Chapter 122: Teaming Up Network

The next morning Jiang Qin drove to Linchuan University of Science and Technology and submitted all the prepared materials.

Hu Maolin, the director of the LUST Youth League Committee, nodded after reviewing them. He picked up the red stamp and stamped the approval form for work-study.

Then Shengshi directly drove their vehicles into Linchuan University of Science and Technology, delivering the new signboard and newly printed flyers.

As it was already late autumn, the temperature dropped sharply and it was cold in the mornings and evenings. The advertising fan gimmick couldn’t be used anymore, which made Jiang Qin feel a little regretful.

But besides fans, Shengshi also provided other alternative options for Jiang Qin to choose from.

Such as umbrellas, water cups, and hats.

However, compared to fans, the cost of these promotional items was too high and not cost-effective at all. If the quality was too poor, not only would it fail to serve a promotional purpose, it could very likely cause resentment.

If I take your umbrella out to play on a rainy day and halfway there only the handle is left, damn it?

So after a comprehensive comparison, Jiang Qin still chose ordinary flyers.

The students at LUST already had hidden expectations for the campus beauty contest and had a relatively high level of internal acceptance. Jiang Qin specifically had Pang Hai mark the campus beauty contest on the flyers, which could be considered making up for the lack of practicality of the medium.

After replacing the signboard of Encounter Milk Tea Shop, the LUST branch of Xitian Milk Tea Shop reopened for business.

At the same time, Jiang Qin also found a large group of part-time college students and began distributing flyers continuously on campus.

Guo Zihang, as the team leader of flyer group 1, was conscientious and responsible. He personally took to the field, working tirelessly for a day, panting and sighing deeply about the hardships of life.

“Brother Jiang, handing out flyers really isn’t a job fit for humans.”

“Yeah, my damn hands are sore.”

Jiang Qin squatted on the steps drinking milk tea, and the soreness he was talking about referred to his hand that had been holding the milk tea cup. His flyers were placed on the ground, being eagerly grabbed by the surrounding female college students.

Seeing this scene, the corners of Guo Zihang’s mouth began to twitch, “Godfather, teach me, why are you exuding charm at all times?”

“Want to learn?”

Guo Zihang nodded fiercely, his eyes revealing endless desire.

Jiang Qin coughed, straightened his back, slightly extended his arm as if grasping something, and drew an arc back and forth.

“?”

Then, Guo Zihang practiced this action while handing out flyers. He practiced until his arms were sore but not only got eye rolls, he was also looked at with gazes reserved for idiots, making his face flush.

He didn’t know if his movements were non-standard or if he hadn’t grasped the essentials. But Jiang Qin had already returned to Linchuan University at this time. He had no way to ask for advice, so he could only continue practicing.

By evening, Guo Zihang returned to the dorm while practicing Jiang Qin’s movements, making his roommates laugh.

“Old Guo, what’s this action? Steering with one hand?”

“…”

Guo Zihang’s movements stiffened. Suddenly, as if enlightened, he seemed to instantly understand the true meaning of this posture.

Damn, godfather means my charm lies in having an Audi!

So what’s the damn point of just practicing this posture? The important thing is the car!

Jiang Qin didn’t know Guo Zihang’s realization had such a big deviation. He had already driven the Audi back to Linchuan University with one hand and arrived at Entrepreneurship Base 208.

Su Nai was currently waiting for him in the office, the computer still on, displaying the newly made website homepage.

The campus beauty contest at Linchuan University of Science and Technology was gradually heating up. Dong Wenhao’s side was already so busy his feet never touched the ground. But Su Nai never participated and instead, according to Jiang Qin’s instructions, led the new team to build a website called “Teaming Up.”

“Boss, this is the new site built according to your requirements. Take a look.”

“So fast? It’s only been five days. Su Nai, I indeed didn’t misjudge you. You look like you have the auspicious air to make the boss prosper.”

Su Nai coughed, “Boss, don’t be too happy too soon. This is just a framework, for display purposes, equivalent to… a PPT.”

Jiang Qin’s happiness was in vain, “Then what’s the use of this?”

“Of course it’s for effective communication, to avoid deviation from the start. Even building a house requires laying the foundation first, don’t you agree?”

Jiang Qin pulled over a chair and sat down, “Alright, you have a point. Please begin your presentation.”

Su Nai nodded and began demonstrating the website’s various designs and details, “Teaming Up’s most basic sections are mall, food, entertainment, and life. The small subcategories haven’t been made yet but the operation of the tertiary and secondary pages are roughly similar. There’s also the showcase window effect and the pop-up design of the discount page…”

“Not bad, the things in the plan are basically reflected.” Jiang Qin gave his approval.

“Since it’s okay, I’ll continue in this direction.”

“About how long will it take?”

