Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

60 Motion Picture N November 22 , 1930 MANAGER!' ROUND TABLE CLUC Harold C. Lee Has His Say On: "What Is Exploitation?" With so many showmen hastening to pass along their comments on "What Is Exploitation," it was only natural that Harold C. Lee, manager of the Babcock Theatre ■ in Bath, New York, should shoot in his say on the subject. Lee has been in the show game for a number of years, and so he is capable of making some emphatic statements. His article begins : "Every one has his own ideas about exploitation and every theatre has a different situation. No one can sidestep the fact that exploitation is more important than ever before in getting results today. You have got to let the public know what you have or you don't get them in. I do think that it is given more thought since the talkies came. "Exploitation in the smaller towns, in my mind, has a different angle than in the larger towns. You can go out and tie up with the police department, fire department, stores, etc., and you are advertising your attraction to the people in the town itself. But what about the patronage outside of the town? How do they know that you tied up with the police department on 'Manslaughter' unless they happen to come in? Any one in the smaller cities today will tell you that 70% of the business comes from outside towns and rural centers. This also applies to ballyhoo, unless you go to the expense of hiring a truckman to drive through the country with banners and cutouts on his truck. "The public will come out to good attractions well presented. The main factor in the small town today is to keep them posted on your theatre EVERY WEEK. Since the Fox organization installed sound in this house I have been giving considerable time and attention to our outside patronage. The best advertising mediums I have is the weekly program and trailers. At the present time I have a regular mailing list of 400 names and a call box list of 1,000. This covers eight nearby towns (small and R. F. D. boxes). These programs are mailed out every Thursday night and are delivered by Friday afternoon. It is a sure way of getting them into the homes. We also place three or four hundred in the newspapers that are delivered in town on Friday night. "It takes considerable time to write the program up, direct the envelopes and get them out, but I am positive we are get ting results. An occasional follow-up on the following Wednesday with a dodger advertising the Thursday-Friday and Saturday is also used. This reminds the public of your week-end attractions. The newspapers also carry ads, but they are all weekly and do not mean so much. "I believe that money spent for this form of advertising brings better results than any other form of exploitation. "Now, then, after you let the public know what you are playing, the next important thing is to see that they are satisfied after they get into your theatre. To do this you must watch the projection, quality of the sound, temperature and courtesy of your staff. Start this with the cashier, doorman and ushers. Let people know that you appreciate their patronage, be ready to answer all questions and make them feel at home. This is one of the things I have always considered important in this game today. In the larger houses it is a little different matter, but in the small town a manager knows everybody and the more attention he can give his patrons the more they will enjoy coming. I always try and be in the lobby before the show opens and when it breaks. In doing this patrons don't get the idea that your company has no interest in them only to get their money. In other words keep the GOOD WILL toward the house for the company the same as you would for yourself. "Possilbly this does not follow the lines of exploitation, but in my 14 years in this game I have found that it pays better than some forms of exploitation. "Another thing I believe is a good-will builder is to visit the nearby towns once a month or so. Talk with the business men (this applies to towns without theatres), give them an idea on what you have coming, slip them a couple of passes occasionally, get them away from the idea that you are hurting their business by pulling patrons to your theatre. I have actually run up against just such people in one of the towns near Bath, and by calling on them once in a while have made them good patrons. There are still people in the smaller towns today that have an idea that, because the theatre is operated by outside interests, it does not mean a thing to the town. This is all wrong and when I find such people I give them an idea of how much business the house brings to the town and what the town would be without a theatre. Also the small towns are getting the same type of entertainment today that the larger centers are, which was not the case a few years ago." Thanks, Harold. We are sure that your fellow members are glad to hear your views on the subject. Let's have some more. MANAGERS' ROUND TARLE CLUB a a a THIS WEEK! NEXT WEEK! EVERY WEEK! B H B A Wealth oS Valuable Information for the LiveWire Manager and Exhibitor! a a a EXPLOITATION IDEAS! BALLYHOO STUNTS! THEATRE OPERATION TIPS! a a a "The Original Idea Exchange of the Motion Picture Industry"