Last week my son and I traveled from Des Moines to Red Oak (pop 5,754) to do a seminar for the Western Iowa Tourism Region. The region is large...very large...stretching from north of Sioux City to well south of Council Bluffs and from Council Bluffs east to within 30 miles of Des Moines. About 80 folks came to learn about social media and how it can help any business connect and get found. We had a great time. And, if you want to see the "business side" of the story head to our advertising agency site and have a read. This post is more personal and it shows the value of social media.
This is Leah Guffey Banister, and her husband Sgt. Banister (who is currently in Iraq). Leah lives and works in Springfield, Illinois for the convention and visitors bureau. She too is a former Farm Broadcaster.
Leah and I "follow" each other on Twitter. Me = @RuralLifeRadio and Leah = @Farmerspice. When I posted a week ago that I was headed to Red Oak for this seminar she responded with a note that Red Oak was one of her favorite places and that she had so many fond memories about her grandparents, Jack "Buford" Guffey and Betty (Wigg) Guffey.(pictured) "They are buried in Nyman", she told me. "But, I have two aunts still living there, Mary Guffey and Martha Guffey Heckert."
So, when doing the seminar last week I got on Twitter and asked for folks to shout back. Up until now most of the people in the seminar saw, I believe, little to no value in Twitter. Until Leah "came back" and offered a shout out and used her aunt's names, Mary Guffey, Elizabeth Guffey and Martha Guffey Heckert.
Right away several people in the audience gasped. "Oh my! I know those people!", said one. Another, "They come to the Red Coach Inn all the time for dinner!"
And, so the personal connection was made. And when Leah mentioned that her favorite house in Red Oak was on North 4th Street the people watching this projected conversation, who knew Red Oak, nodded in agreement.
The connection was made and Twitter honestly meant something. No doubt we'll be seeing more from folks in Western Iowa as they work toward improving our Rural Economics by encouraging people to come and experience the beauty of Western Iowa.
See, it's all about the technology bringing about relationships... When you think of it that way, it makes sense. Oh, and another reason to call out for high speed broadband internet for Rural America...think of the possibilities.
Michael Libbie - Acreage Owner
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