"Bees ka bolo, bees ka bolo. Hindi mein bees aur English mein twenty bolo."
This is a rather humourous one-sided conversation one hears in the Mumbai local trains.
Vendors of all sorts ply the compartments of these trains which run from the city's southern end to its northern end. One is met with vendors selling tooth whitening powder, colouring books, mobile scratch-guards, train schedules, cosmetics, accessories.... the list goes on. Interestingly, people buy unassuming things from these vendors. Let me cite a few examples; night gowns, table cloth and fruits!!!!
While travelling back home after college, I was looking out of the window (Mumbaikars prefer a "window seat" because it allows the window seat holder to enjoy fresh... ummm, possibly polluted breeze on warm days) at the familiar route I would pass everyday. Lost in some random thoughts, I hardly took notice of the two vendors who entered our compartment to tap willing customers and force them into impulse buying.
Male voices engaged in some argument, stimulated my auditory senses and pulled me out of my fantasy land. My face immediately turned to the vendors. I don't know the reason that triggered the rift but I paid careful attention to all that followed.
Vendor 'y' (BIO: Tall and Lean, seller of mobile scratch-guards) alleged that vendor 'x' was lying. Vendor x (BIO: average height and bald, seller of table cloth) retaliated and said he wasn't some one who would lie. The argument came to a halt, but vendor x had, till then, taken offensive.
Vendor x said to all his 'prospective clients' that his products were superior whereas that of the other were Bhangaar (Useless).
I don't know if it was the promise of superior products, the attention-catching slogans or simply the argument and its spicy consequence; but I noticed that many women who earlier didn't bother about their presence, started buying from both of the sellers.
This incident left a smile on my face; honestly, not because I felt happy for the sales of both vendors, but because I was around to enjoy FREE Entertainment. (you need to trust me on this, Mumbaikars- rather All Indians- just love to have everything that is free... even if it is receiving a FREE bashing from a childhood buddy over a complete non-issue).
On second thoughts however, I think that the argument was pre-planned and rigged to get the desired attention from the Target Audience. It was a conspiracy on part of both those vendors to increase sales; Mutual benefit you know! They were both 'hand in glove'.
From these vendors I learned a new marketing strategy i.e., create the brawl, involve the public and sell the product.
You see, it's not very surprising after all to learn from these Train vendors. They are the Gurus of Marketing and Sales because they sell their goods to Mumbaikars, day-in and day-out.
Next we know, the top B-schools of the world will invite train vendors to conduct managerial seminars; thus breaking the record of Lalu Prasad Yadav who conducted a similar seminar earlier.
This is a rather humourous one-sided conversation one hears in the Mumbai local trains.
Vendors of all sorts ply the compartments of these trains which run from the city's southern end to its northern end. One is met with vendors selling tooth whitening powder, colouring books, mobile scratch-guards, train schedules, cosmetics, accessories.... the list goes on. Interestingly, people buy unassuming things from these vendors. Let me cite a few examples; night gowns, table cloth and fruits!!!!
While travelling back home after college, I was looking out of the window (Mumbaikars prefer a "window seat" because it allows the window seat holder to enjoy fresh... ummm, possibly polluted breeze on warm days) at the familiar route I would pass everyday. Lost in some random thoughts, I hardly took notice of the two vendors who entered our compartment to tap willing customers and force them into impulse buying.
Male voices engaged in some argument, stimulated my auditory senses and pulled me out of my fantasy land. My face immediately turned to the vendors. I don't know the reason that triggered the rift but I paid careful attention to all that followed.
Vendor 'y' (BIO: Tall and Lean, seller of mobile scratch-guards) alleged that vendor 'x' was lying. Vendor x (BIO: average height and bald, seller of table cloth) retaliated and said he wasn't some one who would lie. The argument came to a halt, but vendor x had, till then, taken offensive.
Vendor x said to all his 'prospective clients' that his products were superior whereas that of the other were Bhangaar (Useless).
I don't know if it was the promise of superior products, the attention-catching slogans or simply the argument and its spicy consequence; but I noticed that many women who earlier didn't bother about their presence, started buying from both of the sellers.
This incident left a smile on my face; honestly, not because I felt happy for the sales of both vendors, but because I was around to enjoy FREE Entertainment. (you need to trust me on this, Mumbaikars- rather All Indians- just love to have everything that is free... even if it is receiving a FREE bashing from a childhood buddy over a complete non-issue).
On second thoughts however, I think that the argument was pre-planned and rigged to get the desired attention from the Target Audience. It was a conspiracy on part of both those vendors to increase sales; Mutual benefit you know! They were both 'hand in glove'.
From these vendors I learned a new marketing strategy i.e., create the brawl, involve the public and sell the product.
You see, it's not very surprising after all to learn from these Train vendors. They are the Gurus of Marketing and Sales because they sell their goods to Mumbaikars, day-in and day-out.
Next we know, the top B-schools of the world will invite train vendors to conduct managerial seminars; thus breaking the record of Lalu Prasad Yadav who conducted a similar seminar earlier.
Totally agreed...voice of a mumbaikar
ReplyDeleteI am so very happy to read all your blog posts. Your writing style is very much like my late father Prof. Haji Siraj Ebrahim Biviji (M.A.) who was a famous journalist of our metropolis.
ReplyDeleteI wish you Best of Luck for your chosen career in journalism.