Meet Wanjiru, who runs a tent hire business on the edge of Nairobi. You probably know someone just like her.
Her crew shows up early. Her tents go up straight, her chairs are clean, and her clients always say the same thing: "You saved our day." She gets most of her work from word of mouth, and it has been enough for years.
Then one Saturday, a family searches Google for tent hire near them. Three businesses show up. Hers is not one of them. She never finds out she lost that job.
What happened to Wanjiru happens every weekend in Kenya. Kenya's event industry is growing, but the vendors who get the calls aren't always the best at the work. They're just the ones people can find. That bothered us enough to build Browncord.
So here is how to make sure it never happens to you.
Great work is no longer enough
There was a time when a good name travelled by mouth, and that still counts. But today, even a referral usually ends with the same step: the client searches for you.
They check whether you look real, whether others trust you, and whether you can answer a simple question like "how much for 200 chairs?" Many clients also compare two or three vendors before they send a single message.
And the market is getting busier. Kenya hosted over 3,000 business events in 2023, and conference bookings in Mombasa and Kisumu have grown around 20% year on year, according to The Star. Weddings, funerals, graduations and church functions keep the calendar full. More events mean more clients searching, and more competitors answering.
The good news is that being found is a skill you can learn, and you don't need a big budget or a developer to start.
How people actually find a vendor
Think about the last time you needed someone in a hurry: a plumber, a caterer, a good place to eat in a new town. You probably typed a few words into Google, looked at the first few results and called one of them.
Your clients do exactly the same. The vendors at the top are usually the ones who made three things easy.
They have a place of their own online. A page of your own, with your name, services and area, is still easy to find months later, for anyone who searches.
They use the words people use. Clients type "tent hire in Ruiru" or "chairs near Thika Road". They don't type "event solutions provider". Say what you do and where, the way you'd say it to a neighbour.
They look trustworthy. Photos from real events, kind reviews, clear prices and a phone that gets answered. A stranger decides in seconds whether to call you, and these are what they look for.
None of this is complicated. You're simply making it easy for someone who has never met you to say yes.
Six small things to do this week
You can do all of this in a few evenings, even from your phone.
Write down exactly what you hire out and where. "Tents, chairs and tables in Ruiru, Thika and Juja" beats "all event needs".
Put real prices or starting prices on your page. Clients trust vendors who aren't afraid of numbers. "From KSh X per chair" saves both of you a long chat.
Add five to ten honest photos. Show setups at real events, not stock images. Ask clients for permission and tag the venue.
Collect reviews after every job. One kind sentence from a happy client is worth more than any slogan. Send the request the same day.
Answer quickly. A reply within the hour wins work. Set up a simple quote you can send in minutes.
Keep one home for your business. Use the same name, phone number and description everywhere, so people recognise you wherever they find you.
Where Browncord comes in
We built Browncord for vendors who are brilliant at the work and tired of the admin work. Think of it as the whole office in your hands.
When you join, your business gets its own page that Google can find. That page carries your services, photos, area and contact details, and it is ready to share on WhatsApp too.
From there, the tools do the heavy lifting:
Quotes and booking requests that land in one place, instead of five different chats.
Rental tracking for chairs, tents and sound systems, so you know what is out, what is back and what is free on a date.
Simple financial records so deposits and balances don't live only in your head.
We set up every page so Google can read it, which gives you a real chance of being found when someone searches. The more complete your page is, the better that chance gets.
We won't promise a flood of bookings overnight, because nobody honest can. What we can promise is a proper home for your business online, so you're ready when the right client goes looking.
Quick questions
Do I need a website to get clients online?
No. A complete profile page with your services, area, photos and prices does the job, and it is far easier to keep updated than a full website.
How long does it take to show up on Google?
It varies. New pages can take weeks to appear, and ranking well takes longer. Clear details, real photos and reviews speed things up, and nobody can guarantee a position.
Is this only for tent hire?
Not at all. Caterers, DJs, décor artists, photographers, sound companies and venues all benefit from being easy to find and easy to book.
What if I'm not good with technology?
If you can use WhatsApp, you can manage your page. Start with your services and a few photos, and add more as you go.
Your next event starts with a search
Somewhere in Kenya tonight, a family is typing the name of what you do into Google. Your tents, your chairs and your care could be exactly what they need.
Let them find you. Create your vendor page on Browncord and let your work get seen.
Ready to plan your event?
Compare verified event professionals on Browncord, request quotes and book through the platform.