Text/Pan Chunhua
Around 2016, China's construction and ceramics industry, which has gone through 30 years of development, followed the development wave of China's reform and opening up and rode the high-speed rail of real estate, and quickly experienced a process from germination to development to a blowout period. Finally, after the disorderly expansion of production capacity, the industry entered a period of comprehensive reshuffle.
The industry as a whole is experiencing a serious downturn, with a 10% negative growth in production and sales in 2018. Upstream manufacturers are facing the strongest inventory pressure in history, and terminal dealers are facing a complete fission of channels. Many brands are facing life and death.
The national fine-decorated housing policy continues to be implemented in depth, large-scale integrated purchasing has fully intervened to encroach, and terminal consumer groups have iteratively changed. Traditional terminal retail channels have been cut in half.
In the past 2018 and 2019, it is no exaggeration to describe the experience of the entire construction and ceramics industry as "difficult". In particular, when facing the cliff-like decline of the traditional retail market, major brands are flocking to engineering channels. In the whirlpool of product homogeneity, the competition in engineering channels has increased. It can be said to be "seeking skin from a tiger" or "pulling teeth from the tiger's mouth".
How to successfully pull out one’s teeth in such a fierce whirlpool of homogeneity without damaging one’s vitality has become a required course for every dealer. Here, the author would like to share with you a real case story of an agent to see if this story can inspire you.
Story: A "novice" transferred to another job with zero resources to seize the opportunity of thick bricks, with annual sales exceeding 5 million
Zhang Hua (pseudonym) is a fashionable, quick-thinking, sunny and self-disciplined woman. When I met her, she was the marketing manager of Weige Ceramics, a thick brick brand that exports to domestic sales. At that time, when she mentioned Weige products, she was always full of confidence from her smile and eyes: "The quality, taste, design, etc. are all impeccable!"
That was about 2 years ago. When we met for the first time, I was deeply impressed by Zhang Hua and was infected by her enthusiasm for work and love for the company's products.
Time flies by like a fleeting moment. Going to Weige again, the marketing department has already had personnel changes.
The media has been ups and downs for a long time, and I have become accustomed to seeing people in some corporate marketing departments being replaced and replaced every year. However, Zhang Hua's enthusiasm and love for the product were always impressive, so the author casually asked about his whereabouts.
I don’t know if I don’t ask, but I’ll be really shocked if I ask. It turns out that Zhang Hua directly transformed and became the sales agent of Weige brand! Currently, her career is booming.
“If you want to compare the sales volume with a particularly large agent, then I definitely can’t compare with it, but from the perspective of efficiency in opening up market channels and implementing them, I can definitely be regarded as a model of efficiency!” See you again, Zhang Hua already looks capable, confident and full of aura.
When asked why she suddenly transitioned from the marketing department of a company to a terminal agent, she shared: "Aside from personal career planning, the most important reason is the opportunity and opportunity in the thick brick market. This opportunity should have emerged rapidly in the domestic market in the past two years. "Zhang Hua said that as the marketing manager of a company with a history of more than ten years in the field of thick bricks, he has gained a lot of information about the thick brick market and China. She undoubtedly has the most complete and in-depth understanding of the trends in the thick brick market. Based on this deep understanding, she saw huge business opportunities. What's more critical is that this opportunity has not been seen by more people, which means that there is a huge cake in front of us, but few people are grabbing it. Therefore, it is very easy to understand if you transform yourself and become an agent directly.
In one and a half years as a Houzhuan agent, Zhang Hua has created his own miracle as a person who has the theory of channel development but no actual channel resources and implementation experience. She has done quite well, opening up channels, linking customers, and opening up the fields of designers and real estate developers, very efficiently and smoothly.
"But I'm actually not surprised," Zhang Hua said calmly. First of all, she chose a popular and trending product; secondly, she chose a company that has been focusing on professional strength in this field for more than ten years. brand; thirdly, this brand is a Sino-German joint venture and has many classic application cases overseas, many of which are world-class landmark project cases. "Under the trend, the brand effect accumulated by this Weige brand for more than ten years, overseas on-the-spot cases, focus and professional focus on the field of thick bricks have become a powerful tool for me to open up channels and leverage the market!"
Zhang Hua also revealed that she is not the only one who is optimistic about the transformation of the thick brick market. In the previous marketing department of Weige Company, there was a simple and honest design guy who was doing design and drawing, and he was also optimistic about it. identified the thick brick market and business opportunities and decisively transformed theCross-border model, became an agent in Foshan. It is said that with the help of the couple, one opened up the market and the other followed orders, and took advantage of the sales system of the headquarters, they made a successful business with very low-cost investment. In the second year of becoming an agent, they sold 5 million yuan. .
At the end of the chat, Zhang Hua said: "I still have big customers to place orders for soon. After the epidemic has improved recently, business has recovered quickly and I am very busy."
Before leaving, she added: "By the way, your media seems to have many dealer friends. Please remind dealers, Thick bricks are fat mills. It’s a billion-level market! The most important thing is that it doesn’t have so many wolves to grab it, and it currently has a very good effect on leveraging customers. I think every agent should seriously consider acting as an agent for the Houzhuan brand!”
