Forum regulars and knowledgeable sideliners:

I own both online and 'actual' retail preparedness stores along with several other online business'. We have a publicist in New York that secured a four(4) minute y2k 'discussion' with the host for me last Sunday morning on one of the cable news channels.

(Please forgive me for not releasing my business' name and the name of the network until a bit later in time. I am not mentioning my business' name to avoid people thinking I am looking for publicity on this forum. I do admit I am seeking publicity on the network for my business, however. But in addition, I feel strongly about this issue, as many of you do, and since I am not famous or have public credibility, this is the only way I know how. I am not mentioning the channel until the invite me back again as I'm not sure they want their 'plans' to be made public at this time. Those of you who were awake last Sunday and were watching television at 8:00 am EST know.)

During the discussion on the network I stressed JIT; the potential inability for business' to not keep up with their inventory turnover, the problems with oil producing nations' remediation efforts, and the information the White House was kind enough to release in their 50 day report.

Anyhow, the interview went fairly well (even though I had to bite my tongue when the anchor asked/stated that "we shouldn't take all of our money out of the bank, should we?") and they are going to begin scheduling more segments of varying lengths soon of which I will be a 'talking head' on some of them.

My request is this: In order to 'win' the public relations war and convince people to take their planning seriously - and as soon as possible - please provide me with facts that are graphic and will make the difference in a discussion without me sounding like a crazed nut.

Help me to 'bring it home' to fence sitters and those who have never really paid attention to what all this means. Explain how they will be affected ( i.e. Social Security, Disability, pensions, business, schools, shopping, their job etc.). With television, as I have always known but really understood this past weekend, you only get 10-15 seconds to get your point across without sounding like you are on a soapbox and trying to create panic. We need to have good, clear counter arguments against all those in positions of power who are lying or just don't comprehend the seriousness of the problem themselves. Or those who believe that the ends justify the means.

Please give me factual, specific, verifiable instances or real problems that people can 'see' happening. If I can score points with real truth, we all win; the people watching who start taking this serious, the media - because they will have a harder time avoiding the truth and of course, the doomers - because we will all breathe a sigh of relief and can relax a bit knowing, at least for a moment, that we're not crazy but right in what we have been trying to do and say for the past several years.

If you prefer to respond 'off forum', that is fine. If you want to know who I am 'off forum' before you want to tell me anything, that is fine as well. It is time for those of you in a position to 'tell the world' to do the right thing. To wait until the last few days or weeks for the truth to come out - which it will - or god forbid, after the rollover, is sinful and wrong. You will never be able to live down what you were part of. This is too big. Your help is appreciated and needed.

I don't mean to sound melodramatic but the pollys and the uninformed run the airwaves, the newspapers and the news magazines. I don't see any other instances where a network is giving us a forum to voice our views and convince their listeners of the truth. Until they let us talk freely about this, I need your help. INFORMATION IS POWER.

-- Mark (markmic@kynd.net), November 18, 1999

Answers

There's 100% chance that there will be some y2k related disruptions somewhere. You have to decide if you are willing to gamble your life that it won't happen to your family or your town.

If Y2K disrupts your town and you are not prepared, you will be staring at empty shelves and angry mobs. This is an absolute.

-- dw (y2k@outhere.com), November 18, 1999.

I do admit I am seeking publicity on the network for my business...It is time for those of you in a position to 'tell the world' to do the right thing. To wait until the last few days or weeks for the truth to come out - which it will - or god forbid, after the rollover, is sinful and wrong. You will never be able to live down what you were part of.

There are dozens of people on this forum who have given countless hours of their time in y2k-related research, community service, preparedness efforts, educating friends, family and co-workers. There are many here who have done this, not for a profit motive, but at a very high personal cost both emotionally and financially. If you need marketing material to sell your products, I'd suggest you do your own homework. I will also state, Sir, that I found your approach on this forum to be offensive in the extreme. To insinuate that the members of this forum must assist you in your for-profit venture, else be "sinful", "wrong", and part of something they "will never be able to live down" is unconscienable and insulting.

