AWB Chapter 129 A Special "Negotiation"
Chapter 129 A Special "Negotiation"
A few days later, Manager Wang, accompanied by his direct supervisor, General Manager Zhang, and the technical director, Engineer Liu, set off for Li Yuan's company with great fanfare. To the uninitiated, it looked like they were going to "challenge" the company, but in reality, it was about the cooperative machine.
When Li Yuan's receptionist saw this group of people, she quickly came up to them: "Hello, do you have an appointment?"
Manager Wang immediately stepped forward, smiling, and said, "Miss, we have an appointment with your Chairman Li to discuss cooperation."
The receptionist nodded quickly, led them to the meeting room, and thoughtfully served them several cups of hot tea.
A moment later, Li Yuan entered with her team. Dressed in a sharp business suit, Li Yuan's eyes were piercing yet held a hint of a smile: "Oh, Supervisor Wang, General Manager Zhang, Engineer Liu, what a pleasure to have you here!"
Manager Wang quickly stood up: "Chairman Li, I have something important to discuss with you."
After everyone was seated, General Manager Zhang cleared his throat and got down to business: "Chairman Li, I think the prospects for our cooperative machine project are very promising. However, we need to come up with some new ideas for market promotion."
Li Yuan raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What insightful opinion does Mr. Zhang have?"
Mr. Zhang chuckled and said, "I was thinking, could your company make a new media promotional video? And it would be best if you could film it in our bakery to demonstrate the advantages of our machines in actual operation. That's what you call a real-life demonstration, much better than those dry advertisements!"
Li Yuan's assistant, Xiao Wang, couldn't help but speak up: "President Zhang, we need to consider this matter. Will filming at the store affect normal business operations?"
Mr. Liu immediately replied, "Don't worry about that. We can take the photos when there are fewer customers in the shop, so it won't cause any trouble. Besides, our bakery has a very unique environment, so the photos will definitely turn out great."
Li Yuan picked up her teacup and took a small sip: "President Zhang, this is a good idea, but we also have our difficulties. Our previous publicity plans were all arranged, and now that we're adding a new video shoot at the last minute, we have to reallocate our manpower, resources, and finances."
Manager Wang quickly said, "Chairman Li, we know it's not easy for you, but think about it, this video will be a huge boost to our cooperation! With your promotion, our machines will definitely sell better, and when we expand production, your orders will keep coming in."
At this moment, Lao Zhang, the marketing manager of Li Yuan's company, spoke up: "Even if we're going to film it, the idea and script for the video need to be carefully planned. We can't just film it haphazardly, can we?"
Mr. Zhang slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "That's exactly why we came to you for advice! We can brainstorm together to make this video a hit. For example, we can find a few handsome baking guys to make desserts with our machine while saying some humorous lines, like, 'This machine is like my magic wand, it's so accurate, the desserts it makes smell so good that even the neighbor's kids are drooling.' That would definitely attract a lot of viewers."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh, and the atmosphere in the meeting room became much more relaxed.
Li Yuan smiled and said, "President Zhang, you have quite the imagination! But how do we calculate the filming costs? We can't do business at a loss."
Mr. Zhang quickly said, "Chairman Li, we can share the costs. We'll provide the machinery and venue, and you can provide the manpower and advertising channels. We'll then split the profits according to our cooperation ratio, how about that?"
Li Yuan leaned back in her chair and thought for a while: "President Zhang, your plan sounds good, but I still need to discuss it with the other senior executives in the company. After all, this is not a small matter and involves the coordination of many departments."
Manager Wang said somewhat anxiously, "Chairman Li, could you please give us a reply as soon as possible? Our production plan for the machines also needs to be adjusted according to this announcement."
Li Yuan rolled her eyes at Manager Wang: "Manager Wang, what's the rush? This needs to be done step by step. I can't just make a decision for you on the spot, can I? What if something goes wrong later? Will you take responsibility?"
Manager Wang scratched his head and said with a smile, "Chairman Li, I'm just really looking forward to working with you."
Mr. Zhang quickly tried to smooth things over: "Chairman Li, we understand you. How about this, you discuss it with the senior management first, and we'll go back and refine the filming details. We can schedule another time in a couple of days to finalize this."
