IF Coke or Pepsi would have been Agri input product in india…

Ye dil Mange more..

Thanda Matlab coca cola..

Toofani Thanda

am sure most of us can easily identify by the tag/punch line that which product it is..

Lets change the scenario, think if those are marketed in Agri-input category in India.

Coke-

• ‘000 employees taking day in day out user meeting calling them in a temple
• Every meeting must have the society’s Bade wale Chachas and Taus (Key influential Person)
• Before meeting everywhere there would be coke posters/banners  and leaflets hovering the entire venue along roads
• in the meeting the must have would be a sales pitch saying
  • Coke is more black
  • Coke is more cool
  • Coke Jaldi Thandi ho jati hai
  • Coke can be mixed with your favorite drink
  • Coke can be opened like champagne
  • One bada Tau will stand-up and say I have drunk this and would recommend everybody to drink.
  • One non user would say Government is not helping us to drink
  • Another would say Last time my friend tried this, it was brown
  • Another would say my friend complained about the opener quality he couldn’t open it from his mouth, he demanded for compensation and the case is still pending.
  • The ground force team headed by a Commander called TM followed by Lieutenants PO/FT would pacify the concerns  saying- this lot is different and every user is repeating it.. Its fantastic and revolutionary
• at the end/start of the meeting the bade chahchs and taus would be garlanded and given some present
• Few giveaways for everybody who is attending the meeting
• There would be all food and entertainment management for the audience
• At last they will be shown few live samples –
  • Person drinking coke one after another and burping like anything
  • 4 guys on a table enjoying their party with coke
• Post meeting they would most likely throw a promotion/booking scheme

Pepsi-

everything remains same except-

• Chahchas and Taus (may be earlier coke customers as well)
• All coke posters to be replace by Pepsi
• Sales pitch would be-
  • Pepsi is blacker
  • Pepsi is cooler
  • Pepsi can even be mixed with non-color drinks for great color
  • rest all same

Ironically both Pepsi and Coke ground marketer are mostly each other’s ex-employee only. they would be least bothered to know what is happening to the world, they would only be guessing how much each other is selling. The biggest source of information for them is their trade channel.

There would be few TV adverts where one person with background of a party plot comes out and say Drink this its cool, black and mixable. (30 seconds and advert gone in flash) or few party-men talking about their problem in drinking softdrink and a bada tau coming  in a car saying drink this this has all the solution to your problem.

Ouuuch he hit on my head.. Sachinnnnn  Stop this.. (sorry i didn’t introduce Sachin, he is my colleague).

He is saying  “you (I) so called intelligent human-being telling us to CTRL+C and CTRL+V the marketing tactics of them in Agri-input marketing”

Naaahhh not at all, i never ever meant to say that.

Agri input marketing in India is so complex that even a new definition has to be calved out .. do you know why because-

• Its neither purely FMCG nor FMCD
• Its neither purely a consumable good nor industrial raw material
• Its neither purely B2B nor B2C
• Its neither purely distribution-centric nor product-centric
• Its neither purely on functional benefits nor perceived benefits

So now you may think that i may suggest you some specific solution, sorry not this time :). Not because am an Agri input Marketer (competition to fellow marketer) but because there are no ready-made solutions, we all have to make hit and trials to find out the solutions for creating brand in Agri-input which are sustainable, affordable, renowned and acceptable to all the markets. We are not in a state of dealing with matured customers, they are still information deprived. Not only our consumers but we ourselves are also not equipped with complete data, believe it or not they are mostly guesstimates. Collective and synergistic marketing may save our resources in piloting the things out.There are 130 million farmers and markets are defined basis crops/Geography and not by their socio-economic behavior. CRM, ATL, BTL, TTL are still remains buzz words for us.

Sharing good practices, case studies, blog posts may help us in becoming resource savvy and help our consumer to obtain only the right information at right time.

Hope i wasn’t been too bad in writing.

As Always, Love!!

Ankit

Yay!! I sold a Jet Today!!

Sachin (am sure you now know him that he is my colleague) a recent grad from top notch B-school was on the way to buy his first keys. Showroom after Showroom, multiple of test drives, with umpteen no. of expert advises and with google Baba’s blessings he was confused like anything.

Since he was a young grad it was but obvious that he will make all his knowledge to be practical in every aspect and this time he used Multiple Attribute Utility Theory to scale down for fewer options.

He started re-interviewing the sales guys on the three selected options and the key USPs post his talks with sales guys were like-

Option A – It doesn’t run it flies, it’s a jet.

Option B – Any breakdown, road side assistance will be even before you blink your eyes.

Option C – It’s a fixed deposit, no maintenance cost at all.  

