TEA

Tea, the most ancient beverage mankind has been enjoying, is still the most popular drink in the
world. In India, it is grown in an area of 5.10 Lakh hectares. Since the first auction of Assam Tea
made from indigenous plants held in London in 1839, tea plantation in India has been
contributing immensely towards the socio economic development of the people of the tea
growing regions of the country. Tea industry contributes substantially towards the national and
state economy by way of enriching the foreign exchange reservoir and State exchequer besides
employment. Today the major tea growing states are Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Tamil Nadu,
Kerala and Karnataka. It may be observed that about 78 per cent of the country's total area under
plantation is located in North East India and Assam accounts for nearly 53 per cent of the all
India production. Assam tea is well known for its rich taste and colour.

OBJECTIVE

 To understand marketing mix, channel management and sales of tea.

 To know the buyer behaviour and strategies of tea.

ANALYSIS OF PRODUCT

Processing and classification

Tea processing is the method in which the leaves from the tea plant Camellia sinensis are
transformed into the dried leaves for brewing tea. The categories of tea are distinguished by the
processing they undergo. In its most general form, tea processing involves different manners and
degree of oxidation of the leaves, stopping the oxidation, forming the tea and drying it.

Additional processing and additives

After basic processing, teas may be altered through additional processing steps before being sold,
and is often consumed with additions to the basic tea leaf and water added during preparation or
drinking. Examples of additional processing steps that occur before tea is sold are blending,
flavouring, scenting, and decaffeination of teas. Examples of additions added at the point of
consumption include milk, sugar and lemon.

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Blending

Tea blending is the combination of different teas together to achieve the final product. Almost all
tea in bags and most loose tea sold in the West are blended. Such teas may combine others from
the same cultivation area or several different ones. The aim is to obtain consistency, better taste,
higher price, or some combination of the three.

Flavouring

Flavoured and scented teas add new aromas and flavours to the base tea. This can be accomplished
through directly adding flavouring agents, such as ginger or dried ginger, cloves, mint leaves cardamom,
bergamot (found in Earl Grey), vanilla, and spearmint. Alternatively, because tea easily retains odours, it
can be placed in proximity to an aromatic ingredient to absorb its aroma, as in traditional jasmine tea.

Types of Tea
All types of tea come from the same basic plant, the Camellia Sinensis plant. The differences
between teas arise from processing, growing conditions, and geography.

The Camellia Sinensis plant is native to Asia, but is currently cultivated around the world in
tropical and subtropical areas. With over 3,000 varieties, tea is the most consumed beverage in
the world after water.

1. Black Tea

Black tea is allowed to wither, which precedes a process called oxidation (sometimes incorrectly
referred to as fermentation) during which water evaporates out of the leaf and the leaf absorbs
more oxygen from the air. Black teas usually undergo full oxidation, and the results are the
characteristic dark brown and black leaf, the typically more robust and pronounced flavors of
black teas, and when brewed appropriately, higher caffeine content compared to other teas (50-
65% of coffee, depending on the type and brewing technique).

2. Dark Tea

Dark tea is from Hunan and Sichuan provinces of China and is a flavorful aged probiotic tea that
steeps up very smooth with a natural slightly sweet note.

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3. Oolong Tea

Oolong tea (also known as wulong tea) is allowed to undergo partial oxidation. These teas have
caffeine content between that of green teas and black teas. The flavor of oolong (wulong) teas is
typically not as robust as blacks or as subtle as greens, but has its own extremely fragrant and
intriguing tones. Oolongs (wulongs) are often compared to the taste and aroma of fresh flowers
or fresh fruit

4. Green Tea

Green tea is allowed to wither only slightly after being picked. Then the oxidation process is
stopped very quickly by firing (rapidly heating) the leaves. Therefore, when brewed at lower
temperatures and for less time, green teas tend to have less caffeine (10-30% of coffee). Greens
also tend to produce more subtle flavors with many undertones and accents that connoisseurs
treasure.

5. White tea

White tea is the most delicate of all teas. They are appreciated for their subtlety, complexity, and
natural sweetness. They are hand-processed using the youngest shoots of the tea plant, with no
oxidation. When brewed correctly, with a very low temperature and a short steeping time, white
teas can produce low amounts of caffeine. Of course, steeping with hotter temperature and longer
time will extract more caffeine. But by definition, white tea does not have less caffeine than
other teas.

6. Puer Tea

Puer tea is an aged black tea from China prized for its medicinal properties and earthy flavor. It
is perhaps the most mysterious of all tea. Until 1995 it was illegal to import it into the U.S., and
the process of its production is a closely guarded state secret in China. It is very strong with an
incredibly deep and rich flavor, and no bitterness, and an element that could best be described as
almost peaty in flavor.

