Public Relations Princess

Social Media Tourism in Hampton, Iowa

Rural tourism is a tough gig. There are thousands of small towns in rural America, each more charming and picturesque than the last. There are fantastic historic sites, town squares, boutiques, festivals and wineries. Remants of days gone by are carefully housed and cataloged for future generations to learn about. But how do these rural communities stand out? This is a picture of my new farmer friend Roy, and my husband Jim. Roy's the one who looks like a farmer (outstanding in his field!)

This weekend I was invited to participate in a Harvest Tour Bloggers Weekend in Hampton, Iowa. The corn and soybean harvest is at full tilt and the pumpkin patches are yielding perfect orange beauties.

Our first engagement was an evening of star-gazing and music at a lovely park called Maynes Grove,just outside of town. A couple of science professors from nearby Ellsworth College came over and set up telescopes to show us the waxing (or was it waning?) moon. It was so clear and dark, our instructors excitedly pointed out the fact that both Andromeda and the Milky Way were visible to the naked eye. I saw the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, and the North Star. We missed Jupiter by a couple of hours. If you live in the city and have never been out in the country on a clear night, you've never seen how many stars there really are!

The next day, we embarked on a tour of the Historical Society Museum. Retired farmer Joe Pitsor walked us around an entire building full of old farm implements and relics from 18th, 19th and 20th century Franklin County. From an old permanent hair curling machine to a "donkey collar," this place would have made American Pickers go wild! (In fact, American Pickers have already been to Franklin County, and Joe told me he wouldn't let them in the museum!) I was amazed at the innovative machines that farmers invented to improve their own working conditions over time. They went from picking corn by hand (yielding around 100 bushels per day) to modern-day combines that harvest that amount in less than five minutes! After the museum, a few of us stopped by the fabulous Hampton Carnegie library and met the prettiest librarian in the world, Ms. Kim Bell. She graciously showed us some of the more notable features of the architectural gem, including a rounded stacks storage area and original light fixtures, mantel and card catalogue. Unfortunately, the 1970's claimed some of the original furniture.

The highlight of my day was riding in a "grain buggy" with my new friend Mike. I got to watch a soybean field harvest and the process of transferring the grain from the combine to the grain vehicle. I know this must seem very routine, but the technology in these machines is amazing. They have GPS and also are synched with each other so they stay perfectly straight. This helps farmers attain higher yields, avoid accidents, and save time. Here's the video of my ride. Please don't laugh at my farm vocabulary!! 

After returning to town, we cleaned up and attended an event in downtown Hampton called "An Evening Like it Used to Be." It included entertainment from the year 1917, very similar to what would have been performed on a typical evening at the Windsor Theatre. We saw a silent movie accompanied by a live orchestra, directed by the incomparable Leon Kuehner. Leon has been a musician, teacher and band director in Hampton all of his life. Leon is one of those characters that makes Hampton a great place to be. He positively glows with passion for his life's work.

If there's one thing I learned from my years on the Iowa Great Places board, it's that outsiders need to feel like the community is pulling together. Being in Hampton was like being welcomed by a large extended family. People were genuinely proud of their community and seemed glad to see us there. Hamptonians have embraced the challenge of promoting their community together. I'm convinced that this model is the only way for a rural community to survive in the midst of a challenging and competitive economy. 

Hampton is one of those places that you should make time to go see in your travels through Iowa. Tell 'em the PR Princess sent you. Thanks to Deb Brown for the invitation and your friendship.

Why Iowa? It's the People, Silly.

I'm often asked why I love to live in Iowa. After all, we don't have a mountain view, nor an ocean. We only have medium-sized cities and small towns. Our "claims to fame" are modest and our accomplishments sometimes not immediately recognized by the rest of the world. Once every four years, the media descends on us to document the first steps on the road to the White House, writes some nice stories, takes pictures of some hay bales, and then WHOOSH! are gone as quickly as they came.

So, what is it about this place that makes it so special? Plain and simple, it's the people. Our people are special. And it's an experience to feel it. People in Iowa are optimists, altruists, hard workers, smart and accomplished.

Sometimes our trust is misplaced. Due to our gentle nature, we tend to suffer fools well, but in the end, don't allow them to ruin our state. We "calls 'em as we sees 'em!" Sometimes our sense of trust and the belief that all people are good leads to scandal, but eventually we sniff those bad apples out and throw 'em out. If you are a bad person and try to screw people over, you will be found out and you will be exposed.

