Chapter 687: Ding Li's Suggestion

To make these shops profitable, we need to think of a method.

Using the traditional promotional model and relying on word-of-mouth operations both require a long time to get on track.

We are also operating the traditional promotional model, while modern online promotion is underway simultaneously.

The foot traffic has increased considerably, but not as much as I imagined,

The scene is of surging crowds, with each shop surrounded by tourists wanting to purchase goods.

I want to create a crazy profit model where shops just need to settle in the ancient city to make money.

Moreover, this marketing approach must not be clear to the people of Huaihai; we have to keep it hidden from them.

That day, I was strolling around the ancient city when I happened to meet Ding Li, who was on patrol.

I called Ding Li over,

"Zhao Ge, what's up?"

"Ding Li, you used to set up a stall. How did you attract people when you set up stalls?"

"That's simple; when I set up a stall, I mainly relied on shouting."

"Just by opening my mouth, I could draw people in." Ding Li laughed.

"That method won't work. Ding Li, look at our ancient city—it's been operating for a while now. I want to make it more lively and increase shop consumption.

That would drive up our shop occupancy rate.

"You know, our contract with the Huaihai City Cultural Tourism Bureau,

our profit comes from the rent.

but we haven't rented out many units, and with the New Year approaching, we're counting on the holiday consumer crowd to drive the ancient city's spending.

If we can't absorb a large number of rental units before the New Year, we might lose money."

Ding Li took out a cigarette and gave it to me,

"Zhao Ge, to be honest, we have no experience operating these things.

Now that there's no admission fee, more visitors come than before, but many of them don't spend anything—they just walk around and leave.

If nobody spends, having more people is useless."

I took the cigarette from Ding Li's hand,

"Ding Li, your analysis is correct.

Our early promotion has worked; look, the visitors in the ancient city are as numerous as a woven fabric,

but yesterday I had Li Jia tally the shops' sales, and there was hardly any growth.

We also can't now resort to forced buying and selling as we did before.

Now the shop owners are all conducting business properly.

If their business doesn't grow, in the long run they won't be able to tolerate it.

Because our long-term rent hasn't brought them any benefit.

As long as we bring them benefits, even a lot more rent is nothing to fear."

Ding Li took a puff of his cigarette,

"Zhao Ge, I have a method to suggest; I don't know if it's feasible."

"Go ahead and tell us."

"When I used to sell at stalls, I always had to find shills to help,

shoe sellers find shoe shills, clothing sellers find clothing shills.

The purpose is to boost the stall's popularity,

so that onlookers see that this stall is selling well,

and everyone will follow suit and buy.

You know, the buyers here are like a flock of sheep.

People like to follow the crowd when buying things.

Everyone who sets up a stall will hire shills to help."

I listened attentively as Ding Li spoke,

I kept nodding my head,

After hearing Ding Li finish, I then asked,

"Ding Li, can we try the shill method you mentioned in our ancient city?"

"The ancient city is so big with so many shops—how would we test it?" Ding Li asked.

"The ancient city being large means we need many people, and preferably outsiders.

Locals are not needed at all.

We just need to persist for a period, letting the shills stir up a consumption atmosphere,

so that promotion draws the crowds in.

Within a month, the shops here will be making a killing,

Only when the shops here are making a killing will we form a huge influence in Huaihai.

I believe shop owners doing business elsewhere will be envious; they'll hesitate not at all to come rent shops in the ancient city to do business.

Our ancient city's properties will soon be rentable." I explained to Ding Li.

After Ding Li heard me finish,

he slapped his thigh,

"Brother, this method is feasible; when I used to set up stalls in Zaocheng, I knew a few shill bosses who specialize in this.

Then we just have them lead people to come and consume." Ding Li said.

"Great, you contact them now, have them get ready, I'll pay them wages; as long as they bring out the atmosphere of the Ancient City, that's all," I said.

"Zhao Ge, they only have a few people; it works for a street stall, but the Ancient City is so big, we can't act every day with just a few of us," Ding Li said.

"You don't need to ask about this person; I'll figure out a way. You only need to be responsible for contacting them to Huaihai," I told Ding Li.

Ding Li nodded, took out his phone and began contacting past partners.

I thought of someone then, to have him help me complete the matter involving people.

Who? Cui Rulin.

Anyway, this guy fully supports me,

I now must need his support; the Cui Family has plenty of people,

just let their clan cooperate wholeheartedly.

So, I found Cui Rulin's phone number,

Cui Rulin answered quickly,

"Hello, Jianqiang, I heard you went to Huaihai; I wonder what you're doing there."

"Brother Cui, I have something I need you to help with."

"Brother, go ahead; as long as I can help you, I'll give it my all."

"This is simple; I want you to help organize people to come to the Ancient City of Huaihai City to spend money.

And they must come in an organized way, not messily; I'll provide food and lodging," I said with a smile.

"Food and lodging for spending in the Huaihai Ancient City—what's that for?" Cui Rulin asked over the phone.

"Brother Cui, the Huaihai Ancient City, I've already taken it under control; I'm now managing it,

but the current management results are unsatisfactory.

I need popularity to boost the market.

This way I can revitalize the Huaihai Ancient City,

This matter, I can only tell you so much over the phone.

However, what I want to say is that this is crucial to the future Xue County tourism development project.

If the Huaihai Ancient City is revitalized, then our Xue County tourism project will develop smoothly and succeed."

Hearing me say that,

Cui Rulin laughed on the phone: "I understand, Jianqiang, you don't need to explain to me; you want to make it look good for others,

to show them that developing the tourism project has a huge market.

I fully support,

supporting you is supporting Xue County, is supporting Cheng Shan's work.

I understand all the connections involved.

As for personnel, I'll arrange it; I guarantee that every day a few hundred people will be sent to Huaihai City, with round‑trip rotations.

Then I'll have Cheng Shan also organize people from Xue County to go over.

Even this small Ancient City, we must revitalize it.

And ensure they spend inside the Ancient City. This cost doesn't need you, Jianqiang, to pay.

When I speak in the family, I keep my word." Cui Rulin said.

With Cui Rulin's guarantee, I felt reassured.

I just said, "Thank you, Brother Cui, for the support," and hung up.

Besides contacting Cui Rulin,

I also got in touch with Xiao Feng, having her arrange a batch of workers from Qi He Kuang to come over,

and explicitly required that as long as they spend inside the Ancient City,

the expenses can be reimbursed.

Everything was proceeding in secret.

Without the people of Huaihai knowing.

I created a frenzy of sales, renting out all the shops in the Ancient City before the year's end.

Ding Li called over those in Zaocheng who specialize in this kind of brokerage.

I assigned them tasks,

and demanded that each day they lead the people coming from Zaocheng to spend inside the Ancient City.

And they must spend wildly.