No thank you” is met with anger and a side of mental beat down?
After we sat down, let our eyes adjust, and ordered our first drink one of the entertainers who had been standing along the wall sauntered over to our table, leaned down in between us with her hands on the table and said, “You guys want to dance?” We looked at each other, my friend smiled and said, “We haven’t even met you yet.” I guess the thought of having a 2 song conversation with us wasn’t nearly as attractive as standing along the wall with folded arms, because she just stomped back to her friends. In a busy club situation, “Wanna Dance” sometimes works…but it certainly wasn’t appropriate for this particular evening. We left that club with a wallet full of Money because we didn’t “Wanna Dance”. We wanted an experience, and nobody knew how to get the money we brought with us!
How sad! Clients with money to spend in hand leave the club with money they wanted to spend because dancers were either too lazy or unskilled to take it? Say it isn’t so!
More importantly- whose job is it to turn things around? The customer, the club, or the entertainers? Are these poor suckers just horny ATM machines, or are they people? Do they deserve a show, or should we just hit them up for cash and be mean to them when they don’t hand it over the first time we ask with no sales skills??
The Art of the Introduction
How do you introduce yourself to customers? I find it’s easiest to start with a Tie Down with a Sullivan Nod before I even give my name, “I should probably fill your empty lap, huh?” is what I like to say. This gives me immediate feedback because I didn’t ask for a dance. If he invites me to sit down, that means he is probably interested in buying a dance. If he waves me away, then that just saved me the time! Most importantly here, if I’m not sitting down, I’m NICE and respectful of his choice. Maybe he will change his mind later, but for now he’s letting me know to focus somewhere else.
Be sure to assess your customer’s personality type before you approach him, and use your introduction dialogue to read into him even more. Is he speaking loudly or softly? Does he use his hands actively or is he passive? If you know what you are looking for you can use the proper method to greet him individually in a way that he will respond positively. Remember you only have one chance to make a first impression!
Keep the Vibe Alive
To create a fun positive vibe remember to say the words Awesome, fantastic, and wonderful when describing yourself. It may be a challenge at first. Its a matter of reprogramming the way you think, which is why it seems so strange. Remember when all you know is wrong….right will seem wrong to you. Especially if you have been doing the wrong thing for a long time. Start mastering this right away because it will take the most effort to make the switch for “Eh, I’m okay how are you” to “I had an awesome day!” in the beginning. They payoff though will be amazing when you see the look on customer’s faces that you are awesome, fantastic or wonderful after all the other girls said “Wanna Dance” or “Eh, my rent is late” Start doing this right away and you will see results fast. People want to hang out with other people who are Awesome Fantastic and wonderful… so catch yourself before you tip a negative hand to start the conversation right away.
