franchise may seem like just another role in the industry, but for businesses, they are crucial partners. It’s their quiet dedication that helps companies and brands achieve some level of success and market recognition.
“Zuliz franchise Story Series” aims to showcase the excellent franchise of Zuliz elder shoes, highlighting their entrepreneurial journeys, sharing sales skills, and exploring great business opportunities. These stories may contain some success tips, touching anecdotes, or discussions about past challenges, all meant to inspire and provoke thought in readers.
In this issue, the protagonist of Zuliz franchise Stories is Zhao Peng.
Zhao Peng joined Zuliz in 2021 and currently runs the Zuliz stores at Wanxiang City in Yichun, Heilongjiang Province, and in Hegang. He previously worked in the digital electronics industry and managed several apparel stores of different brands, achieving remarkable success. With his keen vision and optimistic persistence, Zhao has carved out his own path in the business world.
Keep an eye on the market, choose Zuliz.
In the vast lands of Northeast China, Mr. Zhao, with his unique business vision and sharp market insight, manages multiple brand stores in the commercial centers of Yichun. Previously catering to a diverse range of age groups, from children to the elderly, he has now shifted his focus towards the aging market due to the changing industrial landscape in the region. Mr. Zhao mentioned, “I have been looking for opportunities to venture into the elderly market.”
Coincidentally, when a Zuliz store in the mall closed down, it presented an opportunity for Mr. Zhao. Recognizing the local market’s lack of specialization in elderly footwear and acknowledging the brand recognition and product expertise of Zuliz, he believes that Zuliz elder shoes have significant market potential in Northeast China.
After conducting a thorough and in-depth market survey, he promptly contacted the market manager, and the two quickly reached an agreement. Mr. Zhao signed the contract at the headquarters and coincidentally seized a rare opportunity as the mall underwent an upgrade. Eagerly advocating for Zuliz, he secured a prime location for the store, meticulously designed and renovated it, and thus, the Zuliz store at Wanxiang City in Yichun officially opened its doors.
Challenges can indeed be opportunities
With his wealth of business experience, Mr. Zhao successfully gained a significant market share after managing the Zuliz store in Yichun. Over the years, have you encountered any difficulties? What if the store is empty? What if sales stagnate for an extended period? Mr. Zhao nonchalantly remarked, “I have never viewed difficulties as obstacles; instead, I see them as opportunities!”
While managing Zuliz in Yichun capitalizes on demographic advantages, it also faces geographical and population challenges. Mr. Zhao noted, “Yichun has a relatively small population and is far from other areas. To expand and strengthen Zuliz as a long-term venture, solely relying on Yichun’s market size is insufficient.”
Therefore, he set his sights on the slightly larger city of Hegang, beyond Yichun, aiming to establish a Zuliz store there. Despite the inconvenience of travel from Yichun to Hegang, with no expressways and a journey of several hours by car, Mr. Zhao showed no signs of hesitation. Following on-site assessments, he studied the local demographics, consumer spending habits, and market demands, thoroughly preparing for the opening of the Zuliz store in Hegang.
Operating the Zuliz store in Hegang was undoubtedly a new endeavor for Mr. Zhao. Leveraging professional products, top-notch services, and precise marketing campaigns, he managed to significantly boost the store’s turnover within a year compared to others. This initial success marks a significant achievement. Throughout the operation, Mr. Zhao continuously accumulated experience, refined his store model, and gradually developed a set of operational strategies tailored to the Hegang market. He understands that only strategies validated by the market can lead to genuine success. Once the Hegang market is established, Mr. Zhao will embark on new trials and challenges, as he never shies away from difficulties. In his worldview, with the right solutions, obstacles can indeed become stepping stones to success.
Creating a successful store model: Replicating success through success
Currently, Mr. Zhao’s management of multiple profitable stores has garnered excellent local reputation. Three key points summarize his successful experiences:
- Putting service above all: Serving customers and “serving” employees
Mr. Zhao’s commitment to prioritizing customer needs and satisfaction aligns perfectly with the company’s customer-centric philosophy. His team never frets over returns impacting them, as all return losses are borne by Mr. Zhao himself. This instills greater confidence in the employees, ensuring customer satisfaction while safeguarding their interests.
Within Mr. Zhao’s team, his employees are treated like family. He often takes the team to learn together, adopting cutting-edge business strategies. Mr. Zhao states, “I firmly believe in specialization in one’s field. Whenever the company offers courses or training to enhance skills, I organize the store managers to attend. Learning from accomplished individuals regularly helps advance our mindset. Being in a somewhat remote location, continuous learning is essential to stay connected with external trends.”
