bioinnovel Chapter 593 From Leopard to Clumsy Craftsman, His Value Skyrockets
Chapter 593 From Leopard to Clumsy Craftsman, His Value Skyrockets
Early the next morning.
With the rapid involvement of legal and financial personnel, the company's rectification notice was issued immediately.
The first blow was aimed at that old name full of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) vibes – "Leopard Decoration" officially became history.
The new company name is simply two characters: Zhuojiang Decoration.
Holding the newly issued copy of the business license, Chen Bao stared at the two characters "Zhuojiang" (拙匠), scratched his head, and pondered for a long time, but still couldn't fully understand its meaning. He just felt that the name... was a bit strange, and seemed to have a different flavor.
Ye Fan sat in the brand-new executive chair in the chairman's office, looking at the bewildered Chen Bao, and slowly explained the situation to him, his tone carrying a confident strength:
"Old Chen, stop thinking about it. Tell me, what does 'clumsy' mean?"
He asked himself and answered:
"Clumsiness is not stupidity, nor is it foolishness. It is the appearance of great skill as clumsiness, the appearance of a heavy sword without an edge!"
It means disdaining to use clever tricks or flashy moves; it means being willing and dedicated to putting in the hard work and dedication in places that others cannot see or are too lazy to put in the effort!
While others cut corners on materials to make quick money, we insist on using high-quality materials, even if it costs more.
While others cut corners on the process to meet deadlines, we insist on striving for excellence, even if it takes more time.
Others rely on marketing hype to create extravagant claims; we let our reputation and the quality of our long-term, sustainable project speak for themselves.
Let's call it the spirit of "clumsy craftsmanship"! We want to make "clumsiness" the highest-level synonym for this industry!
After listening to Ye Fan's insightful yet simple explanation, Chen Bao, a rough man who had spent most of his life dealing with cement and bricks, was suddenly jolted awake, his eyes widening as if a bolt of lightning had shattered his years of confusion.
He slapped his thigh, his voice trembling with excitement:
"Holy crap! Mr. Ye! Amazing! We're both just honest and hardworking, but after you say it like that, the level of style and sophistication suddenly skyrocketed?"
"A clumsy craftsman... true skill appears clumsy... that's so damn right! We're the kind of people who put in the 'hard work'!"
Ye Fan smiled silently as he looked at the man's enlightened and admiring expression.
This is the charm of modern brand marketing.
The same group of people doing the same thing will have vastly different results depending on whether they can extract the core essence, shape value, and tell a good story.
After reorganizing the company and setting the brand tone, Ye Fan never stopped working.
He made a direct phone call to Zhang Yi, the HR manager of the Hongdou Group, with clear and efficient instructions:
"Zhang Yi, we'll draw a capable team from head office. They need to understand internet marketing, consumer psychology, and storytelling."
The task is to document all the "foolish things" that Huabao, the predecessor of Zhuojiang Decoration, did—such as preferring to lose money rather than use inferior materials specified by the homeowner, and repeatedly reworking a single detail to the point that the client felt embarrassed.
We unearthed and compiled all the handwritten thank-you notes and word-of-mouth recommendations from long-term customers, as well as video footage of the meticulous craftsmanship down to the millimeter level during the construction of the Hongdou Building.
Create a series of short videos and in-depth illustrated stories; the material must be authentic, and the details must be touching.
"In addition, we will simultaneously notify the core operations and development team of the Weiming App to prepare for the activation of the primary traffic boost plan. I want to concentrate platform resources to launch a comprehensive, disruptive brand explosion for Zhuojiang Decoration."
Without any preamble, Zhang Yi on the other end of the phone replied crisply, "Understood, President Ye. Assemble a project team immediately and develop a solution as quickly as possible."
As for specific promotional strategies, Ye Fan, who has experienced the information explosion era, is already highly skilled in them.
He understood the psychology of netizens in 2014: what they loved to watch most were plot twists and face-slapping moments.
The plan he devised for the marketing team was simple, brutal, yet extremely effective:
The first step is to use a strategy of first criticizing and then praising.