And the Smart Sachin, who always wanted to fly bought option “A”. But wait, after few days he started realizing that it doesn’t take off, this jet only runs on runway that too many a times raced down by few average cars around.

Sachin came to me with all anguish… “bloody I paid 100k extra for this car because that sales walah told me this shall run like jet but it doesn’t run like even a SUV, and that sales walah now joined some other company, what to do with this”

And there was that typical smirk on my face, I said, Sachin listen- “At first place you always wanted to buy a car

-          That runs

-          That too with minimum costs

-          That leaves minimum maintenance costs/headaches

-          That can run on your local city roads

-          That makes you and your family drive safe and comfortable

-          That fit into your budget

then how come the question of jet came into picture?? Dude this is a car and doing all the job which you originally thought for, yet you are completely dissatisfied. “

Ironically I could only make one customer satisfied but think day in day out there are ‘000000 of sales walahs raising the expectation bars of consumers which at the end of the day results into the dis-satisfied customer with no repeat and referrals.

If I were given a chance to define what business is, I would simply quote –

“Business is nothing more than mutual exchange of MINIMUM PREDICTIVE VALUES”

In today’s competitive era when functional benefits are kept aside to overshadow the next competitor.  

Be it anywhere-

-          A manager raising board expectation for fresh round of funding, going certainly away from ground

-          A finance guy showing budgets like company has spent just like that last year

-          A sales guy selling products on his imaginative grounds

The common most issue resides as “Exaggeration”. In order to make ourselves better-off, we knowingly and unknowingly exaggerate the things and many a times it falls flat. The being grounded and genuine approach seems to history now, as we now only focus to encash that moment without even worrying about what it may result.  

But think for a second, can it just by any sense become sustainable-

-          What if the person you sold car realizes that it’s just a car not a jet

-          What if the person you sold a seed realizes it’s a seed not a miracle

-          What if the board whom you sold a three year break even realizes that’s it’s anything but three years

Let’s learn from our few examples of politico environment nearby-

-          We made this party to enact the Jan-Lokpal bill .. (where is it now, did you ever think how difficult and cumbersome it would be)

-          The moment we are into power India would be a developed country (well I exaggerated a bit J, but did they ever thought how practically difficult for them to handle the opposition)

-          Dadri shows the India is intolerant like never before. (well hasn’t it been exaggerated?)

Everybody loves surprises and when this exaggeration comes into picture the surprise quotient become inversely proportional.

So next time when you are trying to sell perceived benefits be sure that your customer perceives it, else be firm on your functional benefits only.

Simplify the things rather than exaggeration.

A child is more likely to buy a certain chocolate in anticipation of a surprise gift inside.

So surprise your every customer rather the just bearing them for a moment.

Build stairs rather simply jumping which will only induce gravitational force and can keep you high only for moments.

Love,

Ankit 

Does Rural India need Government support in availing ICT services???

“The More you Know the better you grow”. Information Communication Technology (ICT) provides power to individuals for their information quest to enable them for taking right action.  ICT sector in India is expected to contribute 7.5% of total GDP in 2012*. The sector employs 2.5 million Indian population directly and over 8 million indirectly, primarily by software services*. The major part of ICT services in India is catered to export market or urban population. Rural population is unable to enjoy the ICT service at large, which is creating a digital divide.

The idea is widely accepted that wider access to and use of ICT throughout a country will reduce inequalities in income and quality of life between rural and urban residents is compelling. Various organizations have implemented this idea and helped rural population in –

    improving their access to market information;

    lowering costs;

    increase efficiency, competitiveness and market access;

    better price realization;

    helping global economy through food, education and health;

However such organizations/interventions are yet unable to reach the masses. 4As - Affordability, Availability, Adaptability, and Accessibility are the major challenges to be addressed to make ICT interventions transforming rural masses.

    Spending capacity of rural Population (Affordability)

    Suitable infrastructure and technology dissemination (Availability)

    Utilization of the technology and breaking the middleman interventions (Adaptability)

    Education, Training, connectivity and Language barrier (Accessibility)

These challenges can’t be addressed in isolation, Government and Organizations has to join hands. Organization can bring their techno-information expertise and Government can support them with facilitative policy framework and financial assistance, which would make these interventions more viable, available and sustainable.

Rural India is slowly getting equipped with hands-on power through ICT services. However the scalability and sustainability of such ICT services remains on the partnering efficiency of Government and private organizations.

Investments In Africa- Is It Only a Land Grab??