She is obviously in a very good mood, her sunny and confident smile is even better than two years ago, and her eyes are full of brilliance. This confidence adds a sense of courage and calmness, and adds an aura of an ambitious royal sister. !
——It seems that the future is under her control.
So, why does the thick brick market have such a prospect? What is it that attracts so many people from the marketing department of second-tier brands who have no exposure and live a comfortable life to rush to the front line to become Houzhuan agents? It's not difficult to understand if you think about it carefully.
NO.1 Thick bricks are a weapon for dealers to break the curse of low project prices
At the terminal level, engineering channels compete, and all brands without exception are thrown into a whirlpool of homogeneity. A number of engineering companies take the opportunity to aggressively lower prices. Engineering cooperation basically means: if you don’t cooperate, you will die! Cooperation is also about seeking skin from a tiger, which will seriously damage your vitality!
In the whirlpool of many homogeneous products, the curse of low prices has begun. No matter whether you are a first-tier brand or a second-tier, third-tier or fourth-tier brand, no one can escape this curse. However, based on their strong financial strength, listed companies are frantically seizing the centralized procurement and engineering markets in order to increase their market value. This can also be called a strategy. What about most non-listed company ceramic tile brand agents?
What do you do to seek skin from a tiger?
——Of course, a differentiated product is needed! Need a product that you have and others don’t. This is the royal way.
Thick bricks came into being!
Weige participated in Coverings Stone Exhibition in the United States
Thick bricks, also known as landscape bricks, are a product that is different from indoor bricks. It is usually used in outdoor plazas and as thick brick products to replace natural stone. It has excellent performance in physical properties such as wear resistance, anti-skid, and pressure resistance.
Although thick bricks have a history of more than ten years abroad, they have only become popular in China in the past two years. In other words, there are currently few brands of thick bricks in China, but engineering companies have There is a general demand, so agent thick bricks are products that no one else has but you have. It is easy to form product differentiation, break the curse of homogenization and low-price competition, and complete the counterattack in front of Party A.
NO.2 The market demand for thick bricks is 3 billion square meters, and the demand is greater than the production capacity
With the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development’s emphasis on community renovation as a focus, the rise of prefabricated buildings, strategic acquisitions by real estate companies, and the increasing demand for public decoration markets, around airports, stations, parks, commercial plazas, landscape gardens, pedestrian streets, etc. The demand for thick bricks in high-traffic public spaces and exterior facades continues to rise, and the thick brick category is ushering in a concentrated explosion.
According to industry professionals’ estimates, public decoration will usher in a stock market of 600 million square meters! The scale of thick bricks is expected to exceed 3 billion square meters! Demand exceeds production capacity!
At the same time, with the improvement of people's living standards, people have a higher pursuit of experience in activity spaces and more beautiful outdoor landscape activity areas. A group of designers have their own ideas for the project. Based on the need to create a better outdoor life and pursue the concept of natural and harmonious design, they also have a strong interest in creating a landscape environment. After all, when hunting or escaping from being hunted in a jungle made of steel and concrete, everyone hopes to encounter a small free world where they can look up at the stars.
Weige-Dubai InterContinental Hotel Renovation Project
Whether it is viewed from the national level, the designer level, or the life needs of the general public, outdoor landscape thick bricks can undoubtedly be regarded as emerging at the right time.
The opening of this market is undoubtedly a ladder out of misery for dealers struggling in dire straits.
Particularly, compared with other markets of various categories that are swarming in with thousands of troops and horses, the market for outdoor landscape thick bricks is currently "big but weak", and there is still no time to drink soup.
NO.3 Thick bricks replace stone, which is a piece of meat that is not targeted by "wolves"
However, the domestic thick landscape brick market has only emerged in the past two years - although this market has been popular overseas for more than ten years.
In Europe, 70% of thick bricks have replaced traditional stone. Faced with the new trend, many ceramic companies have switched to thick brick production. However, due to lack of engineering experience, limitations of traditional B2C thinking, and the inability to keep up with channels and technology, not all companies can share this cake.
Weige-Guangzhou Dahua▪ Ziyue Mansion< /span>
The most critical thing is: this potential stock in the thick brick market has obviously not been noticed by more people. Even if it was noticed, fierce competition has not been formed due to the difficulty of operation. Therefore, the demand exceeds the production capacity. As Zhang Hua said: Such a large market with thick bricks but not greasy is rarely targeted by "wolves", which is not obviously a wave of cheapness. First come, first served? Compared with thousands of troops crossing a single-plank bridge, wouldn't this virgin land that has not yet been targeted be more promising?
For dealers, with the current development momentum, it is inevitable for ceramic tiles to go through centralized procurement and engineering channels. Instead of being completely injured by the curse of low prices in the vortex of homogeneous products, why can't you jump out, choose a solid brand, and represent it seriously, and use it to climb out of the vortex of homogeneity and escape the curse of low prices? Gain the initiative to leverage Party A?