“Teaming Up is harder than Zhihu because there are too many sections and functions. The team I newly recruited has about six people. To realize all the functions in the plan will probably take over a month.”

Jiang Qin nodded, feeling a month wasn’t too long.

The campus beauty contest at Linchuan University of Science and Technology was just starting. From warm-up to end would probably also take a month. The timing could be just right.

“Then feel free to do it. Don’t worry about other things. If anything comes up, call Wei Lanlan. She’s now working part-time as my secretary. I’ve explained everything. Your side takes priority.”

“Okay boss!”

Jiang Qin patted Su Nai’s shoulder and walked to the window to stretch.

Teaming Up was the monetization tool he planned to launch next. It was also the second big step and important attempt in the entrepreneurial stage. The inspiration, of course, came from Ye Ziqing.

Professor Yan had been very puzzled recently as to why Jiang Qin no longer came to inquire about the “failed business.” In fact, it was because Jiang Qin had flipped through the school newspaper for an afternoon and figured out the whole story.

Ye Ziqing was the unfortunate student Professor Yan mentioned. Like Jiang Qin, she had started making waves at the school since freshman year.

Her starting medium wasn’t actually the internet but QQ groups based on classes and dorms to gather college students, organize lists of things they needed to buy in bulk, cooperate with nearby merchants, and play the game of bulk discounts for kickbacks from businesses.

Later, as she developed more and more downlines and group buying groups, problems began to emerge.

Because management and statistics required people and price negotiation also required people, not only did costs soar, but the direction of later development was also severely restricted.

For this, Ye Ziqing simply made a website for college students to self-select the products they wanted to buy, pick out the products with the highest purchase rates, and then send dedicated people to get the goods.

But the problem was that this step by Ye Ziqing undoubtedly turned herself into an intermediary.

And the only result of being an intermediary is displeasing both sides.

In the end, Ye Ziqing found the team increasingly difficult to manage, yet the part-time college students she recruited kept increasing. Everyone crowded together, becoming a huge burden for the Jiuhui group buying website.

But Ye Ziqing didn’t give up. Plus, her family was well-off, so she began burning money, planning to break through the shackles.

Jiang Qin didn’t know what happened later but it must have gotten harder and slower until it finally went bust.

Positioning yourself as a product intermediary, taking user needs to find sellers – this development model can indeed yield immediate results within a small scope but the restrictions are also very rigid.

If Ye Ziqing could have stopped at that time to think carefully, grit her teeth to let go of the team’s burdens, and change her thinking, it might not have ended in a complete mess.

But you can’t judge her actions at that time with the perspective of the future.

Because at that time, most people running group buying had roughly the same idea. Ye Ziqing was just following the trend and in the end, relying on her deep pockets, accidentally went too far.

“All are tears of the times.”

“I’m different. I’m a bug of the times.”

Jiang Qin knew the internet age was about to arrive. The real future direction was to be a platform, to be a cloud market.

Only by becoming someone who can set the rules can you stand taller and go further.

However, Jiang Qin didn’t dare think about setting rules for now. That required burning a lot of money. But small-scale monetization was still possible.

This matter might be very difficult for others but it was easy for Jiang Qin because he had forums, which meant he had vast user and merchant resources.

First hold a contest to gain traffic, then use traffic to attract users.

Users are the foundation, and the group buying site replaces forum advertising as the final destination.

Jiang Qin wasn’t making groundless fantasies.

Because previously when holding the campus beauty contest, many merchants had come to ask about advertising and promotion. But when faced with high advertising fees, some small businesses immediately knew to quit while they were ahead.

Now, if you provide them with a platform and bring in traffic, would anyone likely feel resistant?

“Jiang Qin!”

At this moment, footsteps sounded at the door. Tang Lin and Hong Yan came to 208, followed by a worker in a blue uniform, “Senior Sister Cao asked us to contact the school repairman to fix the windows in 207.”

“Really? Then many thanks. That window gap is killing me. I can’t even sleep well at night and mosquitoes keep getting in.”

Jiang Qin walked out of 208 and took the worker to 207.

He had been busy until late every day recently, rarely returning to the dorm, sometimes just making do in 207. But that broken window made his sleep quality extremely poor.

At the same time, Tang Lin pulled Hong Yan into 208 and quietly looked around, her gaze finally falling on the data statistics chart on the wall.

“Yanyan, I heard this website took in over 500,000 in advertising fees last month. Do you think it’s true or false?”

Hong Yan couldn’t help nodding, “It should be true.”

Tang Lin couldn’t help but stroke Jiang Qin’s boss chair, sighing a little, “Not bad, just missing one thing.”

“What?”

“Missing a boss’s wife in charge.”

Su Nai had just returned from the bathroom at this time. Hearing the words “boss’s wife,” she slightly furrowed her brows.

They’re talking about the boss’s wife?

Mm, the boss’s wife is the best, the best in the whole world.