Secretly arrange for several well-known local critics or seemingly neutral review accounts to post questioning posts:
"A new company called 'Zhuojiang' is being exposed for charging 30% more than the market average. Is it a publicity stunt or a case of unethical practices?"
"Behind exorbitant renovation fees: conscience or a trap?"
Appropriately guide the discussion, and even hire a small number of online trolls to stir up trouble, making the topic of "expensive fees charged by mediocre craftsmen" a hot topic, attracting attention and questioning from the entire internet.
The second step is when the questioning reaches its peak and netizens' emotions are fully ignited.
"We simultaneously released over a dozen high-impact, hardcore videos through the Weiming App and its partner channels."
The live broadcast showed a sledgehammer smashing open the wall of the "Zhuojiang" model room, revealing thick copper wires that far exceeded national standards, an astonishingly thick waterproof coating, and pipelines arranged as neatly as if under military management.
They demonstrated their "obsessive" pursuit of perfect window sill levelness through repeated measurements and adjustments.
Interviews with long-time customers who initially thought the prices were too high but ultimately expressed their deep gratitude...
A stunning reversal was achieved using irrefutable facts.
The third step is to continuously convey the core philosophy and daily details of "Zhuojiang".
We will firmly embed the concepts of "clumsy craftsmanship = ultimate reliability", "clumsy craftsmanship = conscientious engineering", and "clumsy craftsmanship = unwavering dedication to seemingly simple skills" into the minds of every potential customer, like nails.
This combination of "self-deprecation-explosion-reversal-establishment" was nothing short of a devastating blow, a precise mental bombshell, in 2014 when internet marketing was still in its infancy and most tech companies were still stuck in print ads.
What Ye Fan wanted was to use the most impactful, topical, and communicative methods to deeply imprint the "Zhuojiang" brand and its value proposition of "putting in hard work and doing practical things" in the market.
Once this step is taken, the "high-end and reliable" persona will be firmly established.
In the future, not only in Nanjing, but also across the country, high-end residences, boutique hotels, and corporate headquarters that value their image will line up, eager to have "Master Craftsman" examine and create their spaces.
Chen Bao and his fellow veterans, hardened by reality, will finally usher in a golden age where they can stand tall, earn respect through their skills and conscience, and even define industry standards, all thanks to their consistent hard work.
Capital and craftsmanship combine, and traffic empowers quality.
A business experiment on the idea that "slow is fast, and clumsiness is skill" has begun.
......
"Squeak—"
Pushing open that familiar dormitory door, a complex and "rich" atmosphere immediately hits you – this is the signature atmosphere of the boys' dormitory, especially their "elite gathering" dormitory.
Ye Fan hadn't returned to his dorm to spend the night for several days.
Upon entering the room, the first thing I saw was Xiao Ji, who was shirtless with his lean upper body exposed.
Wearing only a pair of brightly colored floral shorts and huge gaming headphones, he was practically embedded in the computer chair, his hands clapping away on the mechanical keyboard. The screen flickered with light and shadow, and the battle seemed to be extremely intense.
He would occasionally utter a few lines of Chinese classical poetry, full of creative use of the word "mother," his spittle practically spraying onto the screen.
Judging from his focused and detached demeanor, he's unusually refrained from "harming" the naive young girls on campus today.
Hearing the door open, Xiao Ji managed to turn his head about thirty degrees during a break in the intense team battle and glance at it out of the corner of his eye.
Upon seeing Ye Fan, the "bitter and resentful" competitive expression on his face instantly melted away.
He instantly switched to an extremely practiced smile, one that was both obsequious and smug, not even caring that his character in the game had died, and ripped off half of his earphone:
"Oh my! My brother Fan! You've finally decided to return to the palace to inspect the people's conditions?"
He drew out his voice, and a hand was already naturally extended, his fingers rubbing together: "Emergency call! Light me a cigarette, brother, to perk me up. This game's a losing one; we need a cigarette to give us the strength!"
Ye Fan: "..."
The way this guy spoke, so self-righteous and as if it were his right, made anyone who didn't know better think that Ye Fan owed him something, or that he was going to generously give Ye Fan a cigarette.
As a result, this bastard stretched out his hand, his target clear—he wanted a cigarette from me.