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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, helvetica">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by slapintheface:
<B>do not be afraid of the big guys...i dont care how many they have or who they are..There is always away to beat them at there own game.

My #1 rule -Never charge a penny less than the big boys on something you do better!</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Great rules to live by. A few years ago I was living in Rochester Minnesota there there was a theater called The Chateau (it is still there)and it was managed by a guy named Mitch. I think this guy was a genious when it came to running a single theater. The theater was a large theater, but it was a single theater (no large chain) and it operated in a city with a much bigger chain, but it was a much better theater than that chain ever was and I think Mitch brought some very unique ideas to the theater that made it stand on its own and be much superior to the chain. To bad that chain bought the theater and stripped out the things that made it great, but I learned so much about what it takes to be sucessful in a theater by wathcing that big independant theater stand on its own.

I never fear the big guy. My current business is a pretty large communication's company that goes head to head against Cisco (who is much much bigger with bigger partners in Wisconsin) on a daily basis and we never back down. We dont cost less than them. most time we are the same price or more expensive, but we run circles around them when it comes to service, and ROI. I think this theory is universal. When you are the best and you know it you can charge just as much for the big guys and people will pay and be happy about paying because you provide a better experience. This is a lesson I am glad I learned a long time ago, and I am glad you brought it up!

A very very common mistake indi theaters make(1st run)is to charge less than the boy down the street thats 1 st run..
One line indi theater owners love to write is "I FEAL BETTER KNOWING WE CHARGE LESS THAN THE CHAINS" or " I sleep better knowing were cheaper than the chains" Ihave seen these on this site.

I sleep better when my bills are paid theres money in my pocket and have pride n what i do !

Many of the independents on this site operate in small communities where people do not have the incomes of larger communities. I charge much less than the chains and yes my bills are paid. I operate in the second and fourth poorest counties in Maine-no way would I make the income I make now charging what Regal and Flagship charge. Quite regularly we get patrons from those markets traveling to us because they refuse to pay the high prices.
We feel we offer a superior product to the chains as well, but part of our marketing strategy is to offer a quality product at less money. This has worked for me for the past 20 years and I belive it also worked for some auto manufacturers years ago as well....Hyundai today is using this very strategy.
The bottom line is there are many ways to run a profitable theater -market conditions will dictate which works best for you.

IF YOUR THEATER IS IN a POOR AREA THATS NOT WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.....


When you go head to head with a chain is what i meant.

Great info to think about for a Marketing plan.