The behavior patterns and liking of the rural consumers have changed drastically in the past two decades. They are quit choosy and skeptical now. Also, the paying capacity increased manifold. Hence, they do not compromise on quality in any case.
Looking at the change, marketing managers have been forced to brainstorm about the means and ways of luring customers. They cant remain confined to the good old practices.
You will be amazed to know that so many rural marketing companies in india emerged that focus on purely villages and small towns for establishing marketing strategy.
Since the clich Customer is the king holds true with the rural consumers also, marketing managers need to spend time in understanding their choices and preferences.
Brand loyalty? Come on; it is a good old story!
Gone are the days when rural customers preferred brand to the product category. For them, Colgate was the only toothpaste and Dalda was the only hydrogenated oil.
Today, they do not restrict them to a brand but want to experiment and test. They are keen to develop their personal brand preference instead of getting influenced by someone.
Cost may not be a limiting factor for them, but cost-benefit ratio is an important aspect. They are ready to spend high provided the product gives them excellent return.
Rural marketing agencies in india change the marketing strategies to get aligned with the paradigm shift in the thinking process.
Studies reveal some interesting facts
In fact, the consumers of interior villages and small and medium size towns have become more complex than the urban counterparts. There have been several studies undertaken to understand the rural consumer behavior by business management schools.
In a study, researchers conducted tests across ten states in India to know about 20 popular categories of consumer products, e.g. beauty products, biscuits, cereals, food products, etc.
The basic idea behind the study was to come out of prototype thinking and to stop looking the whole rural market uniformly.
The study revealed that people of each state showed different opinion about the product and their preferences were also different.
It means, today it is impossible to make a universal strategy. Even the rural advertising in india also has to be specific to a state or geographical region.
Today a company that offers services for Rural marketing in Maharashtra need to think separately for Madhya Pradesh even if it is the neighboring state. That much complexity has been added to it!