Rural Marketing: Principles, Strategies, and Practices

By Dr. Rajkiran Prabhakar, Dr. Rajeev Kumar | Banaras Hindu University

Learners enrolled: 136

ABOUT THE COURSE:

As we are all aware, India is the land of agriculture. According to the 2011 Census of India, around 70 percent of the country's population resides in rural areas. This means that a significant proportion of our customers and consumers come from these regions. When the majority of consumers come from such a background, the role of rural marketing becomes crucial in understanding their needs and creating strategies tailored to their context. The course on "Rural Marketing: Principles, Strategies, and Practices" delve into this very subject. Rural marketing is much more than simply selling products in rural areas; it is about comprehensively understanding the dynamics of these markets and designing sustainable, impactful strategies that cater to their unique demands. This course is structured to provide a detailed exploration of rural marketing. It begins by laying down the principles of rural marketing, emphasizing affordability, accessibility, and acceptability as the pillars of effective engagement, followed by strategies for rural marketing, covering critical elements such as segmentation, targeting, and positioning. Also, it includes, practical applications and real-world case studies. In conclusion, "Rural Marketing: Principles, Strategies, and Practices" serves as both an academic resource and a practical guide to tapping into the immense potential of rural markets. It underscores the importance of empathy, innovation, and sustainability in creating long-term value for both businesses and rural communities.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Students of 10+2, MBA (Agribusiness), Agriculture and allied Discipline, B. Voc (Food Processing & Management), Agri-preneurs

PREREQUISITES: 10 +2 and Above

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	8 weeks
Category :	Management Studies Multidisciplinary Agricultural and Food Engineering
Credit Points :	2
Level :	Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Start Date :	18 Aug 2025
End Date :	10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends :	18 Aug 2025
Exam Registration Ends :	29 Aug 2025
Exam Date :	24 Oct 2025 IST
NCrF Level	4.5 — 7.0

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1: Introduction to Rural Marketing: Scope and Significance

Overview of Rural Marketing: Definition and Importance, Scope of Rural Marketing in Emerging Economies, Economic and Social Significance of Rural Markets, Role of Rural Marketing in Sustainable Development. Trends Shaping the Future of Rural Marketing

Week 2: Understanding the Dynamics of the Rural Marketing Environment

Understanding the Rural Socio-Economic Environment, Cultural and Demographic Factors Influencing Rural Markets, Rural Infrastructure and Its Impact on Marketing Strategies, Technological Developments and Digital Penetration in Rural Areas. Policy Framework and Government Initiatives in Rural Marketing

Week 3: Rural Consumer Behavior: Patterns, Drivers, and Insight

Understanding Rural Consumer Behavior: Key Concepts and Theories, Demographic and Psychographic Factors Shaping Rural Consumption, Socio-Cultural Drivers of Rural Consumer Decisions, The Role of Media in Rural Consumer Behavior, Analyzing Rural Consumer Buying Patterns and Preferences

Week 4: Rural Market Research: Tools, Techniques, and Applications

Understanding the Process of Research in Rural Markets, Sources of Data for Rural Market Research Methods of Data Collection in Rural Markets, Data Collection Approaches in Rural Markets: Analyzing and Interpreting Data from Rural Markets

Week 5: Introduction to Product Strategies in Rural Marketing

Overview of rural marketing strategies, The importance of product adaptation for rural consumers, Product Development for Rural Markets: Understanding Needs and Preferences, Identifying the unique needs of rural consumers, Tailoring products for rural market demands, Product Positioning and Branding in Rural Markets, Strategies for effective product positioning, Building strong brand awareness in rural areas, Innovations in Rural Product Offerings: Local Solutions and Affordability, Developing affordable and accessible products for rural consumers, Innovation through local solutions and culturally relevant products. Product Life Cycle and Sustainability in Rural Marketing

Week 6: Introduction to Pricing Strategies in Rural Markets

Understanding Price and Pricing in Rural Markets, The Significance of Pricing Decisions in Rural Marketing, Factors Affecting Price Determination in Rural Markets, Pricing Methods and Techniques for Rural Markets, Pricing Policies, Strategies, and Discounts in Rural Marketing

