2003: Starting with Foreign Trade

Chapter 273 Amazing Move (5K)

"Good, good, good, this money was well spent. Xiao Tan is really quite capable."

Ying Jianren, who was temporarily in charge of Zhongtai's affairs, sat in his office laughing heartily as his secretary shared topics about Zhongtai on the internet with him.

In just three days, Zhongtai Auto has climbed to the top of Baidu search terms.

Whether it's car forums, major internet communities, or even games, netizens are actively discussing Zhongtai Auto.

As Zhongtai Auto climbed to the top spot in Baidu search rankings, two other hot keywords also emerged on the internet.

The top trending topic was: "It's already 4 yuan, what more could you want? Isn't this price a great deal?"

The second trending phrase was: "Buy him!"

Both of these points stemmed from the topic of Zhongtai Auto. Compared to the first point, Ying Jianren prefers the straightforward second point: Buy it, everyone!
Ying Jianren, who doesn't know much about the internet, doesn't know how much sales this popularity can translate into, but there's no doubt that so many people are discussing it, especially young netizens.

These are all Zhongtai's target customers.

It is said that there are now more than 1 million netizens in my country. If one-tenth of them participated in the discussion on the topic of Zhongtai Auto, that would be 1000 million people.

Even if only half of these 10 million people are young, that's still 5 million. If we then filter out 1% of them to make a purchase, that's still 50,000 potential users.

Holy crap, I can't even think about it, I can't have this dream!
"Just considering the results of these three days, it should be said that it was worthwhile. According to President Tan, this round of promotion has retained at least tens of thousands of potential users for Zhongtai. Even if they don't buy this time, the probability of them buying a car next time is very high."

"Hmm, not bad, not bad. Young people really know how to play the game. You can let the marketing department take over from now on. If they mess up again using this approach, then they can all get out of here."

"Okay," the secretary said with a light laugh.

It's not that the boss doesn't want to continue having Mr. Tan's team manage the project, but rather that he can't afford it. For just three days, Mr. Tan has quoted 1000 million yuan, and he has stated very firmly that his team still has ideas worth that price.

The boss was quite frightened at the time, but after much negotiation, the deal was settled for 800 million yuan. He even said that this was a friendly price given because he was also a shareholder of Zhongtai.

It only covers three days. If there are no results after three days, you can get a refund. If it is effective and you want to continue, there will be a different price.

Well, the other price is 100 million yuan per day, 600 million yuan per week, and 2000 million yuan per month; obviously the boss was shocked by this price, although even the price of 2000 million yuan per month can only be considered a part of the overall publicity.

But we should save money wherever possible, and besides, we can't keep bothering Mr. Tan's team with this matter; they also have their own work to do.

In terms of professionalism, we certainly can't match the level of Mr. Tan's team, which managed to generate buzz in just three days. However, our marketing team should have no problem maintaining the momentum created by Mr. Tan's team, right?

"When it comes to playing the internet game, you have to be a young person like Xiao Tan. It's just that his asking price is too high. I thought I could get his advice for free, but I didn't expect him to ask for 1000 million. How many cars would I have to sell?"

Is 800 million expensive? No, it's not expensive compared to the whole promotional plan, and it really is a friendly price, just as Tan Jincheng said.

As the first model of Zhongtai, it is crucial to make a name for itself and achieve instant success. Tan Jincheng only took three days to push the brand awareness of Zhongtai to a level that ordinary advertising methods could not reach, and this was done by targeting the target customers.

Ying Jianren understood very well that if it weren't for the existing cooperation between the two parties, he wouldn't have asked for more than 20 or 30 million for this proposal.

The phrase "the first SUV for young people" alone is worth more than 800 million yuan.

But nothing beats getting something for free. Originally, Ying Jianren was expecting to get something for free, so the disappointment was huge.

"Transfer the money to Xiao Tan. Send 800 million to Orange Technology and another 200 million to Tan's personal account under the guise of consulting fees."

