Is the marketing execution in English happening?

[Murderistic]

Just saw this thread.  Here is a screenshot of one of the major releases:



Not bad for one release.  We saw a pretty big bump in traffic and volume around then as well.

[oldman]

It's crazy how so many people here have no patience at all. If you believe in the superiority of bitshares technology, why the hell are you losing your mind over nubits or overstock ? They won't reach billions overnight.

The marketing plan sketched in the dev hangout seems brilliant. We've been told countless times that we need to wait for 1.0 + direct buy from USD.

No one knows if critical mass will go to the best technology, or simply the first okay technology that doesn't fuck up. Network effect, baby. One of the sad things we will see is probably that nubits will be implemented and gain widespread use on OB before bitUSD. OB airdrop and marketing is something that has to be done within a certain time to ensure bitUSD becomes widely used there, IMO, since decentralized trustless trade is really where a decentralized peg is the most useful, and OB looks as if it will be "it" regarding decentralized trade.

This.

[yellowecho]

FJ you seem to forget a lot of aspects of your success.  Here is a major potential competitor http://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/banxshares/ .

Sorry but that's not a 'major potential competitor'.  I highly encourage you to actually read their overview papers because Banx is a centralized company offering centralized services.  They started a PoW coin for an IPO and immediately stopped and switched to some sort of PoS system though it's difficult to find much (if any) information about the security model... but then again, I don't know if it even matters because it's about as safe as sending your money to a complete stranger.  Plus, their business is almost entirely Bitcoin-centric offering stuff like Bitcoin mining contracts and their developer has only been around cryptos for a year.  Besides the blatant similarities in the name, Banx and BitSharesX have almost nothing in common.

[eagleeye]

OMG my $2000 investment hasnt turned me into a millionaire yet and its already been 2 months!!! We gotta change everything now. Screw dpos we gotta go to pow cuz I read an article once about how good pow is.  And jesus, overstock just went with counter party. Ahhh the world is ending and bit shares is doomed. Fire management and get a new marketing team now!

Everyone just needs to take a deep breath and relax... Rome wasn't built in a day

FJ you seem to forget a lot of aspects of your success.  Here is a major potential competitor http://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/banxshares/ .  Cudos for adding to your wealth, at least trying.  A smart man like yourself would not put all his eggs in one basket.

Also why dont you set up a team, with your prowess.  Or am I talking to smoke and mirrors.  I would nominate you and get some influential people too, or sidelines to the lazy chair you go?

[inarizushi]

And it seems to me that in the cryptoworld, people are very ready to change : the network effect is clearly not the same as for IRL objects. You can't change your samsung into an Iphone, so once you bought it, you're fucked. It's not the same at all for cryptos. People have no reason to be faithful.

I think you are underestimating the extent to which people treat their choice of crypto as a religion.   For most bitcoiners, bitcoin is the way, the truth, and the light, and everything else is a shitcoin scam. 

Network effect and being first matters.


For this reason, I think the bitshares marketing plan to market to and onboard new people who ARENT currently interested in any crypto is an excellent one!  If they can successfully get a lot of new people who currently know nothing about crypto to look at and use bitUSD and buy BTSX, then we will be in great shape!

As far as I have seen, and I'm not into the cryptoworld from long so I've not seen much, the ONLY thing that matters is "marketcap going up". For this, bitcoin is more or less screwed, and even the integrists will finally flock if BTSX is on a steady up.

A bug-free and user friendly GUI is what we need now, and well targeted marketing to convince bitcoin agnostics is what is planed. And it's not true that the dev team promises riskless benefits... we've been warned enough times that many things may screw up. What seems true and what is promised is that BTSX/DPOS is the superior technology, and it cannot lose on the long term against POW, because money.

For the moment, IMO the bad atmosphere here doesn't help, it might scare new users that would see those conversations.

[James212]

Network effect doesn't happen in days. It happens in months or even years, and the bitshares marketing plan will happen in this timeframe.

And it seems to me that in the cryptoworld, people are very ready to change : the network effect is clearly not the same as for IRL objects. You can't change your samsung into an Iphone, so once you bought it, you're fucked. It's not the same at all for cryptos. People have no reason to be faithful. Owning bitcoins is clearly not as engaging as owning shares : you can transfer all your bitcoins into bitshares overnight, and you will have no awkward social interaction with a banker that will claim he has always been asking for your best interest.

Money flow free in the new world that is built here, and I bet that it will pour to the best solution.

