I gathered my scattered thoughts about this promotional plan in my mind and then said to Fangyuan, “For this promotional plan, we can think outside the box. My idea is that, besides the eight international top brands, the other regular brands can continue with the traditional methods—simple discounts and free gifts. We don’t need to spend too much time or effort on them, especially considering the limited time we have.”
Fangyuan nodded and said, “I understand what you mean and I agree with your idea. The main purpose of this promotion is to highlight our image as a premium department store. Therefore, the focus of the promotional plan should revolve around the eight international top brands. Tell me how you plan to integrate these eight top brands into the promotional plan.”
I thought for a moment and replied, “Our eight top brands at Baoli Department Store cover almost all categories of daily necessities, such as clothing, bags, watches, and jewelry. This variety is our advantage and can help us create combined promotions.”
“How exactly do you plan to combine them?”
“First, we need to create sufficient motivation for consumers to buy. Of course, promotions are an important means to stimulate purchasing motivation, but that’s not enough. We also need to further stimulate their purchasing desire on a psychological level.”
“Go on.”
“We should first segment the market. Those who can afford luxury brands are definitely high-end individuals, but even among them, there are differences in occupation and wealth.”
Fangyuan nodded and said, “Yes, women are the main consumers of luxury brands. These women are either top corporate executives, rich heiresses, or…”
“Or mistresses being supported by wealthy men!” I finished his sentence. After years of working in the department store industry, we had developed a very specific classification system for our target consumer groups. Ironically, we once studied the consumer structure of luxury brands at Baoli Department Store. About 20% were corporate executives, 30% were rich heirs, and the remaining 50% were mostly non-traditional buyers. That’s why we often saw young, beautiful women entering luxury brand stores with successful-looking men in high-end shopping areas. Of course, this was just an internal survey we conducted, not official or authoritative, but it was enough to illustrate the situation.
“So, are you planning to use this as your entry point?” Fangyuan asked directly.
I nodded and said, “Exactly. You know these women—they often lack a sense of security in their relationships. They need a kind of emotional support, even if it’s false. They still find comfort in it.”
“So, what’s your promotional theme?”
“Love shouldn’t be extravagant… During the promotional period, we will still offer the usual discounts. Additionally, if customers purchase products at luxury brand stores as a couple, we will give them a commemorative membership card from our department store. If the couple continues to shop for luxury goods at our store during next year’s promotional event, we will refund cash into their commemorative membership card. The second year, we will return 10% of their purchase amount, increase it to 15% in the third year, and 20% in the fourth year. This approach will not only enhance the continuity of consumption but also provide these consumers with both psychological and material compensation. In reality, these women may not really care about the cash refunds—they care more about emotional comfort. They also hope for love and wish for lasting relationships.”
Fangyuan remained silent, contemplating the feasibility of this idea. After a while, he said to me, “I basically agree with this promotional strategy, but whether it can be implemented needs to be discussed collectively in a meeting.”
I nodded and said, “Okay, I’ll follow your arrangement.”
Jokingly, Fangyuan said, “Zhaoyang, it seems you really understand women quite well. If your judgment about these women is correct, this promotional strategy against Zhuomei will surely be a great success.”
I didn’t respond. My understanding of these women came from years of nightclub experiences. Whether their psychological characteristics can be used as a basis for commercial behavior remains unknown to me. If the company happens to adopt this idea, the market will ultimately verify it.
…
After a busy day, it was finally time to go home. My colleagues in the office had gradually left one by one, and the surroundings became quiet. I leaned back in my office chair with my eyes closed, trying to relax, but my heart couldn’t calm down.
Once again, the ringing of my phone brought me back to reality. I rubbed my face heavily and picked up the phone from the desk. I was surprised to see it was a call from my father. I felt a bit startled. In the years since I left home, I was always the one to call him first. He rarely contacted me. Sometimes I even doubted whether he had forgotten about me, his son living far away. In fact, I knew he hadn’t forgotten. That’s why he always visited me when he traveled to Suzhou, though he was never good at expressing emotions.
I instinctively lit a cigarette before answering the call and said, “Dad.”
“Have you eaten yet?”
“Not yet, I’m still at work. We’ve been busy recently.”
“Oh.”
“Did you call me for something?”
“I don’t have time to go to Suzhou lately. I sent the rice and flour I mentioned last time to you by express delivery. Pay attention to receiving them in the next few days.”
“Oh,” I replied weakly.
My father was slightly silent but didn’t mention hanging up, which was unusual and made me a bit surprised. Still, I patiently waited.
“Zhaoyang, how are you and that girl doing?”
I knew my father was talking about Mi Cai, but I asked playfully, “Which girl?”
“The one you’re living with. Oh, your mother knitted two scarves this time and made one for her too. You should give it to her. Also, you have a bad temper. Don’t take it out on her. Try to be considerate and don’t argue with her while living together.”
As my father spoke, I mentally counted the number of words in his sentence and was greatly surprised—it was exactly 64 words! From the time I could count, he had never spoken so many words in one sentence before. Suddenly, I felt the world had really changed. Even my father had changed, becoming more talkative!
“You and Mom don’t even know her name, yet you’re so enthusiastic, even knitting scarves for her. Don’t you think it’s a bit inappropriate?” I said, half-amused.
My father then said something that made me almost spit out my coffee, “It’s you who will live with her. Why do we need to know her name?”
After a while, I helplessly said to my father, “You’re right. I’ll follow your instructions.”
“Treat her well. She’s a good girl.”
My father kept emphasizing this, leaving me helpless, yet I dared not rudely hang up the phone. I said helplessly once more, “My dear father, you’ve only met her twice. How can you tell she’s a good girl? Is she just too innocent, or are you just too calculating?”
But my father ignored my teasing, repeated once more, “Treat her well,” and hung up the phone.
Listening to the busy signal, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. I asked myself: How should I treat her well? Right now, I’m like a helpless bystander, watching her uncle, Mi Zhongde, mercilessly raise the knife and bring it down on her.
I put the phone back on the desk, leaned heavily against the back of the chair, and once again slapped my face with my hand, closing my eyes. I thought of her long hair falling over her shoulders and her lonely look. It felt as if the blood vessel connected to my heart had been torn apart, and in an instant, an overwhelming sense of sorrow and suffocation surged through me.
The phone rang again. This time it was Mi Cai calling. I suddenly remembered that she had promised me in the morning: she would help me move when she had time. She must have finished work and called me now. She is indeed a woman who always keeps her word.
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