Alyssa Chard

Comms 336
Public Relations Case
Case of the Marriageable Minnesotans

Preliminary Background Research

Surrounding cities of Herman, Minnesota (population more than 3,000)
jefferson high school (alexandria)
alexandria technical and community college (alexandria)
discovery middle school (alexandria)
fergus falls senior high school (fergus falls)
cleveland elementary school
kennedy secondary school
Morris Area Schools (Morris)
University of Minnesota, Morris
Breckenridge Public Schools (Breckenridge)
Saint Marys School
Breckenridge Elementary and Middle Schools

Schools in Herman, MN:

Herman-Norcross Community School

Average class size is about 10
Teacher/Student ratio is 6:1
Strong sense of community is important
This school is an elementary, junior high and high school.

Universities in Minnesota:

Bemidji State University

Speciality in writing

Minnesota State University, Mankato

15,000 enrollment
158 undergraduate programs, 82 graduate programs.

Minnesota State University Moorhead

7500 enrollment
Top Majors: Music, Elementary Education, Mass Communications,
Computer Science, Business Administration, Art, Biology, Accounting,
Psychology, Criminal Justice, Special education, and Graphic
Communications.

Metropolitan State University (Saint Paul and Minneapolis campuses)

11,300 students
Southwest Minnesota State University (Marshall)
3,700 students
two main college: college of arts and letters and college of business,
education and professional studies.

St. Cloud State University

16,400 enrollment
Winona State University
8,896 enrollment
Named one of the best public colleges in Minnesota by The Princeton Review

Research

The External Environment

Timber and mining are the primary resources for this town
of 5,000 people.

Herman, Minnesota is 75 miles away from the next urban

city, but there are multiple neighboring towns with populations of
larger than 3,000 that are flourishing. Research shows, the
population of these cities are generally increasing.

The Industry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Minnesota

Alexandria population (11,549) increase by 4% in last year.

Fergus Falls 13,215 up .59%

Perham 3,010 up .84%

Morris 5,277 down .17%

Breckenridge 3,398 up .03%

Around 30 percent of those aged 20-29 will move to another county

every year.There are about 17 million Americans who move outside
of the county they lived every year.

32% of females will move every year while only 28% of

males will move each year in the age category of 20-24. Females
tend to move more frequently until the age of 40. After this age,
men tend to mve more frequently.
http://www.melissadata.com/enews/articles/0705b/1.htm

Statistics show that many are moving away from the frost
belt into the sunbelt because of more economic opportunities as
well as scenery among other factors.

Research

The Client

The slogan for Herman, Minnesota is a small town with BIG

values www.hermanminnesota.com

Strong community feel with the hosting of the annual Grant

county fair, etc.

Herman also has a Facebook page which encourages town

members to update community information.

A girl in the community had cancer recently, the community

banded together to support this girl with a fun run, pictures and
other initiatives.

Other activities they have in Herman include:

Ice Bocce tournament

Area Hiking Trails

Ice Skating Rinks

Farmers Markets

Top A&E Picks

Live Music

Movies

Herman, MN virtual museum (includes photos and

memorabilia of former residents/founders of Herman, MN.)

Weakness could include that there are many more men

than women. The town is looking for highly educated women.
However, many of the men are most likely not university graduates
as mining and timber are the main economic high points for the
town. Need to make sure identifying the correct key public to
bring to Herman, MN who will match with values, lifestyle,
education levels of the men already living there.

Research

The Product, Service, or

Issue

Housing prices in Herman, MN http://www.citydata.com/city/Herman-Minnesota.html

Median household income (2011): $35,962

Median house or condo value (2011): $58,403

Median gross rent (2011): $300

trends, distribution, reputation

Research

Promotions

Herman does promote their town in a variety of ways and

keeps a close community feel. The herman city website includes
calendar specifying when and where city meetings are held as
well as a calendar of town events and ideas for fun things to do in
the town. www.hermancity.com

Other small towns around Herman have their own strategies

to invite people to live there. Morris, MN highlights outdoor
recreational fun (lakes, canoeing, snowmobiling) with a photo
banner with rotating images on their website. Their tagline is
Morris, MN it starts here. Their chamber of commerce also joins
with charitable organizations. This creates a stronger community
feel and publicizes the town to other nearby locations involved
with the philanthropic organizations.
http://www.morrismntourism.com/

Perham, MN provides stats including the unemployment

rate and job posts that are available on their website. Their
website also highlights the natural beauty of the town (lakes). Also
provides potential entrepreneurs with the steps it takes to begin a
business in the town. http://www.ci.perham.mn.us/index.asp?

