Page 321 - DMGT509_RURAL MARKETING

Rural Marketing

Notes Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
5. In the early .........................s Volkswagen was the leader in small car sales.
6. Ford turned to market research and found some surprising facts ......................... .

7. ......................... has successfully identified its’ market (through market research) and is
successfully capitalizing on it.

16.10 Summary

 In this unit we have discussed about Small towns present a unique challenge to
entrepreneurs, as fewer residents seemingly means fewer niches to explore. With some
creativity, dedication, and business ingenuity, though, virtually any kind of business can
be successful in a small town.
 Many small town residents are unable to take advantage of the very high bandwidth
Internet connections available in larger markets; many service providers simply do not
extend their premium offerings into small markets because they do not view small towns
as profitable.

16.11 Keywords

Local Pride Paraphernalia: Small town residents are often fiercely loyal to their local
municipality, and enjoy showing off their hometown to those who may not have been to the
area. Local photography, postcards, shirts emblazoned with the name of the town, and even
local-themed stationary are excellent ways to generate profit while also spurring small town
pride.
Mail Survey: Expect an average of 15% return depending on what kind of incentive there is to do
the survey. In a small town give a discount if they return the survey in person to your business.
You can pick up extra information. Keep it short for higher response.
Peddle Local Information: Most small towns have a character and numerous achievements that
are unique to the locale. Many small towns are home to at least one tour company that shows
guests the local scenery while pointing out some of the more colorful events in the town’s
history, and others pay for localized brochures or pamphlets that explain why the town is
unique.

Personal interview: Expect about 80%. Advantages — longer survey and more detailed questions.
You can show the product or service. Customer can sample the product. Products can be compared
to competition.
Telephone Survey: Expect about 70% (keep calling until you get it) 100 phone calls equals about
1,000 mailings. Better control of the questioning and more detailed collection of information.
Next lowest in cost.

16.12 Review Questions

1. Describe the ideas of Small town Marketing.

2. Describe the business that we can start in a small town.

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