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), November 18, 1999.

points that I know have converted/got their attention; -preps are "insurance"..just like auto, home owner's, health...etc. -prepping is a "win-win" situation as opposed to NOT prepping being a "win-lose" position to take!!! -"okay", "power's been out 3 weeks," ..."do you wanna have to look your kid's in the eye when they say "mommy, I'm hungry", "mommy, I'm thirsty" , "mommy, I'm cold", and tell them "I'm sorry honey, I didn't prepare, I thought it was a big joke". -I do know 2 DGI's who got it yesterday when the 50 million dollar White House tracking center or whatever it is, was announced in general mainstream media. These were two separate people who did not know each other but knew me, and are now in the beginning stages of panic. -this one always get's them when they laugh and say "I'll just come over your house", and I look them straight in the eye with all seriousness and inform them that those who have prepared are well armed and ready to defend themselves. That all adults have had plenty of time to prepare for this and have chosen not to. I tell them I cannot save the world and have no plans to even try. I tell them they would not be welcome. They look at you like deer frozen in the headlights of a car. Most poly's I know are starting to stress about this situation. I can feel the panic on prepping coming.

-- Vern (bacon17@ibm.net), November 18, 1999.

RUOK,

I have spent the last two years supporting my family in the best way I know how... as an entrepeneur. One has to work. I believe my career in the preparedness industry has given a lot to society. And I chose to get the word out in the best way I know how.

With over 18,000 customers and loads of information we make available for free I can say with 100% confidence that when and if there are serious problems throughout the United States and Canada due to Y2k, I will have done my part to help people survive in a more comfortable manner than if I hadn't had my business.

I offer a toll free line for questions that people can ask questions about preparedness which is staffed 18 hours per day. The money I have made from my companies has allowed me to have this service.

I get 300+ emails daily, more than half from people who have questions on preparing that has nothing to do with the products I sell; from water storage questions in 2 liter Pepsi bottles to food storage questions in 5 gallon pails they got for free from their bakery. I answer each one myself and I make no money on that. The money I have made from my business' has allowed me to perform that free service.

I have 15 employees, all with families, who I kept on during the last 6 months, even though I only needed half that amount, when very few people were buying preparedness supplies because our government was telling them not to. I did that because I care. The money I made from my business' before the slowdown allowed me to continue their salaries and benefits.

I have invented two products; one that allows people to store 200 gallons of water for less than anything else on the market and the other is a manual pump that pulls water from 200+ feet underground. Both of these have helped many, many people.

I have spent countless hours away from my wife and two small boys this year to both save enough to get through the coming problems and to help others with their problems. I'm sure you and others have had to do that as well. It's hard to be away from your kids when they are having dinner and getting ready for bed, but as you know it has to be done. What's more important... working to provide for them or not working as much and having them have to do without some of the material things you know they need?

There are those on this forum who do know me and other things that I am doing 'behind the scenes' to help many of the people on this forum who may not otherwise be able to afford certain preparedness items. I do not profit from that.

I could go on, but I won't. I'm sure you have done much as well. For that you are to be commended. However, I will appear on TV whether or not you approve. I will do my best to promote my belief that Y2k is going to affect all of us, whether we like it or not. In order to do what is important to me I have to pay my bills, and I will do this by promoting my company in the best way I know how. That is what I do. There's nothing wrong with mixing the two. If you have been able to do what I have done without being an entrepeneur and promoting your company to the media, good for you. However, you sir, are no better than me or anyone else for the method you chose to prepare for y2k.

Now please stop with the holier than thou crap and let's work together to get the word out. If you choose to take the high road and judge me than so be it. If you are insulted by my request for help on HOW TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE THE PROBLEM than you are missing the point...the BIG PICTURE. There are 250 million people in this country and many millions more in Canada and most will not be prepared on January 1st. That is all that matters. And all of us need to do whatever we can to get the word out in these remaining 45 days.

