Chapter 11. Making the Sale

In This Chapter

  • Familiarizing yourself with the Indian consumer market

  • Getting the hang of marketing strategies

  • Making sales and distribution plans

  • Exploring the potential of retail

Pop quiz: How many teenagers will there be in India by 2015?

  1. A couple of million

  2. 550 million

  3. None (India is close to discovering how to get rid of teens completely)

The correct answer is 550 million! For a very long time in the future, India is going to continue to have a workforce and consumers too! The increase in spending power among Indians starting now is causing many foreign companies to sit up and take notice. Demand in practically every sector of business is soaring, and the government is helping the trend by liberalizing what were once stringent trade laws. Indian cities vie with each other to match the living standards of the West, the middle class is buoyant, and the rural markets are ripe for the picking. It’s no wonder that virtually every global company seems to be looking to make a sale in India.

Yes, prospects are good, and they’re constantly getting better. But before you jump into business, you need to know some facts and get fine tuning advice to make sure both seller and consumer end up happy. In this chapter I explore the various facets of selling in India. I offer insights into the Indian consumer market and present some marketing ideas and sales strageties. Along the way, I throw in some interesting stories of success and failure and include reasons ...

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