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7. Yellow Tea

Yellow is a rare category of tea that is similar to green tea in appearance and flavor. Yellow tea,
however, typically does not have the grassiness of some green teas. Yellow teas typically go
through more oxidation than green teas and a longer, slower drying period. All yellow teas come
from China.

PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE

Tea drinking may have begun in the Yunnan region during the Shang Dynasty in China, when it
was used for medicinal purposes. It is also believed that in Sichuan, "people began to boil tea
leaves for consumption into a concentrated liquid without the addition of other leaves or herbs,
thereby using tea as a bitter yet stimulating drink, rather than as a medicinal concoction.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Tea was first introduced to Portuguese priests and merchants in China during the 16th century, at
which time it was termed chá. The earliest European reference to tea, written as Chiai, came
from Delle navigationi e viaggi written by a Venetian, Giambattista Ramusio, in 1545. The first
recorded shipment of tea by a European nation was in 1607 when the Dutch East India Company
moved a cargo of tea from Macao to Java, then two years later, the Dutch bought the first
assignment of tea which was from Hirado in Japan to be shipped to Europe.Tea became a
fashionable drink in The Hague in the Netherlands, and the Dutch introduced the drink to
Germany, France and across the Atlantic to New Amsterdam (New York).

The first record of tea in English came from a letter written by Richard Wickham, who ran an
East India Company office in Japan, writing to a merchant in Macao requesting "the best sort of
chaw" in 1615. Peter Mundy, a traveller and merchant who came across tea in Fujian in 1637,
wrote, "chaa – only water with a kind of herb boyled in it " Tea was sold in a coffee house in
London in 1657, Samuel Pepys tasted tea in 1660, and Catherine of Braganza took the tea-
drinking habit to the British court when she married Charles II in 1662. Tea, however, was not
widely consumed in Britain until the 18th century, and remained expensive until the latter part of
that period. British drinkers preferred to add sugar and milk to black tea, and black tea overtook
green tea in popularity in the 1720s.Tea smuggling during the 18th century led to the general

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public being able to afford and consume tea. The British government removed the tax on tea,
thereby eliminating the smuggling trade by 1785.In Britain and Ireland, tea was initially
consumed as a luxury item on special occasions, such as religious festivals, wakes, and domestic
work gatherings. The price of tea in Europe fell steadily during the 19th century, especially after
Indian tea began to arrive in large quantities; by the late 19th century tea had become an
everyday beverage for all levels of society. The popularity of tea also informed a number of
historical events – the Tea Act of 1773 provoked the Boston Tea Party that escalated into the
American Revolution. The need to address the issue of British trade deficit caused by the
Manchu Emperor Kangxi who proclaimed that “China was the center of the world, possessing
everything they could ever want or need and banned foreign products from being sold in China!”
He also decreed in 1685 “That all goods bought from China must be paid for in Silver Coin or
Bullion.” This caused all other Nation's Traders to find some other product, opium, to sell to
China to earn back the silver they were required to pay for tea, jade and silk. This convoluted
process was caused by the Chinese Manchu Emperor Kangxi edicts. History of opium in China
Later, Chinese Government attempts to curtail the trade in opium without relaxing trade
restrictions on foreign goods, resulted in the Opium Wars. trade in opium That resulted in the
Opium Wars.

MARKETING ENVIRONMENT

Tea has infused the consciousness of the savvy coffee retailer who understands that catering to
tea drinking companions of coffee drinkers can literally double the profits. For both markets,
riffs on classics and hot and cold tea “drinks” make everyone happy. Ten years ago, a green tea
frappe was unheard of, now it’s a staple for many shops with many delicious interpretations.

Each year, the American palate grows more sophisticated as more people explore countries and
cultures through conventional travel and electronic journeys through their televisions. Once they
taste learn of different beverages, they seek them close to home. The choices for teas follow in
the happy steps of European style, espresso-based beverages that have become ubiquitous on the
coffee house menu. A regular cup ‘o Joe may not be extinct but it embraces the sophisticated
specialty coffee niche of the “single-estate” or–at least–country of origin when customers order
100% Kona or Kenyan AA by name instead of black, one sugar…

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By duplicating this niche marketing with tea, coffee retailers can go beyond English breakfast or
Earl Grey to serve organic Darjeeling from the Makaibari Estate that’s like apricot nectar or an
exclusively organic lushly aromatic Kanro Gyokouro Japanese green that can make tea lovers
weep with joy. Even less-adventurous tea drinkers like an iced tea flavored with passion fruit or
an Earl Grey with true bergamot essence rather than the harshness of synthetic flavoring.

Retailers can savor strong selling points with tea as they have with coffee. Often, tea provides
even greater profits: 30-40 cups per pound of coffee and 180-200 cups per pound of tea means
“black” on the bottom line and then some.

