South Korean company Dorco Co Ltd ventured into the Chinese market in 2005 when it established a factory in Ningbo of Zhejiang province. In 2011, it set up a sales subsidiary in Shanghai. For over a decade, the razor producer maintained a low profile in China.

But the situation changed in 2021 when Dorco received an invitation to participate in the fourth China International Import Expo. Recognizing the CIIE as a premier global event for imports, Dorco's headquarters saw this as an opportunity to elevate its market presence.

Dorco's booth at the fourth CIIE. [Photo/CIIE Bureau]

At the fourth CIIE, Dorco showcased an array of products that promptly impressed visitors. Apart from displaying their latest products and technologies, Dorco also set up an interactive lottery that attracted massive participation. The rationale behind such promotions was to foster a long-term customer relationship. The notion was simple: provide free Dorco products, instill confidence in its quality, and pave the way for future purchases.

The post-expo feedback received surpassed Dorco's expectations. Not only did they gain repeat customers, but new business opportunities also emerged. Several prize winners had contacted Dorco and expressed an interest in becoming their distributors after experiencing their products.

Given the overwhelming response, Dorco attended the subsequent edition of the expo. This time, their six-blade razor garnered significant attention and even became one of the most searched products on major e-commerce and social media platforms.

While the expo gave Dorco significant brand exposure, it also highlighted areas for improvement in brand positioning and marketing strategies. To address this, Dorco launched an interactive game targeting younger audience. It also engaged key opinion leaders to conduct targeted advertising which resulted in approximately 8 million media exposures.

Dorco's experience at the CIIE has been just as its own slogan describes: Make it a good start.

Looking ahead, the company said it will be focusing more of its efforts on product development and brand marketing.

As the sixth CIIE approaches, Dorco has been gearing up to showcase new environment-friendly products, including razors with natural bamboo handles and recycled plastic handles.

Its aim for this year's expo? To gain a bigger market share and attract more investments and collaboration opportunities.

By Zhao Guangmei