Any one use the new Cinema Source email newsletter for sending out your show times?

Tell us more Dave. I hadn't heard about it.

Can't paste a sample here but they look really nice. Here is their site with samples http://www.exhibitorads.com/emails.asp I have not purchased the service yet but I do think it is appealing for the reasons below.

Cinema Source, who we all send our times to so they get posted on all the websites, now is offering a newsletter. They will design it for you and include any additional information for you. It gets sent I think on Thursdays after they process your times. It can include a link to printable coupons. They give you the code to add to your website to sign people up and their system does all the email maintenance. It can even include trivia questions and other type of content.

Is anyone using it? I'm in negotiations w/ a sales rep. and before I made the leap I wanted to see what others thought about it. I'm also checking into having them do a web site for us. Does anyone use that service from cinema-source? Any info. is greatly appreciated.

I have used them for the last 2 years and love it! They do my website and email club and it is some of the best advertising that I do. It is inexpensive and direct to my customers.

Mason,

How flexible are they as far as updating the site? Do you have the ability to make some minor changes yourself or do they have to make them for you? If they make them for you, are they usually pretty good about updating the site in a timely manner?

Have you had any major updates on your site for example adding a new page or re-doing a previous page? If so, did they charge you extra to make that modification?

The sales rep. told me that there was a tool called CSExpress that I could pay a weekly fee to update my showtimes in their database. I was told that I could use that in conjunction w/ their newsletter service. Do you use CSExpress?

The sales rep. is constantly in contact w/ me about getting this service, but I want to make sure that I've done my homework and know what services I really want/need. Any insight you have for me is greatly appreciated. Thanks

YOu can use RTS to automatically update your web site with showtimes, in real time.
You don't need to be paying anyone a weekly fee to do it.

And why should you pay a weekly fee for YOU to update their database, when THEY SELL the info and make money on it. All you have to do is email them the showtimes, and THEY do the work.

I've been emailing them my showtimes for years, and they in turn sell the info to most all the other websites that display showtimes.

This can be done no matter who is administering or hosting your web site. Contact RTS support for more info.

I subscribe just for grins to two local theatres news letters that use this service.

They sure do not impress me in the least.
They frequently send out the incorrect newsletters, and then send out retraction emails to correct the goofs. Pitiful.

Their email newsletters are entirely too long for most customers to bother reading.

The websites they design are difficult to navigate.

Buy Frontpage, and do it yourself. Use Outlook to manage your own email list.
You'll be happier and keep the cash in your pocket.

That's my two cents.

I ditto Looney's response. Frontpage is a great program once you get the hang of it. With a little time, you can create any page that they can. You can get pictures of one-sheets online as well as production photos to add to your site. You can also use these to design your own graphics as they do. Again, it's all about having the time.

To simplify things, you can use any website that you have discovered as a pattern for yours. Once you've designed your site, weekly updates take seconds and you know everything is correct.

I, too, use Outlook to manage my mailing list. I used to create newsletters similar to those samples but found out that many people were unable to view them because they did not have their email programs configured properly. So now I just send a simple email notifying them of the upcoming schedule. I think that's 99% of the reason people visit any theatre website or subscribe to a newsletter.

I don't think Looney is trying to knock anyone who uses these sources.

There are other options that aren't as costly as Cinema Source, etc and can be just as effective.

Megan,
They are very good when they update my site. You have total control when they build a website for you. They will present some designs and you can tell them what you like or want to add and they will do it.

I let them do the changes for me and it is done right away. I have had no problem with them yet.

I have not done any major changes to any page so I do not know if it costs anything.

Never heard of CSExpress. The weekly fee could be the fee I pay every week to have my website updated. I really do not know.

I would like to update their database myself but why should I pay for that when I can email them showtimes and they do it for free.

I do my own website but really have no time to do a newsletter. I have been subscribing to other theatre's newsletters around the country to see what they are like and they are all over the place. Cinema Source may product a long newsletter but you can find the section you need quickly without reading a bunch of text. Also what they include in it is up to you. You do not have to have them include all the extra's. I tried to start using outlook but after just a test mail it was a nightmare. Handling all the bounce back address errors and breaking the list into groups so I could get it to even just send. Also many ISP's block emails like this because the address list is long and they can easily identify it as junk. Email services can make it look like the email is just address to the one person. They have no limits on the number of people an email goes to etc. I would definitely use a service like constant contact or but something simple like PHP list before I use outlook to handle hundreds of emails. The time savings is worth the little fee. I am pretty sure the time savings I would get from Cinema Source newsletter service is worth something I just am not sure it is worth what they want.

By the way I do my own website and would not have them do it only because I have so many special shows and other information on my site. I get hits from around the world and I am my city's third largest tourist attraction. I don't they want all the updates I would send them on a monthly basis.

Thank you all for your information. For those who do their own web site, who do you have host it? I was looking into IPower or StartLogic and just writing my own HTML. It wouldn't be anything fancy, but it would be better than not having a web presence at all. Thanks again!

Learning HTML can be like learning a foreign language. I would suggest one of the website editors like Frontpage. It takes all of the hassle out of designing a website - in my opinion.

You can use some of the free hosts but I would suggest a place like Sev mentioned. I also think it's worth it to have your own domain name.

I've already taken a class in html and have a site designed. I just need to update it some and publish it to the web. Nothing fancy and very static, but a cheaper solution for the time being if needed. Thanks for the tips on the hosting. Really appreciate everyone's comments!

I use hostek.com very resonable, great service and they support most editors front page included. I would suggest front page to. you can still use your html skilss to add features but is makes the basic setup no harder than doing a powerpoint.

By the way I have gone with the cinima source newsltter and everyone I know who subscribed to it tells me its great.

Someone emailed or posted a name of who did their newsletter. I have an organization that would like a newsletter done like this. It you could email me your contact again I will pass it on to them.

Thanks!