mijobooks Chapter 26 Hotel Lobby
Chapter 26 Hotel Lobby
After the museum closed, Su Chen and the three of them had a quick dinner at a small noodle shop near the factory area.
Xiao Wu and Xiao Zhao never lacked fighting spirit at the on-site promotion, but the experience of being ignored for most of the morning on the first day of the exhibition still dampened their enthusiasm. It wasn't until the afternoon forum ended and the crowds surged in, with the F2 conquering every passerby with its flying prowess, that their spirits were restored.
"Mr. Su, I passed by Tianying's booth in Area A today," Zhou Ming whispered above the bowl of noodles. "They displayed a new product in the most prominent spot on their booth."
What model?
"Flying Eagle II. Priced at 2299. The poster says 'Entry-level commercial aerial photography drone.'"
Su Chen paused for a moment while chewing the noodles.
2299. Entry-level commercial aerial photography.
This is clearly designed according to the positioning of the F2 working version.
Wu Zheng's "Plan A" within Tianying has clearly been implemented—reducing the functions of the existing entry-level model, cutting costs, and repackaging it into a low-priced commercial model.
That's fast. From the internal meeting a month ago to today's exhibition debut, the pace has been tight.
"What about the flight control system? Have you figured it out?"
"I didn't have a chance to see the specifications up close, but there was a live demonstration at the booth—" Zhou Ming carefully chose his words, "It's not much different from their previous entry-level models. It's a general-purpose solution, and you can see a noticeable slight drift when hovering."
Su Chen put down his chopsticks and thought for a few seconds.
A generic flight control solution. Its flight quality is completely different from the F2 working version.
Tianying's strengths lie in its brand and distribution channels—it can use its established distribution network to roll out new products nationwide within a week. Hongyuan currently cannot do this; even its eight field sales teams combined cannot cover the same area as a single provincial distributor of Tianying in a month.
But end buyers aren't stupid.
Wedding planners, real estate agents, and small media studios in the county town—these people spend over two thousand yuan to buy a drone to make money. The only criterion they care about is "whether the footage can be delivered to clients." Given a hovering, floating machine and a machine fixed in the air like a nail, there's no need to hesitate when choosing between them.
"Don't worry about it too much." Su Chen picked up his chopsticks again. "The product speaks for itself. The price is 300 yuan higher, and the flight quality is significantly inferior—Tianying's 2299 sells brand premium, while we sell a genuine flight experience. Just let the customer test fly both machines simultaneously, and the result will be self-evident."
Zhou Ming did not respond.
Su Chen appeared calm on the surface, but was very clear-headed inside: Tianying's entry into the market had narrowed the window of opportunity. No one could replicate the F2 working version's flight control advantages in the short term, but its disadvantages in brand and distribution channels were very real.
If sales cannot be boosted and the brand established in the next few months, the market perception will be dominated by Tianying's preconceived notions once they start investing heavily in promoting the 2299 Flying Eagle II.
After finishing their meal, the four of them walked back.
As Su Chen passed by a business hotel next to the convention center, he saw that the lobby was brightly lit and bustling with people—all of whom were exhibition participants socializing. Representatives of major brands in Area A occupied the sofa area in the center of the lobby, surrounded by a circle of small and medium-sized manufacturers trying to build relationships.
Through the floor-to-ceiling window, Su Chen saw Lu Weimin—the leader of Tianying—holding a glass of red wine, chatting and laughing with two well-dressed men. Wu Zheng, standing beside him, occasionally chimed in with a word or two, his demeanor composed.
No one came to chat with Su Chen.
He stood at the hotel entrance for a few seconds, glanced at the scene inside, and then turned and left.
The speech at the forum did attract some attention, but in the jungle law of the exhibition, a micro-company with monthly sales of just over 300 units still doesn't rank highly. Most people have probably already forgotten about the name "Hongyuan Intelligent"—after all, the information bombardment during the three-day exhibition was too intense, and a speech by a young man in the back row would soon be drowned out.
Su Chen was not annoyed.
From the beginning, he didn't expect to make a world of difference with just one forum speech. He was betting on the lag effect—after Hardcore Innovation's review was released, after Yuchen.com's report followed, and after more positive word-of-mouth accumulated.
The seed has been planted; now it needs time and patience to sprout.
"Let's adjust our strategy tomorrow," he said to the three people behind him. "We'll add a new activity in front of our booth—randomly select a complete beginner from the onlookers to try flying the aircraft. After they've flown, we'll take a group photo and post it in our booth's WeChat group as promotional material."
"Also, raise the laptop a bit higher so that everyone passing by can directly see the F2's live aerial footage. Whether the footage is stable or not is immediately obvious."
Xiao Wu and Xiao Zhao responded simultaneously. They had practiced these procedures countless times at on-site promotion events, and only minor adjustments were needed to adapt them for the exhibition.
After returning to his residence, Su Chen did not rest immediately.
He sat on the edge of the bed, closed his eyes, and once again rummaged through the fragments of his past life's memories in his mind.
Mingyuan Capital. Partner. Surname Shen. Female. Around 40 years old. Efficient and speaks quickly.
Today I stood outside B-237 and watched the entire return demonstration, took notes, and then left silently.
If she really is that person, she will most likely come again tomorrow. Because the logic Su Chen put forward at the forum—the neglected niche market, the technological barriers brought by customized flight control, and the pricing strategy of 1999—every keyword hits the nail on the head for a partner of a fund that specializes in investing in smart hardware.
But if she doesn't come, Su Chen has a backup plan. After the exhibition, he can gain recognition through reports from Hardcore Innovation Network and YuChen.com, and then actively contact investment institutions.
You can't put all your bets on an uncertain person.
Su Chen opened his eyes, set the alarm, turned off the light, and went to sleep.
Tomorrow is the last day of the exhibition.