I think rates are a personal matter.
I don't think it's based on supply and demand, because even if there are 5 ladies in a given area, there is someone that's not getting any business, and there is one that's getting all the business. This is a luxury industry, and if you're the flavor of the day, then capitalize on it.
While I agree with Old-T that factors like looks, activities, ambiance, and attitude should be determining factors for your rates, intelligence, reputation, and having direction are factors for success.
Price, age and the area have nothing to do with success in this industry. Kymber has the right idea.
Marketing, intelligence, and connecting on many levels with my targeted client base.
As far as the article is concerned, I agree that basing your rates off the current norm in the area is not the smartest idea. Neither is working just to sustain yourself, so that formula can go to hell. That is a load of crap, especially in this industry. Like Old-T said, this is a free market. But when you talk about the business end of this industry, those that know better do better. Most ladies start in this arena in different ways, and most under the tutelage of a man that thinks about this business in a different way than it's supposed to be thought about.
And mostly, we think about the industry by way of what we believe is possible. And what's possible for one lady is not possible for every lady. And on the other side of that coin, some ladies are so limited in their thinking that they'll never know what's possible beyond what is currently happening for them.
Asking us to all raise our prices assumes that we all have the same work ethic, reputation, and understanding about the business. I'm going to say this again: raising rates should be an INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS DECISION based on your current growth. If you are getting too many LEGITIMATE requests at your current rate structure, a slight raise may lower the number of requests, or probably raise them depending on your current work ethic.
The threads about GPS trying to get girls to lower their rate only work on the ladies that don't know the truth... It's a novel idea Krystl, but this is an individual journey, and not everyone's experience is the same. When ladies raise their rates, it'll be on their own terms.
I applaud you for doing some reseach!