Page 79 - DMGT509_RURAL MARKETING

Rural Marketing

Notes Stimulation

Stimulation levels are important guides for consumer behaviour study. Some rural consumers
lead a sedate life and minimum level of curiosity arousal is enough for them to become interested
in the product. There are hard-core consumers who look for being shaken out of their slumber
and for them heavy dosage of stimulation is needed. These persons can practically psyche
themselves into the purchase mood.
Attitudes are predisposition levels that people have towards a product or an idea. These
positive or negative attitudes are based on, earlier experience, or odd remarks heard from
known or even unknown persons, or from persons like salesmen connected to the product,
and the environment or mood in which the message about the product was given to the
consumer.
Attitudes are normally consistent for a particular product. If a thing is not liked then it is not to
be purchased. Housewives may not even think of purchasing a twin drum-washing machine
with the known benefits of single drum machine. At times attitudes change for reasons like, “let
us economize” or non-availability of favourite brand in the shop visited and imminence of
need. “Let us buy Godrej soap as Lux is not in stock.” Such decisions for FMCG purchases are
taken easily as the cost of replacement/ or repurchase is not heavy, unlike a consumer durable
product like a car or TV, which cannot be purchased, everyday.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
1. ...................... is defined by obvious or inherent need of the consumer.

2. ...................... comes in the form of personal influence of some person who counts.
3. ...................... are predisposition levels that people have towards a product or an idea.
4. ...................... have to position their products in the right market segment to ensure that
positive mental image is formed and that it stays there.
5. The ...................... search process is almost the same as for the urban markets as for the rural
markets.

6. ...................... levels are important guides for consumer behaviour study.

Communication Process

Communication Process is planned taking into account the target market segment and the mind
set of the people of the segment. One communication model is given below.

Sender Message Channel Receiver Right reply

No

Wrong
Feedback
reply
In communications the credibility of source, or who is communicating, matters a lot. A firm’s
brand equity can authenticate what is being put in the advertisements. Most firms use endorsers
to talk about their products, which make the target segment believe in the product. Wrong
endorsers can cause harm to the product or can have no impact rendering the advertisement

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