Investments in Africa are quite often seen as merely land grab. The World Bank’s study released in September 2010 identified 45 million hectares under negotiation for allocation during 2009 alone, of which 70 percent (about 32 million hectares) was in Africa. A new study by the International Land Coalition suggests that the true figure could be much higher, at around 80 million hectares, 64 percent (about 50 million hectares) of these in Africa. The exponential rise of interest for investing in Africa is chiefly because of 3As- Agri, Area and Affordability. In 2007-08 fluctuation in global prices of commodity forced many food grain importing Nations to change their strategies. They started looking out for meeting their food demand through own production at foreign lands.

Steep rise and high fluctuation in oil prices has laid foundation for alternate source of energy. Few Agriculture produce have identified as potential source of energy. A large area needed to produce them for mitigating the expected demand.

Africa being in under-developed tag offers quite low price for lands, which allured investors to set their eyes for resourceful cheap lands largely for their agricultural operations.

Despite categorized in investors ideology of just land grabbing, Africa still attracts just less than 5% of global FDI projects. This low share of percentage showcases that it isn’t merely a race for land grabbing but of well sound business motives. Investors are choosing Africa because of

1.  733 Million hectare arable land, which can play a great role in world food security
2. Only 57-58% of agricultural productivity compared to their Asian and South American counterparts, sets opportunity for quality input suppliers
3. Big economies are at single digit growth rate, while Africa provides consumer side demand for over 1 Billion people
4. Cheaper labour availability
5. Availability of natural resources necessary for investment
6. Local policy and industrial facilitation

Business requires investments, in form of Land, human resource and many other business activities. Investor moving towards Africa because of cheaper lands, but this isn’t a sole reason for them to invest in Africa. A survey finding suggests that 88% of investors feels Africa is an attractive business destination for investment, compared to likelihood the actual investments are quite low. The root cause for this heavy difference is because of sound business plans. Investors want to invest in Africa with a long term vision. However, to avoid any land-grabbing interest local government can design policies to secure national resources.

 

Lets take a Pause

When things go left I move right- guess this is the phenomenon we often counter with. We breath same air, drink same water (except if you change the brand or mix it with some obnoxious material ). Our every morning to the time we enter in the dream world we have been repetitive in much of activities. Lets take a pause think thorough-

1) what is it that i like about me?

2) what is it that others like about me?

3) what is it that i could have did better today?

4) what is it that can make me what i wana be?

5) and yeah last but no least when you answer all the whats.. lets get through with the answers for all by asking how, when.

We often realize our strengths and get appraised for it. we often try to cover our weaknesses by our strengths. we are 99% reluctant to work on our weaknesses - carry an attitude like
 

1) I don't need it.

2) I am better than him.

3) He is fool- thats a silly thing spotting such of weaknesses in me, better he should have change in himself

.

Mind it guys, life is so simple if you know yourself and you behave exactly as others want. Peep into others mindset change your colors according to others mood and yeah you are through.

Every night just before entering into your lovely dream world have a meeting with yourself set your own goals do the analysis of what went today. and am telling you would everyday as a new day, you would feel every sip as a tastier water or every breath as lovelier air.

Just think thorough, think different everyday.

With Lots of Love,

Ankit

WHOM to BLAME????

Every now and than we hear people criticizing government, – Roads are not good, this is bad, Govt should do this and that. Top of that environment becomes so tidy that we are taken into a new world of criticism by our respected media. Just going through a thought in my mind whom I should blame – Government, Media, Anna, or many other gentleman like politicians, bureaucrats…
For god sake why don’t we understand a simple fact, we are the one who should be blamed :-
We made the Government and Government do everything to secure that vote bank (because that’s their job). Rushdie was so called banned because Government wants to secure their vote-bank which wanted Government to do so. Media hyped the matter because they were knowing this will boost their TRPs. There are thousands of such examples. Our support and fan-base made cricketers on the top and forced BCCI to choose them and now we blame they are useless. We put Anna at the Post of Bapu and then we say he is a politician.
Its all Business and we need to understand that we (citizen) are the client. and mind it any business is a client game. We choose government, We make stars, we make leaders. So at first case if some-one is to be blamed then its us who should take self onus for every situation.
Participate in voting, make your own government. Make your own judgement before viewing and making perceptions through any other medium. stop seeing rubbish on TV. Its not protests which can change the country its we who can change this country in a regular manner without making any extra effort. And, I tell you we is a combination of I, so if I gets changed everything would be changed.
But tell you one thing that we are not going to be changed we love reading Chetan Bhagat’s books and you know what only the page which contains sex-scene, We love the unsuccessful batsman giving tips to Sachin, We love politicians making controversies, We love doing strikes, we love making fun of serious situations.
Change yourself-think for others. Let this country feel proud of you.
Lets other feel the power of youth…
Thanks for your precious time in reading this…
With Love,
Ankit