Automatic World
Issue: 1930-April - Page 10
Ten
THE BALLY-HO
Question an Answer
DepartInent
Edited By
JOHN GOOD BODY
Well boys, what do you think of our NEW BABY?
Isn't this the best looking job you have seen in a long
time in the way of an operators' magazine? And not
only this, but you will note that we have some good
writers, some of the best in the country, for the othe1'
departments. Combining the entire amusement field into
one handy compact like the Bally-Ho and Automatic
World has done, is an outstanding act within itself and
one that deserves the highest respect.
Everyone of you know me or should by this time.
I have been in the game longer than most of you, and
can give you tips that may help you. What is it you d~
sire to know? Why are you not making money? What
machines are you running? How are they run. Are they
kept clean? Would you buy merchandise from them and
eat it yourself? Are the machines freshly painted, or
have you had them two or three years and everyone has
been using them to scratch matches on, defacing them
and killing their attractiveness? Wouldn't you welcome
a department that you can call you very own? Wouldn't
you like for someone to help you over the rough spots?
To all of which I can almost hear you answering "Yes."
Then, this is going to be your department, this is to be
your magazine. Ask anything you desire to ask about the
business and it will be answered in a straightforward
manner in this department. I said straightforward man-
ner, and I mean just that. I may hurt your tender feel-
ings, but if I do, it will be for your own good.
Let me give you a little illustration of just what
I mean. Here's a young man I personally advised to get
into the game, he acted upon my advice and purchased
some machines, placed them and waited for the results.
They did not come up to expectations, he came back to
me and asked, "Why." I said, "There must be a 'why' in
your case. Let's find out the 'why'." So out we went,
April, 1930.
and the 'why' soon turned up. This same young man
who had placed the machines was telling the owner of
the store that business was bad; that he was not making
any money, and that h e was disgusted. He never stopped
to think that every word we utter in this world is a
boomerang, and will come back to us in on e. style .)1'
another. What really happened in this particular case?
All right, watch-A customer comes into the store where
one of the young fellow's machines are displayed; he
sees the new device and says to the storekeeper, "What's
this something new?" The storekeeper answers, "Yes,
it's new, but the fellow that owns it says it's not going
over very well." What happens? The customer loses all
interest in the machine, walks away satisfied that the
thing is a "flop." If the storekeeper had been sold on
the machine when the operator placed it and made his
regular visits to same, he would have said to the cus-
tomer, "Yes, that's a mighty fine machine, and it's going
over big. Try it." The resu lt would have been another
coin dropped into the · machine right there, because the
storekeeper would have unconsciously made a new cus-
tomer for the machine. And so it goes.
The mere fact that a manufacturer can live and
make the same machines year after year and continue to
sell them in large quantities, should be ample proof that
there must be merit to the machine, and that the machine
is a successful one. If you can't make it pay, there is
a reason for it, and you've got to find out the 'why.'
That's one of the purposes of this section. Weare
anxious to help you find the 'why.' Sit right down and
write me a letter tell me all about it, just as you used
to come and tell father all about it, and let's see if we
can't help some.
so
we
all
so
I expect to receive a bunch of replies to this article,
if we don't catch the May issue with your answer,
no doubt will later. Watch for your answer, they will
be answered in time. Better send in your subscription
you will not miss a single issue.-J ohn Goodbody.
Mail that subscription
now. Send $1 for one
year, or better still,
send $2 for THREE
years. Do this now!
Don't miss an issue of
the Bally-Ho and Au-
tomatic World. Weare
going to have a lot of
good things in the May
number. Mail your sub-
scription NOW to The
Bally-Ho, 1345 Ea!:.t
Richmond Ave., Fort
Worth, Texas. We will take check, money order or
stamps.
THE BALLY-HO
Question an Answer
DepartInent
Edited By
JOHN GOOD BODY
Well boys, what do you think of our NEW BABY?
Isn't this the best looking job you have seen in a long
time in the way of an operators' magazine? And not
only this, but you will note that we have some good
writers, some of the best in the country, for the othe1'
departments. Combining the entire amusement field into
one handy compact like the Bally-Ho and Automatic
World has done, is an outstanding act within itself and
one that deserves the highest respect.
Everyone of you know me or should by this time.
I have been in the game longer than most of you, and
can give you tips that may help you. What is it you d~
sire to know? Why are you not making money? What
machines are you running? How are they run. Are they
kept clean? Would you buy merchandise from them and
eat it yourself? Are the machines freshly painted, or
have you had them two or three years and everyone has
been using them to scratch matches on, defacing them
and killing their attractiveness? Wouldn't you welcome
a department that you can call you very own? Wouldn't
you like for someone to help you over the rough spots?
To all of which I can almost hear you answering "Yes."
Then, this is going to be your department, this is to be
your magazine. Ask anything you desire to ask about the
business and it will be answered in a straightforward
manner in this department. I said straightforward man-
ner, and I mean just that. I may hurt your tender feel-
ings, but if I do, it will be for your own good.
Let me give you a little illustration of just what
I mean. Here's a young man I personally advised to get
into the game, he acted upon my advice and purchased
some machines, placed them and waited for the results.
They did not come up to expectations, he came back to
me and asked, "Why." I said, "There must be a 'why' in
your case. Let's find out the 'why'." So out we went,
April, 1930.
and the 'why' soon turned up. This same young man
who had placed the machines was telling the owner of
the store that business was bad; that he was not making
any money, and that h e was disgusted. He never stopped
to think that every word we utter in this world is a
boomerang, and will come back to us in on e. style .)1'
another. What really happened in this particular case?
All right, watch-A customer comes into the store where
one of the young fellow's machines are displayed; he
sees the new device and says to the storekeeper, "What's
this something new?" The storekeeper answers, "Yes,
it's new, but the fellow that owns it says it's not going
over very well." What happens? The customer loses all
interest in the machine, walks away satisfied that the
thing is a "flop." If the storekeeper had been sold on
the machine when the operator placed it and made his
regular visits to same, he would have said to the cus-
tomer, "Yes, that's a mighty fine machine, and it's going
over big. Try it." The resu lt would have been another
coin dropped into the · machine right there, because the
storekeeper would have unconsciously made a new cus-
tomer for the machine. And so it goes.
The mere fact that a manufacturer can live and
make the same machines year after year and continue to
sell them in large quantities, should be ample proof that
there must be merit to the machine, and that the machine
is a successful one. If you can't make it pay, there is
a reason for it, and you've got to find out the 'why.'
That's one of the purposes of this section. Weare
anxious to help you find the 'why.' Sit right down and
write me a letter tell me all about it, just as you used
to come and tell father all about it, and let's see if we
can't help some.
so
we
all
so
I expect to receive a bunch of replies to this article,
if we don't catch the May issue with your answer,
no doubt will later. Watch for your answer, they will
be answered in time. Better send in your subscription
you will not miss a single issue.-J ohn Goodbody.
Mail that subscription
now. Send $1 for one
year, or better still,
send $2 for THREE
years. Do this now!
Don't miss an issue of
the Bally-Ho and Au-
tomatic World. Weare
going to have a lot of
good things in the May
number. Mail your sub-
scription NOW to The
Bally-Ho, 1345 Ea!:.t
Richmond Ave., Fort
Worth, Texas. We will take check, money order or
stamps.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).