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Stripping is one of the more lucrative lines of work, and if you’re able to work hard and work consistently, there’s no limit to the money you’ll be able to make. If you treat stripping like a full time job, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to increase your income and maximize your earning potential.
If you're being trafficked into stripping or any other kind of sex work in the US, please contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 (by phone call) or 233733 (by text).
Things You Should Know
- Focus on looking your best on stage. Be well-groomed, invest in great outfits, and wear quality stripper shoes to wow your clientele.
- Take pole dancing classes and practice your moves regularly so you look polished and feel great on stage.
- Connect with clients on a personal level to attract a regular audience. For example, ask them about their days, jobs, and hobbies.
Steps
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Brand yourself. The only thing you’re selling in a strip club is yourself, so it’s important to make your product stand out. If a guy only has enough money for one dance, it’s important he chooses to spend that money on you and not another girl.
- Choose a name that reinforces your brand. If you’re marketing yourself as a sophisticated woman, try a name like Gigi or Isabel.
- If you’re going for more of a girl next door vibe, try Nicole or Ashley.
- Let your song choices reflect your brand image. You’ll make the majority of your money on the floor, but a compelling stage set can set you apart from other dancers.
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Have a strong opening line. Strippers generally approach the customers and most of the time, they lead with, “Wanna dance?” Set yourself apart from the crowd by having several go-to lines to start conversation and convince patrons they need to buy what you’re selling.
- Ask a customer if he minds letting you rest on him for a second because your heels are hurting your feet. This will make him feel chivalrous and can open the door to further conversation and possible dance opportunities.
- Lead with a compliment. If you make your customer feel like the most important person you’ve ever met, they’ll be more likely to ask you to stick around.
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Learn to hustle. Strippers are, by definition, independent contractors, which means their take home pay is directly tied to their work output. The more dances and private room visits you can accumulate in a night, the more money you make.
- Set clear, achievable goals for yourself each night. Decide you want to work for a set number of hours and get four dances per hour.
- Show up to work well rested and well fed. You won’t be able to focus if you’re tired and hungry.
- Don’t hang out on the floor by yourself or with other strippers. If you don’t look busy and in-demand, your value on the floor decreases.
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Attract regulars. If you want to increase your income, having regular clientele is a surefire way to do this. Attracting them, however, is far more difficult. Treat your clients like people: ask them about their days, their job and their hobbies. Connect with them on a personal level and they may take a liking to you.
- Regulars treat their favorite dancers better, but it goes both ways. If you have regular customers, offer them discounts to incentivize them to keep patronizing you.
- Be careful not to blur the line between regular customer and something else. Keep your relationship respectful and chances are they’ll hang around a lot longer.
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Cultivate relationships with the other staff. Bartenders and wait staff have a clear view of the patrons, so they know who the big spenders are. Make friends with the wait staff and they might share tips with you about which customers to target.
- Make sure you show your appreciation at the end of the night by tipping your friends who helped you out.
- Pay it forward among your fellow strippers. If a guy is looking for a specific type and that type isn’t you, refer him to a friend of yours. She may return the favor someday.
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Invest in multiple outfits. One of the most common misconceptions about stripping is that the clothes don’t matter, since most of them end up on the floor. In actuality, your outfits enhance your brand and set you apart from the other dancers on the floor.
- If you’re going for a “Young Girl” look, don’t overdo it. Pair a cute bikini with some clear open toed shoes and one young looking accessory, like hair clips.
- If you’re going for the “Edgy Girl” look, keep it dark and keep it casual. A black romper with a chain link g-strip and some black heels is all you’ll need.
- If you’re going for the “Lingerie Goddess” look, choose an expensive lace bra and underwear set. Keep the accessories minimal.
- Have various outfits on hand each time you work. Sometimes, changing an outfit mid-shift is all it takes to go from broke to bank.
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Don’t let personal hygiene slide. Your body is your product and your income will reflect this. Get regular haircuts and blowouts. Pay for teeth whitening if necessary. If you hate shaving, invest in laser hair removal. Don’t skimp on anal bleaching. When the black lights are on, every part of you is under a microscope.
- Chipped nails are not acceptable and may result in you being sent home from work.
- It is not a requirement that you get plastic surgery, especially if you aren’t comfortable doing so.
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Invest in top of the line stripper shoes. Your shoes are one of your most important assets as you’ll spend most of your night on your feet. Spring for the most expensive and high quality pair – you’ll most likely make your money back in a single night.
- Always wear shoes with straps, otherwise you risk your heels flying off and hitting someone in the face. [1] X Research source
- Use a hairdryer to heat up the insides of your heels – this will help mold them to your feet.
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Push the VIP room. Some clubs have VIP rooms where customers pay upfront to spend time with the girl of their choice. VIP rooms are huge moneymakers – you know exactly how much you’ll be making upfront and depending on the guy, you may have to do very little work.