I still appreciate Zhang Hua’s words: Every agent should seriously consider being an agent for a thick brick product, especially for projects that are in fierce battle with developers. Channel agents and a good thick brick brand are your only bargaining chip to leverage Party A!
Related links: 6 major advantages of Weigel thick bricks
1. Strong strength, be the leader of thick brick brand
Founded in 2007, Weige is a Sino-German joint venture ceramics brand with a global background. Having been deeply involved in the industry for 13 years, Weige has always adhered to the business philosophy of "quality and innovation", providing high-quality building materials products and application solutions for commercial buildings and high-end residences, and creating many firsts in the industry.
In 2009, the world's first 2CM thick bricks were created; independent patented technology and brand label were formed;
In 2018, 3CM thick brick products were released, becoming the top brand in the global thick brick field;
Won a number of national and provincial invention technologies, patents and honors
Strategic reach covers more than 80 countries around the world;
The main indicators of the covered products reach the leading level of domestic and foreign products with the same technology;
……
Along the way, Weige has become an expert in thick bricks, like a horse that rides thousands of miles in the field of thick bricks.
2. Multiple patents, leading the market
As a benchmark enterprise in the thick brick category, Weige has always adhered to the development strategy of independent innovation and technology-driven development. It currently has 15 scientific and technological achievements, including 2 appearance patents and high-tech products. 5 items.
Weige's "R&D project of new 2cm thick full-body porcelain tiles" won the first prize of the "National Building Materials Industry Technology Innovation Award". It has been appraised by the China Building Materials Federation as "the overall project results have reached the international leading level." Five products including "Imitation Quartz Stone 2CM Thick Outdoor Porcelain Quartz Tile" were recognized as "High-tech Products of Guangdong Province".
In 2015, the "R&D and Application of Serialized Porcelain Building Plate with Natural Stone Characteristics" project of Weige Quartz Brick was certified as "internationally leading level" by the China Building Materials Federation. Ge can provide dealers with the most powerful product guarantee.
Three, large-scale production, quality assurance
Weige has its own independent green intelligent manufacturing factory. It currently has 2 large-scale modern production lines, specifically for the production of thick bricks, with a daily output of 7,000㎡ and will reach 15,000 in September. ㎡. It plans to increase the number of production lines to 4 next year to achieve the production target of 22,000 square meters. It is an enterprise with strong production strength.
In addition, for commercial project needs, Weige also provides flexible customized production that can meet design needs to adapt to project application needs.
In terms of product quality, Weige strictly implements high domestic and foreign industry standards and has multiple domestic and foreign product certifications including CE certification, environmental management system certification, Greenleaf certification, 3C certification, quality management system certification, EU and international indicator certification, etc. Able to provide partners with high-quality and stable product supply.
4. Complete categories, both functional and aesthetic
Focusing on thickness, Weige relies on unique technology and innovative scientific research to develop thick brick products with brand characteristics: covering 1.6+1.8+2+3cm quartz brick series products .
Adhere to original product design and be at the forefront of ceramic technology and aesthetics. From product research and development, design to production, Weige is based on market needs, combines international consumer trends and original design, and adds technical research to make products both functional and aesthetic, giving designers more inspiration and products with more applications space to open up a larger market for product sales.
5. International quality products, diverse applications
In addition to outstanding product quality, Weige is also adjusting its own structure according to market changes, constantly innovating, and integrating with world trends to provide diversified products with "international quality products and quality experience" Design standards enter the world market. At present, the annual project volume reaches more than 2 million square meters.
Domestically, Weige has established long-term cooperative relationships with top 500 real estate companies such as Vanke, Sunac, Poly, Greenland, and Zhongnan Group, and has joined forces to create many high-quality commercial projects.
Landmark buildings such as Xi'an Tang Dynasty Evernight City, Chengdu Fantasia·Huajun, Ningbo Diaoyutai, Suzhou Yanlord Tangbei, Guangzhou Road Jintian Junfeng, Lanzhou Zuixian Tower, and Suzhou Shin Kong Place are all Weige cooperation projects.
Internationally, Weige’s partners cover the UK, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Sweden, South Korea, Singapore and other more than 80 developed countries, forming an international customer base.
In key international city landmarks and major construction projects, such as MARINA GATE in Dubai, ICONSIAM in Bangkok, Thailand, boutique outlets, W Hotel in Melbourne, Busan Library in South Korea, New Atlantis Hotel in Dubai, Prince Hotel in Japan, and Singapore Weige has participated in major commercial projects such as the InterContinental Hotel.
6. Empowering channels and professional assistance
Different from the fixed franchise model in the industry, Weige does not have strict first-time requirements, high deposits, store construction, inventory preparation and other conditions for agents. In order to solve the problem of agents Weige mainly promotes asset-light operations, making it easy to join without pressure. There is no need to open a store or stock up on goods, and we can jointly explore business opportunities in the post-epidemic era.
In addition, Weige's professional sales system can provide early guidance, precise design, team training, APP traffic, advertising assistance and other support to help agents develop the market and facilitate large orders.
Author: Pan Chunhua