I believe Iowa is the best-kept secret in the world. Here are some of my favorite Iowa attributes that are ever-present in the great people of our state.

1. Altruism: Altruism is not just doing the right thing. It's doing the right thing at a personal loss. That is what the people of Iowa are known for. They will stop what they are doing to help, spending their own money to make you right.
2. Honesty: Iowans are honest as the day is long. Honestly.
3. Work Ethic: I've heard some of my students say that anyone from Iowa automatically gets a boost in interviews with companies on the coasts. The Iowa work ethic is legendary. We have this old fashioned notion that we should put in a full day's work and earn our keep. Quaint concept!
4. Welcoming: Iowans embrace newcomers and make them feel welcome. Now, in some small towns you will always be "the newbie" for 25 years...but that's just a quirk of small town living. Don't believe me? Read the story of Elkader, Iowa.
5. Accepting: I did not use the PC word "tolerant" here, because that implies that "we" have to tolerate people who are not like "us." I prefer accepting, because even though the political rhetoric gets heated, Iowans are known for striving towards justice and equality for all people.

There is speculation that Iowa is also the social media capital of the world. It can't be proven, though I'm willing to put our community of social media aficionados up against any other! Speaking of that, have you joined the Social Media Club Des Moines? Do it now!

Iowa is in my heart. I love living here and would never leave. What are your favorite things about living in Iowa? Care to share?

Jill Haverkamp My Guest on Public Relations Princess

Jill Haverkamp is a one-woman marketing powerhouse. She's one of those coveted young people who ventured out of the state for college, sampled life in the big city of Chicago, and then came back to make a difference here in Des Moines. There are dozens of stories like hers, for sure, but hers is told from the other side of struggling to find success. Jill has already found it.

By the time she and I worked together at a local advertising agency, she already knew what she was doing. With years of experience in the music promotion business already behind her, she offered her considerable marketing expertise to the Des Moines Music Coalition, a group of dedicated volunteers. DMMC's mission is to promote the local live music scene in any way possible. They started small, promoting local bands and local venues, but soon set their sights on initiating an annual live music festival for Central Iowa.

Called 80/35, the festival is now in the planning stages for its third year. But DMMC is not resting on its laurels waiting for the big shows to roll into town, they are still promoting homegrown bands with events such as Little Big Fest, which happened last weekend.

Jill is also the full-time marketing manager for Ames-based Olde Main, a microbrewery and restaurant. Her worlds sometimes cross, but Jill manages to find enough time to do a phenomenal job at both places, using skill and creativity more than an unlimited budget. If you've ever worked with Jill, like I have, it doesn't take long to figure out that she's one of those people who just get things done. She stays behind the scenes, works the long hours and makes it happen.

Meet Jill today at 4:00 on Public Relations Princess on Des Moines Local Live. See you then!

i_Blog Conference at the Hotel Pattee in Perry, Iowa

This weekend, I was invited to kick off the first i_Blog conference at the beautiful Hotel Pattee with a talk on the subject of using Twitter to draw attention to a blog.

Pretty standard stuff for a social media consultant like me. I was a last minute sub so I didn't get to do my usual pre-conference polling of attendees to see what their learning needs were. Didn't get to see a list of what companies or walks of life they came from.

Now, I'm so glad I didn't. I remembered the best thing about social media is listening and learning from those around you. Listening to questions and comments from the audience guided me to the next thing I needed to say. So thanks, i_Blog conference attendees, for allowing me to be a small part of your day. I enjoyed meeting each of you. And congratulations to Jody Halsted of "Have Kids Will Travel" for putting on the conference and being such a gracious host.

The photograph here is of a book about the Hotel Pattee in Perry that was given to each of us by hotel general manager Todd Bordenaro. The rich photographs and text draw you into the history of the place and make you want to live there! It is without a doubt one of the coolest places in Iowa and a great place to hold a quiet and productive corporate retreat, a board retreat for a non-profit or business, hold a fundraiser or a special event. Call Todd Bordenaro at the Hotel and make an appointment for a tour of this wonderful gem in the heart of Iowa.

What Des Moines Iowa Needs

(Photo credit: The Des Moines Register)

I've been thinking on this post a long time.

First off, let me say that Des Moines, Iowa is one of the most "together" cities in one of the most "together" states in our country. Iowa is doing a decent job of managing its fiscal house, and Des Moines is like the gigantic heart that keep the whole thing beating and moving forward.