Breckenridge, MN provides statistics on website such as

how far the town is from Minneapolis and also highlights the
recreational things to do there such as fishing and canoeing.
http://www.breckenridgemn.net/index.php?id=76

Research

Market Share

Herman, Minnesota is 75 miles away from the next urban

city, but there are multiple neighboring towns with populations of
larger than 3,000 that are flourishing. Research shows, the
population of these cities are generally increasing. These are all
towns that are similar in size to Herman.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Minnesota

Alexandria population (11,549) increase by 4% in last year.

Fergus Falls 13,215 up .59%

Perham 3,010 up .84%

Morris 5,277 down .17%

Breckenridge 3,398 up .03%

A Forbes article reports that most of the top-10 states

people are leaving and moving from are located in the Northeast
and Great Lakes region.
http://www.melissadata.com/enews/articles/0705b/1.htm

Competition

Resources

Intervening publics: opinion leaders including university

school counselors, business recruiters.

Research

SWOT Analysis

The community is located in a beautiful location of

Minnesota rich with lakes where people can fish, canoe and relax.
The winters are cold but the scenery is beautiful. Snowmobiling
and iceskating are popular activities in this area of the state. The
community has a close-knit feel with many different community
activities occurring. A city calendar and Facebook page keep
citizens of the town well-informed and connected. Herman has a
school located in the town so that children do not have to
commute to another town.

The community is small and while the men are looking for
well-educated women, there may be some disparity between the
two groups of people coming together.

By bringing in more women to Herman, the population will

grow and flourish as more families are made and stay in Herman.
The economy will thrive.

If the campaign is launched incorrectly, women may come

to the town, marry the men and take them away to their
hometown. This could cause a decrease in the overall population
of Herman and a decrease in the number of families living in
Herman.

Research

Public Profiles

University Counselors: These mentors are there to provide

students with direction and advice as they choose their course in
life and pursue job opportunities after they have completed
university. These counselors are motivated to provide their
students with good opportunities that will launch their careers.
They are influenced by the promise of job opportunities. They are
motivated to share this information with their students as good
business opportunities are presented to them.

Outdoor Recreation Magazines: These magazines provide

a scenic view and landscape of available opportunities. They are
motivated by landscapes and scenery with unique recreational
opportunities for their readers. They are influenced by their
readers and their goal is to get more readership to their magazine.

University students (in small universities): Education is

important to these publics. They work to avoid crowded university
campuses and are attracted to smaller towns and communities.
Oftentimes these students would like to find a job also located in a
smaller town to avoid large crowds and big cities.

Winter sports teams of Universities: These teams attract

university students who are also passionate about outdoor winter
sports despite the cold weather. These students may be in search
of a location where they can live and still enjoy the full extent of
their athletic hobbies.

Demographic and psychographic data

Current relationship to product

Motivating self-interests and influentials

information sources and media use

Situation Analysis:
Herman, Minnesota is a small town located in western Minnesota. The city is filled with
a number of eligible bachelors, with a marginal amount of single women. EXACT #.
Herman is seeking to bring a large number of single, educated women to live in their
community so the men can marry.
Herman is a small town and if the campaign is poorly launched, women could move to
the city, marry the men, and take them to live in their hometown. This could harm the
economy of Herman and actually decrease the population of the town. Herman could
also attract women who will not be contributors to the workforce in the community. This
is important as there is a definite need for medical, law and teaching positions in the
community.

Core Problem/Opportunity
There is a large number of single men and a shortage of single women in Herman,
Minnesota and if left unresolved could result in a population decrease in the small town.

Goal

Our goal is to bring a large number of educated women to Herman, Minnesota within
the next year who will marry eligible bachelors in the community, be contributors to the
town, and who will make Herman their new permanent home.

