"No. 1 red! No. 1 red! Good wine, good wine! Mild and mellow, your Jiangnan treasure, your China's pride!" I almost salivated.
Liu Hongsheng looked regretful and said:
"It's a pity that the journey is inconvenient and I can only bring two boxes with me!"
"Two boxes? Two boxes is enough!"
As they talked, the two seemed to have become friends who have known each other for many years.
Steno praised Liu Hongsheng's great success over the past year, and then opened up the main topic of the meeting: in view of the huge sales and market potential in Shanghai, the company decided to set up a sales office as the sales agency of Kaiping Coal in Shanghai.
, plans to hire Liu Hongsheng as manager. The sales network will be further expanded to the entire lower reaches of the Yangtze River, not only to Shanghai, but also to Suzhou, Wuxi, Yixing, Changzhou, Zhenjiang, Nanjing, Jiangyin, Pukou and other places.
It is the sales scope of the sales office.
This kind of manager, commonly known as "comprador", not only has a very high salary, but also has a high social status. Many people, including Liu Hongsheng, have dreamed of it but could not get it. Who would have expected that today they would get it in one step! Liu Hongsheng was extremely happy in his heart. However,
With his shrewdness, he knew that he must not lose his composure in front of this extremely wealthy British gentleman. There was room for the word "pretend". It should be noted that he was only twenty-one years old and had only been in the industry for a short time. If he made a mistake, he would definitely die.
The success was about to fail. So, he suppressed his inner emotions and said lightly but very solemnly and seriously:
"Hongsheng can't thank you enough for your trust and respect! If it is true, I will do my best to repay you. However, there are a few things that I still need to ask for advice from my husband."
Stenuo nodded and said: "Please speak, you're welcome!"
Liu Hongsheng thought for a moment and then stated the sales expansion plan that he had already prepared before leaving:
First, it is necessary to purchase a suitable piece of land along the river in Shanghai for the construction of Kaiping Wharf and warehouses. Only with reserves can we ensure timely supply and stable prices. Second, set up a coal laboratory to test the various components of coal.
Complete the order and hand it over to the user. It is convenient to order on demand. Third, set up a boiler laboratory. The current boilers in Shanghai are generally old and backward. If it can help users check and improve, it will surely attract a large number of users.
The insight was profound, accurate, and the plan was thorough and far-reaching. Steno, who had been in business for many years and was rich in this knowledge, could not help but be convinced. He immediately praised him happily, nodded with great appreciation, stood up, walked to Liu Hongsheng, patted Liu Hongsheng on the shoulder and said
:
"Okay, okay! Mr. Liu is indeed smarter than people give him credit for! It's settled. If Mr. Liu has no objections, we will sign a thirty-year contract for your exclusive management!"
The contract was signed quickly: the commission was still calculated at eight cents and four cents per ton; the accounts were settled once a year, and after deducting various expenses of the sales office, the entire surplus was divided 50-50 between the company and the sales office; the cost of building the wharf and other expenses were borne by
The company immediately allocated the money; Liu Hongsheng had full authority over the personnel, labor and expenses of the sales office, and the head office sent personnel to inspect regularly.
The three expansion plans that Liu Hongsheng drew up before coming to Tianjin were originally intended to be used as major suggestions to consolidate his sales position in Shanghai and improve his position in Shanghai after he gained the favor of Stono. He never expected that they would become Kaiping's sales in Shanghai.
Comprador No. 1. This time he is really going to make a fortune like Steno said!
Opportunities were obtained with wisdom. Wisdom is precious, but opportunities are rare. If you have opportunities, you can only use your wisdom and work hard without fear of hardships, and you will succeed. Although Liu Hongsheng is very young and has only been in business for a short time, he knows that opportunities are rare. Seize them.
Seize the opportunity and hold fast. When I return to Shanghai, I will go all out to implement the mature plan I thought about on the train. Fortunately, I am young, strong, energetic, and good at overall planning. I can move appropriately and soon, the sales office
The office structure has been improved, and the coal laboratory, boiler technical room, and dock warehouse have been completed as quickly as possible. Two experts have been hired to plan the sales layout, which is much ahead of the time agreed with Stonno.
, was put into operation. But for a large period of time, Liu Hongsheng won by working day and night, often working day and night, sometimes staying up all night, truly forgetting to eat and sleep.
The overall situation was roughly determined, and as soon as he could let go, Liu Hongsheng quickly launched a sales offensive, occupying the market in various towns along the Shanghai-Nanjing line in one fell swoop, and opening up sales in this prosperous area. He adopted the strategy of small profits but quick turnover and high commissions.
, a method of treating all users equally, big and small. Although he did not make much money at the beginning, he was able to gain a foothold by relying on this. Liu Hongsheng looked at the large and small ships carrying coal in the bay of the harbor and said happily:
"Even if you lose a little, it's a good deal to occupy this market!"
Liu Hongsheng took his younger brother Jisheng to Yixing to open up sales. Suddenly, he had an idea at a glance.
It turns out that in Yixing, the famous pottery capital, the pottery kilns and the use of firewood for the kilns have been natural for hundreds of years, and no one has ever thought of the coal that was born in recent decades.