Des Moines is my birthplace, my homeland, my North Star. I have a lot invested in the success of this city and state. I was raised here, got married (twice) here, raised my kids here, worked here, walked my dog here, drove the roads here and paid taxes here for 43 years now.

Without further ado, here is my Top Ten Recommendations for what Des Moines needs to make it an even better place to live:

1. Earthpark: Yes, that Earthpark. Ted Townsend had a bold vision for the future. Many towns in Iowa went through the initial vetting process to be the chosen place. Des Moines was too chicken to support the vision. Too bad. It would have been awesome tourist attraction, research facility and educational institution for years to come.
2. A LARGE downtown hotel adjacent to Wells Fargo Arena and Vets. If you've ever been to a "big city" for a conference, you know that a large hotel, connected to conference facilities, is absolutely essential to attracting convention business to the city. We'll never be the "showcase city" we want to be without this feature. I'm not saying we should try to be Vegas or Chicago. Just be able to attract mid-sized conventions. That's all.
3. Better public transportation: The bus system we have now should be expanded to include two or three hubs so that people don't have to go all the way downtown to switch routes. We could use smaller buses for inter-route transfers and such. If the suburbs don't pay their share, then let them figure out their own public transportation. That brings me to my next point:
4. We need a county-wide government. Des Moines should not be competing with its own suburbs for new companies. We're all in this together. Plus, we have a ton of common interests that tie us together, for example: transportation, water use, the landfill, economic development and suburban sprawl just to name a few. This was a real movement here a couple years ago, and its an idea that bears looking into again, especially because of the recession.
5. Higher student achievement standards: In some schools, more than 50% of kids who start as freshmen do not graduate on time. Who do you think is paying for that down the road?
6. Fewer chain restaurants. We have so many great local places, why eat a Mc-anything???
7. A tollbooth on each end of I-235. Yes, I am suggesting that visitors to our fair city help us pay for all the non-profit organizations we support.
8. A public policy "Think-Tank." I would prefer a liberal one, of course. Due to our Iowa Caucus "First in the Nation" status, it could be a very prominent one. We have several excellent public policy shops in the area, but a major think-tank could attract academics, news-types, and a whole host of smart people to Des Moines.
9. A Social Media Club. We have "CIB," (Central Iowa Bloggers) but I'm feeling the need for something a little more formal and educational. If you're interested in helping get the club off the ground, let me know.
10. Something for the teenage crowd to do. Think Des Moines Social Club, only for those under 18. And without the bar. My daughter tells me only nerds would do something like that, but I say, great. I like nerds. I've always told my daughters to be very nice to nerds, because one day they will be your boss.

What do you think Des Moines needs? Or are we perfect the way we are? :~)

Relocating to Des Moines? You Need Debra Salowitz!

Debra Salowitz is my guest on Public Relations Princess today at 4:00 on MacsWorldLive.com. We'll be talking about her business, Strategic Relocation Solutions. And yes, she really is this good looking in real life.

The idea behind this company sounds simple at first glance, but upon further examination I've found it to be surprisingly complex. Debra is an expert at welcoming executives and their families to Central Iowa. She helps them navigate, meet people, make connections and learn about their new community.

It used to be that wife would follow her husband around the country, pulling up stakes, and there was not much she could do besides try her best and suffer silently and sometimes not so silently. When I was a kid, my dad worked at Principal and I remember he would occasionally invite these exotic people from far away places to dinner.

The places? Sarasota, Islip, New York, Bentonville, Arkansas, Santa Rosa, California...the list went on and on. I remember one long-suffering wife calling Des Moines "provincial." Mind you, this was 30 years ago and I was 13. I had no idea of what that word meant but I could tell she was not happy!

All of these couples consisted of the breadwinner (a man, of course) and his wife, who was almost always reluctant to give up her life in a faraway place and start over in (horrors!) Iowa. These poor gals were left to their own devices here, with no assistance or help in adjusting whatsoever.

Women are much more involved in the decision to move the family, there needs to be much more sophisticated services in place to help these newcomers make the right decision and be comfortable with it after they settle in. That's where Debra's business comes in. She helps people learn about our wonderful community and all it has to offer. And obviously, now sometimes the "trailing spouse" is a man.

