Marketing plays a pivotal role in the growth and development
of a country, irrespective of its size and population. It
is a proven fact that the development of marketing has always
kept pace with the economic growth of the country. Both
have experienced evolutionary rather than revolutionary
changes. The objective of modern marketing is to make profits
by satisfying the consumer's needs and wants. Hence, the
marketers have to understand the real needs, wants, beliefs
and attitudes of the consumers towards their products and
services. Today, network marketing is a multibillion dollar
business and many companies have adopted this business model.
It has grown into one of the driving forces of the 21st
century economy. Many business leaders now regard network
marketing as the marketing model for the future. But this
marketing method has been misunderstood as a get rich-quick
scheme; partly because the tool has been misused.
The rural sector, which encompasses about 70% of the total
population, has an important role to play in the overall
development of the country. Rural India is now undergoing
a sea change resulting from the multi-pronged activities
undertaken for the overall development of villages. There
is an indication of increasing prosperity in rural India.
Prosperity in the rural areas has opened up new opportunities,
leading to definite increase in the demand for durable and
non-durable goods. Also, significant changes have been noticed
in the buying and consumption pattern of the rural consumers,
imbibing new ideas, attitudes and way of life. As a result
of the "green, grey and white revolutions," there
is a socioeconomic revolution evolving in the Indian villages
over the last three decades. Increasing knowledge about
fertilizers, water resources, pesticides, better quality
seeds, modern farm equipment and methods of farming have
changed the villages for the better. The per capita income
of the farmers is on the increase and the manner in which
they spend their disposable income has also changed. The
rural market is not passive. It is vibrant and growing at
a faster pace. It could eventually outstrip the urban market
if this pace of development continues.
The villagers have not only accepted the modern way of
agriculture as a business, but have also accepted modern
living. The farmer has become choosy in his buying habits.
Apart from food and consumable items, he is interested in
buying radios, televisions, cell phones, bicycles, motorcycles,
wristwatches, cooking gas, furniture, etc. Socioeconomic
changes in the villages have led villagers to think of material
well-being. This change in the attitude of the Indian farmer
is sweeping across the countryside. The expanding rural
market is important to the growth of economic development
of India. With the change in scenario, the marketing focus
is also changing towards villages: `Go Rural' has become
the slogan of marketers.
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