Some participated, but others said that they weren't going to give up the names of their best clients so that others could go cherry picking.
Originally Posted by diud-diud
That particular risk is virtually non-existent, because we clients select whom to contact for an appointment, and any lady who really feared that isn't thinking clearly. To go cherry-picking, the other ladies would have to cold call some guy they'd never seen BCD before, soliciting an appointment. That appears to be exceedingly rare, as most ladies are too concerned about a negative reaction to cold call someone. (Not to mention that P4P is a business and, particularly in bad economic times, most ladies are just concerned about finding many acceptable clients, rather than a few great clients.) In fact, many are afraid to cold call even someone they've already seen BCD. Also, cherry-picking would only be successful (and thereby harm the lady who listed her "best clients") if that particular client was interested in the lady who cold called him. WALDT/CASG. Not to mention that even if Lady B successfully cold calls Joe Client, that doesn't mean that Lady A (who listed Joe as one of her favs) won't still get plenty of Joe's business. The very fact that she listed him as one of her favs may stroke his ego and result in him seeing Lady A more than he would have otherwise. Bottom line: Listing her favorite/best clients will not endanger her business
from those clients.
The real risk is the fragile egos of her
other clients. It's the guys she
leaves off her list of favorite/best clients who may have their feelings hurt as a result and be less likely to come back and see her again. "I thought she really liked me, but now I see that she doesn't. *sniff* "
Personally, I think that's a silly reaction and most experienced P4P clients should and would be able to deal with not being on the list. Even among our favorites/regulars, in the vast majority of cases we're valued and appreciated clients but not among her top 5 favorite clients. Even if we have healthy egos, it's a numbers game and most of her other clients are probably nice guys too. WALDT/CASG applies for the ladies as well. We
know all that. Leave us off her list? We would be surprised if she didn't and certainly not upset when she did.
But there are some clients who
would feel hurt and maybe less likely to return and see her again, at least as frequently. So, she strokes the ego of 5 guys and maybe gets a bit more business from them but risks losing (part of) the business from 20 other guys who thought they were one of her favorites.
The sensible thing to do is: (a) don't post anything publicly; and (b) privately tell each of the 25 guys that he's one of her top 5.