From an early age, Danny Greene had a goal firmly in his mind: he wanted to start his own business by the time he turned 30.ย
He just wasnโt quite sure what that business would be or when exactly everything would fall into place. Until then, though, he was committed to gathering as much knowledge and information as he could. That way once the right opportunity came along, heโd be ready to jump on it.
โI looked at every job I had from the lens of โwhat can I learn from this position and the person I work for that will help me run my own company someday?โโ Greene said. โI was always paying attention to what was going on around me.โ
But then something happened that no one could have predicted – a global pandemic. And Greene, like millions of others across the U.S., suddenly found himself without a job.
โWhen I got laid off, I had a little spike of panic,โ said Greene, who was working as an account executive for a prepared food company when Covid hit. โI was thinking, โOK, what am I going to do now?โโ
Between his unemployment benefits and the money heโd saved over the years, Greene realized he had a safety net in place and wouldnโt have to rush out and grab the first job that came along. Comforted with that knowledge, he started pondering his future.
โI took a deep breath and asked myself โis whatever I got laid off from something I that want to try and do again?โโ he said. โThe answer was no.โ
With two years left until his 30th birthday, Greene began thinking more seriously about starting his own business.ย
โThis is it,โ he said to himself. โIf not now, when?โ
At that point, Greeneโs plan was to start a cleaning company. Heโd previously worked for one as a sales and marketing manager and heโd enjoyed creating marketing assets and strategizing new ways to connect with prospects.ย
โI thought maybe I could differentiate my company through better marketing,โ he said. โBut when push came to shove, I really had no desire to go clean buildings.โ
Then one day while out on a walk, Greene had a moment of clarity.
โI realized I was having so much fun doing marketing that I should scrap the cleaning business and focus on doing what I love,โ he said.ย
And thatโs how Minneapolis-based Greene Media was born.ย
Greene started out doing drone photography and video for real estate agents but has since grown his company into something bigger. Now, he works with clients from all industries to tell their stories and build their brands through digital content. Whether heโs shooting on-site footage of a construction team working on a new project or testimonials from his clientsโ satisfied customers, heโs passionate about the power of video and all the possibilities it can unlock.
โWeโve never had the capability to capture life the way we do today,โ Greene said. โAnd itโs about a lot more than just business – itโs about legacies and the things weโll be able to show future generations to inspire and guide them.โ
When Greene is talking with prospective clients, thereโs one point he emphasizes above all others, and thatโs the importance of making video a part of their ongoing marketing strategy.ย ย
โItโs not enough to just hire a videographer to do one video and think youโre all set,โ he said. โItโs definitely a start and thereโs some long-hanging fruit there, but once you start thinking about how you can use video to solve problems and scale your company, you begin to realize that the sky is truly the limit.โ
If youโve been wondering what role digital content can play in helping you grow your business and solidify your brand, here are few of Greeneโs thoughts:
- Your (video) vibe will attract your tribe: These days, there is a ton of competition in every industry, making it challenging for customers to know who to do business with. So what will make someone choose to work with you instead of the company across the street that does the same thing? Itโs all about differentiating yourself and thereโs no better way to do that than through your content. โThe content you put out is going to attract the type of person that wants to do business with you,โ Greene said. โItโs a natural way for people to get to know you without too much investment or risk on their end.โ By sharing your values and what you find important, like-minded customers will find their way to you. Itโs a win-win!
- Digital content puts action behind your words: Itโs easy to write about how amazing your company is and how much you value your employees, but are your words being backed up by actions? Not necessarily. By adding video elements, you can show rather than tell the story of your company and what makes it special. โIf youโre trying to attract a certain type of employee or customer, showing off your culture or the people in your company and really championing them can be very powerful,โ Greene said. โAdditionally, it helps build your brand and establish trust over time.ย
- The limit does not exist: According to Greene, 80 percent of internet traffic is video based. That means that companies can and should maximize the amount of video content they put out because thatโs what people want to see. Once you start thinking about the possibilities of video content, youโll begin to realize that it doesnโt just have to be about sales and marketing. Why not incorporate video into your employee onboarding process? Or use it to review your standard operating procedures with your team? โVideo content is infinitely scalable,โ Greene said. โAnd if youโre not using it, youโre missing out.โ
- Practice makes perfect: Greene talks to a lot of clients who tell him they donโt feel comfortable being on camera. Itโs understandable, he said, but itโs something that most people can overcome in time. โLike anything new, you just have to practice a bit, take baby steps and be OK with maybe not presenting yourself exactly how you want to right off the bat,โ he said. To get more comfortable in front of the camera, Greene suggests taking practice videos on your phone and then watching them back to look for areas where you can improve. Above all, though, donโt take it too seriously. โWeโre all so caught up with how others think about us, myself included,โ he said. โBut at the end of the day, people donโt think about it that much. Theyโre busy worrying about themselves.โ
To listen to Dannyโs podcast, click here.ย
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