SALES PROMOTION PROGRAMS IN RURAL MARKETS

Hul project bharatChick shampoo small sachet

RURAL CONSUMERHe evaluates the product by touch and feel. He gets more satisfaction after touching it.

Once converted he is fiercely loyal to the brand.

Purchase process is also different - influencer, decider, buyer, payer are generally different persons in case of rural market.

Though advertising the product makes a difference but still mouth publicity by known users, educated village youth or renowned person of the community make product more reliable.In rural market low price pack is preferred rather than economy pack. They started selling shampoo sachets priced at Re 1 or Re 2, Pepsodent toothpaste at Re 5, Lifebuoy soap in 50 grams

Rural consumers prefer utility oriented productsAt the same time product should be compatible with the infrastructure available in rural areas

It is easier to get group response in rural market

Tata Group, which retails the Sonata brand of watches to rural India, says, “[rural folks] think of a purchase in terms of how it serves their needs and how well its suits the family, rather than the individual.

Van campaign n giving samples

HLL's ‘Operation Bharat’ to tap the rural markets. Under this operation it passed out low–priced sample packets of its toothpaste, fairness cream, Clinic Plus shampoo, and Ponds cream to twenty million households. Today, these brands have a flourishing market in rural India.

MRF conduct tractor owners meet in association with local distributors.

In 2001, Colgate-Palmolive launched “Operation Jagruti” to educate villagers about oral hygiene and its benefits vis-à-vis traditional products like “Neem.”

BPCL introduced a smaller sized cylinder to reduce the initial deposit cost and consequent refilling cost

Goderej no.1 soap, salespersons were visiting villeges & offerring buy one get one free.

OPINION LEADERS

Asian Paints promoted its Utasv brand of paint by painting the village Sarpanch’s house a few months prior to the launch to demonstrate that the paint does not peel off and is an ideal replacement of chuna.

The health development assistant of HUl regularly meets school teachers to promote Lifeboy soap in Villages.