First, we must realize that the phrase “social entrepreneurship” was a clever play on words. The whole notion of social entrepreneurship is somewhat misleading. The problem it that it is not sustainable. Many businesses are born out of social situations and then they become sustainability driven when it comes to their operations.
The concept was that one could be a social entrepreneur and still operate a company. A few years ago, this might have made sense, but now, it is no longer a smart play. What would a successful entrepreneur do if he or she did not have the capital to continue?
In other words, a company that has been built on social enterprise is not necessarily one that can be successful commercially. It is much more difficult to operate a successful commercial business on the internet when you are building it on the back of social relationships. Therefore, one has to ask if the concept of a social enterprise even applies anymore. Does it apply to an online business?
The short answer to that is no. The long answer is that it depends a lot on the type of social network that you build and maintain. Some of the biggest social networks in the world have been built by entrepreneurs who were not social networks. Google, Twitter and Facebook were not built by business people who cared about networking.
Nevertheless, one may still want to set up a social network if you want to launch a business online. There are two reasons for that. One building a network is one of the keys to being able to sell products online successfully. Two, by building a network, you will attract more customers who share your social values.
In other words, if you want to pass the test for social entrepreneurship, you have to pay attention to what you are doing. It’s not enough to just talk about it; you have to take action. That doesn’t mean that you ignore the traditional ways of marketing your business. Social marketing is just as important as any form of conventional marketing. After all, you are trying to sell a product, not create one.
However, it is a mistake to think of social enterprise in the same way that you would discount other forms of conventional marketing. After all, these forms of marketing still have a purpose – to get people to notice the product. If you take social entrepreneurship seriously, then you will take notice of the importance of building your social network. You will also notice that it is far different than traditional forms of selling.
When a person finds your business interesting, they will tell their friends about it. They will post positive comments on blogs and on various discussion boards. They will recommend it to other people on social networks. All of this helps to build a network of potential customers that will be drawn to your business and help you pass your exam for social enterprise much more easily.
When someone recommends your products or your services, they are actually saying that they found your services to be of value. This helps you to pass the exam for social enterprise with flying colors. Your recommendation helped others to take advantage of your services. You will be able to show them that what you did was worth the investment and that they would be able to make money through social activities.
You can also use the social web to promote your products and services. Blogging, for example, is one of the best ways to use social media to attract customers. If you blog regularly, people will come to know about you and your product – and they may become regular visitors. This can have a very positive effect on your business.
Just because you have passed the exam for social enterprise doesn’t mean you have a license to do anything you want. This is a form of entrepreneurship, after all – but a form of entrepreneurship that combine the advantages of traditional forms of business with some of the newer innovations of the 21st century. You should not think of it as a scam, either. Social entrepreneurs make a positive contribution to the economic structure of our society. Just because you don’t get rich directly does not mean that your work is not important. It makes your life meaningful.