To get stuck on the fact that I am trying to promote my website ONLY is too bad. I admitted that is part of my reasoning for taking time away from my family. It is a tradeoff. Everything is.

Besides, there is no network in this country that would have on as a guest someone who "has worked hard to get the word out". They want more. They want authors, business owners, consultants, politicians, anyone who has a 'tie' to the issue in some manner. It is common knowledge in television and in the information industry as a whole to have guests who can teach the viewers about an issue because of their direct, day-to-day involvement. This is not bad.

Anyhow, what's the problem? If I can convert 1,000 families to begin preparing before the 'RUN' the last week of the year, than so what if my business profited from it? Again, the BIG PICTURE!! Help me if you want ROUK, and everyone else. I respect your individual efforts and I love you all.

And I am scared. Really scared. How scared are you?

-- Mark (markmic@kynd.net), November 18, 1999.

Mark,

I have 10+ years experience in corporate communications / public relations, and can offer two pieces of advice.

> Talk to your publicist about getting media training. This is a long- term investment that will make you more effective in any interview situation.

> There is a strong possibility that the reporter/interviewer will believe(or worse, base the interview on the assumption) that anyone who is concerned about Y2K is a hardcore survivalist, with all of the negative imagery that surrounds that stereotype. As a result, it is _essential_ that everything about you (your demeanor, your appearance and your message, etc.) refutes that image.

You must be articulate, calm, reasonable and accessible. If you are not, you will validate the reporter's assumptions and make it easy for fence-sitters in the audience to ignore your message.

If you would like more info, contact me off-forum.

Good luck and Godspeed

-- Midas (midas_mulligan_2000@yahoo.com), November 18, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

I can't find the thread where I said this before, so I'll repeat myself (sorry)

The message that speaks the loudest to me, and, I think to the procrastinator in all of us, is that surveys show that most people (GIs and Polly's alike) say that they plan to stock up "toward the end of the year." The history of stores in Florida, during the last 24 hours before every hurricane, year after year, shows that people simply will not maintain readiness or take steps to protect themselves until the last possible moment.

Store shelves quickly are cleaned of anything that might be useful, even when people can be pretty sure that help will be coming in from outside their region. Therefore, anyone who waits may miss out on having what they need.

People should stock up for however long they reasonably think they may have to wait for outside help. There is a possibility that help will not be forthcoming at all. Then, they should add to that the period at the end of the year during which it may be impossible to shop for safety reasons, or because the shelves are bare.

It is socially responsible to shop as early as possible. This will not only make sure that you will have what you need, but will also help to pull goods through the Just-In-Time distribution system, so that others in your region can stock up, too. Responsible people want the last minute types to also get what they think they need, even if it means buying it for them yourself, while supplies are still readily available.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), November 18, 1999.

Mark- I was asked to interview with our local NBC television affiliate news folks last night about Y2k. They will be editing our taped conversations about Y2k, using portions of the interview as a "news trailer" to promote their Y2k movie scheduled for Sunday. (Sweeps time, you know) I'm in the Y2k consulting business and part of a national Y2k Think Tank. I am considered a local "expert". The station will be balancing out their reporting by also speaking with the CIO of a local hospital and the Y2k PR guy for our local electrical utility. We can all guess what they'll say. Since television operates on 15-30 second sound bytes, you really don't have a lot of time to explain your position. To "Keep IT Simple", I hammered on my predictions that we will see gas and oil shortages twice as bad as we experienced in the 1970's. Most everyone can identify with that, even if they are computer clueless. I am then prepared to back up these predictions with tons of data and statistics. Staying on a single issue allows you to stay focused while under the bright lights and gives you a chance to drive your point home more than once. Good luck!

-- Brian Bretzke (bretzke@tir.com), November 18, 1999.

