Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 990: Chapter 81: The Importance of Promotion (2)

After football became popular in the Great Zhou, countries like Annan and Siam naturally followed suit and began playing football.

Once people in Annan and Siam started playing football, they found it more enjoyable than polo, and soon football became the most popular sport in their countries. However, their nobility still felt that polo was more fitting for their status.

Although the nobility of these foreign nations preferred polo, they would still send people to participate in football matches. However, they didn’t care about winning or losing in football, nor did they hold any hope for victory. The results of the matches were unimportant to them; participation was what mattered.

Before the football and polo matches, Zhao Yao sent someone to put up a notice, stating that businesses could advertise at the competition venue, meaning they could purchase advertisement space.

During the matches, businesses not only could purchase advertisement space to promote their stores but also could provide prizes for the competition, thereby becoming sponsors.

Initially, the merchants didn’t understand what this meant, but after listening to an explanation, they realized the benefits of advertising and becoming sponsors, and they were all eager to register. Due to the overwhelming number of participants, they could only resort to auctions.

Through advertising and sponsorship, Zhao Yao made a handsome profit. The merchants were greatly impressed by Prince Han’s business acumen after seeing his handling of the event. They decided to do the same when they returned home.

"Your Highness, you are truly remarkable," Uncle Gao marveled at how Zhao Yao managed to devise a way to make money from a competition.

Zhao Yao modestly replied, "It’s nothing, just a small business."

"This is a small business?" Uncle Gao was amazed, "Your Highness, you did nothing but set up a few boards and hang up some banners during the competition, writing a few words, and easily made fifty taels of gold. Is this a small business?" This was a huge profit with little investment. It seemed no different from daylight robbery. However, the Prince was openly robbing them.

"Isn’t fifty taels of gold a small business?" Zhao Yao understood clearly that the advertisement space during the competition could fetch fifty taels of gold because the merchants deliberately raised the price, intending to curry favor with him. "In the future, when football matches become bigger and more popular, the advertisement space will be worth far more than fifty taels of gold."

Uncle Gao still couldn’t understand why this advertisement space was worth fifty taels of gold. To him, it seemed like they had too much money to spend. And those sponsors, not only did they have to pay to become sponsors, but they also had to provide prizes for the winning team. Wasn’t this a loss on top of a loss? Could it be that wealthy people were foolish and had too much money?

"Your Highness, they must have bought it to win your favor," he speculated that the fifty taels of gold weren’t just for sponsorship, but to curry favor with the Prince.

"Not entirely, half of it is to curry favor, and the other half is for promoting their business." Zhao Yao saw Uncle Gao’s puzzled expression and laughed, "Uncle Gao, it seems you don’t understand the importance of publicity."

"The importance of publicity?" Uncle Gao was puzzled, "What do you mean?"

Zhao Yao asked, "Uncle Gao, why are those talented scholars in the capital famous, and why are their calligraphy and paintings worth a thousand gold pieces?"

Uncle Gao replied, "Because they are talented, of course."

Zhao Yao continued, "But why do others know they are talented?"

Uncle Gao answered without thinking, "Because others say so."

"What others say is publicity. If no one helps to publicize a person’s talent, how would others know? Wouldn’t you agree?"

Uncle Gao now understood: "So that’s publicity, but where’s the cost in that?"

"Who said there’s no cost?" Zhao Yao replied, "Some people spend money to have others spread the word about their talents. When enough people talk about it, everyone becomes curious, and eventually, people come to buy their calligraphy or paintings."

"Ah, paying people to call them talented?" Uncle Gao was surprised to hear such a thing for the first time, "So that’s how these scholars gained their reputation; I thought they were genuinely talented."

"Most scholars gained fame this way. Why do you think they like to go to brothels? Brothels have always been favored by poets and scholars, who love to show off their talents in front of brothel girls. The first reason is to inspire admiration..." Zhao Yao almost said "to show off," but quickly corrected himself, "to inspire admiration from the girls, and the second is to have these brothel girls sing their poems and songs, thus spreading them across the entire capital. Naturally, they become famous."

Uncle Gao realized: "So the scholars go to brothels not just for pleasure."

"Of course, it’s partly for enjoyment, but mainly for publicity. They also like to hold poetry gatherings for the same reason." Zhao Yao explained wisely, "Once they gain fame for their talents, they will not only have money but also the chance to become officials. These are the methods they use to promote themselves, understand?"

Uncle Gao was fully enlightened: "I understand."

"This same method applies to businesses. To make their store famous and attract more customers, they too will spend money on publicity." Zhao Yao smiled meaningfully, "Once they are famous, people will come to visit, and thus comes wealth or power. I provided them with an opportunity to promote themselves during the football and polo matches, even in front of foreigners. Do you think they would miss such an opportunity?" Any merchant with ambition would want to expand their business as much as possible, even to all corners of the world. Now Zhao Yao offered them an opportunity to expand beyond the Great Zhou, and how could they possibly pass up such a great opportunity?

"You think they lost thirty taels of gold by buying an advertisement space, but in fact, they didn’t lose; they actually gain a lot." Zhao Yao continued, "During the matches, they get continuous exposure, letting other merchants and foreigners notice them. If interested, they will initiate business talks, and that’s where the money comes in."

After hearing this, Uncle Gao was thoroughly enlightened, looking at Zhao Yao with increasing admiration.

"Your Highness, you are truly brilliant; I am completely convinced." The Prince’s thinking was something ordinary people couldn’t fathom.

"In future matches, I plan to sell advertisement spaces individually and not bundle them with sponsorships." Zhao Yao mused internally that perhaps next year he could hold football matches in the Swamp Prefecture, allowing the common people to participate, and eventually turn football into a professional competition. He could also collaborate with these foreign nations to organize matches, sending football teams from the Swamp Prefecture to compete abroad, or inviting foreign teams to compete in the Swamp Prefecture.

"Publicity during the matches is a business opportunity. Once these people return home, they will surely imitate my approach." This way, football matches will become more frequent, and more people will play football. It might not be long before football becomes a nationwide sport.

Uncle Gao was deeply impressed by Zhao Yao’s business insight, "Your Highness, you are truly remarkable!"

"When you return to Japan, you can do the same."

Uncle Gao’s eyes lit up with joy, "Great, when I return to Japan, I’ll do the same."

"Every match is full of business opportunities; it’s just a matter of whether you can spot them."

Upon hearing Zhao Yao’s words, Uncle Gao curiously asked, "Your Highness, what other business opportunities are there?"

Zhao Yao smiled mysteriously, "You’ll know on the day of the competition." During the matches, they could also sell goods for profit.