The best solution without a network is no solution at all.  Things may be fluid now, but in time they will begin to jell and the market will care more about familarity and popularity regardless of  superiority of the tech.  This is much as the internet protocols did 20 years ago. 

Some subscribe to the theory that we will have many multiple crypto currencies/ assets surviving in the market when this is all said and done.  I don't subscribe to this theory.  It may have been the case if this was 200 years ago, but today the interconnectedness of the world and the rapid speed of interaction demands minimum friction.  That to me means only a handful of cryptos will be significant players in the end.  That said, I would also note that CoinMarketCap ,today, is not showing us a full list of all the entities that we will evenually need to compete against.  There are future competitors waiting in the wings that will come forth as this industry proves itself.  At some point I am expecting to see some world- class companies (even governments) in this space.   

So, I don't think we are asking to rush and do a bad job.  That will do know one any good.  We understand that they need time to do it right.  We are just communicating the critical fact that time is of the essence and based on their feedback I think the Bitshares team concurs

[Stan]

There are some great ideas in this thread!

On the marketing end I can reveal a little of what we have been up to.... it's important to note, in order to see the biggest growth in BitSharesX user base, and market cap, is to successfully bring in hundreds of thousands of new investors who have not yet made the leap to any crypto-currencies, Bitcoin included. For the non-technical, even Bitcoin is still difficult to purchase. Which remains a huge barrier to entry to getting newbies into the wonderful world of crypto, even when they already want to.

Solving this issue means hurdling some pretty large technical and communication issues. Which we've done and it's being built now. Tying the launch of this campaign to an event or BitSharesX announcement is a great idea, but (1) we're more interested in the larger pool of people currently OUTSIDE the crypto world and (2) we will most likely launch this as soon as we possibly can.

..
Could you clarify your relations to bitsharesX and the team? are you with Brian?

From this month's newsletter:

Western Business Development and Marketing – by Brian Page

The Western Hemisphere business development and marketing team (Brian, Max, Michael, Susan, Julian and Gregory) has been in talks with a half dozen companies that offer fiat to crypto-currency services.  Once a partnership is finalized, customers will have the ability to go from USD to BTSX as well as USD to bitUSD, directly.  This new service will allow anyone to purchase using a debit card, credit card or wire transfer. There will no longer be any need to own any Bitcoin, go to an exchange, or jump through hoops.  Getting involved in BitShares will be as simple as any other online purchase.
 
In addition, the marketing team is working to set up sms payments technology. Users will be able to buy BTSX or bitUSD directly from their cell phone, billed to their mobile provider.  This new "on ramp" will completely bypass needing to go through Bitcoin and will greatly simplify what is today a complicated process of acquiring BTSX/bitUSD.
 
Marketing is also working along with our resident designer, Cass, to redesign the BitSharesX user interface.   The goal is a more user friendly GUI which will make BitSharesX more intuitive for the average person [or even marketers].  When complete, the GUI will be more in line with leading online stock trading software programs.  Our benchmark is no longer a "wallet" but the leading financial software of more traditional companies.

Stan, can you verify your newsletter mailing list.  I have received all previous news letters, but did not receive this current one.  I see there are also others in my situation.  Thanks.

We have poor Cass's work queue completely packed and the newsletter is sitting in there awaiting his magic touch.

He expects to get to it tomorrow - It will probably turn into a Special Sep-Oct Collectors' Edition.

Meanwhile, the crude draft has been posted for those who don't mind unpolished text and graphics.

https://bitsharestalk.org/index.php?topic=9385.msg126039#msg126039

[James212]

It's crazy how so many people here have no patience at all. If you believe in the superiority of bitshares technology, why the hell are you losing your mind over nubits or overstock ? They won't reach billions overnight.

The marketing plan sketched in the dev hangout seems brilliant. We've been told countless times that we need to wait for 1.0 + direct buy from USD.

No one knows if critical mass will go to the best technology, or simply the first okay technology that doesn't fuck up. Network effect, baby. One of the sad things we will see is probably that nubits will be implemented and gain widespread use on OB before bitUSD. OB airdrop and marketing is something that has to be done within a certain time to ensure bitUSD becomes widely used there, IMO, since decentralized trustless trade is really where a decentralized peg is the most useful, and OB looks as if it will be "it" regarding decentralized trade.

 

[James212]

There are some great ideas in this thread!