"Isn't it 800 million?" the secretary asked, somewhat puzzled.

"We feel bad for her, but Xiao Tan handled this matter beautifully, so we can't be stingy. 200 million is nothing to us or Xiao Tan, but we have to show our attitude."

Bargaining is a business matter, and so is getting something for free whenever possible. But how you handle things afterwards is a matter of your emotional intelligence as a boss.

The previous 800 million contract was signed in the name of Orange Technology. From now on, the accounting for the online trolls will also be handled by Orange Technology, nominally under the category of information services and technology development.

This area is still in the gray area for now. The IP addresses are scattered all over the country. Many of them used to make game cheats, but they have all been recruited by Tan Jincheng. When Kaixin.com and Kaixin Farm are launched, they will still be needed.

Tan Jincheng wouldn't dare say that the group of people he trained were the earliest online trolls, but they were definitely the most professional, several levels better than those in the entertainment industry who only knew how to control comments.

"Okay, I understand. I'll have the finance department arrange it right away." The secretary nodded.

This must be the most generous payment the boss has ever made.
In the afternoon, Gu Qingqing received a message from the finance department in the internal software that Zhongtai Auto (Yongkang) Company had transferred 800 million yuan in cash to the company's account. The speed surprised the finance department, who had never seen a client pay so quickly.

In less than three days, Orange Technology received its first revenue since its opening.

Eight million yuan is enough to support all of Orange Technology's early development projects; if they spend it sparingly, it's enough for promotion.

Gu Qingqing was also stunned. Is making money really that easy? She had signed the contract, and she knew the inside story better than anyone else at Orange Technology.

Gu Qingqing knew about this group of "employees" at Flash Technology from the very beginning on QQ Space, and she even helped contact some of them.

Previously, these people were privately supported by my brother. He would send them a sum of money every month to write advertorials and post on social media. As for how effective they were, it's hard to see much of an impact over a longer period of time.

Moreover, aside from the peak promotional period, not everyone is mobilized, but this time, Zhongtai Auto's promotion involved all its staff, and the combined effect was very obvious.

Gu Qingqing never imagined that this group of people would one day bring revenue to the company, and such a large amount of revenue at that.

Making money like this? Isn't that a bit too easy?

Is this how you play the internet?

Not only was Gu Qingqing completely bewildered, but even Cheng Hao, who later learned of the news, was somewhat confused. Wasn't this just a "shill" operation? He knew that shills existed in both the real economy and the internet.

Pig farms often hire shills to say good things about themselves and badmouth competitors when launching new products. This is standard practice and nothing unusual.

But he had never encountered a boss who was so adept at using these "shills" to generate revenue.

They were so demanding, asking for 800 million yuan in just three days, and the fact that the other party actually paid it off readily.

For a moment, Cheng Hao, who was in technical development, didn't know what to say.

"Is the boss really in the real business? It seems like he's better at the internet than we are," Cheng Hao said, somewhat speechless.

I previously thought that although this boss didn't understand any technology, he had imaginative ideas and they were all feasible. I never expected that he would be so proficient in internet marketing.

He had just looked up information about Zhongtai online, and its popularity was indeed extraordinary, completely capturing the pain points of users.

"Let's apply what we've learned; Mr. Tan started out in marketing, and his marketing skills in the electric vehicle industry are widely recognized," Gu Qingqing said with a smile.

"This combination of the internet and the real world is indeed quite novel. I'll have our marketing team analyze Mr. Tan's ideas in a bit to see if we can learn anything that can be used in the promotion of Kaixin.com and Happy Farm."

Gu Qingqing nodded and said in a serious manner, "We should learn from them. Although Orange Technology has generated revenue, it is entirely due to President Tan's efforts and has little to do with us. Our team has received such good treatment, so we need to let President Tan see our value."

At the company, she addressed Tan Jincheng as "President Tan," just like everyone else.

“That’s true. Technology development isn’t difficult for us, but promotion is, and that’s something we should definitely take seriously.” Cheng Hao also agreed with this point.

