Marketing On Tea

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 (5065% 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 teadrinking 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 4

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 twentysomething’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 pullup 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. 9

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.

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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.

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Demonstrations − Significant method of push-up sales promotion, free samples at dealers’ shops inform the clients about the management of the product.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 10

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

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Sales Strategy

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Sales Analysis

Sales Operations: Building the Team

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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.

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In other words, they matter – a lot.

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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 13

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. 14

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, 15

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 taxdeductible, 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 18

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-ofmouth 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 21

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 23

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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