Objectives
1.

Educate school administrations of the employment opportunities available in

Herman to 80% of small universities in Minnesota within three months.

2.

Raise awareness of the opportunity to move to Herman to 80% of small school

campuses in Minnesota within six months.

3.

Motivate teachers searching for teaching posts to seek employment in Grant

County and more specifically in Herman within six months.

Key Publics and Messages

Intervening Publics and primary and secondary messages
1.

Small university campus administration

Small universities typically attract students who prefer to live in smaller

communities rather than large cities. Communication is run on a smaller scale
and can reach the entire student body if information or campaign is distributed
correctly. Administration in charge at college campuses are motivated to provide
their students with a valuable education that serves as a launching pad for their

future careers. They are also motivated to bolster school reputation based on the
future pursuits and contributions their students make. Third party influentials
include university counselors and university professors. The relationship between
Herman and the administrations of small university campuses is neutral, if any.
Herman has not looked to build relationships with universities in the past as it is a
small, close-knit town. By targeting this key public, we will be able to educate
80% of small universities of the employment opportunities available in Herman,
which in turn will bring more single women to the town.

Messages:
1. By encouraging students to work in Herman, university reputation will boost.
a. Herman is a town based on community and high values. By settling there,
these values are fostered and the communitys progress is furthered.
b. By working in a small town, the impact of one employee is recognized
quickly. Recent graduate students can really make their mark and make a
difference in their field of choice early-on in their careers.

Strategies:

Strategy 1: Encourage the administration of small university campuses across the state
of Minnesota to recommend employment to graduating students in Herman, Minnesota.
Tactics:

Provide school administrations with flyers to post in their counseling offices to

promote Herman, Minnesota as a place of work.

Send a recruiter from Herman, Minnesota (perhaps a current school teacher in

Herman-Norcross Community school, etc.) to present to students planning to become
a teacher. Hold informational meetings where recruiter can motivate others to move to
Herman, Minnesota.

Personally contact university administrations to provide administration with a list

of available jobs in Herman, Minnesota. Provide them with a web link their students
can access to find out more about specific posts available in the community.

Strategy 2: Build meaningful relationships with small university campuses in Minnesota

to motivate them to recommend students to move to Herman, Minnesota.
Tactics:

Provide information for small universities to students attending Herman-Norcross

Community school, encourage them to study at these small universities.

Make personal contact with specific departments within universities who are
educating students to become engineers, nurses, teachers, etc. as these emphasis
encompass the jobs available in Herman.

2. University Students attending small colleges

Education is important to this group of individuals. They are typically motivated people
who have a desire to learn and in turn to use their knowledge to make a living and better
their communities. Students attending a small campus tend to avoid crowded university
campuses and are attracted to smaller towns and communities. Oftentimes these
students are interested in finding a job in a smaller town once they graduate in order to
avoid large crowds and big cities. They are motivated by job opportunities that have a
bright future with potential to progress in their respective fields of emphasis. These
students are also motivated by the best financial opportunity as well as scenery and
community feel. The relationship between Sherman and university students is neutral.
In the past, Herman has not targeted university students, even less so as the major
economy is centered on mining as well as lumber - as the skills necessary to do this
profession does not necessarily require a college degree. Third party influentials may
include other family members such as parents or siblings, friends, professors and
counselors.

Messages:
1.

Herman, Minnesota offers a variety of jobs to students who have graduated from
college.
a. These jobs are a great opportunity for students where they can progress and
excel in their respective careers.
b. By working in Herman, Minnesota, students who have graduated will begin to get
hands-on experience in their field of interest with job security.

2.

Herman, Minnesota is a friendly town with a strong sense of community.

a. By moving to Herman you will have a close-knit group of people invested in
your success and happiness as a working professional.
b. In Herman, there are many fun things to do as a community that young people
enjoy doing.

3.

There is a lot to do in Herman

a. For those who are athletically inclined, Herman is the place to live.
b. There is a wide range of outdoor recreation available to people of all ages.