Mark,

You said "However, I will appear on TV whether or not you approve...However, you sir, are no better than me or anyone else for the method you chose to prepare for y2k...Now please stop with the holier than thou crap...If you are insulted by my request for help...than you are missing the point...To get stuck on the fact that I am trying to promote my website ONLY is too bad...than so what if my business profited from it?...Anyhow, what's the problem?"

You might re-read my original reply. You will not find that I have objected to how you chose to personally prepare yourself and family for possible y2k consequences. You will not find that I disapproved of your television appearances. You will not find that I was insulted by your request for help. You will not find that I am stuck on the fact that you promote your website (didn't even know you had one, so it would be hard to object to it!). You will not find that I object to your business profiting. But, you have asked, "What's the problem?", so I will assume I didn't make myself clear to you and try again with an analogy.

Let's say you are a person who has lost a loved one to emphysema caused by years of heavy smoking. You are so empassioned in your desire to spare others this pain, that you have decided to devote your full-time effort to helping others stop smoking. By becoming a pharmaceutical representative for nicotine patches, you are able to support your family while you devote your life to this cause. You have been invited to appear on television to discuss the life-threatening hazards of smoking, which will include an advertisement for nicotine patches. You need some content for your television appearance which will effectively help you in your efforts to get others to stop smoking, while advertising a worthwhile solution and generating additional income to allow you to continue in your efforts. Up to this point, I have no objections whatsoever. Now, you walk into an all-volunteer meeting of the American Lung Association. You have no idea who these volunteers are, what sacrifices of time, expense and efforts they have personally committed to the cause of helping people stop smoking. If you knew, you might even feel humbled (I know I do). You step up to the podium, tap on the microphone, and say, "If you all do not help me by giving me some material for my television appearance, you are SINFUL and WRONG. You WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO LIVE DOWN your part you have played in the illnesses and deaths of smokers!" Therein, Mark, lies my objection. I hope it is more clear to you now.

Once again, here is my original objection: "There are dozens of people on this forum who have given countless hours of their time in y2k-related research, community service, preparedness efforts, educating friends, family and co-workers. There are many here who have done this, not for a profit motive, but at a very high personal cost both emotionally and financially. If you need marketing material to sell your products, I'd suggest you do your own homework. I will also state, Sir, that I found your approach on this forum to be offensive in the extreme. To insinuate that the members of this forum must assist you in your for-profit venture, else be "sinful", "wrong", and part of something they "will never be able to live down" is unconscienable and insulting."

For you to call my objection "holier than thou crap" has done little to alter my perception that your approach was offensive and insulting. At any rate, good luck with your efforts.

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), November 18, 1999.

Brian,

Thanks for the advice on the 'stay focused because of time element'. I agree that is the only way to come across well on television.. 1. Stay focused 2. Stay on message 3. Memorize 2-3 points that need to get out no matter what (i.e. oil, economy). That's what I've done and what I will attempt to keep doing each time I do an interview.

Since my original post I've done 2 newspaper interviews locally, Public Radio (statewide), FM radio morning show and a local TV interview that will be on next week. I took the advice of each of you and really appreciate your help. I don't think it's working yet, so I'm going to keep focusing on those who understand, but need that extra push. Thanks so much to you and everyone else who helped.

ROUK,

If you notice, I addressed my original post to two(2) groups of people, 1. Forum regulars, and 2. KNOWLEDGEABLE SIDELINERS. I really wanted to also hear from the latter; those who have stayed on the sidelines for the last year, even though they knew a lot about specific instances where Y2k would 'hurt' others. When I implored them to speak up, that they owed it to society to tell what they knew, I was hoping to hear their stories to teach the polliies and fencesitters why preparing is important. You, for whatever reason took it personally and made a big deal about nothing and it seems, still are. Good Luck.

Mark

-- Mark (markmic@kynd.net), November 20, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

Mike. Please, read RUOK again. They're right. I decided to help you anyway, because you will be on the air and this could help. I decided not to say anything because I thought that RUOK did such a good job of explaining it. Really, though, your approach was quite offensive.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), November 21, 1999.