On the marketing end I can reveal a little of what we have been up to.... it's important to note, in order to see the biggest growth in BitSharesX user base, and market cap, is to successfully bring in hundreds of thousands of new investors who have not yet made the leap to any crypto-currencies, Bitcoin included. For the non-technical, even Bitcoin is still difficult to purchase. Which remains a huge barrier to entry to getting newbies into the wonderful world of crypto, even when they already want to.

Solving this issue means hurdling some pretty large technical and communication issues. Which we've done and it's being built now. Tying the launch of this campaign to an event or BitSharesX announcement is a great idea, but (1) we're more interested in the larger pool of people currently OUTSIDE the crypto world and (2) we will most likely launch this as soon as we possibly can.

..
Could you clarify your relations to bitsharesX and the team? are you with Brian?

From this month's newsletter:

Western Business Development and Marketing – by Brian Page

The Western Hemisphere business development and marketing team (Brian, Max, Michael, Susan, Julian and Gregory) has been in talks with a half dozen companies that offer fiat to crypto-currency services.  Once a partnership is finalized, customers will have the ability to go from USD to BTSX as well as USD to bitUSD, directly.  This new service will allow anyone to purchase using a debit card, credit card or wire transfer. There will no longer be any need to own any Bitcoin, go to an exchange, or jump through hoops.  Getting involved in BitShares will be as simple as any other online purchase.
 
In addition, the marketing team is working to set up sms payments technology. Users will be able to buy BTSX or bitUSD directly from their cell phone, billed to their mobile provider.  This new "on ramp" will completely bypass needing to go through Bitcoin and will greatly simplify what is today a complicated process of acquiring BTSX/bitUSD.
 
Marketing is also working along with our resident designer, Cass, to redesign the BitSharesX user interface.   The goal is a more user friendly GUI which will make BitSharesX more intuitive for the average person [or even marketers].  When complete, the GUI will be more in line with leading online stock trading software programs.  Our benchmark is no longer a "wallet" but the leading financial software of more traditional companies.

Stan, can you verify your newsletter mailing list.  I have received all previous news letters, but did not receive this current one.  I see there are also others in my situation.  Thanks.

[vegolino]

OMG my $2000 investment hasnt turned me into a millionaire yet and its already been 2 months!!! We gotta change everything now. Screw dpos we gotta go to pow cuz I read an article once about how good pow is.  And jesus, overstock just went with counter party. Ahhh the world is ending and bit shares is doomed. Fire management and get a new marketing team now!

Everyone just needs to take a deep breath and relax... Rome wasn't built in a day

 

[lil_jay890]

OMG my $2000 investment hasnt turned me into a millionaire yet and its already been 2 months!!! We gotta change everything now. Screw dpos we gotta go to pow cuz I read an article once about how good pow is.  And jesus, overstock just went with counter party. Ahhh the world is ending and bit shares is doomed. Fire management and get a new marketing team now!

Everyone just needs to take a deep breath and relax... Rome wasn't built in a day

[xfund]

 

[Method-X]

Can we get an update for the bitsapphire web wallet?  That is very significant for a lot of users.

I think cass's updated wallet design is what you're really waiting for. I have a suspicion bitsapphire won't deliver for a while.

Do you have any more info you'd be willing to share? Is it just an update of the QT client or something new altogether?

I am pretty sure it is supposed to be a mobile phone wallet or a web-wallet...not sure which, but I know they are focusing hard on the mobile aspect of this tech.

Imho this should be #1 priority and will market bitUSD and bitASssets for us.

  Totally agree. BitAsset specific mobile wallet app.

[Ander]

My biggest wish right now is that the non-contributing community will find something to do. We need to find a way to leverage every single member of the community into ensuring the success of our blockchain.

Yes.

Referral program! 

[Rune]

Network effect doesn't happen in days. It happens in months or even years, and the bitshares marketing plan will happen in this timeframe.

And it seems to me that in the cryptoworld, people are very ready to change : the network effect is clearly not the same as for IRL objects. You can't change your samsung into an Iphone, so once you bought it, you're fucked. It's not the same at all for cryptos. People have no reason to be faithful. Owning bitcoins is clearly not as engaging as owning shares : you can transfer all your bitcoins into bitshares overnight, and you will have no awkward social interaction with a banker that will claim he has always been asking for your best interest.

Money flow free in the new world that is built here, and I bet that it will pour to the best solution.