Specialty coffee and tea sellers also cash in on the current love affair with organic and Fair Trade
(R) choices, whether they’re single estates or beans and leaves from cooperatives. Spectacular
value is added beyond the flavor in the cup and the concepts are easy to sell: hand farming, fair
trade labor and pricing practices, and the exclusivity of limited supply.

The elegant tea salon is diminishing as tea retailers pursue the casual consciousness of twenty-
something’s who like the wireless, hip environment to enjoy who the taste, the meditative
qualities and the variety of tea.

Reaching out toward the coffee retailer as a burgeoning market for tea is a fantastic opportunity
for the tea vendor and an equal opportunity for the coffee sellers to rethink the menu and
enhance it with profitable showplace teas, hot and cold mixed tea drinks, and the specialty niche
of organic or single-estate teas. Cross marketing possibilities between coffee and tea shops are
endless and it wouldn’t surprise me if mergers of the two make a multi-beverage shop the
retailing center of the future.

PRICING

Pricing structure of premium tea is designed to encourage frequent tea purchases and daily tea
drinking. While premium tea (teas that is made by the handiwork of experienced tea workers in
tea gardens that produce quality fresh leaf from old tea bushes and trees or established tea bushes
that are located in the mountains and valleys where nature has always yielded the best tasting
tea) costs more than commercial grade tea, we price our teas at the modest end of the pricing

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scale. This is a very good deal for our tea customers, for us, and for our tea farmers and
producers, too.

Keeping prices down enables us to sell more tea, which allows us to keep placing orders, which,
in turn, is a positive incentive for our tea farmers and tea producers to continue making great tea
for an appreciative audience.

ADVERTISING

Advertising is a means of communication with the users of a product or service. Advertisements

are messages paid for by those who send them and are intended to inform or influence people
who receive them, as defined by the Advertising Association of the UK.

Advertising is always present, though people may not be aware of it. In today's world,
advertising uses every possible media to get its message through. It does this via television, print
(newspapers, magazines, journals etc), radio, press, internet, direct selling, hoardings, mailers,
contests, sponsorships, posters, clothes, events, colours, sounds, visuals and even people
(endorsements).

The advertising industry is made of companies that advertise agencies that create the
advertisements, media that carries the ads, and a host of people like copy editors, visualizers,
brand managers, researchers, creative heads and designers who take it the last mile to the
customer or receiver. A company that needs to advertise itself and/or its products hires an
advertising agency. The company briefs the agency on the brand, its imagery, the ideals and
values behind it, the target segments and so on. The agencies convert the ideas and concepts to
create the visuals, text, layouts and themes to communicate with the user. After approval from
the client, the ads go on air, as per the bookings done by the agency's media buying unit..

Free Distribution of Samples

Distributing free samples among rural individuals not solely popularize the merchandise
however additionally gain large acceptance among them. Once the corporate decides to enter into
new market and launch the new product, in such cases free distribution of samples is a good pull-
up sales promotional activity.

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As compared to urban customers, the tendency to do the new product is low just in case of rural
customers as a result of they need lack of faith regarding the new product. Free samples
encourage trial purchase among customers.

Price-off Premiums

This refers to the cut-price technique for a product. This is often helpful not solely just in case of
FMCGs however additionally in case of consumer durables if the discount is acceptable.

Money Refund Premiums

It refers to the worth of the merchandise that is partly refunded to the customers on the
repurchase of same product by showing of proof of previous purchase like money note, empty
wrapper, and poly packs etc.

Exchange Premiums

It is quite almost like the higher than strategy, under which instead of refund of cash a brand-new
product is given to customers on showing of proof of previous purchase.

Interactive Games

Innovative fun-filled games generate interest among the rural crowd. The winner of the sport is
often rewarded with the merchandise of the corporate that sponsored such games. generally, such
games guarantee high client involvement and additionally increase the interaction between the
vendor and target customers.

Fairs and Exhibitions

Fairs are a district of rural people’s life. For the rural individuals, they're the supply of recreation
and a decent chance to launch their product for the marketers within the rural market. it's mass
attractiveness as many villagers return to fairs.

Customers is also attracted by exploitation the mass media like organizing people songs
competition, people dances, magic shows, puppetry shows, street theatre, athletic skills, juggler,
etc.

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Village Haats

Haats are the weekly markets from wherever rural individuals obtain the things of daily wants,
garments, farm inputs etc. they're the supply for rural individuals and an area of social get
together. The existence of haats is often derived back to earlier period — the days of
Chandragupta Maurya.

Haats offer to the marketers a chance to show their product. Customers are able to strive the
merchandise by overcoming all inhibitions and may get the bit and feel of the merchandise and
this may more generate sales as most of the individuals return to the haats with an intention to
shop for.