- Sometimes, all a guy wants to do in a VIP room is talk. If so, indulge him. The better the conversation, the longer he’ll stay and the more money you'll make.
- If a patron ever tries anything in a VIP room that you aren’t comfortable with, you are fully within your rights to shut them down and get out.
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Hit up different clubs. Stripping in the same clubs can be great – you can foster relationships with the club owners and build your client roster – but sometimes you need a change of scenery. Go on a road trip to a new city or state and try out the clubs in that area. [2] X Research source
- Most strippers are able to pay for their travel using money they make on the road. Stripping is a profession that lends itself very well to a nomadic lifestyle.
- Research conventions, major sporting events and festivals. Any time there are large numbers of men gathering, clubs hire additional strippers to staff their clubs and you have the opportunity to make a lot of money.
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Go to Vegas. If you’re already a successful stripper, making the move to Vegas is the next logical step in your career development. Vegas has the largest number of strip clubs per capita and is a prime destination for men looking for a good time. [3] X Research source
- Vegas is also one of the most competitive markets for strippers, so if you’re going to make the move, prepare to hustle hard.
- Be smart about your money. It’s very easy to blow your cash on cars and drugs, but you’ll burn out fast and end up with little to show for all your work.
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Take a pole dancing class. In recent years, pole dancing has become a legitimate sport, and classes are popping up everywhere. If you feel insecure about your pole work, take a class to learn some new tricks and brush up on some old techniques. [4] X Research source
- In addition to being a useful skill-set, pole dancing also transforms your body and helps keep you in shape.
- Most classes have specific dress codes, so make sure you check the website for the class you're taking.
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Practice your dance moves. Most girls are able to catch on to club dancing fairly easily, but if you're insecure about moving your body in public, practice. Take a dance class or show up early to the club to run your moves in front of the mirror.
- If you don't feel like committing to a regular dance class regimen, try looking up dance moves on YouTube.
- To increase your flexibility and agility, stretch your body every day while you're watching TV.
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Take a business class. Since strippers operate as independent contractors, a great deal of your income will come from selling customers on your services. In order to do this effectively, you need to learn how to upsell your customers and how to position your brand as the best brand in the club. Business classes can help you do this. [5] X Research source
- Business classes will also give you a leg-up in effectively managing your income.
- If you don't want to take a class in person, look for online options.
Community Q&A
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QuestionWhy does this article exist?Community AnswerBecause wikiHow is committed to providing everyone with instructions on how to do anything, including how to increase stripper income.
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QuestionIs stripping worth the money?Community AnswerThat depends on your personal level of comfort with the idea of stripping. However, strippers do make a lot of money, so if you think you'd be comfortable taking your clothes off and dancing for money, then you could make a decent living.
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QuestionWhy should people avoid this kind of job?Community AnswerSome people might have a problem with the odd hours, often disrespectful behavior from patrons, and social views of their profession, all of which might cause someone to avoid this job. There's not really a single reason why someone should avoid it though.
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Tips
- Work safely and don’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or compromises your morals or values.Thanks
- Save and invest your money. Let your money work for you long-term.Thanks
- Don’t be thrown by off days. Even the most sought after strippers have bad nights.Thanks
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References
- ↑ http://www.wweek.com/culture/2014/03/11/strip-club-guide-2014-stripper-beauty-tips/
- ↑ https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/how-i-make-300k-stripping-in-vegas
- ↑ https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/how-i-make-300k-stripping-in-vegas
- ↑ http://ny.racked.com/2014/1/7/7626557/everything-youve-ever-wanted-to-ask-a-fitness-pole-dancer
- ↑ http://abovethelaw.com/2016/01/back-in-the-race-5-things-lawyers-can-learn-from-strippers-about-sales/
About This Article
Article Summary
X
As a stripper, there are a few ways you can hone your craft to increase your income. While you’re at work, don’t be afraid to start conversations with patrons, which can lead to more private dances. Start the conversation with something simple like, “Wanna dance?” Treat customers well and ask them about their day, their job, and their hobbies. This will encourage them to come back to you the next time they come to the club. The VIP room is a huge moneymaker, so try to spend as much time there as you can. If you’re not making enough money at 1 club, try stripping in multiple locations. This will help you build your client roster and give you a nice change of scenery. To learn how to improve your dance moves, read on!
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- "Great tip on shoes and multiple outfits. Insider tip; a simple bikini top can be tied in many different and creative ways to flatter your shape, and this makes one flimsy top work like a whole wardrobe." ..." more
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"Great tip on shoes and multiple outfits. Insider tip; a simple bikini top can be tied in many different and creative ways to flatter your shape, and this makes one flimsy top work like a whole wardrobe."
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