While I don't fully disagree with you, the thing about the barrier-free and fast paced nature of these new systems we are building are also that they have the capability to achieve decentralized consensus on basically anything. Combine this with the necessity for open source and you have terrible hypothetical scenarios such as XCP switching over to DPOS and implementing market pegged assets, or nubits being integrated into peercoin as a market pegged asset.

Just like it is important to not rush anything and especially not rush out an unfinished product, it is also important to realize that we most definitely do not have all the time in the world, and that the crypto space moves insanely fast at an ever increasing rate.

I get slightly nervous when I see core team members express that investing in bitshares is completely risk free with massive guaranteed returns, which is obviously not the case, or dismiss the most dangerous competitors nubits and xcp (only acknowledging NXT as a real competitor). At the same time I also automatically trust the people who came up with DPOS - it is proof they are currently the smartest people in the space - I just think its important to stay alert and prepared at all times.

My biggest wish right now is that the non-contributing community will find something to do. We need to find a way to leverage every single member of the community into ensuring the success of our blockchain.

[sschechter]

And it seems to me that in the cryptoworld, people are very ready to change : the network effect is clearly not the same as for IRL objects. You can't change your samsung into an Iphone, so once you bought it, you're fucked. It's not the same at all for cryptos. People have no reason to be faithful.

I think you are underestimating the extent to which people treat their choice of crypto as a religion.   For most bitcoiners, bitcoin is the way, the truth, and the light, and everything else is a shitcoin scam. 

Network effect and being first matters.


For this reason, I think the bitshares marketing plan to market to and onboard new people who ARENT currently interested in any crypto is an excellent one!  If they can successfully get a lot of new people who currently know nothing about crypto to look at and use bitUSD and buy BTSX, then we will be in great shape!

Here is my own theory as to why people treat bitcoin like a religion
https://bitsharestalk.org/index.php?topic=9819.msg128129#msg128129

[Ander]

And it seems to me that in the cryptoworld, people are very ready to change : the network effect is clearly not the same as for IRL objects. You can't change your samsung into an Iphone, so once you bought it, you're fucked. It's not the same at all for cryptos. People have no reason to be faithful.

I think you are underestimating the extent to which people treat their choice of crypto as a religion.   For most bitcoiners, bitcoin is the way, the truth, and the light, and everything else is a shitcoin scam. 

Network effect and being first matters.


For this reason, I think the bitshares marketing plan to market to and onboard new people who ARENT currently interested in any crypto is an excellent one!  If they can successfully get a lot of new people who currently know nothing about crypto to look at and use bitUSD and buy BTSX, then we will be in great shape!

[inarizushi]

Network effect doesn't happen in days. It happens in months or even years, and the bitshares marketing plan will happen in this timeframe.

And it seems to me that in the cryptoworld, people are very ready to change : the network effect is clearly not the same as for IRL objects. You can't change your samsung into an Iphone, so once you bought it, you're fucked. It's not the same at all for cryptos. People have no reason to be faithful. Owning bitcoins is clearly not as engaging as owning shares : you can transfer all your bitcoins into bitshares overnight, and you will have no awkward social interaction with a banker that will claim he has always been asking for your best interest.

Money flow free in the new world that is built here, and I bet that it will pour to the best solution.

[Rune]

It's crazy how so many people here have no patience at all. If you believe in the superiority of bitshares technology, why the hell are you losing your mind over nubits or overstock ? They won't reach billions overnight.

The marketing plan sketched in the dev hangout seems brilliant. We've been told countless times that we need to wait for 1.0 + direct buy from USD.

No one knows if critical mass will go to the best technology, or simply the first okay technology that doesn't fuck up. Network effect, baby. One of the sad things we will see is probably that nubits will be implemented and gain widespread use on OB before bitUSD. OB airdrop and marketing is something that has to be done within a certain time to ensure bitUSD becomes widely used there, IMO, since decentralized trustless trade is really where a decentralized peg is the most useful, and OB looks as if it will be "it" regarding decentralized trade.

[fuzzy]

Can we get an update for the bitsapphire web wallet?  That is very significant for a lot of users.

I think cass's updated wallet design is what you're really waiting for. I have a suspicion bitsapphire won't deliver for a while.

Do you have any more info you'd be willing to share? Is it just an update of the QT client or something new altogether?

I am pretty sure it is supposed to be a mobile phone wallet or a web-wallet...not sure which, but I know they are focusing hard on the mobile aspect of this tech.

Imho this should be #1 priority and will market bitUSD and bitASssets for us.