Week 7: Introduction to Place Decisions in Rural Marketing

Understanding Distribution Channels in Rural Marketing, Selecting, Training, and Motivating Channel Members in Rural Areas, Channel Dynamics: VMS, HMS, and MMS in Rural Marketing, Marketing Logistics and Supply Chain Management in Rural Market

Week 8: Introduction to Promotion in Rural Marketing

Understanding the Communication Process in Rural Marketing, The Promotion Mix: Advertising, Personal Selling, Sales Promotion, and Public Relations, Media Selection for Rural Marketing Campaigns, Advertising Effectiveness and Rural Consumer Engagement, Sales Promotion Tools and Techniques for Rural Markets

Books and references

1.B. Dogra & K. Ghuman : Rural Marketing, TMH

2.S. K. Velayudhan : Rural Marketing, SAGE Publication

3.C G Krishnamacharyulu, L. Ramakrishnan: Rural Marketing, Pearson Education

4.Habeeb Ur Rahman : Rural Marketing, HPH,

5.Minouti Kamat& R. Krishnamoorthy : Rural Marketing, HPH, Agricultural

Instructor bio

Dr. Rajkiran Prabhakar

Banaras Hindu University

Dr. Rajkiran Prabhakar is a distinguished academic and researcher serving as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), since 2011. With a Ph.D. in Management from BHU, he specializes in Brand Management, Neuromarketing, Consumer Behavior, and Supply Chain Management. He has made significant contributions to academia through extensive research, publishing papers in renowned journals such as the Journal of Positive School Psychology and International Journal of Services and Operations Management. His work addresses diverse areas like emotional intelligence, business analytics and the role of neuromarketing in consumer decision-making.Dr. Prabhakar has guided numerous Ph.D. scholars, including research on agribusiness, supply chain operational performance, etc. He actively participates in various academic and administrative capacities, including as a member of the Departmental Research Committee, Library Committee, and Apex Advisory Committee at BHU. His leadership extends to roles like Admin Warden of Management Hostel and Coordinator of Examinations.Beyond academia, Dr. Prabhakar provides consultancy services, such as conducting feasibility studies for the Bhadohi Industrial Development Authority. His achievements have been recognized through multiple accolades, including the Global Teachers Award (2021), Best Paper Award (2020), and Hostel Excellence Award (2016).

Dr. Rajeev Kumar

Dr. Rajeev Kumar, is Ph.D. in the area of Marketing and Supply Chain Management from Institute of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. He has done his Bachelor Degree in Agriculture from Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University in 2008 and MBA Degree with specialization in Marketing from Faculty of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi in 2010. He is awarded with UGC-NET/JRF/Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) in Management in year 2011 and has total experience of about 4 years and 2 months in working with different organizations i.e., ICICI Bank Pvt ltd., as Assistant Manager-II, Department of Agriculture, Uttar Pradesh Government as Technical Officer (Agriculture) and in Directorate of Urban Local Bodies, Uttar Pradesh Government as Food and Sanitary Inspector (FSI). His area of interest includes Marketing, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Customer Relationship Management, Agribusiness and Rural Development, Agri- Retail Management. He has published several research papers in reputed referred journals and edited books and presented around 8 research papers at various international and national conference like IIM-Ahmedabad, IIIT- Delhi and BIMTECH- New Delhi. Dr. Rajeev has 04 publications (02 as Sole Author/First Author) in ABDC-ranked, and Scopus Q1-indexed journals. Currently Dr. Rajeev Kumar is working on the post of Assistant Professor in the department of MBA (Agribusiness), Rajiv Gandhi South Campus (RGSC), Banaras Hindu University since 04.09.2019.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.

The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).

Date and Time of Exams: 24 October 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.

Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.

The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.

Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 6 assignments out of the total 8 assignments given in the course.

Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup. It will have the logos of INI and BHU.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- INI team