Melas

Melas are once more the essential part of India’s culture and pull plenty. in a very trade mela,
one will notice kind of merchandise. Melas are command sometimes in festive seasons like
Dussehra, Diwali, Holi, and Eid etc.

During melas, marketers get to move with an outsized range of customers and encourage for trial
purchase. These melas facilitate the marketers target giant audience.

SALES PROMOTION

It is a short-term tool accepted by the vender to raise the sales of the specific product / service in
a specific area for a specific period of time. Bestowing to marketers, sales promotion contains
those sales actions that increase both personal selling and publicity and coordinating. It also
includes making the advertisements real, such as displays, shows and exhibitions and
demonstrations.

Types of Sales Promotion

Push-up Sales Promotion

It is the method where dealers encourage third parties i.e. intermediaries like dealers, retailers
etc. to stock the products of the particular company and push them in the direction of the ultimate
customers.

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Marketers started provided that numerous motivations, pop material etc. to the intermediaries
which inspire them to sell the products to the customers. To rise product sales ratio push-up sales
promotion is the significant part of promotion hard work taken up by the companies.

In situation of rural marketing the firms also follow push-up sales raise strategies. The usually
followed push-up sales promotion strategies include

 Free display materials − Free display materials like posters, sign boards, neon lights etc.
are circulated among traders to appeal and inform the customers about the goods.

 Storage materials − Storage materials like racks, shelves, refrigerators etc. are spread
amongst storekeepers who help in graphic selling and also aid in storing the product.

 Demonstrations − Significant method of push-up sales promotion, free samples at

dealers’ shops inform the clients about the management of the product.

 Incentives to dealers − Under the push-up sales raise different motivations are provided
to dealers on the number of units sold to the ultimate consumers.

 Lucky draw contest − It is to inspire traders to stock the business’s products and
promote sales, and lucky draw competition are organized among dealers.

 Free gifts − It is a mutual strategy accepted by the corporations and free gifts are often
spread among traders during festive seasons to rise the consumer base.

 Pull-up sales promotion − As the name proposes, pull-up sales raise is the tool where
vender pulls the customers in the direction of their product through numerous
promotional policies and advertising.

PERSONAL SELLING

It is a method of face to face interaction between the employee and also the prospective client.
Through a correct coaching and guide, a salesperson will be a valuable medium between the
vender and also the prospective client. A good employee is that the one who has thorough
information regarding the product he's about to sell and tries to strike a standard point of link
between the product and also the client needs.

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SALES FOR MANAGEMENT

Sales management is a business discipline which is focused on the practical application of sales
techniques and the management of a firm's sales operations. It is an important business function
as net sales through the sale of products and services and resulting profit drive most commercial
business.

Sales management is the process of developing a sales force, coordinating sales operations, and
implementing sales techniques that allow a business to consistently hit, and even surpass, its
sales targets. If your business brings in any revenue at all, a sales management strategy is an
absolute must. When it comes to boosting sales performance for any size of operation, no matter
the industry, the secret to success is always precise sales management processes.

Besides helping your company reach its sales objectives, the sales management process allows
you to stay in tune with your industry as it grows, and can be the difference between surviving
and flourishing in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

The Three Key Aspects of Sales Management

There are three “umbrellas” to manage within the sales process:

 Sales Operations

 Sales Strategy

 Sales Analysis

Sales Operations: Building the Team

 This may not be a total shocker, but the sales team is the backbone of the company; they are
the direct connection between the product and the customer.
 In other words, they matter – a lot.
 All in all, the sales team should feel like they are a part of the company and be equipped
with the resources to progress rather than be viewed as money-making machines.

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Sales Manager

A sales manager is someone who directs an organization’s sales team, oversees its processes, and
is typically in charge of talent development and leadership. Clarity and scope is essential to sale
managements, as they typically need to oversees planning and execution of company wide
targets. Having an effective management process will allow them to drive their company
forward. They’ll have a clearer vision of where they stand amongst their competition and know
how to stay ahead of the competition.

Salesperson

A salesperson represents their company and is in direct contact with potential customers whether
in person or over the phone or solely online.

Sales is tough; to succeed you need to be able to engage your current base while also expanding
your reach. Like the sales manager, scope and clarity via effective sales management boosts
confidence and will give the salesperson better visibility of their work.

Customer

The customer will inevitably have a better experience and be more inclined to benefit from your
company and purchase your product or services with an effective sales management process.
They may even spread the word.

With all of these parts working well together, a company can set themselves up for success,
especially against their competitors.

Use Technology Tools to Manage Customer Relationships (CRM)

To provide a clear view of your sales management process, you need a well-managed sales
funnel.