Now we see that even without Kaixin001, Tan Zong can still find ways to make Orange Technology profitable. But without Kaixin001, Cheng Hao is nothing but a middle-aged, balding programmer. Surely he can't just become a shill too?

Tan Jincheng's move, though unintentional, created a sense of urgency for Cheng Hao. Although he wouldn't use the technical development of Kaixin.com to control Tan Jincheng, he did have some intention of taking advantage of his team's strengths to get more benefits during the promotion phase after the development was completed.

For example, stock options and equity can help secure greater benefits for oneself and one's team.

Now it seems that with such a team at his disposal, plus his brains, Mr. Tan doesn't need to worry about promotion at all. All he really lacks is some programmers.

After chatting with Gu Qingqing for a while, and with her permission, Cheng Hao decided to tell the employees of both teams about the 800 million yuan income. On the one hand, it was to motivate them, since the company had money again and everyone didn't need to worry about the future.

On the other hand, it also serves as a warning to everyone: if you don't do your job well, Mr. Tan doesn't need you at all. The internet industry has no shortage of low-level programmers.

"I have something to tell you all. Mr. Tan made 800 million yuan for Orange Technology in just three days. First of all, you don't need to worry about the company's funding. Secondly, everyone should work hard to get Kaixin.com and Kaixin Farm into internal testing as quickly as possible, so that Mr. Tan can see our value."

"We'll work overtime, and we'll calculate the bonus based on the project's expected completion date. For each day we finish early, we'll give you an extra incentive."

"Huh? More? Boss, I've been sleeping at the company for half a month now, my girlfriend almost doesn't recognize me anymore."

"Is it possible that she's no longer your girlfriend?"

Stop farting.
-
"How much? Not much, I'm only doing this because I'm a shareholder of Zhongtai. Otherwise, I wouldn't even bother with him for less than 800 million, let alone 3000 million."

"Yes, the exhibition is over. I'll stay in Wuxi for two days before going back to visit the factories of my predecessors."

See you on Saturday!

"Your girlfriend?" Dong Jinggui asked from the side. He was an experienced person and could roughly guess from Tan Jincheng's expression when he answered the phone.

"Yes, my girlfriend."

"Were you behind the Zhongtai advertisement?"

Recently, the first model released by Zhongtai Automotive has begun large-scale promotion, and its production of commercials and its popularity on the Internet have been the focus of discussion.

With a price range of 4 to 6 yuan, this first domestically produced small SUV has attracted the attention of consumers.

In particular, the phrase "the first SUV for young people" accurately targeted the consumer group, making the advertising twice as effective.

"Yes, how is it? The effect is pretty good, right?" Tan Jincheng said with satisfaction.

This was the first time I tested the power of the online marketing team, and the results were about what I expected. In today's internet age, a professional online marketing team is a game-changer for traditional car companies' advertising methods.

"Impressive, no wonder it's your unique skill. 800 million yuan is indeed a friendly price. But when did you become a shareholder of Zhongtai?" Dong Jinggui asked with some curiosity.

The conversation just now didn't shy away from him, so he didn't feel that asking the question directly was impolite.

The young man wasn't exaggerating. Having worked in marketing, he knew that 800 million yuan was practically free, and asking for 3000 million yuan wasn't unreasonable at all. The advertising slogan alone was worth more than 800 million yuan.

A classic advertising slogan can make a company successful. For example, the earlier slogan "Only accept Brain Gold as a gift" and the slogan "Drink Wanglaoji if you're afraid of getting a sore throat" were popular two years ago. Zhongtai's slogan "The first SUV for young people" is definitely an important label for the company this year.

If the car sells well, from the perspective of the company's long-term interests, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it's worth over 100 million yuan; it would definitely be a great gift.

"It's not accurate to say that I'm a shareholder of Zhongtai Company. I became a shareholder of Zhongtai Beicang branch by chance. I'm a small shareholder of the branch, and taking on this advertising plan is my way of contributing as a shareholder."

Dong Jinggui then remembered the Zhongtai Yongcheng branch that had been advertised in the newspaper in March, and couldn't help but feel a little envious.

"Oh, I've heard about this before. I didn't know you were involved. Cars are a good business. We don't have the resources to do it, but it's great that you have the opportunity to be a small shareholder."

The Beicang District government allowed him to participate in such an important project as car manufacturing. Could this little guy be someone's illegitimate child?

"It's just a small share, it won't make much of a difference. Mr. Dong, could you take me to visit your R&D center? I've already toured the factory area enough."

"What do you want to do?" Dong Jinggui asked warily.

Dong Jinggui's strong reaction made Chen Jincheng laugh: "No, no, it's not that big of a deal. If I really wanted to poach someone, I wouldn't do it in front of you. I just really want to learn from them."

Yadi develops many things in-house and uses its own proprietary technology. Nowadays, if you were to ask which small electric scooter company has the strongest technical capabilities and the lowest costs, it would undoubtedly be Yadi.

They have their own battery factory, producing lead-acid batteries needed for Yadi electric vehicles, as well as their own motor and controller factories. They can develop core components in-house, giving them a huge cost advantage.

FlashTech also wants to build its own battery, motor and controller factory. Learning about factory management models is much better than poaching a few technical personnel.

“You said at the exhibition last time that you would poach people from Yadi next time, and I think you weren’t just saying that.”

"Haha, you still remember? To be honest, if you have any recommendations, you can recommend some to me. Our company also wants to develop its own core components."

"I thought of that a long time ago. Your company has already started researching batteries, so it's only natural that you'd develop motors and the like later. If a company wants to survive in the long run, technological research and development is essential," Dong Jinggui remarked.

"Yes, we really should learn from Mr. Dong in this regard."

Before Aima was established, Flash's target competitors were always leading companies like Xinri, Yadi, and Luyuan. As for other brands, Tan Jincheng was not arrogant, but he really didn't take them seriously.

Achieving a top-three position domestically has always been Flash's goal. As for Aima? Since it hasn't appeared, let it never appear.

Walk the path your beloved horse takes, leaving it with nowhere to go.

Speaking of the three competitors, plus the Flash, in terms of car quality during this period, the Yadi was the best, and the Flash series was the worst. Tan Jincheng admitted this, especially the first batch of Flash series to be launched.

Unfortunately, whether it's the workers' skill level or the break-in of various components, Flashcar's foundation is lacking compared to its competitors, and it was criticized for a period of time when it was first launched.

This is similar to the reputation of Xiaomi 1 when it was first launched. However, Tan Jincheng's solution is to make up for the quality problem with service. If the car has a problem, I will respond as soon as possible and do everything possible to fix it or replace the parts in the shortest possible time.

To this end, FlashTech has established service outlets in all cities across the country where it sells its products, based on their respective levels, with more than 500 service outlets in total.

While this network of outlets may not have the largest number, its sales volume in the Flashcar network allows it to become the electric vehicle company with the best service.

Affordable prices, trendy designs, and good service have become the hallmarks of FlashCheer. Now, Tan Jincheng aims to shed FlashCheer's reputation for poor quality.

After this exhibition, I will visit Yadi and Xinri for further learning.

In the end, everything comes down to quality.

Another matter is that Tan Jincheng plans to acquire a motor and controller R&D company in Jiangsu Province. Jiangsu Province has three major electric vehicle industry bases: Wuxi, Suzhou, and Changzhou. There are countless parts factories here, and FlashTech's motors are also purchased from Jiangsu Province.

Acquiring a company directly is much easier than developing it from scratch.

Currently, FlashTech uses motors and controllers from a Suzhou-based company called Bafang Electric. This company was founded in 2003, and despite its short history, the stability of its motors is quite good.

Tan Jincheng's first target was this company.

(End of this chapter)