rural marketing

Role of media in sustainable rural development

It wont be an exaggeration if last three decades are called decades of technological advancement in India. The country has shown incredible development in every field. India is one of the most promising economies in the world. The immense potential attracts entrepreneurs worldwide. Undoubtedly, the role of Media has been phenomenal for popularizing and promoting the positive aspects of the country worldwide. It attracted foreign investors, and the country got benefited by it greatly. Experts feel that the media can show similarly fabulous performance for developing the rural India. As the new government shows commitment and determination to transform the rural marketplace by announcing ambitious schemes, it is furthermore important that the media takes it further positively. It should promote and propagate it as much as possible so that every rural entrepreneur becomes aware of it. 70 percent population of India is eager for the change Yes, statistics confirms that more than 70 percent of the Indian population lives in the rural areas. Still, the sector didnt taste the fruits of development till the 90s. After the implementation of liberal policies and globalization, there is a change in the living standards and lifestyle. The government of India understands the importance of enhancing the life of rural people. Since the rural areas contribute one-third of the total GDP, it is inexcusable if it remains neglected. Media should highlight the focus on the Rural India While the government puts emphasis on the sector by provisioning a significant chunk in the futuristic plans Digital India and Make in India, the role of media becomes important to highlight the same. If the rural population is made aware of the provisions, they can demand faster and effective implementation. It is a fact that Indian media is far behind as compared to the developed countries as far as maturity and responsibility are concerned. Instead of highlighting the positive and sensible things, it is indulged in discussing unimportant issues. Time has come when it should realize that spreading sensation and discussing political disputes are not the prime responsibilities of the media. Rather, it should analyze the efforts made by the ruling party and criticize constructively. The power of social media cant be overlooked at the same time. It should be used to communicate the efforts and facilities extended to the rural population. Thus, media has an important role to play in spreading the good word of development up to the last beneficiary of the economic growth.

What Does Budget 2016 Promise for Rural Market

The recent union budget is revolutionary in many aspects. First of all, it is a big blow to the opposition. There were allegations that the government pays attention to the urban India only. Secondly, it talks about transforming the rural India in the long-term. No wonder, the budget refrained from making lucrative offers and benefits. If the focus gets shifted to the rural market again and the rural job program gets implemented in a full-fledged manner, then certainly the rural India will decide the pace of development in the coming years. The budget talks about doubling the income of farmers in five years which is a ground-breaking thought indeed. There could be doubts and questions about the modus-operandi, but the intentions are fair and clear. It is not just a political speech but a concrete idea of rural development If we look at the budget speech, there are two important things that will boost the rural market. Firstly the budget talks about the development of rural infrastructure. It is a fact that the brain drain from rural India happens primarily because the villages are still in the medieval era. Roads are pathetic, sanitation is poor, and public services are non-existent. In such scenario, nobody wants to live in the villages. With a great emphasis on investments in irrigation, excellent road connectivity, and electrification; there will be a facelift of the rural India. The second important announcement is about doubling the agriculture income in next five years. As per the government, there is a huge scope for modernization of agriculture. With new and innovative farming, optimum utilization of resources, and genetic engineering; the target is certainly achievable. If the two resolutions get converted into reality, then it will give an incredible boost to the rural market. There will be a phenomenal increase in the buying capacity and companies will get a huge unexplored market. Elevation of the lifestyle will stop the brain drain and reduce the burden on the urban infrastructure. When the budget talks about income security instead of food security, it is a paradigm shift indeed. It changes the perspective of looking towards farming in India. When it is done with a professional approach, the focus shifts to productivity and profitability. Fast-track projects will bring more cultivated land under irrigation. It will reduce the dependency on the Monsoon. There is no doubt that the face of the rural market will be totally transformed if the budget declarations get implemented fully. It will be the birth of a strong and self-sufficient rural India.