“I genuinely aspire to lead my team so that each individual gains not only financial rewards but also spiritual fulfillment from this venture. I hope everyone can achieve positive outcomes through our collective efforts.”
Employees apply their newfound knowledge to their daily tasks. They understand the importance of providing exceptional service to every customer who enters the store. Mr. Zhao emphasizes, “My employees genuinely care for the customers, aiming to convey emotional value beyond simply selling a pair of shoes.” The relationships between store staff and customers are authentic, with uncles and aunts often visiting to share homemade treats, creating emotional connections that transcend mere business transactions.
- Emphasizing marketing and promotion: Nurturing projects like raising children
Mr. Zhao treats each project with the care and attention one would give to raising a child, investing significant effort and dedication into promotional activities. He places great importance on the marketing and promotion of the store, considering it a crucial factor in achieving success.
He seizes every opportunity for promotion, utilizing various marketing activities. From online videos to offline canvassing, using promotional vehicles, distributing flyers ceaselessly, and even having employees voluntarily distribute flyers in the square after work, there is a continuous effort to increase the store’s visibility.
In Mr. Zhao’s view, advertising and promotion do not yield immediate results but require long-term persistence. He believes that consistent efforts in marketing and promotion are essential to truly enhance the store’s visibility and reputation, ensuring more people know and understand the store.
Mr. Zhao states, “I always have a promotional loudspeaker on my car, playing Zuliz advertisements wherever I go, promoting my store.”
Even during the pandemic when offline stores couldn’t operate, Mr. Zhao did not slack off in marketing and promotion efforts. This approach not only captures customers’ minds but also lays a solid foundation for the long-term development of the local Zuliz stores.
- Long-term vision: Not profiting for the present, but for the future
“I never aim to make quick profits or focus on immediate gains. I consider managing Zuliz as a long-term career. I aim to earn money from the future.” Mr. Zhao provides an example where the money earned in the first year is reinvested in employee benefits and customer value. Therefore, in store operations, he emphasizes brand building and promotion, continuously enhancing the store’s core competitiveness through service upgrades, market expansion, and more. Additionally, he focuses on nurturing employees’ growth and development, improving their skills and capabilities through various training and motivational measures.
Mr. Zhao emphasizes, “We are already in a somewhat remote location, and only through continuous learning can we possibly align with the outside world.” Thus, he encourages store members to learn from accomplished individuals, continuously elevate their mindset, and actively participate in the company’s online learning and meeting exchanges.
Mr. Zhao deeply understands that business success requires long-term accumulation and perseverance. He does not chase short-term profits but focuses on long-term development and planning. He believes that only by adhering to long-term principles can one earn market recognition and trust.
Mr. Zhao firmly rejects the concept of “lying flat” that many young people pursue and endorse in modern society. Despite having accumulated a certain level of wealth, he maintains a proactive spirit towards the future.
He believes that societal progress requires everyone’s effort, and each individual should uphold the right values and life perspectives, taking responsibility for themselves, their families, and society. If everyone chooses to “lie flat,” society will not be able to progress.
For the next three to five years, Mr. Zhao already has a clear plan. Every year, he tries new things to continually expand his business horizons. Once the offline Zuliz store model is established, he hopes to expand to more cities nearby, allowing more people to learn about Zuliz products and services.
Regarding live streaming sales on platforms like Douyin (TikTok), Mr. Zhao also expresses great interest. However, due to the lack of online operations and hosts in the northeastern region, the previous online live streaming store did not operate smoothly. Nevertheless, Mr. Zhao is determined to overcome obstacles and continue. He plans to establish a more professional live streaming operation team in larger cities in the future.
Mr. Zhao’s success stems from his sense of responsibility, dedication, diligence, vision, and principles. He believes that building a career is a gradual process, as long as you find the right direction and have a group of people willing to strive towards that direction, the end results will surely be favorable. Therefore, in the process of managing his stores, he is not anxious to see immediate results because he trusts that by taking one step at a time, the outcome will be excellent.
In conclusion, Mr. Zhao remarks, “I have great confidence in Zuliz elderly shoes. In this specialized field, I will continue to explore more opportunities both online and offline, treating Zuliz as a long-lasting career.” With China’s aging population rapidly growing, expected to reach 450 million elderly by 2050, the elderly economy is a rising industry. Therefore, joining Zuliz now presents the best timing.