Li Yuan nodded: "Alright, Mr. Zhang, it's settled then. However, let me make this clear from the start: if there's anything unreasonable about this plan, we'll have to discuss it further."
After speaking, Li Yuan stood up and extended her hand: "General Manager Zhang, Supervisor Wang, Engineer Liu, I hope our cooperation will go smoothly." General Manager Zhang and the others also quickly stood up and shook hands with Li Yuan: "Chairwoman Li, thank you for your kind words, we will definitely do our best!"
After the negotiations concluded, Li Yuan, accompanied by several senior company executives and General Manager Chen, entered the conference room. She appeared slightly tired, but her eyes gleamed with shrewdness and decisiveness. She casually tossed the documents in her hand onto the conference table and plopped down in her chair.
"Let's all share our thoughts on this matter," Li Yuan said, breaking the silence as she looked at everyone.
Marketing Director Lao Wang frowned, adjusted his glasses, and said, "Chairman Li, I think this matter is risky, but it also has opportunities. Filming a video at their bakery could indeed showcase the actual advantages of the cooperative machine and attract more customers. But as I said during the negotiations, changing the promotional plan at the last minute will pose a big problem in terms of cost and manpower allocation. Moreover, if the video is not effective or the audience does not buy it, then all our efforts will be in vain."
Sales Manager Li continued, "I agree with some of Mr. Wang's points. However, from a sales perspective, if this video goes viral, it will definitely boost our machine sales significantly. The market competition is so fierce now, we need to find a way to break through. Moreover, their willingness to share some of the costs has also relieved a lot of our pressure."
Sister Chen had been listening quietly. Then she sat up slightly and said, "Li Yuan, I think we should first consider our own resources and capabilities. Does our team have enough experience and energy to do a good job of shooting the video? Also, can our existing publicity channels maximize the effect of this video? We can't just look at the current cooperation opportunity; we also need to consider the impact on the company's overall brand image."
Li Yuan nodded, tapping her fingers lightly on the table: "Sister Chen is right. I'm also worried about whether our team can handle this new promotional method. Although we've made some promotional videos before, this kind of on-location shooting, combined with the other party's venue and equipment, is definitely not easy."
Suddenly, Engineer Zhao from the technical department interjected, "Chairman Li, from a technical standpoint, our machine's performance is definitely not a problem. However, to showcase those unique technical advantages in the video, we need to communicate well with the filming team and make them understand what the key points are. Otherwise, the video might just show an ordinary baking process, failing to demonstrate the value of our machine."
Old Wang added, "Furthermore, we also need to consider the target audience of the video. There are all kinds of videos on the internet now. How do we position this video to attract our target customers? Should it be aimed at home baking enthusiasts or professional baking businesses? This will also affect the planning and shooting style of the entire video."
Li Yuan fell into deep thought, and the meeting room fell silent for a moment, with only the ticking of the clock on the wall. After a while, she looked up and said, "I think we can't let this opportunity slip by easily, but we can't agree blindly either. Let's first prepare a detailed feasibility report, including cost budget, manpower allocation, publicity plan, and expected results. Sister Chen, I'll put you in charge of this, with all departments fully cooperating."
Sister Chen nodded in agreement: "Okay, Li Yuan. I will organize everyone to carry out this work as soon as possible. However, the timeframe may be a bit tight, since the other party is also waiting for our reply."
Li Yuan said with a determined look in her eyes, "I know, so everyone needs to hurry. We need to work hard these next few days, even if it means working overtime, to get the report done. When we meet with them next time, we need to present a complete and feasible plan so that they can see our sincerity and professionalism."
Xiao Li smiled and said, "Chairman Li, if this deal goes through, we won't have to worry about selling our machines anymore. They might even become a model of success in the industry!"
Li Yuan smiled and said, "Don't get your hopes up too high yet. Let's take it one step at a time. Everyone, go home and get on with your own business."
Everyone rose and left the meeting room, each carrying their own tasks and thoughts, throwing themselves into their busy work. This discussion about cooperation was just the beginning; more challenges and decisions awaited them, but they all understood that this was a crucial opportunity for the company's development, and they had to give it their all.