Su Dai went to the state of Qi to lobby on behalf of the state of Yan. Before he had an audience with the King of Qi, he first called upon Chunyu Kun and said, "There was a man selling a fine steed. He stood in the marketplace for three consecutive days, yet no one recognized that his horse was extraordinary. He went to see Bo Le and said, 'I have a fine steed and wish to sell it. I have stood in the marketplace for three days, and no one has even spoken to me. I beg you to walk around my horse and take a look, and when you leave, cast a glance back at it. I am willing to offer you a day's wages.' Bo Le then walked around the horse, examining it, and as he departed, he turned back for a look. Within a single day, the horse's price rose tenfold. Now I wish to present myself as a fine steed before the King of Qi, yet no one has introduced me. Would you be willing to be my Bo Le? I would offer a pair of white jade discs and a thousand yi of gold as your fodder money." Chunyu Kun replied, "As you command." Thereupon, Chunyu Kun entered the palace to see the King of Qi and recommended Su Dai to him. The King of Qi, greatly pleased, granted Su Dai an audience.
💡 商战启示录
Su Dai, by invoking the parable of the horse appraiser, skillfully enlisted the endorsement of the esteemed authority Chunyu Kun to vouch for him, thereby winning the trust of the King of Qi. This reveals the core strategies of "borrowed momentum marketing" and "authority endorsement" in modern commercial warfare. In the business world, new products or startups often face the predicament that "good wine fears no dark alley" yet still goes unnoticed—much like a fine steed standing ignored in the marketplace. At such times, leveraging recommendations from industry leaders, renowned experts, or key opinion leaders can rapidly elevate brand credibility and market awareness. For instance, Tesla in its early days, through Elon Musk's personal influence and the trial evaluations of tech authorities, swiftly established its premium electric-vehicle brand image; meanwhile, many emerging consumer brands have achieved explosive sales growth through "seeding" by top influencers on platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin. Su Dai's proactive offer of "white jade and yellow gold" as recompense also hints at the essence of mutual benefit in commercial partnerships—authority endorsement is never gratuitous; brands must offer reasonable returns or win-win arrangements. Furthermore, Su Dai's decision to persuade the "intermediary" before ever meeting the King underscores the importance of precisely identifying the pivotal nodes in the decision-making chain. Modern enterprises should map out who the "horse appraisers" trusted by their target customers are, and prioritize breaking through to these key figures, rather than casting a wide net blindly. Ultimately, Su Dai wrapped his own cause in the story of "the appraiser recognizing the steed," rendering abstract value into tangible narrative—a reminder that in business communication, the adept use of metaphor and storytelling can persuade audiences far more effectively.