Strategies:

Strategy 1: Encourage students to seek employment in Herman, Utah by providing

adequate information to students about job opportunities related to their field of interest
in Herman, Utah.
Tactics:

Participate in job fairs held on university campuses during the academic school
year. This may include a booth with information about job opportunities and the other
benefits of living in Herman, Utah.

Send a recruiter to various university campuses in Minnesota to motivate

students to seek employment positions in Herman, Minnesota.

Strategy 2: Promote Herman, Minnesota as a small town with a strong sense

community dedicated to its residents through social media campaigns.
Tactics:

Revitalize the Facebook page of Herman, Minnesota and encourage town

members of all ages to share and post information about upcoming events and other
relevant information to the page regularly.

Invite students at small universities to like the Herman, Minnesota page and to
keep up-to-date on the happenings of the town.

Strategy 3: Showcase the outdoor recreation available in Herman, Minnesota to

students attending small universities in Minnesota through social media campaigns and
website publicity.
Tactics:
Include information about the fun outdoor activities taking place in Herman.

Encourage Herman residents to post pictures of their recreational activities to the

Facebook page.
Update the city website with beautiful pictures of picturesque panoramas of the

area.

3.

School teachers in Grant county

Grant county is home to a number of elementary, junior high and high schools who
provide an education to children across the county. The school district administration is
motivated to find quality teachers who will help the school build a good reputation and
who will become an integral part of the school by working there for a long period of time.
Third party influentials may include universities who send graduating students to Grant
county school districts to teach as well as other school teachers. The relationship
between Herman city and teachers in Grant county is positive. Herman-Norcross
Community school is a small community elementary, junior high and high school that

was established in the early 1900s and is still in circulation today. The school has a
reputation as a small school with a big community feel. The city makes efforts to involve
all community members in school events (sports, awards nights, graduation
ceremonies, etc.) in an effort to bridge any gap between home and educational life.

Messages:
1.

Herman-Norcross Community school is a school you want to teach at because it

has the support of Herman behind it.
a. The school has a long legacy with a tradition of excellence. The students,
teachers and parents are dedicated to the cause of the education.
b. When you move to Herman as a teacher, you have a job security.
c. Herman takes extra initiatives to ensure the participation and support of the entire
community in school functions, activities and programs.

Strategies
Strategy 1: Promote Herman-Norcross Community as a school with a committed
community behind the quality of education through effective communication with district
administration.

Tactics:

Add a blog link to the official school website where parents and students can
contribute photos and experiences at sports games, various school events and school
activities.

Provide district with web link that not only includes information about HermanNorcross Community school but also provides information about fun recreational
things to do and see in Herman, Utah.

Send an email to teachers applying to teach in a Grant County school with web
links to school homepage and also a web link to fun things to do and participate in in
Herman.

Calendar:
Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota
Start date: November
1, 2013

November

Weeks 4-10 1 18
1- 1 24
7

December
25 2- 9-1 8 15

16
22

January

2 30 6 1 20 27
3- -5 - 3- -2
2
1 1 26
9
2 9

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Start date: November
1, 2013

November

December

January

Public: small
university campus
administration
strategy 1: Encourage
the administration of
small university
campuses across the
state of Minnesota to
recommend
employment to
graduating students in
Herman, Minnesota.
Tactic 1: Provide
school administrations
with flyers to post in
their counseling
offices to promote
Herman, Minnesota
as a place of work.

x x

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Start date: November
1, 2013
Tactic 2: Send a
recruiter from
Herman, Minnesota
(perhaps a current
school teacher in
Herman-Norcross
Community school,
etc.) to present to
students planning to
become a teacher.
Hold informational
meetings where
recruiter can
motivate others to
move to Herman,
Minnesota.

November

December

January
x x

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Start date: November
1, 2013
Tactic 3: Personally

November
x

December
x

January

contact university
administrations to
provide
administration with a
list of available jobs
in Herman,
Minnesota. Provide
them with a web link
their students can
access to find out
more about specific
posts available in
the community.

