Complete Syllabus of Rural Marketing | MKT 692 | MBS 4th semester

Credits: 3

Lecture hours: 48

Course Objectives:

This course aims to provide an overview of rural markets and emerging perspectives of rural marketing, thus imparting managerial initiatives and relevant frameworks used by business managers for rural markets.

Course Description:

The course includes the concept and nature of rural marketing, rural marketing environment and consumer behavior, segmenting, targeting and positioning rural markets, product strategy, pricing strategy, distribution in rural markets, and communication strategies for rural markets

Course Details:

Unit 1: Introduction LH 5

Concept and nature of rural marketing. Rural versus urban marketing. Rural myths. Four A’s of rural marketing: affordability, availability, awareness, acceptability. Various approaches to rural marketing: trickle-down approach, undifferentiated approach, differentiated approach, bottom-of-the-pyramid marketing.

Unit 2: Rural Marketing Environment and Consumer Behavior LH 5

Demographic, socio-cultural, economic, political, technological, physical environment in rural context. Characteristics of rural consumer. Factors influencing rural buying. Buying decision process. Buying behavior patterns. The product adoption process and diffusion of innovation.

Unit 3: Segmenting, Targeting and Positioning Rural Markets LH 8

Segmentation: Heterogeneity in rural markets, pre-requisites for effective segmentation degrees of segmentation, bases for segmenting rural consumer markets.
Targeting: Evaluation of segments, selection of segments, coverage of segments, choosing a coverage strategy.
Positioning: Identifying, selecting, developing and communicating the positioning concept.

Unit 4: Product Strategy LH 10

The product concept. Levels of product. Rural product classification: FMCGs, Durables, Services, Agricultural products. Product decisions and strategies: Individual product decisions, product line and mix decisions, product lifecycle strategies. Product branding in rural markets: Building brands in rural markets, brand loyalty vs brand stickiness, fake brands. Packaging for rural markets: Packaging material, pack size and convenience, packaging aesthetics. Product warranty and after-sales service.

Unit 5: Pricing Strategy LH 8

Pricing in rural market. Setting the price for rural products and services: internal and external factors. Price setting strategies: market entry strategies, product mix pricing strategies, price adjustment strategies, rural-specific pricing strategies.

Unit 6: Distribution in Rural Markets LH 8

Distribution channels: Evolution of rural distribution channels, channel dynamics, rural channel members. The rural retail environment: traditional retail, the emergence of modern retail in rural areas. Channel behavior in rural areas. Distribution models in rural markets: The distribution models for FMCGs, distribution model for durables. Rural logistics: the hub and spoke system, syndicated distribution.

Unit 7: Communication Strategies for Rural Markets LH 4

Challenges in rural communication. The communication process. Developing effective rural communication. Creating advertisements for rural audiences. Rural media. Sales promotion, events and experiences.

Basic Book:

Kashyap, P. (2013). Rural Marketing. Delhi: Pearson.

Reference Book:

Krishnamacharyulu, C. S., & Ramakrishnan, L. (2011). Rual Marketing: Text and Cases. Delhi:

Pearson.