Insight of Banking Service in Rural India

The government is keen to carry the benefits of several welfare programs for the rural people. From ages, the government agencies have been doing the task, and there are complaints of huge corruption and scams. Statistics revealed that out of each rupee dedicated to the rural people, hardly 10 percent used to reach to the real beneficiaries. Since no effective network of banks was there, the government didnt have any other choice. However, the situation has changed dramatically in last two decades, and now the benefits of the schemes get credited to the bank account using the network of banking services in rural India. The corruption and leakage of money stopped due to the new mechanism, and people are saved from moneylenders, bribes, and bureaucracy. The programs intended to change the lives of the rural people are succeeding in doing so. There are still many challenges to overcome Undoubtedly, there is a drastic change in the scenario but looking at the vastness and magnitude of our country there are still a lot of things to do. The biggest challenge is to win the confidence of rural people. They have a misconception that there is a pocketful of money required to open the bank account. Also, sometimes villagers think that the money in their bank account will be taken by the government without informing them. Of course, these rumors or incorrect assumptions wont do any good. Awareness and counseling are the only ways of convincing people. Some private banks (or even co-operative banks as well) insist opening accounts with a handsome money, which is a big issue for the majority of rural people. The government should keep a close eye on it and put controls on the same. Since the transaction costs carrying to the rural areas are higher than the urban areas, private banks avoid taking the responsibility. It is important that the government looks into the fact and reimburse a part of the transaction charges to make it economically viable. Customer education is another big issue. Since the literacy rate and awareness are low in the interior parts of the country, the customers need to be educated about the basics of bank transactions. People scare by the sight of bank officials. They think that the government officials will charge money for it. Convincing them about the government plans is a big issue. With the course of time, the situation will improve. The rural banking sector will flourish and add a great value to the countrys economy.

Methods for Motivating Rural Consumers

Indian rural market shows immense business opportunity with the economic development in the recent past. As people become educated and aware of the global happening due to extensive reach of television in the interior areas, there is an increased brand awareness and quality consciousness. Marketing managers are forced to find new and effective ways of making an impressive presence in the changed scenario. Earlier there was a concept of cheaper is better. Thus, keeping the product price low was the sure key to success (even if the quality is compromised). Now, rural people look into the quality aspect keenly and do not accept substandard products. As a result, Business Management experts are forced to do an in-depth research to find out the secret of success in the niche. Here are five best strategies that certainly motivate rural buyers Communication should be easy and direct: Yes, companies realize that rural market understands communication which is straightforward. It should be in the local language and free from marketing gimmicks. It makes the things effective. Themes and concepts of advertising should be understandable to them. Focus what customers need: A customer always wants the best value for money. If the product doesnt attract him, he wont spend the hard-earned money. Companies should focus on their needs and offer products that make sense. Cultural values play a big role in the buying decision. Market segmentation and micro development: It is very much important to develop products after doing extensive research and segmentation. When products that impact a particular segment hit the market, they become immensely popular. Behavioral pattern of Indian consumers is changing rapidly. Hence, the micro-level analysis is highly important. Following the best distribution strategy: It is another important facet of rural marketing. An effective distribution channel takes the products and services rightly to the right consumers. Since costs of reaching interior markets are high, a good marketing manager derives the best strategy which is effective and economical. The Indian connection: Though rural customers are aware of all modern things, they still prefer products that are Indian at the soul. Hence, right from product designing to packaging and branding to advertising; it should appeal Indian customers. With the changing face of the rural market in India, companies have an excellent chance of enhancing revenues and building market presence. Vritti Media is one of the prominent names in the field of business marketing that has understood the importance of it. The company uses revolutionary concepts and out-of-the-box ideas for it.

Five impressive facts about the rural sector

India is known as the country of villages because most of the population lives in the rural areas. It predominantly depends on agriculture, making it the backbone of the economy. No wonder, the rural market plays a significant role in the consumable sector. However, the segment has been neglected so far, and all marketing strategies have been myopic to the urban population. With the economic development in last three decades and widespread popularity of the satellite television make the rural people aware of the latest lifestyle products. As a result, entrepreneurs realize the immense potential of this unexplored niche. Indian rural segment is special As per statisticians and economic pundits, the rural sector of India possesses a few remarkable peculiarities that are just impossible to ignore: The Indian villages and rural sector are self-sufficient from centuries. A village is a self-contained unit where the people depend on agriculture for food and local market for the day-to-day stuff. There are skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled people in the village that contribute to the economy as per their ability. With the social and political reforms happened in the last 20 years, people of rural areas became socially and politically aware. They know their strengths and weaknesses and dont hesitate in putting forward their feet on the important national issues. They use the welfare schemes run by the government, get the benefit of subsidies and utilize the power of ballet. The people who live in villages know the power of commercialization of agriculture. They make use of the opened up economy to yield the maximum profits from the agriculture. They use high production techniques for high-quality crops. A major portion of the profit is used for spending on the lifestyle products. No wonder, entrepreneurs find the market highly lucrative and profitable. There has been a tremendous emphasis on the road connectivity in last decade. Every village has been added to the mainstream by at least one approach road. The ambitious Pradhanmantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Golden Quadrilateral schemes connect the majority of the villages. It enhances the market potential of the rural India. With the increase in competition and readiness to offer the best products to the consumers, retail sector opens new horizons. Producers earn more profits than ever before, and consumers get high prices. The aspects enhance the importance of this niche, making it a greatly promising market of tomorrow.