Does anyone still advertise in print? Am i the last one?

[Michael Wayne]

I have been thinking alot lately about the amazing changes in our industry and the profound changes that technology has played in all of this. I have a very liberal advertising budget because every escort knows that no ad ever fails. If it brings in one client it more than pays for itself. My secret over the years has been to buy escort ads INSTEAD of stocks because I go for the sure thing. I know that as long as the ads are out there the clients will call and I will make money provided I still look good, stay in shape and my dick does not shrink (lol, horrible recurring nightmare) But seriously, is it time to pull the plug on print. I love our local gay bar rag and I personally like the owners there. They give amazing personal service but honestly I cannot remember the last client who came from print. I do not know why this choice is hard for me- I mean it is just business, right? But- I got my start in print when I was just a littly puppy in a magazine called ,"David," and a publication called, "Hotspots," in South Florida. I made some serious dough from them. Then in Texas I made a killing in the T.w.i.t. (This week in Texas) publication. Now, "Ambush," here in Nola . It seems that just as Manhunt is putting many gay bars out of business that m4rn and rb are doing the same to print. This is the way of things- progress I guess. final thought: to me, and many clients have told me this, when a guy advertises in print it gives a sense of legitimacy to the guy and an accountability. I always like to tell potential clients to ask about me, ask around, check out who publishes my ad. they know me. anyway, ESCORTS please respond and CLIENTS you weigh in too. http://www.rentboy.com/mikey9nola1

[orbital sander]

Print...what is that??

[Guest countryboywny]

There's one thing to consider. Print ads in gay oriented papers are usually available in bars and clubs. A potential customer may not have his computer with him when the mood strikes, but he can pick up a paper anywhere.

[+ Charlie]

When visiting NYC recently, I didn't have access to a computer, so I picked up one of the local mags. The pickin's were pretty slim in the "escort" and "models" ads.

[leigh.bess.toad]

Hey Mikey -- I think it could be useful, but only a small, and I mean very small, part of the advertising. Now if you were able to take out a front page ad on the Times-Picayune that would be another. And I'd want a copy of that edition.

[+ Travis69]

I know a few people, mainly married men, who don't want the history of going to a website like Rentboy, etc on their computer so they only use print publications. Do you ask each client where they obtained your ad? Perhaps some are still coming from the print publication.

[Michael Wayne]

yes, i always ask where the client found me if they do not offer that info upfront which most do. Usually, also, the ones who don't want a record of rent boy on the computer would never be caught DEAD in a gay bar or club! We even took out a YELLOW PAGES ad last year at some expense and recieved only 12 booking for the year from it. I do better with reccomendations from the hotel concierges. Print is dead and the mention of slim pickings in nyc print ads confirms this. for the record I would love to show my cock on the front page of the Times Picayune ! but that ain't happenin. Let us all attend the funeral of print media

[josephga]

My print ads for massage always did really well. normally atlanta davids magazine was in a rack outside the clubs door. i advertised in hotspots too during the time it was offered in Atlanta. normally the mags went out on weds and id be getting calls the next day. Even after I had ads on line with massage m4m and masseur finder i still advertised in print once a month

[+ Travis69]

In DC you can find the Washington Blade on the street in racks, in restaurants, and many non-bar type of establishments. People can pick it up without going into a gay bar/club. I asked one guy in DC and he said 50% of his business comes from the Blade. Perhaps the paper in NO needs better circulation and easier access.

[josephga]

In DC you can find the Washington Blade on the street in racks, in restaurants, and many non-bar type of establishments. People can pick it up without going into a gay bar/club. I asked one guy in DC and he said 50% of his business comes from the Blade. Perhaps the paper in NO needs better circulation and easier access.

 

yup same thing with southern voice. also Atlanta had creative loafing which was in the book store resturants and blockbuster video.

[nate_sf]

I suppose it depends on the publication. I got my start with the Bay Area Reporter (BAR) in SF years years ago, and at the time it worked well. But a few months ago I experimented and ran a line ad for a few weeks, and I don't think I got any appointments from it. There were a few calls, but nothing successful. One guy called and wanted to aggressively bargain, another was a no-show. So all in all, not successful. The BAR also puts their print ads online, but I don't get the sense very many people check the online listings compared to other more established sites like rentboy. Maybe if the papers did a joint arrangement with an established website, like running the same ad simultaneously in the paper and on rentboy, there could be some opportunities there for those spontaneous bar calls, but I'm not aware of anything like that.