[inarizushi]

It's crazy how so many people here have no patience at all. If you believe in the superiority of bitshares technology, why the hell are you losing your mind over nubits or overstock ? They won't reach billions overnight.

The marketing plan sketched in the dev hangout seems brilliant. We've been told countless times that we need to wait for 1.0 + direct buy from USD.

[sschechter]

Can we get an update for the bitsapphire web wallet?  That is very significant for a lot of users.

I think cass's updated wallet design is what you're really waiting for. I have a suspicion bitsapphire won't deliver for a while.

Do you have any more info you'd be willing to share? Is it just an update of the QT client or something new altogether?

[toast]

Can we get an update for the bitsapphire web wallet?  That is very significant for a lot of users.

I think cass's updated wallet design is what you're really waiting for. I have a suspicion bitsapphire won't deliver for a while.

[eagleeye]

Can we get an update for the bitsapphire web wallet?  That is very significant for a lot of users.

[Ander]

Thanks to the devs and marketing team for the updates!

I think we are all just getting impatient, sitting here watching NuBits come out and have great volume, seeing bitUSD volume shrink as bytemaster makes changes to the market engine, watching the BTSX price decline and not keep up with bitcoin's rise this week, etc.   

We are ready for some good news.

[Riverhead]

Sounds fantastic! Onramps are the best use of resources at this point. Where do you sign up for this newsletter?

Have you subscribed here? http://bitshares.org/stay-tuned/

Honestly didn't know it existed. Renaming it from "stay tuned" to "newsletter" would help others I'm sure.

I'm not sure if that's the official news letter sign up. I forget how I got on the newsletter list. Perhaps when I donated to a founding address.

[Gentso1]

There are some great ideas in this thread!

On the marketing end I can reveal a little of what we have been up to.... it's important to note, in order to see the biggest growth in BitSharesX user base, and market cap, is to successfully bring in hundreds of thousands of new investors who have not yet made the leap to any crypto-currencies, Bitcoin included. For the non-technical, even Bitcoin is still difficult to purchase. Which remains a huge barrier to entry to getting newbies into the wonderful world of crypto, even when they already want to.

Solving this issue means hurdling some pretty large technical and communication issues. Which we've done and it's being built now. Tying the launch of this campaign to an event or BitSharesX announcement is a great idea, but (1) we're more interested in the larger pool of people currently OUTSIDE the crypto world and (2) we will most likely launch this as soon as we possibly can.

..
Could you clarify your relations to bitsharesX and the team? are you with Brian?

From this month's newsletter:

Western Business Development and Marketing – by Brian Page

The Western Hemisphere business development and marketing team (Brian, Max, Michael, Susan, Julian and Gregory) has been in talks with a half dozen companies that offer fiat to crypto-currency services.  Once a partnership is finalized, customers will have the ability to go from USD to BTSX as well as USD to bitUSD, directly.  This new service will allow anyone to purchase using a debit card, credit card or wire transfer. There will no longer be any need to own any Bitcoin, go to an exchange, or jump through hoops.  Getting involved in BitShares will be as simple as any other online purchase.
 
In addition, the marketing team is working to set up sms payments technology. Users will be able to buy BTSX or bitUSD directly from their cell phone, billed to their mobile provider.  This new "on ramp" will completely bypass needing to go through Bitcoin and will greatly simplify what is today a complicated process of acquiring BTSX/bitUSD.
 
Marketing is also working along with our resident designer, Cass, to redesign the BitSharesX user interface.   The goal is a more user friendly GUI which will make BitSharesX more intuitive for the average person [or even marketers].  When complete, the GUI will be more in line with leading online stock trading software programs.  Our benchmark is no longer a "wallet" but the leading financial software of more traditional companies.

Sounds fantastic! Onramps are the best use of resources at this point. Where do you sign up for this newsletter?

http://bitshares.org/stay-tuned/
I think this is the one he is referring to. I signed up for it before and received a few but this last one being referred to by Stan I never got so I re-signed up and the system said they had my addy so let's see how it goes.

As to the "B" thing. I for one have been very back and fourth as to how I feel about him, as a mrkt dir. In the beginning I was very out spoken about how I felt the team missed some obvious low cost marketing opportunities.  I think that the fact that we get many users that come here and some that are here that still don't understand how pts,ags, DACs and how bitUSD ties together is evidence that we have some room to grow in this area.