But Liu Hongsheng saw it right and told his younger brother, but Ji Sheng was worried that the kiln owners were used to using firewood and might not be willing to accept it. Liu Hongsheng made a quick decision and immediately held two banquets and invited more than a dozen influential local kiln owners. Instantly
He claimed that he would give everyone a way to make money, so the guests came very enthusiastically. However, when they heard that firewood was to be replaced by coal, hundreds of years of conservative experience made these guests shake their heads. Liu Hongsheng vividly and incisively analyzed the advantages of coal
Three key points of firewood: first, the firepower of coal is several times stronger than that of firewood, but the relative cost is several times lower than that of firewood; second, coal is small in size, not prone to spontaneous combustion and damage, and is easy to transport and store; third, firewood can be seen with the eyes
If you cut more than you can grow, it will decrease day by day. The less it is, the more expensive it will be. Once the source of firewood is exhausted, wouldn’t you be caught off guard?
It makes sense and sounds believable, but most kiln owners still hesitate.
Liu Hongsheng already had a plan in mind, knowing that it would be difficult to work just by talking, so he came up with a plan that he had already thought about: he would fund the establishment of more than a dozen coal-fired pottery kilns and lime kilns for the use of the kiln owners, and he would send technical personnel
Guidance. If it fails, all the expenses will be borne by him and he will never ask for a penny from the kiln owners; if he succeeds, the kiln owners will only bear most of the expenses, provided that his coal must be used, and he will also guarantee the quality of the coal by virtue of his credit.
.
Who wouldn’t do such a cheap thing? So the kiln owners toasted Liu Hongsheng and made a covenant.
On the way back, Liu Jisheng was very worried, thinking that if it failed, it would be a big loss of tens of thousands of yuan. But Liu Hongsheng said with a confident smile:
"It's all fuel, and coal is much better than firewood. If it doesn't work once, twice or three times, it will always be right! Besides, how can you seek profit if you don't sacrifice your capital? Don't worry, the money will come in vain!"
The corresponding joints were quickly opened. Liu Hongsheng, together with boiler expert Jin Zhixuan and a dozen workers, worked day and night in Yixing and quickly built more than a dozen new kilns. The trial firing results were very successful, and the kiln owners were overjoyed.
, willing to fulfill their promise, and at Liu Hongsheng's request, recruited a large number of firewood farmers as kiln-burning workers. The income of the firewood farmers was fixed and high, and it was less laborious than collecting firewood. The original fear naturally disappeared, and
Out of gratitude, he also advocated the use of Kaiping coal. He won a large number of users at once, sales were booming, and his reputation and credibility were increasing day by day.
Liu Hongsheng immediately took several major measures. Not only did he add coal mines in Shanghai, he also set up branches and docks in towns throughout the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and extended them to the vast rural areas of the Yangtze River Delta. He changed the firewood burning in rural areas for thousands of years to coal burning.
A very extensive sales network has been established.
A few years ago, the sales volume of Kaiping coal in Shanghai was very small, and there was no sales in other towns. Now, not only the quantity in Shanghai has increased sharply, but the total sales volume in cities and rural areas along the river is also very considerable. From being unknown in the past, it has jumped to the top of coal sales in one fell swoop.
Being in the first place makes our peers unable to compare.
In the past few years, he has filled up his sails and worked hard to sail in the sea of business. His energy, clear mind, and superb and accurate insights are rare. He directly manages a company with the largest coal sales volume.
The annual output is as high as 2.5 million tons, accounting for about a quarter of the annual output of Kailuan Mining Corporation. The income is hundreds of thousands of yuan every year, reaching a peak of one million yuan...
...
"After ten years of operation, by the end of the European War in the eighth year of the Republic of China, when he was only thirty years old, he had become a coal king famous in Shanghai." Chiang Kai-shek said with emotion: "This can be regarded as the pride of Ningbo people.
.”
Wang Hengyue nodded frequently: "Coal King, this is a good name. China has some match kings and textile kings, but it only lacks some coal and steel kings. This is the foundation of an industrial power. However, in my opinion, Liu Hongsheng's
This coal king is still somewhat unworthy of his name. He mainly works as an agent there, buying and selling. He does not have his own coal mine. No matter how much others praise him, he still lacks something after all..."
"Yes, so this time the President came to Ningbo hoping to meet with him." Chiang Kai-shek said with a hint of authenticity.
A smile appeared on Wang Hengyue's face: "Not only are Ningbo people united, but you Zhejiang people are also very united. I think you specifically want to introduce me to him."
Chiang Kai-shek also laughed, not wanting to hide anything: "Yes, that's what Zhongzheng means. If Liu Hongsheng wants to continue to develop, he needs strong support from outside forces!"
"I am that external force." Wang Hengyue muttered: "I want to see this person, and I also want to help with this favor. Many of our 'big kings' in China actually have unstable foundations, and their lifeblood is still in the hands of foreigners, such as Shanghai.
Wu Yunchu laid a solid foundation, owned his own industry, and had the foundation to continue to compete with foreigners."
"Yes, that's what the president said." Chiang Kai-shek said sincerely.
"Well, let me think about it." Wang Hengyue stood up, walked a few steps, and said, "Please arrange the time. This time is different from meeting Wu Yunchu. You might as well disclose my identity directly!"
"Yes, I will make arrangements as soon as I arrive in Ningbo!" (To be continued.)..ge