Raji Kazeem Damilola is the founder of Rhaji Kasco, a digital PR agency that helps promote young, talented artistes by leveraging various digital solutions.
Rhaji, as he is fondly called, started his PR agency with zero capital and recommends building a reputable personal identity to build trust among clients and the audience.
Did you study something related to digital solutions? If no, what made you venture into the PR industry?
Well, no, I didn’t study anything related to digital solutions. I studied Insurance management. On why I ventured into the digital space business, many years back, I noticed that my friends and some other people around me, especially young artistes, were having difficulty in showcasing themselves to the world. So, I made it my dream to create a brand that would help them achieve this, even if they do not have the backing of a label.
How much capital did you raise when you started, and how did you get it?
I didn’t need to raise any funds when I started. Surprisingly, I started with zero capital, or maybe not, because I had my laptop and phone, and luckily, stable Internet access.
Many young Nigerians today are interested in building a digital marketing agency, directly or indirectly. What does it take?
Becoming a brand or digital marketing agency is more than just posting on social media. You must go out of your way to add value and show people that you really care about them. It begins with your personal influence.
Becoming a digital agency or brand influencer begins with personal branding, which has to do with your identity. You must be known for something and become an authority in that area. You must have added value so much that your audience trusts you and anything you recommend to them. You need to maintain a clean history and work ethic to improve yourself every time.
It was not easy to build the Rhaji Kasco name—building the brand wasn’t a one-day task. There were a lot of ups and downs.
Consistency is the key; just keep pushing. It will pay off.
Lastly, take your eyes off the number. That is where a lot of young people get it wrong. It’s not about how many followers or likes you have on social media, but how loyal they are to your brand
How long have you been in the business?
Close to 9 years now.
How is the digital space so far?
To God be the glory, it has been great so far, but you know that happiness you experience when you discover everything is fine. I am not where I anticipated to be, yet; nevertheless, I am not where I used to be. Making names on social media is a feeling you can’t trade for anything.
What did you think is/are the major challenges so far?
We have a lot of challenges in the space, but to talk about a few. Firstly audience is one of the challenges we have because a lot of the audience thinks it so simple as it is said on paper. Another challenge is the financial aspect because you have to keep things running excellently to make your brand effective, and lastly, many people still don’t know how to use their social media space, too, and that is another major challenge. The more people on these social media platforms, the higher the number of people we would be able to potentially reach during any digital campaign.