A sales funnel provides a clear view of the opportunities available to a sales team, accurately
showing the revenue the team is going to make in the months ahead.

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While some people initially opt for excel spreadsheets and sticky notes, any documentation is a
great start, a CRM, or customer relationship management, tool will allow you to get an overview
of your current assets and pinpoint key determinants of your company’s future success.

Incorporating technology in your sales strategy will ensure you maximize profits and ensure that
no deal falls through the cracks.

Cloud-based CRMs in particular are great for helping your team increase its collaboration. There
are tons of popular CRMs out there, but choosing a CRM is challenging.

Because there are so many options, before purchasing any CRM tool you would need to answer
the following questions to make the most suitable choice for your unique team:

BUYER BEHAVIOUR

Tea is a part and parcel of Indian social, economic and cultural life. Indians cannot think of a day
without their favorite cup of tea. It is the most popular non-intoxicating beverage in the world
enjoyed by the rich and poor alike. Being most popular consumed beverage, in many cultures tea
is consumed at elevated social events. But regardless of its wide consumption consumer
behavioral pattern changes from time and this behavior change is influenced by many factors like
popularity of a brand, loyalty, aroma, colour, price and many more.

“Consumer behavior refers to the mental and emotional processes and the observable behavior of
consumers during searching, purchasing, and post consumption of a product or service.” The
term consumer behavior refers to the behavior that consumers display in searching for,
purchasing, using, evaluating, and disposing of products and services that they will satisfy their
needs and the study of consumer behavior is the study of how individuals make decisions to
spend their available resources – like time, money, effort on consumption related items. All
business operations revolve around understanding consumer needs, desires, likes, dislikes and
preferences and offering products and services that will give the desired satisfaction to the
consumers.

It is necessary for the marketers to understand as to how the rural consumer makes his buying
decisions, which makes the buying decisions, the type of decisions involved and the steps in the
buying process. A rural buyer has free time and therefore he spends lot of time before making

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purchases. He cannot be easily coaxed to buy a new product. Rural consumers buy durables
during postharvest season and festivals. The buying decision process follows a logical sequence
of five steps: Need recognition: When the buyer recognizes a gap between his desired state and
the actual state, buying process starts. Such recognition may be caused by stimuli either internal
(self) or external (by environment or marketer). At this stage, marketer should help consumers
identify their current and future problems and felt or latent needs.

To do this, marketers have to research on consumer problems and needs. Information search:
Generally, consumers try to find information pertaining to their want satisfying products to make
the right choices.

The amount of information required depends upon:

1. Type of the product– Convenience, shopping or specialty goods.

2. Nature of the product – Complex, high-tech or simple and easy to distinguish.

3. Availability of sources – The consumer may obtain information from one or more of the
following sources.

4. Personal – Family, friends, neighbours

5. Commercial – Advertising, sales people, displays

6. Public – TV, radio, internet and print media etc.

7. Experiential – Handling, examining, using the product.

Search expands with the availability of time. Marketers have to take into cognizance this aspect
and design offers to induce immediate buying. Keeping in mind the information needs of
consumers, marketers should design communication programs to reach the consumers and
provide adequate and relevant information.

In view of the low literacy level, audio-visual media becomes important in rural marketing. TV
has been the biggest contributor to bring consumer awareness in rural India. It is, of course, the
traditional marketing methods-demonstrations, displays at fairs and festivals, mobile video vans
– which continue to be marketing man’s support system in rural communication strategy.

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Evaluation of alternatives: How do consumers evaluate the brands, which they have come to
know and like to consider? The evaluation process may be done more carefully and logically in
some cases, for example, consumer durables. In case of convenience goods, which are purchased
for one-shot consumption, the evaluation may be very less. Occasionally, it may be impulse
buying too. Evaluation requires designing and application of suitable criteria. Evaluation
methods include Expectancy value model, Lexicographic model, Conjunctive model and
Disjunctive model.

Purchase decision: All the existing brands in the market make a total set. Through information
search consumer will become aware of some brands in the total set. Awareness set consists of
brands which the consumer is aware of the brands, which meet initial, buying criteria, will be
considered for further evaluation. The choice is dependent upon factors influencing the mind of
consumer at this final stage. For example, a person is interested in buying cement for
construction of his house. The marketer should be aware of the place his brand has in the mind of
the prospect through the buying process.

Post-purchase behavior: Marketers should know the answers to feelings of the buyer after
buying and using the product, his reactions, when satisfied, when dissatisfied and how does he
dispose of the product after use. Consumers make purchase decisions in each and every aspect of
their life.

