Marketing may seem like an easy job when you only see the final product. But, the truth is that there are a lot of factors that go into an overall marketing campaign, especially in different markets. Different cultural modifications have to be made in order not to insult, or not to come across in a negative way, but beyond that, modifications that allow the product or service to be more accepted in the new market place which it is to exist in.
This is even truer when it comes to marketing in developing countries, where marketing efforts become more complex due to the number of differences that have to be taken into account. Here are just some of the complexities that come with marketing in these types of developing countries.
Determining demand.
Determining the demand for a product or service in a developing country is what presents the most difficulties. This is primarily due to the fact that developing countries are generally divided into 3 different market segments or sectors. The first sector is a rural or agriculturally based one, where consumers are not as worried about material goods and can survive with just the basics, like coffee and soap.
There is the modern sector, where consumers tend to have more money and are more exposed to the westernized style of living and therefore are more accustomed to having more than the basics. Then there are those constituting a strata in what can be called the low-income sector, who may struggle to get even the basics.
Determining demand within this structure is quite different from the structure inherent within a more economically sophisticated part of the world where different structures are in play within a society.
Varying demands of different sectors.
When it comes to actually marketing, companies are generally able to do so successfully, but it is not without careful planning and strategizing. This is because these different segments have different values, beliefs, and education levels that can make reaching them more or less difficult, depending on where they all are on the spectrum.
For example, people in agriculture will have less access to certain channels of communication, which can make reaching them fully more difficult. On the other hand, those within the urban sector will be easier to reach with a wider variety of channels and tactics. There is also the low-income sector, where consumers tend to be less educated and therefore more difficult to reach using certain marketing tactics.
Essentials focused
When engaging that strata of a population that is particularly focused on simply the essentials due to economic constraints or other factors, a different approach has to be employed. Those in the agricultural sector do not care for material goods as much, and will therefore only be attracted to products that fit into their basic needs and serve a good purpose.
Similarly, those from the low-income sector will care more about the absolute essentials that they are able to afford, rather than things they could easily go without. Then there are those who come from the urban sector, who may be better-off and willing to spend more money on things they may not necessarily need, but want.
These are all things that a marketing effort should take into account when formulating a marketing plan for developing countries, as it can make a major difference in how successful a marketing campaign will be. Furthermore, a marketing effort also needs to keep the “transitional sectors”— those consumers that do not fit wholly into one of the main three market segments—in mind as well.
For those willing to invest the time and money in doing it right, marketing in a developing country can seriously pay off. It can also help the country’s market to continue to grow and develop into a more advanced market.