[Mocha]

anyway, ESCORTS please respond

 

Thanks Mikey for bringing this up!...but it was craigslist and backpage that took over newspaper and 'back of the page' listings as we know it. I only been escorting for 2 years, so cant really chime in on how it was back then, but I do know 1 thing...

 

Craigslist was like the public newspaper/magazine and what did they do? They shut it down. And I am so angry that they would allow that to happen. No matter how many times craigslist is shunned on this site, I met so many (decent) clients from there. Many of the clients from there are not aware of men4rent and especially rentboy (which is becoming less and less profitable for me). Before they shut it down, I would literally get a client nearly every morning, either before or during lunch time. The straight and closeted men really had nowhere else to go, and craigslist was it.

 

As for being lowrent, it was...but I would not offer the same sexperience as a $200 men4rent would. And most times, there was no sex involved, it'd just be getting naked with another guy and jerking off to porn. I dont mind doing that for $100. It was less work, so it was only fair to offer a lower rate, and vice versa.

 

So what are we stuck with now? Sites like Backpage just dont have the traffic craigslist have, adam4adam will always be a cheap fuck site, and there's all these wanna-be craigslist sites popping up that have no traffic but escorts themselves. And the casual encounter section is worthless as you get flagged every 10 minutes anyhow.

 

Although I have noticed an increase in men4rent clients since craigslist gone, there is still the lack of spontaneous afternoon bookings that used to happen. It used to be that there was rarely ever a day I'd worry about money, but now I find myself frantic alot more days because not only do I have to wait for someone who already knows men4rent exist, I also have to wait for them to come up with $200 to book me. And to sell myself for craigslist rates on men4rent make me look bad.

[Michael Wayne]

I thank everyone for the contributions. So we will conclude print is not dead but rather on life support except for DC. Mochas' words are particularly interesting and profound. Mocha- here is a tip: use craigslist THERAPEUTIC services. That is where those type of clients call from now. Keep the ad real clean and they will post it.

[leigh.bess.toad]

I thank everyone for the contributions. So we will conclude print is not dead but rather on life support except for DC. Mochas' words are particularly interesting and profound. Mocha- here is a tip: use craigslist THERAPEUTIC services. That is where those type of clients call from now. Keep the ad real clean and they will post it.

 

Mikey -- just want to confirm the DC angle. I was speaking yesterday to one of the top guys in the city and told him about this thread. And he looked shocked that people would stop advertising in print. I guess the Blade is just ingrained in the culture in DC that it may stick there. He told me he wouldn't consider stopping advertising in the Blade.

 

My whole experience with gay newspapers has been the Blade. Are there other cities where their "gay newspaper" is as ingrained as the Blade? The Blade was the bible for everyone when I was growing up in the 70's -- yes the 1870's. It's been around for so long, I guess it's just part of the infrastructure now.

[+ Charlie]

I think "Gay News" in Philadelphia is as ingrained as the Blade, and may have been around even longer. I haven't looked at it recently, but I assume that Premier still advertises their escorts in it.

[Mark Gordon]

Print Advertising

 

When I lived in London, I forked over thousands every year for ads in Gay Times, Boyz and QX. They all had terrible customer service, screwing up ads in every way imaginable, or forgetting to place them altogether, and treating their escort advertisers with contempt. As time went on and the internet took over, I was getting fewer calls through them and started placing only occasional print ads, then none at all. Now, as gay men look increasingly to the web not only for escorts, but for news and listings, the gay press is really struggling and some magazines have gone under. I have no sympathy.

[Michael Wayne]

I am the last advertiser in AMBUSH in nola. Recently in Miami I picked up a hotspots magazine and there were less than 10 escorts. Used to be well over a hundred.

[scottspearsxxx]

Although most of my clients come from online ads at sites such as Rentboy.com, Rentmen.com and M4RN.com, I still advertise in local gay magazines in towns that have them such as Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, and Chicago. The problem comes from print ads where cities do not have access to them and with websites such as this one on DaddysReviews everyone reads them and can plan in advance.