With the above being said I feel I3 has a plan and they are keeping it under wraps for obvious reasons.
1. get the gui to work like it should (almost done when 1.0 comes around)
2. one on one partnerships with companies providing a variety of services (I am guessing but most seem to have taken place and it seems to be in the final phases)
3. mass blitz marketing, this will most likely combine with the timing of one and two for the biggest effect humanly possible I am hoping that this includes everything from banners on popular websites to a complete media frenzy of interviews with one or two high cost fresh marketing ideas. 

Either way I think they deserve some rope, they look at CMC. They see other projects copying their ideas they know we got to get this right the first time and it must be quickly. I will also say that  once 1.0 is launched their should be no real reason to hold back and I will be one of the first to raise them to the air in triumph or call for Brain to be burned at the stake(nothing personal you seem like a great guy ).

I think it will be triumph.   

[Method-X]

Sounds fantastic! Onramps are the best use of resources at this point. Where do you sign up for this newsletter?

Have you subscribed here? http://bitshares.org/stay-tuned/

Honestly didn't know it existed. Renaming it from "stay tuned" to "newsletter" would help others I'm sure.

[Riverhead]

Sounds fantastic! Onramps are the best use of resources at this point. Where do you sign up for this newsletter?

Have you subscribed here? http://bitshares.org/stay-tuned/

[Method-X]

There are some great ideas in this thread!

On the marketing end I can reveal a little of what we have been up to.... it's important to note, in order to see the biggest growth in BitSharesX user base, and market cap, is to successfully bring in hundreds of thousands of new investors who have not yet made the leap to any crypto-currencies, Bitcoin included. For the non-technical, even Bitcoin is still difficult to purchase. Which remains a huge barrier to entry to getting newbies into the wonderful world of crypto, even when they already want to.

Solving this issue means hurdling some pretty large technical and communication issues. Which we've done and it's being built now. Tying the launch of this campaign to an event or BitSharesX announcement is a great idea, but (1) we're more interested in the larger pool of people currently OUTSIDE the crypto world and (2) we will most likely launch this as soon as we possibly can.

..
Could you clarify your relations to bitsharesX and the team? are you with Brian?

From this month's newsletter:

Western Business Development and Marketing – by Brian Page

The Western Hemisphere business development and marketing team (Brian, Max, Michael, Susan, Julian and Gregory) has been in talks with a half dozen companies that offer fiat to crypto-currency services.  Once a partnership is finalized, customers will have the ability to go from USD to BTSX as well as USD to bitUSD, directly.  This new service will allow anyone to purchase using a debit card, credit card or wire transfer. There will no longer be any need to own any Bitcoin, go to an exchange, or jump through hoops.  Getting involved in BitShares will be as simple as any other online purchase.
 
In addition, the marketing team is working to set up sms payments technology. Users will be able to buy BTSX or bitUSD directly from their cell phone, billed to their mobile provider.  This new "on ramp" will completely bypass needing to go through Bitcoin and will greatly simplify what is today a complicated process of acquiring BTSX/bitUSD.
 
Marketing is also working along with our resident designer, Cass, to redesign the BitSharesX user interface.   The goal is a more user friendly GUI which will make BitSharesX more intuitive for the average person [or even marketers].  When complete, the GUI will be more in line with leading online stock trading software programs.  Our benchmark is no longer a "wallet" but the leading financial software of more traditional companies.

Sounds fantastic! Onramps are the best use of resources at this point. Where do you sign up for this newsletter?

[Stan]

There are some great ideas in this thread!

On the marketing end I can reveal a little of what we have been up to.... it's important to note, in order to see the biggest growth in BitSharesX user base, and market cap, is to successfully bring in hundreds of thousands of new investors who have not yet made the leap to any crypto-currencies, Bitcoin included. For the non-technical, even Bitcoin is still difficult to purchase. Which remains a huge barrier to entry to getting newbies into the wonderful world of crypto, even when they already want to.

Solving this issue means hurdling some pretty large technical and communication issues. Which we've done and it's being built now. Tying the launch of this campaign to an event or BitSharesX announcement is a great idea, but (1) we're more interested in the larger pool of people currently OUTSIDE the crypto world and (2) we will most likely launch this as soon as we possibly can.

..
Could you clarify your relations to bitsharesX and the team? are you with Brian?

