TAKE 5: Emmanuel M’Mwirichia

Emmanuel M’Mwirichia is a marketing consultant for SMEs who also enjoys planning and attending fab events, oh, and he also dabbles in cuniculture. When not saving the world from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) through his company, Casure Concierge, which streamlines distribution and marketing for events, he is tucked away in his not-so-secret lair building castles in the sky.

1. What prompted you to form a digital marketing company specifically focused on events?

Our lives are digital now. We consume news, interact, motivate, and even attend church digitally. We are glued to a screen for the greater part of the day. This was therefore the easiest tool for me to reach a large audience. There are many other digital events platforms, but the niche I occupy is currently not crowded. I chose the path of least (competitive) resistance.

2. Is entertainment your only focus? How do you pick the events to cover?

I cover more than entertainment, but the events I select have to offer experiences that are out of the norm. For example, an art exhibition is something off the beaten path entertainment-wise, but is entertaining all the same. I have developed an understanding of what resonates well with my clientele based on their demographics and interaction with my content. Their tastes and preferences inform what content I post. Additionally, as the moderator of the platform, I endeavour to ensure only verified, wholesome and tasteful content is posted.

3. What has the feedback been like so far?

They love that they get content tailored to their event needs without having to log onto countless event pages or search engines to get more details. They have their own events concierge. I currently operate on the WhatsApp platform, which can get clunky and cumbersome, but plans are underway to move into the truly digital worldwide web. I feel terrible when a client informs me that I did not send out an event that they would have loved to attend had they known about it in time. I absolutely hate letting my clients down.

4. What is the main challenge that gives organisers and marketers such as yourself a headache where showbiz and entertainment events are concerned?

Varying standards of professionalism of the various players in the industry. Pseudo-organisers out to make a killing have no qualms about tarnishing the name of those who pride themselves in proper execution and quality service. What I do was borne out of this second problem I have observed. On the one hand you have event organisers and marketers developing amazing events for niche audiences (or even the general public), on the other you have eager Kenyans willing to pay top dollar to attend. However, information is not as readily available or is fragmented across many platforms. This locks out potential fun-seekers simply because they do not know where to look

5. What is next for Casure Concierge bearing in mind that you run other businesses too?

I am looking to partner with event planners and event suppliers to create an ecosystem where we can all benefit while creating value to attract the event goers who are pining to engage with us. I am currently working with Nairobi-based suppliers but intend to venture into other cities and towns outside Nairobi in 2018. And having some heritage outside Kenya, I can’t wait to see what the East African community has to offer in the next three-five years. Aside from events, I rear rabbits for sale in partnership with my mum. I also carry out marketing consultancy for SMEs looking to organise their marketing efforts for greater revenue generation. I am always excited to share ideas. Drop me a tweet on @emmwirichia