Thus studying consumer behavior becomes more vital. All marketing decisions & activities are
based on assumptions about consumer behavior. Consumer behavior deals with the behavior that
consumer displays in the consumption of goods right from purchasing, using, evaluating &
disposing them. In other way, it deals with what they buy, how often they use it when they buy
it, why they buy it where they buy and how they evaluate it after purchase. Understanding the
consumer purchase process is critical to a marketer so as to design the marketing activities
effectively.

Each step in the consumer decision making process is highly influenced by both internal and
external factors. The internal factors include the individual's own motivation personality,
perception, learning attitude and his own past experience in addition to the internal influencing
factors, the external factors like the company's marketing efforts, ideas/opinions of friends,

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relations, family members and reference group members also have profound impact on the
purchase decision of individuals

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

The tea is most commonly consumed beverages worldwide. There are wide varieties of tea like
green tea, black tea and organic tea etc. The people across the world are consuming tea from
thousands of years and it is a leading beverage. Green tea is non-fermented and it contains more
catechins than black tea (Cabrera, Artacho, & Gimenez, 2006) The consumption of green tea had
a positive impact on oral health but still there is need for more clinical and biological studies to
prove this (Narotzki, Reznick, Aizenbud, & Levy, 2012). Nearly 80 percent of the global
consumption of tea is black tea but in the recent years the interest towards green tea had
increased. The green tea had many health benefits for example the antioxidants in green tea
lowers the risk of cancer, diabetes and obesity etc. There are many brands of green tea in the
present market. According to Indian Tea Board approximately 89 percent consume tea for
various reasons like refreshing mind and appeasing hunger etc (Hazarika, 2012)

The customers are showing interest towards healthy food and beverages in the present world.
The tea industry is biggest industry in the world because almost 90 percent of people consume
tea. The consumption of green tea had become popular in the recent years. The purpose of this
paper is to understand the factors which influence customer satisfaction with regard to green tea.
The independent variable is customer satisfaction and the dependent variables are price, health
and weight.

RETAIL MANAGEMENT

Retail Management is the process which helps the customers to procure the desired merchandise
form the retail stores for their personal use. It gives an overview of the concept of visual
merchandising and lays emphasis on customer relationship management, brand management and
sales management.

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Understand and Respond to What Your Customers Want

Like a lot of tips, our first one here is rather more easily said than done but that, in a sense, is
precisely the point. Retailers need to do whatever it takes to get to know their customers and to
react to what they find out quickly. You might be able to tick over by offering the same products
in the same way as a matter of routine but lasting success can generally only be built on
flexibility and a willingness to change along with habits among your customers.

Get to Know Your Competition

Like every other business around, retailers do not exist in a vacuum and it is vital for all manner
of reasons that company bosses are aware of what their rivals are offering. These days, retail
competitors can come in many different forms, be it online or otherwise, and bosses should
frequently take the time to get a sense of the experiences being offered elsewhere. Whether or
not you decide to integrate certain ideas into your own operation, competitor research is essential
because it lets you know exactly what you’re up against and that information can prove to be
invaluable.

Invest in Your People

The members of a retailer’s workforce are the face of the business on a day-to-day basis and the
way that they interact with customers is very important. Hiring the right people to join your team
is a key starting point but the story can’t stop there and providing quality training should always
be high on the agenda. This goes for staff on the shop floor, as well as supervisors and managers.

Always Look to the Future

The past may well have a lot to teach us as business bosses but for retailers it’s vital to focus
firmly on the future. It’s important not to dwell too much on prior successes or failures and to
remain as objective as possible as you assess different situations and dynamics. Every experience
is a lesson but a good retail manager will not be obsessed with what has gone before but will be
quick to understand where opportunities may lie for the future.

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Be Ready for Anything

One of the great things about being involved in retailing is the sheer variety of the challenges it
presents from week to week and year to year. For those in charge of retail companies or
operations, there is a lot to be said for expecting the unexpected and being ready to react at all
times. Ultimately, the aim should be to focus on solving one problem at a time and not wasting
energy on figuring out who to blame when things don’t go quite according to plan.

CAUSE RELATED MARKETING

Cause marketing is defined as a type of corporate social responsibility, in which a company’s

promotional campaign has the dual purpose of increasing profitability while bettering society. A
similar phrase, cause-related marketing, usually refers to a subset of cause marketing that
involves the cooperative efforts of a for-profit business and a non-profit organization for mutual
benefit. A high-profile form of cause-related marketing occurs at checkout counters when
customers are asked to support a cause with a charitable donation. Cause marketing differs from
corporate giving (philanthropy), as the latter generally involves a specific donation that is tax-
deductible, while cause marketing is a promotional campaign not necessarily based on a
donation.

RURAL MARKETING

Rural marketing is a process of developing, pricing, promoting, and distributing rural specific
goods and services leading to desired exchange with rural customers to satisfy their needs and
wants, and also to achieve organizational objectives.

Let us currently perceive the various promotion ways concerned in rural promoting. Educating
rural folks concerning the importance of administering polio drops to kids, vaccination to mother
and kid, sanitation, hygiene etc. has become potential solely through the promotional material
health campaigns.

Sales Promotion of Tea

It is a short-term tool accepted by the vender to raise the sales of the specific product / service in
a specific area for a specific period of time. Bestowing to marketers, sales promotion contains
those sales actions that increase both personal selling and publicity and coordinating. It also

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includes making the advertisements real, such as displays, shows and exhibitions and
demonstrations.
TYPES OF SALES PROMOTION
Push-up Sales Promotion
It is the method where dealers encourage third parties i.e. intermediaries like dealers, retailers
etc. to stock the products of the particular company and push them in the direction of the ultimate
customers.
Marketers started provided that numerous motivations, pop material etc. to the intermediaries
which inspire them to sell the products to the customers. To rise product sales ratio push-up sales
promotion is the significant part of promotion hard work taken up by the companies.
In situation of rural marketing the firms also follow push-up sales raise strategies. The usually
followed push-up sales promotion strategies include
 Free display materials − Free display materials like posters, sign boards, neon lights etc.
are circulated among traders to appeal and inform the customers about the goods.
 Storage materials − Storage materials like racks, shelves, refrigerators etc. are spread
amongst storekeepers who help in graphic selling and also aid in storing the product.
 Demonstrations − Significant method of push-up sales promotion, free samples at
dealers’ shops inform the clients about the management of the product.
 Incentives to dealers − Under the push-up sales raise different motivations are provided
to dealers on the number of units sold to the ultimate consumers.
 Lucky draw contest − It is to inspire traders to stock the business’s products and
promote sales, and lucky draw competition are organized among dealers.
 Free gifts − It is a mutual strategy accepted by the corporations and free gifts are often
spread among traders during festive seasons to rise the consumer base.
 Pull-up sales promotion − As the name proposes, pull-up sales raise is the tool where
vender pulls the customers in the direction of their product through numerous
promotional policies and advertising.

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SERVICES MARKETING

Services marketing are a specialized branch of marketing. Services marketing emerged as a

separate field of study in the early 1980s, following the recognition that the unique
characteristics of services required different strategies compared with the marketing of physical
goods. Services are deeds, processes and performances. Services include all economic activities
whose output is not a physical product or construction, is generally consumed at the time it is
produced, and provides added value in forms (such as convenience, amusement, timeliness,
comfort or health) that are essentially intangible concerns of its first purchaser. Eg.:
Transportation, Communication, Educational services etc.

1. Recurring sales: When service marketing is focused towards satisfying customers’ needs
perfectly, it leads to repeat sales. Happy customers tend to come back for another
purchase. For example, a customer who has a savings account with Citibank and is happy
with its services like online banking, phone banking, etc. will go to Citibank for applying
a loan. Thus, Citibank’s service marketing efforts are being translated to more sales.

2. Reviews and word-of-mouth: A happy customer is likely to spread word about his
experience to a number of people. Today, in the age of internet and swift communication,
reviews play an important role in determining whether or not to buy a product. Negative
reviews about a product/ service spreads fast. Through appropriate service marketing
strategy, companies can ensure that customers are satisfied enough to spread word-of-
mouth about their good experience.

3. Contribution to economic growth: Service marketing is especially beneficial for

developing countries. It gives them an opportunity to showcase their talents and
commitment to quality when it comes to services. By using proper service marketing
strategies, companies are able to gain trust of customers. On a national scale, this leads to
an increase in employment level, increase in foreign exchange reserves, increase in
exports and Gross Domestic Product.

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GREEN MARKETING

Green marketing is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe.
Thus, Green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product
modification, changes to the packaging as well as modifying advertizing. Hence, green
marketing refers to holistic marketing concept wherein the production, marketing,
consumption and disposal of products and services happen in a manner that is less
detrimental to the environment. Over the years, a majority of consumers have realized that
their behavior had a direct impact on environment. There is a growing amount of evidence
indicating that consumers are shifting traditional products to green products to have a
positive impact on the natural environment.
Green Marketing as the development and marketing of products designed to minimize
negative effects on the physical environment. Green Marketing as the study of all efforts to
consume, produce, distribute, promote, package, and reclaim products in a manner that is
sensitive or responsive to ecological concerns. The inclusion of all efforts to consume
recognizes that many entities are involved in green marketing. Green marketing is not limited
to government or nongovernment organizations, nor is it solely an activity undertaken by
consumers. Manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and services firms each has opportunities
to contribute in the field of green marketing. This definition also identifies the need to
consider the production, distribution, and reclamation of products as integrated components
of the marketing effort. Efficiency at one stage of this process (e.g., distribution) may offer
advantages in the channel, but the goal of green efforts is to limit the total ecological
influence associated with consumption. Green Marketing must consider the promotional
efforts employed to gain consumer support of ecologically friendly products.
Green Marketing Management as the process of planning and executing the marketing mix to
facilitate consumption, production, distribution, promotion, packaging, and product
reclamation in a manner that is sensitive or responsive to ecological concerns. The
management of green marketing activity continues to evolve as companies incorporate new
thinking about climate change throughout their organizations. Initial green marketing efforts
focused on the recycling of products such as aluminum cans and photocopier toner
cartridges. Over time, firms have begun to consider ways to modify inputs to production that
limit the influence of the products on the environment. The study of green marketing reflects

