Whew, glad Z fielded this one, thank you Ztonk.
Trees does wonder: If provider on slow-day were to offer privately (by PM) a special, would it increase likelihood Bob Hobby would come and pay a vi$it? Yes. Yes. Yes.
Whether unsolicited PM's (provider to hobbyist) to suggest private-special-at-slow-time is OK. Or not? Advertising by PM? (Presumably a form that is PM-blasted widely would be problematic, but sending a few to selected clients?). Trees plans to read fine print of PM policy ho hum... Space/Ztonk this OK use of PM?
There are at least 19 providers Trees will happily vi$it with a delish special invite by PM. Presumably, so too would Bob Hobby and many of his brethren. Some might find it bothersome (curmudgeons?)... But Trees bets it would work, convert slow-day or dead day into rewarding day. Seems win win, right?
Has another advantage: Provider gets to "hand pick" (which would make Bob Hobby proud to be picked, right?) from her-BF faves, blurring the vixen-wolf distinction, sexy girl hunting. Nice. Right?
The "Thead" our lovely OP started here, has other downsides. Publicly posted specials might have semi-permanent effect: expectation (read hope) by Bob Hobby that he too will get the "special" rate he saw posted in the "specials thread" suggested by the OP. This could cause downward pressure on provider's donation, avoided by private-specials-by-PM?
Dynamic pricing is hard to pull off, not impossible and worth the effort. Eventually there will be an APP (bulbs alit? sxsw introduction? name of APP?) using geolocation, GPS and price-calculating algorithms attached to wand-swipe phone payment system. Til then, providers want reliable returning rewarding clients whereas Bob Hobby needs an affordable nut: he will be thrilled, will obediently show up (with fancy chocolate)/100.30 (or whatever the special) and everyone wins.
Ztonk/Space: OK to use PM this way? Trees like it.
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Kudos to Purtybaby for challenging our thinking, for opening up dialogue on it; she is invited to send PM privately indicating she is ready for some chocolate. Things need not get messy with the chocolate, usually they don't. Sometimes it does get messy and we always clean up.
19Trees