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Start date: November
1, 2013

November

Weeks 4-10 1 18
1- 1 24
7
Public: University
Students attending
small colleges

December
25 2- 9-1 8 15

16
22

January

2 30 6 1 20 27
3- -5 - 3- -2
2
1 1 26
9
2 9

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Start date: November
1, 2013

November

December

January

Strategy 1:
Encourage students to
seek employment in
Herman, Utah by
providing adequate
information to
students about job
opportunities related
to their field of interest
in Herman, Utah.
Tactic 1: Participate in
job fairs held on
university campuses
during the academic
school year. This may
include a booth with
information about job
opportunities and the
other benefits of living
in Herman, Utah.

x x

Tactic 2: Send a

x x

recruiter to various
university campuses
in Minnesota to
motivate students to
seek employment
positions in Herman,
Minnesota.

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Start date: November
1, 2013

November

December

Strategy 2: Promote
Herman, Minnesota
as a small town with a
strong sense
community dedicated
to its residents
through social media
campaigns.
Tactic 1: Revitalize the x
Facebook page of
Herman, Minnesota
by encouraging town
members of all ages
to share and post
information about
upcoming events and
other relevant
information to the
page regularly.

January

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Start date: November
1, 2013
Tactic 2: Invite

November
x

December
x

January
x x

students at small
universities to like the
Herman, Minnesota
page and to keep upto-date on the
happenings of the
town.

Strategy 3: Showcase
the outdoor recreation
available in Herman,
Minnesota to students
attending small
universities in
Minnesota through
social media
campaigns and
website publicity.

March
(all weeks)

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Start date: November
1, 2013

November

December

January
x

Tactic 1: Include

x x

information about the

fun outdoor activities
taking place in
Herman. Encourage
Herman residents to
post pictures of their
recreational activities
to the Facebook page.

Tactic 2: Update the

city website with
beautiful pictures of
picturesque
panoramas of the
area.

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Start date: November
1, 2013

November

Weeks 4-10 1 18
1- 1 24
7

December
25 2- 9-1 8 15

16
22

January

2 30 6 1 20 27
3- -5 - 3- -2
2
1 1 26
9
2 9

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Public: School
teachers in Grant
County

Strategy 1: Promote
Herman-Norcross
Community as a
school with a
committed community
behind the quality of
education through
effective
communication with
district administration.
Tactic 1: Add a blog
link to the official
school website where
parents and students
can contribute photos
and experiences at
sports games, various
school events and
school activities.

Calendar: Campaign to Increase number of women in Herman, Minnesota

Tactic 2: Provide

district with web link

that not only includes
information about
Herman-Norcross
Community school but
also provides
information about fun
recreational things to
do and see in
Herman, Utah.
March
(all weeks)
Tactic 3: Send an

x x

x x

email to teachers
applying to teach in a
Grant County school
with web links to
school homepage and
also a web link to fun
things to do and
participate in in
Herman.

Tactic 4: Encourage
teachers, parents and
students to contribute
to new school blog.

Evaluation
Objective 1:
Criteria:
Educate school administrations of the employment opportunities available in Herman to
80% of small universities in Minnesota within three months.

Tools:
Flyers will be available within counseling centers in small university campus counseling
offices. Herman, Minnesota will also send recruiters in respective business posts to
recruit university students to move to Herman for employment. There will also be
personal contact with individual college campus administration to educate administration
of available employment in Herman.
Criteria 2:
Raise awareness of the opportunity to move to Herman to 80% of small school
campuses in Minnesota within six months.

Tools:
Herman will revitalize the city Facebook page and invite university students on small
college campuses throughout Minnesota to like the page. On the Facebook page there

will also be information about the outdoor recreational activities available in Herman,
Minnesota. The city will encourage Herman residents to post pictures of their everyday
activities in Herman. The city will also revitalize the city website including scenic
pictures of the town.

Criteria 3:
Motivate teachers searching for teaching posts to seek employment in Grant County
and more specifically in Herman within six months.

Tools:
Provide a blog link from the city website as well as the official Herman-Norcross
Community school website where parents and students and teachers can post school
happenings. Provide Grant county school district with a web link for the HermanNorcross school where potential teachers can find info. about school events taking
place. Email prospective teachers in surrounding districts notifying them of available
opportunities at Herman-Norcross Community school.