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an interest in becoming more aware of ecological and sustainability issues and consistently
working to achieve higher levels of sustainability. Increasingly, firms are recognizing that
outputs from the production process should be viewed under scrutiny of climate change as
well.

MARKETING STRATEGY

Finding the Perfect Location

After choosing a suitable channel for promotion, location plays an important role. The
product needs a strong distribution channel where your product can easily reach the customer
at low cost. Also before the product is extensively advertised, the product should be before
the customer's eyes. As it is a convenience product which is purchased through minimum
effort, the product should be available at all possible locations. The plus point here is that as
the customer doesn't have any strong preferences, new products are easily acceptable by the
customer. This point can serve as an added advantage while marketing the product.

Marketing Audit
After your product has been successfully launched, it's time to keep a tab on your marketing
plans, sales and profits. Through auditing techniques, one can find out the deviations between
actual and expected performance. In this cut throat competition, marketing strategies need to
be changed after a period of time. Therefore, auditing serves the purpose by measuring the
performance of every plan and alerting the marketer if any changes are to be made.

Small Unit Packing

Rural consumers receive daily wages and at the same time their income is unsteady. Hence
they can't make purchases in large quantities. E.g. HUL sells Shampoo and Hair oil in sachet
packs in rural areas. Cavin Kare Ltd. has launched a sachet priced at 50 paisa for its Chic
Shampoo.

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Low Priced Packing
Tata Tea launched `Agni' as an economy brand in rural areas to compete with loose tea
powder. ITC has launched 'Hero' containing blended tobacco and is priced just for the
pockets of rural consumers.

Researching the Market

It's necessary that you decide on the market you want your product to sell. Through market
segmentation, you can divide the market on the basis of geographic, demographic,
behavioral, psychographic factors and on price too. After segmentation, your goal will be
more well-defined and it will help you to reach your customer in a more refined manner.
Also, new strategies like finding out the motivation factor and social characteristics in the
target market can serve as an answer to searching and reaching your goals. In your research,
it is also necessary to conduct a survey and rely on the primary data, which will help you
decide the future course of action related to your marketing goals.

Analyzing the Product through Matrices

Once you have zeroed in on the market, the next step is creating a matrix according to the
needs of your product. This analysis will help you in identifying your product while
measuring the relative market share and market growth. By identifying, your product can be
classified as high earner or low earner.

Finding Suitable Channels of Promotion

After you have found your niche market, it's important to select a promotional tool that is
effective in conveying the message. Promotional tools include television, radio, sponsorships,
Internet and other advertising mediums. Also, the cost incurred while promoting the product
should be taken into account. The new trend of promotion is making your presence felt at the
new social websites.
Brand Building
Facilitates easy brand recall and in drawing any color, visual or numeric association. E.g.
Ajanta for tooth paste, Sansar for sewing machines. Creating a brand identity - Involve the
need to relate the brand with the rural lifestyle, or with appropriate status symbols, or with

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the rural environment. E.g. Britannia Tiger Biscuits created an identity associated with a
smart, active and sharp child.

CONCLUSION
The tea industry did not end when the British left India. In fact, the tea market in India has
been growing ever since. Today, there are as many as 43,293 tea gardens across the whole of
Assam, 62,213 tea gardens in the Nilgiris and only 85 tea gardens in Darjeeling (source: Tea
Board of India). In order to ensure the supply of genuine Darjeeling, Assam, and Nilgiri tea,
a compulsory system of certifying the authenticity of these teas was incorporated into the Tea
Act of 1953. The words ‘Darjeeling’, ‘Darjeeling logo’, ‘Assam logo’ and ‘Nilgiri logo’ are
registered under the Geographical Indications of Goods Act of 1999.

Tea drinking itself has evolved in many ways, with every region of this vast country making
their own chai variants. There are humble roadside chaiwallas making hundreds of steaming
cups that connect all strata of society, and on the other end of the spectrum are the gourmet
stores that sell and serve fine Indian tea.

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