A Divine Farmer

Chapter 277 - A Live Advertisement!

The residents of Clear River Village believed they had the upper hand, being so close to the water's edge. They assumed that even without lifting a finger, foreign tourists would inevitably choose their village, given its prime location.

Yet, as they harbored this expectation, waiting for visitors to come to them, their neighbors from Clear Water Village had already started poaching their potential customers.

“The conditions in your village aren't the best. Why not come to ours instead?”

“Isn't that a bit too far?”

“Not at all! Clear Water Village is right next door. You can take a leisurely walk after your meal and be here in no time. You can sit in my yard and gaze at the sea of flowers.”

“I see, but surely the food can't be as tasty as it is here…”

“Are you overthinking it? Sure, Clear River Village has great food, but we can buy ingredients here and cook them ourselves. Rest assured, the food will be just as delicious, and the accommodations will be more comfortable than here. Plus, you'll have internet access at home. How does that sound?”

With such convincing arguments, the people of Clear River Village watched in dismay as group after group of tourists was lured away by Clear Water Village.

The villagers were not the only ones growing anxious; Wang Tiehzhu was also restless. The very attractions they had worked so hard to create were being exploited by passersby. Wasn't this tantamount to robbery?

Before he could even voice his concerns, someone from Clear River Village grew irate, almost coming to blows with the villagers of Clear Water Village. Thankfully, Zhang Xiaolong and Wang Tiehzhu intervened just in time.

As they witnessed more people being swayed, the villagers of Clear River Village were crestfallen. “Chief, aren't we being too passive? Tourists come here for the scenery, but end up being whisked away to someone else's home, and they're the ones making the money. What kind of situation is this?”

“What can we do about it? Why don't you come up with a solution?” Wang Tiehzhu rebuked. “Look at the sorry state of your beds at home, with blankets that look like they've been dragged through coal. Do you think city folks would want to sleep on that? And take a look at Clear Water Village; they're not much wealthier than us, yet some of them have managed to spruce up their homes. Why can't you use your heads? If people want to stay somewhere nice, can we really force them to stay? That would make us no better than bandits, wouldn't it?”

The villagers were left at a loss for words after being scolded. Zhang Xiaolong stepped forward to add, “The Village Chief is spot on. This issue comes down to personal choice. Clear River Village naturally has its advantages—the vegetables are ours, and so is the scenery. If we just put in a bit more effort, there's no way we should be outdone by folks from other villages. However, it's a mistake to think that these advantages alone will prevent people from exploring elsewhere. It doesn't matter if it's just a short walk away or several miles—there will always be someone willing to come and provide transport. The opportunity to make money is right here, and if you don't take it, someone else will. But to actually pocket that cash, you've got to use your head and not just wait for someone else to show you the ropes.”

It seems Xiaolong's words struck a chord because the very next day, people began to get their act together, and in no time, over a dozen homes had new internet cables installed.

Bedding was refreshed as well; they picked out attractive duvet covers from the county town or market, buying several at a time to ensure a quick changeover for guests.

These changes quickly bore fruit. Tourists who came for a short stay preferred not to travel far and were willing to pay a little extra for the convenience of staying nearby. It seemed as though Clear River Village had a special charm.

The number of visitors choosing to stay in Clear Water Village dwindled. Whenever someone tried to draw customers away, Clear River Village residents would step up, and after a bit of healthy competition, most guests ended up staying in our village, which had the upper hand with its natural allure.

Watching all this unfold, both Zhang Xiaolong and Wang Tiehzhu couldn't help but smile. It wasn't about the amount of money made; it was the fact that everyone had finally grasped how to run the business.

Blindly undercutting each other's prices could mean no one ends up making a profit. But it's important to consider what city dwellers truly value. Sometimes, it's not just a matter of saving a few bucks that wins them over.

Understanding consumer psychology is a giant leap toward mastering the art of business.

Though progress in the area wasn't rapid, Zhang Xiaolong felt at ease. He took a batch of Beauty Preserving Grass and Beauty Preserving Fruits to Qingyang City, delivering them to Yang Jingjing and Su Mei, respectively.

Both were anxiously awaiting these essential ingredients, particularly Su Mei, who set aside her concerns about Zhang Xiaolong to focus on organizing meetings and devising plans, eager to make a significant impact.

With the Su family's established channels ensuring widespread advertising, the Eyebrow Dragon Medicinal Cream quickly became a household name.

Similar products had been on the market before, but their effectiveness often fell short of expectations. Nowadays, people are savvy about advertising and aren't easily swayed by it.

Addressing this, Su Mei invited over a hundred young women with scars from nearby cities, offering them free medication to test the results over two months.

If the results were positive, the transformation of their skin would be showcased in advertisements. If not, per their agreement, they could claim fifty thousand yuan in compensation from the Eyebrow Dragon Company.

The campaign drew in numerous participants, enticed by the no-lose proposition of free benefits.

Even though they were essentially trial subjects, fifty thousand yuan was no trivial amount. As long as there was no risk to their skin, why not give it a try?

Truth be told, at the time of signing up, many were secretly hoping their scars wouldn't heal, especially those with less noticeable ones.

Then there were those with facial scars who were desperate for an effective solution. They were willing to wait not just two months but even ten if it meant completely eradicating their scars.

Su Mei was selective in her recruitment, prioritizing individuals with prominent scars. These participants were more likely to diligently follow the treatment regimen and apply the medication regularly.

Crucially, if their scars were healed, their genuine joy would translate into enthusiastic, voluntary endorsements for the company.

The selected individuals had one key responsibility: to document their daily use of the Eyebrow Dragon Scar Removal Ointment. They were to take photos of themselves applying the ointment and share these updates on WeChat or Weibo consistently.

As a result, friends' feeds on WeChat were soon flooded with similar posts. Initially, there was little to no reaction, but by the tenth day, a growing number of people were expressing their astonishment. Their scars were visibly fading, and their skin showed no signs of adverse reactions.

As the days progressed—twenty days, thirty days, and finally forty-five days—the WeChat community was abuzz with excitement. People were waking up to find their scars had miraculously vanished!

Witnessing scars that were once prominent fade away in just two months, as if they had never existed, left many in awe. This live demonstration served as a powerful advertisement. For those still skeptical, it hardly mattered. The backgrounds and identities of the participants had been thoroughly vetted. They could personally attest to the authenticity of their experiences to friends and family, confirming that this was more than just an advertisement.