A STUDY ON SALES PROMOTION TECHNIQUES OF MAHALAXMI AUTOMOTIVES AT BARAMATI

SUBMITTED TO UNIVERSITY OF PUNE MASTER DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION BY VINOD BABAR UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF PROF. SMEETA KHATRI

ANEKANT INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, BARAMATI, PUNE 2011- 2012

e-mail :- vinod.babar1@gmail

Mobile no:- 9503682805

Introduction to the Study

Sales promotion is an activity designed to boost the sales of a product or service for the short period of time. It may include an advertising campaign, increased PR activity, a free-sample campaign, offering free gifts or trading stamps, arranging demonstrations or exhibitions, setting up competitions with attractive prizes, temporary price reductions, premiums, door-to-door calling, product warrantee, personal letters on other methods". Seller introduces new product or new brand in the market by the use of sales promotion. When an economy is going through a recessionary phase, customer become more price sensitive. Marketer can tackle this problem with the help of promotional tools like offering gifts, or discount coupons, gift, contests, sweepstakes, etc. to the customer. Excellent approach for short term price reduction for stimulating demand. Sales promotion techniques can be used to achieve other objectives such as building brand loyalty or creating product awareness. With growth in the automobile sector sales promotional techniques can certainly prove to be an useful aid to the marketer. Mahalaxmi Automotives also make use of all those sales promotional techniques that can raise the sales of Maruti Suzuki in the four wheeler category. The sales promotional techniques generally used by Mahalaxmi Automotives are coupons, gifts, test drive, exchange offer, seasonal offer, off- seasonal offer, off-price, product warrantee are not practiced only for maintaining the key accounts but also for converting a prospect into a customer. Hence the basic purpose of this project is to study the different sales promotion techniques at Mahalaxmi Automotives as well as to introduce other sales promotion techniques that may make Mahalaxmi Automotives stand firm in the market with increased sales and growth. With this study, Mahalaxmi Automotives will also generate new accounts and create a differential mark in the automobile sector. This study will also reveal the most effective technique of sales promotion to entice customer.

OBJECTIVES

To study the sales promotion techniques used by Mahalaxmi Automotives (Maruti Suzuki). To find out innovative sales promotional techniques for the Mahalaxmi Automotive. To know the sales promotion techniques which affect on the customers purchasing decision. To analyze the competitors sales promotion techniques in the market. To find the most effective tool of sales promotion technique used by Mahlaxmi automotives to entice (attract) customers. To find out the influence of Sales promotion techniques on the sales of Mahalaxmi automotives. To study the impact of sales promotion activity on sale in Mahalaxmi Automotives. To study the impact of sales promotion techniques particularly test drive for new product launch. To study the effect of sales promotion techniques in creating new accounts. .

SCOPE OF STUDY

Marketing survey has wide scope and covers all aspects of marketing. Broadly its scope can be classified in the following categories :-

How sales promotion techniques affect buying behavior of Mahalaxmi Automotives customers.

Sales Promotional techniques can even affect the pricing of firm. Sales promotional tools can be effective tools in managing customer relation that is largest scope for application of CRM.

It is concerned with Sales and service challenges.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research method is the systematic process of collecting and analysis information in order to increase our understanding of the phenomenon about which we are concerned or interested. In other words research methodology is an endeavor (try) to discover answers to intellectual and practical problems through the application of scientific method.

Research Tools OR Instrument :

The basic and major tools used are the Statements, tables and diagrams.

Data collection Method:

(a) Primary Data Collection Method: Customer survey method is being use for primary data collection. We use questionnaire as an instrument for customer survey method. Type of questionnaire: closed ended.

(b) Secondary Data Collection method: Reference books. Last 3 months sales data of Mahalaxmi Automotive.

Research Design
Research design selected for this project (sales promotion techniques of mahalaxmi automotive) is more descriptive with some practical views.

Respondents and Survey Area:

Researcher himself will select the consumer of the mahalaxmi automotive in the Baramati region.

Tool for data collection:

Questionnaire method and interviewing method.

Sampling method Sampling method followed by the investigator is simple random sampling method.

Size of sample It refers to the number of items to be selected from the universe to constitute a sample. Here 150 customers of mahalaxmi automotive Maruti Suzuki in Baramati were selected as size of sample.

QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Name

: : ... Male Female

2. Gender

3. Did you purchase any vehicle from Mahalaxmi Automotives already Yes No

4. Why did you purchase vehicle from Mahalaxmi automotive? Brand name Sales promotion techniques advertising publicity

5. Which of the following sales promotion techniques you received at last purchase? Gifts Coupons off-seasonal offer product warranty discount Exchange offer Seasonal Offers Test drive all above

6. Are you satisfied with sales promotion techniques offered by Mahalaxmi Automotives? Yes No

8. How do you grade sales promotion techniques at Mahalaxmi Automotives? Good Average Fair Poor

9. How does Mahalaxmi Maruti Suzuki differ from competitors in terms of sales Promotion?
Coupons

Gift

Seasonal offer Test drives. Off Seasonal offer

Product Warranties Exchange offers discount All above

10. Did you get any kind of Demonstration of vehicle from our Showroom ? Yes No

12. Rate the Mahalaxmi Automotives (maruti Suzuki) performance in todays competitive environment when compared to other competitor. Highly Satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfie d Highly Dissatisfied None

Product Service Quality Price Reliability

13. What message is being received from our promotional techniques ?

Provides good offers than others. Monetary Beneficial to purchaser.

14. Which of the following can prove to be more beneficial to generate new account? Test drive Demonstration

15. Will you approach Mahalaxmi for purchase of new another vehicle if it introduces new sales promotional techniques? Yes No If No, Please Specify: . 16.