Marketing in Social Enterprises

Social enterprises are created to solve social problems through market-based interventions. While the existing literature describes the types and nature of marketing in social enterprises, the role of relationship marketing in social value creation has not been considered. This chapter explores the role of a relationship approach to marketing to enhance the acceptability of social enterprises and their innovative solutions. The chapter uses an illustrative case of an Indian social enterprise. The case describes how a social enterprise uses relationship marketing with their stakeholders for the successful adoption of social innovation and its sustainability. The findings indicate three enabling factors for relationship marketing: customer-orientedness, mutual trust and commitment, and a supportive institutional setup. A relationship marketing approach helps social enterprises in two ways, co-creation of value and customization of the offering. The case contributes to our understanding of the role and relevance of strategic marketing approaches in addressing social problems.