The document discusses rural marketing strategies for light commercial vehicles (LCVs) in India. It notes that 60% of India's population lives rurally but contributes only 25% to GDP, indicating their lower purchasing power. The top LCV manufacturers in India are Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Eicher Motors, and Mahindra. Rural customers primarily seek affordable operating costs, reliability, durability, safety, and a viable business case. LCV initiatives have focused on providing 4-wheel vehicles that carry up to 1.5 tons for distances up to 300km at a slightly higher price than 3-wheelers but with better stability, safety and comfort. Key influencers for rural LCV purchases include shopkeepers

1. Rural marketing strategy Category: Light commercial vehicle Presented By:- Group5

2. MARKET POSITION India’s position in Light commercial vehicle production – 19 th . Light commercial vehicle contribution to Indian GDP- .5% where as in USA it is 2% India's light vehicle forecast for 2011 is just under 3 million vehicles. 1.67 million vehicle used by the rural people. Problem:- 60 per cent of the India’s population are rural people who, generate only 25 per cent of the country's GDP means that their purchasing power is low.

3. COMPETITORS INDUSTRIES MARKET SHARE TATA MOTORS 58.9 ASHOK LEYLAND EICHER MOTORS .5 2.2 MAHINDRA 24.9 PIAGGIO & OTHERS 13.5

4. Who is the customer ? country. price-sensitive customer return-on-investment customer balance customer performance customer acquisition-price-sensitive customer, who is looking only at price, not performance return-on-investment customer, who is willing to pay a price for better value balance customer, who weighs both price and performance performance customer, who is willing to pay a higher price for it. semi-urban and rural areas, who fell into the two bottom layers of the pyramid, which cover 85 per cent of the market.

5. What does (s)he want? five essential attributes they look for in a small commercial vehicle are:- lower operating costs (as compared to a three-wheeler) reliability durability safety and comfort most important of all – a viable business proposition. "Commercial vehicles are actually a business investment. If a customer is not able to earn the money to be able to pay back the acquisition price and earn some profit, (s)he is not going to buy the vehicle.

6. LCV Initiatives The Industries realised that the entry level for the semi-urban and rural market was a product between a three-wheeler and a pick-up truck, at a price-sensitive level . loads up to 1.5 tonnes over distances up to 300km four-wheeler at a price slightly higher than a three-wheeler, but offering greater stability, safety and comfort. More important, the operating cost was extended to a product lifecycle cost, which covered purchase cost, operating cost and resale price. "It has the lowest product lifecycle cost; that is USP of LCV.

7. MAIN INFUENCERS Shopkeepers, Distributor. Large and medium farmers. People who own more than one vehicle- out of experience of use- Opinion leaders. Educated Youth-Less in number-more influential than others.

8. BRANDING/ADVERTISING FOR LCV Not much visibility inside the villages/ bazar Heard about it on Radio/television/newspaper. Strong word of mouth- through influencers. Wall painting. Display vans. TATA ACE road show Mahindra Pickup road show

9. CONT…… The communication for the Ace was 'All the goodness of the Tata Truck now in a mini size' – thereby the descriptor of the category as a mini-truck. Example:- Mani relates the case of a person who wanted to set up a paan-bidi shop. When he saw the Ace, he bought the vehicle instead. "With approximately the same investment, he now gets bigger returns and more prestige,"

10. Finessing the finance five-year financing for the vehicle (three-wheelers get only two/three-year financing), so that customers pay a monthly instalment approximately the same as that for a three-wheeler. "The instalment payment has gone down and income has increased, boosting net earnings. The customer is happy and the sales have jumped

11. Expansion Plan As markets continue to move towards semi-urban and rural areas, TATA motors company is extending its reach through a unique concept called 1S outlets, that handle only sales. At over 300 such outlets across India, customers can see and buy the product within 50 to 100km of their village. Apart from its dealers, the LCV industries has tied up with local garages for servicing, and enhanced their service skills through training. A mobile service van supplements their reach.

12. Thank you!