Debra Salowitz is founder and President of Strategic Relocation Solutions LLC. Strategic Relocation Solutions helps businesses attract and retain executive talent by offering customized and highly personalized recruitment and post-hire transition services for key people and their families.

Her career includes management positions with Andrea Obston Marketing Communications (in Connecticut), Winefest Des Moines and the YMCA of Greater Des Moines. Debra is Chair of the Advisory Committee for Reach Out and Read/Iowa and serves on the boards of StageWest and the Chrysalis Foundation. She is also a member of the Nexus Executive Women's Alliance and NAWBO. She was a founding member of the boards of Ballet Des Moines and the Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus.

Tom Rial, Iowa Sister States Board Member, My Guest on PRP Today

Iowa has a long history of international outreach and agricultural trade. These relationships have grown and deepened over the years to include cultural mission and true friendships between the people of Iowa and many other countries.

Iowa Sister States is a volunteer organization dedicated to connecting Iowans with the world community. Its mission is to provide international programs that
promote the interests of Iowa's citizens. Today an Iowa Sister States board member, Tom Rial, is coming in to the Remax Real Estate Concepts Studio to talk to me about the organization and its goals.

There are currently eight sister state relationships with Hebei, China; Veneto, Italy; Taiwan, Yucatan, Mexico, Yamanashi, Japan; Stavropol, Russia; Terengganu, Malaysia and Cherkasy, Ukraine.

Join us on the Internet air today at macsworldlive.com at 4:00 p.m. and listen to the discussion.

Tom Rial is Midwest Office Director for International Freight Transport, Inc and international Freight Forwarder and Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier. As an international freight forwarder Tom works with Midwest companies by arranging transportation logistics and documentation services for import and export cargo world-wide. Tom has 18 years of international business experience in trade and transportation starting his career with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, as a business consultant and as Director of the Iowa Export Assistance Center at the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

Tom currently serves as Treasurer for the Iowa Sister States and as Chair of the Iowa-Stavropol Russia Sister State Committee. Tom is a member of the Iowa Lottery Board Authority and past Chair of the Wallace House Foundation and Iowa Food Policy Council. Tom lives in Des Moines with his wife Kymberley and five children.

Khrushchev Came To Iowa 50 Years Ago

It's been nearly 50 years since an Iowa farmer hosted Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev at his farm in Coon Rapids, Iowa.

A little historical perspective is necessary to understand this feat. This was in 1959, at the height of the Cold War. An open invitation four years earlier to visit Iowa was published in the Des Moines Register in February, 1955. '"We have no diplomatic authority," reporter Lauren Soth wrote,  "but we hereby extend an invitation to any delegation Khrushchev wants to select to come to Iowa to get the lowdown on raising high quality cattle, hogs, sheep and chickens. We promise to hide none of our "secrets." Let the Russians see how we do it."' This simple invitation set into motion an incredible set of circumstances that led to Nikita Khrushchev's visit to Iowa in August, 1959.

This photo (credit to Life Magazine) of Khrushchev on the left in the gray suit and Garst, (on the right, reaching into the corn bin) is one of dozens documented that day as Garst showed one of the most powerful leaders in the world his farm in Coon Rapids.

Garst's daughters Rachel and Liz still live near the farm and now have dedicated their lives to preserving the natural environment surrounding the Garst farmhouse, where Khrushchev stayed during his visit. Creating Great Places, a non-profit organization, and the people of Coon Rapids are planning an anniversary celebration of the visit at the Garst Farm August 27-30.

One of the things I love about Iowa is its progressive nature. This is a perfect example of the gumption of Iowans to change the world. Join Coon Rapids at a conference and dinner to celebrate the audacity of Iowa.

My love affair with the town of Coon Rapids and its people started in 2005 when it was named one of Iowa's first "Great Places." The presentation included the release of a wild hawk, and I was allowed to let the great bird go. What a sight, as the creature flapped its wings and flew into the air. I'm no longer on the Iowa Great Places advisory board, but it was a great experience.

Travel Writer Coming to Iowa

A reporter from the St. Louis Dispatch is coming to Iowa for a piece on fascinating places in Iowa to visit. I'm calling on the Iowa Blogosphere to help me...what is your favorite place in Iowa to visit and why? I'll serve your recommendations up on a platter to the reporter. See if you can convince him to come to your favorite place! And we all know how I love Great Places!

I'll be suggesting Fairfield, Des Moines and Mason City. Tell me about your favorite Iowa place and why it's the place you love to visit!