113 Copyright © 2016, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Chapter 7 DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-8748-6.ch007 ABSTRACT This chapter focuses on the role of marketing in social ventures. The unique marketing challenges that social enterprises face including the various criticisms for marketing in the social venture context will be identifed and; suggestions as to how these challenges could be dealt with are provided. Consideration will also be given to Strategic Marketing Planning with a discussion of how social ventures can carry out marketing audits through the utilization of key analytical tools which facilitate the mapping out of the strategic direction and collaborative or competitive strategies for social ventures. Attention will also be given to the development and implementation of segmentation, positioning, communications and fundraising strategies that will promote efciency and innovation which will enable social ventures to leverage scarce public and philanthropic resources. INTRODUCTION This chapter is informed by the obscurity of the boundaries between the government, non-profit and busi- ness sectors which has brought about a search for more innovative, cost effective and sustainable ways to address social problems and deliver goods and services that are socially valued, such as healthcare and education (Dees & Anderson, 2003; Pope, Isely & Asamoa‐Tutu, 2009; Runté, Basil & Deshpande, 2009). Social ventures are therefore expanding their presence through crafting integrated and compelling marketing strategies such as serving neglected labour and customer markets (Andreasen & Kotler, 2008; Pope, Isely & Asamoa‐Tutu, 2009; Levine & Zahradnik, 2012; Worth, 2014). Marketing has evolved and has as much relevance for social ventures as other forms of organisations. It is now widely accepted that marketing has much to offer to different categories of organisations, given that its focus has evolved to sensitively serving the needs of society (Sargeant, 2005; Pope, Isely & Asamoa‐Tutu, 2009; Levine & Zahradnik, 2012). In establishing social ventures, organisations can serve a social purpose by targeting a particularly disadvantaged market in a way that not only benefits Marketing in Social Ventures Evelyn Derera University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Cynthia Shayamunda University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa