Often, rural markets have presented a challenge, the lack of understanding has added to the grief and led to the birth of many fables. The thing about fables is even though everyone is aware of their non-reliable nature; they tend to stick around long enough to cause damage.
To achieve perfection is improbable in marketing but it is important to strive for it anyhow and therefore the reality behind these tales should be discovered before tagging them as a mantra for success.
Let the debunking begin…
1 – Rural people can be fooled easily
The universal truth is that there is no fooling the customer, long-term results cannot be achieved by conning the field. While it might be true that it is difficult for people to identify a brand or even understand its value, these same people perform cost-benefit regularly. So, maybe selling a fake product is easier in a rural area as they have nothing original to compare it to but at the same time, it is not easy to manipulate the customers.
2 – The urban drive
It is the same concept as it is with the town, people think that small towns follow big towns and the same way small towns think rural areas follow them. There is no ambiguity about this trajectory but it rather stems out from the need pyramid.
However, the concept also threatens the very belief of following. Does acceptance of change only root from coveting the luxury?
No, it does not. Even though It remains true that there is a pattern here but assuming that rural people want and need whatever they feel the people in urban life uses, is not entirely true. People still need to be told why they should use it and the answer cannot be because people in the cities are.
3 – Rural India is one market
The biggest mistake a marketer can make is to underestimate the versatility in a market which will render its strategies inefficient. The assumption of evenness in customer preferences and habits is often made but the truth is that rural India is as good as a chapter heading. The content is usually divided with sub-headings and categorizations; the same Rural India is divided geographically and demographically. Planning should be done likewise.
4 – Choice of method or technique
These decisions should never be solely based on word of mouth; the only things that start to matter are hard facts. For example, television is considered a good source of marketing but in reality, approximately 40 % families have access to it. Folk is considered a way to assist in marketing, which is true for few areas while untrue for others. The same can be said for various such examples and they all are cautionary tales.
5 – Product & Money matters
A lot of marketers believe that only products can be sold in a rural market whose prices are low, which is the worst myth for a business. The basic point remains the same, if the product fulfills customer’s needs or desires, price becomes not so important. Delivering value has become very valuable.
Do not make a mistake because you were believing on myths.
