Module 003 – The Use of Social Responsibility in Selling and the Characteristics and Behavior Patterns

of Consumers

In the past, selling had been profit motivated alone. With money becoming the medium of exchange,
money madness developed in the minds and hearts of the people. Many rose to engage in trade with
the hope of becoming millionaires overnight. Greed nurtured in the people as they produced more and
more of their specialties aspiring to earn more and more.

Meaning of Social Responsibility

Resulting from the evaluation of various definitions of different authors, social responsibility may be
defined as a doctrine that expresses concern for the welfare of others. The doctrine further states that
any act aimed at stepping on another’s right is not social responsibility.

Being Socially Responsible to Prospects

The following is a list of things that a salesman must and must a not to do to promote a healthy
relationship with his prospects. By doing so, the salesman can make his prospect realize his good
intention of servicing his needs rather than having him as the source of income.

1. Be able to match the features of your product with the needs and problems of your prospect.

2. Express genuine interest to help you prospect.

3. Do not overprice the product you offer.

4. Any promotional item meant for the prospect must be given away by the salesman.

5. Be sure to fully explain the features and benefits of the product.

6. Keep your promises to your prospect in terms of delivery, installation and other services.

7. Supplement your discussion with product demonstration to better educate your prospect.

8. Show courtesy and respect to your prospect.

Being Socially Responsible to Other Salesmen

You are not the only sales representative of your company. You work with other salesmen in helping
the company achieve higher sales and profits. Consequently, you have to be socially responsible to your
co-workers or co-salesmen. Your working relationship with them should be to a point where harmony
and cooperation with each other is maintained.

Being Socially Responsible to Competitors

Everybody wants to be number one is anything and everything. However, not everybody can be number
one. Only one at a given time must be there on top. It is a world of competition that we are in,
therefore, we have to face and accept the challenges.

Being Socially Responsible to Yourself

Who else will love you the most except yourself? You should be careful about your health, your good
name, your education, your total well-being, and your occupation or profession.

The Philippines as our market The Philippines is a huge archipelago said to be the largest archipelago in
the world it is composed of 7,100 islands of which 800 inhabited.

Filipino cultural heritage

The Filipino today shows the traces of many cultures principally Malay, Chinese, Arabic, Indian, Spanish,
Japanese, and American
1. His foundation

2. His heart

3. His mind

Internal behavior factors

Studying the buying behavior of Filipinos usually involves complicated series of process. Since the
Filipinos are our prospects

1. Perception

2. Motives

3. Learning

4. Attitudes

5. Personality

Perception – it is the process by which an individual thinks, believes, acts and interprets information
through the various sense

Motives- it is force that activities behavior

Learning –it may described as the variations in the behavior of the individual based upon past
experience

Attitudes –may be defined as the predisposition to behave in a consistent way award a person or class
of object

Personality – it is the sum total of a person characteristics such as compulsiveness

Social Influence on Buying Behavior

1. Roles and family influences

2. Reference group

3. Social classes

4. Culture

Nature of prospects information Almost all people in the selling business require at least two types of
information about their prospects personal and business

Personal information consists of:

1. Name spelling and pronunciation

2. Age
3. Birthday

4. Home address and phone number

5. Education

6. Job

7. Social organization

8. Marital status

9. Traits

10. Mental type and quality

11. Hobbies and recreations

Business Information Includes

1. Name of the company

2. Type of company

3. Size of business or business facts

4. Location of business

5. Product line

6. Target market

7. Policies

8. Competition

9. Distribution system

10. Position of the company in the industry

11. Buying habits

Conditions which may affect prospects attitude

Consumers behave differently rationally or irrationally to different or even under the same condition a
sales man should take note of all these factors so that he can fit himself better to the situation.