Page 318 - DMGT509_RURAL MARKETING

Unit 16: Marketing in Small Towns

Disadvantages —Most expensive unless you do it yourself. Where can you ask the questions to Notes
insure an unbiased “across the board” control group?

16.9 What are Some Low-cost Market Research Techniques

Here are a couple of things you can do to find out about your customer base.
Check license plates in your parking lot: Here in Montana, the numbering on license plates tell
what county the car is from.

Telephone numbers: Gather numbers from checks, credit card slips and delivery information.
Phone prefixes will tell cities and sometimes geographic areas of your customers.
Key your ads and coupons: Check the effectiveness of your advertising by using a key in the ad
to tell you where the customer saw it. For example: The ad might say, “Ask for Joe”. This would
mean it came from the newspaper. “Ask for Jim” would mean a magazine. “Ask for Jerry”
would be radio.
Communicate with customers: Every customer and every phone call should get a “How did you
find us?” Use “small talk” to gather information. Instead of “May I help you?” which invites a
robotic “yes” answer, ask “open-ended” questions that can’t be answered with a yes or no.
“What can I help you find today?”

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Case Study Hero Honda – Rural Marketing

Introduction
The Indian two-wheeler industry is experiencing a major shift in its shape and structure.
The established players in the industry are taking a hard look at their portfolio of
products and are in the process of reshuffling them to meet the expectations of customers.
The beneficiary is of course the consumer, who has an increased array of products to
choose from. The last four-five years have brought about a great change in the consumer
preferences for two-wheelers. The market leaders of yesteryears are being driven to
maintain their leadership position in the forthcoming years. Those who have had a
great going in the last few years are fighting hard to retain their new supremacy. The
two-wheeler industry is perhaps the most happening place in terms of new models
launched, upgraded products and innovative marketing techniques. Gone are the days
of regulation when the production of scooters and motorcycles was limited to two or
three brands and the number of products produced was decided by the Government;
today the Indian two-wheeler market is highly competitive with numerous players
who offer anything and everything a consumer demands and that too at affordable
price. From a sellers market where one had to wait for a scooter for 12 years to the days
when you can just walk into any showroom and drive out in the vehicle of your choice,
the market of two-wheelers in India has come a long way. But this is only the beginning
of the transformation.
The Industry
The Indian two-wheeler industry is dominated by three players, Bajaj, Hero Honda and TVS
Suzuki, who account for 80 percent of the total two-wheeler market. The other players

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