A STUDY OF RURAL MARKETING IN INDIA: INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Abstract

As urban market has reached the saturation point with huge competiveness, it is inevitable for corporate to find a new market. About three-fourth of Indian population lives in rural India and its geographical area is vast and scattered. In this context, the new opportunity for new market potential is rural market provided the marketing plan is suited to rural consumers’ needs and their buying behavior. That marketing strategy is rural marketing but it is often ambiguous with agriculture marketing. Rural marketing refers to doing business activities such as marketing of goods and services from urban places to rural customers as well as delivering non-agricultural products manufactured in rural places to urban areas. However, the infrastructure, transportation, income, education and the purchasing power of the rural people in rural regions need to be upgraded.  Reverse innovation is the key to this untapped rural market. This paper will focus on the concepts and the aspects of rural marketing and it will also highlight the importance of innovation in marketing by analyzing the innovative strategies used by Indian Corporates in rural marketing. Methodology of this paper is based on secondary data obtained from sources like Journals, Articles, and Websites etc. It enables us to know the role of marketing innovation played by the corporates towards rural market which will foster a roadway to sustain.