From this month's newsletter:

Western Business Development and Marketing – by Brian Page

The Western Hemisphere business development and marketing team (Brian, Max, Michael, Susan, Julian and Gregory) has been in talks with a half dozen companies that offer fiat to crypto-currency services.  Once a partnership is finalized, customers will have the ability to go from USD to BTSX as well as USD to bitUSD, directly.  This new service will allow anyone to purchase using a debit card, credit card or wire transfer. There will no longer be any need to own any Bitcoin, go to an exchange, or jump through hoops.  Getting involved in BitShares will be as simple as any other online purchase.
 
In addition, the marketing team is working to set up sms payments technology. Users will be able to buy BTSX or bitUSD directly from their cell phone, billed to their mobile provider.  This new "on ramp" will completely bypass needing to go through Bitcoin and will greatly simplify what is today a complicated process of acquiring BTSX/bitUSD.
 
Marketing is also working along with our resident designer, Cass, to redesign the BitSharesX user interface.   The goal is a more user friendly GUI which will make BitSharesX more intuitive for the average person [or even marketers].  When complete, the GUI will be more in line with leading online stock trading software programs.  Our benchmark is no longer a "wallet" but the leading financial software of more traditional companies.

[xeroc]

There are some great ideas in this thread!

On the marketing end I can reveal a little of what we have been up to.... it's important to note, in order to see the biggest growth in BitSharesX user base, and market cap, is to successfully bring in hundreds of thousands of new investors who have not yet made the leap to any crypto-currencies, Bitcoin included. For the non-technical, even Bitcoin is still difficult to purchase. Which remains a huge barrier to entry to getting newbies into the wonderful world of crypto, even when they already want to.

Solving this issue means hurdling some pretty large technical and communication issues. Which we've done and it's being built now. Tying the launch of this campaign to an event or BitSharesX announcement is a great idea, but (1) we're more interested in the larger pool of people currently OUTSIDE the crypto world and (2) we will most likely launch this as soon as we possibly can.

..
Could you clarify your relations to bitsharesX and the team? are you with Brian?

[MktDirector]

https://bitsharestalk.org/index.php?topic=9847.new#new

[julian]

There are some great ideas in this thread!

On the marketing end I can reveal a little of what we have been up to.... it's important to note, in order to see the biggest growth in BitSharesX user base, and market cap, is to successfully bring in hundreds of thousands of new investors who have not yet made the leap to any crypto-currencies, Bitcoin included. For the non-technical, even Bitcoin is still difficult to purchase. Which remains a huge barrier to entry to getting newbies into the wonderful world of crypto, even when they already want to.

Solving this issue means hurdling some pretty large technical and communication issues. Which we've done and it's being built now. Tying the launch of this campaign to an event or BitSharesX announcement is a great idea, but (1) we're more interested in the larger pool of people currently OUTSIDE the crypto world and (2) we will most likely launch this as soon as we possibly can.

[vegolino]

I'm pretty new and I have searched YouTube and found a lot of stuff on bitshares. I have been listening to the hangouts that Dan does too since I can't make it to be there myself. All in all I am really glad to see what they have so far.  Now that delegates are running maybe they will help advertise too?


I have been kind of sad to see that bitshares doesn't seem to be talked about on ltb very much though...which is where I get a lot of my information.  Being number 4 in the first couple !months definitely brought my interest back to this project. Why does ltb seem so uninterested?

Not trying to sound disrespectful..but it was you who taught me about bitcoin so I thought you would be lining up with the best tech with fair models and helping us learn about them too. Maybe do some episodes like "let's talk bitshares"? I read somewhere you get paid by delegates from btsx so maybe it would be a good idea to use those talents to give back! Maybe I read wrong though so sorry if so...but either way bitshares is amazing!

Great points BTW Adam.

 
I am curious about answer too, I hope it is not Adam's ego. 

[metalallen]

Yup and these:

https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/bitshares-exclusive-interview-decentralized-autonomous-companies/

http://www.coindesk.com/bitshares-p2p-trading-platform-to-offer-dividends-on-bitcoins/

http://bitcoinmagazine.com/15302/dac-sun-limited-launches-first-official-bitshares-x-chain-distributed-trading-commodities-stocks/

http://www.coinssource.com/bitshares-the-road-multi-million-dollar-decentralized-companies/

Just one latest news

[Riverhead]

Yup and these:

https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/bitshares-exclusive-interview-decentralized-autonomous-companies/

http://www.coindesk.com/bitshares-p2p-trading-platform-to-offer-dividends-on-bitcoins/

http://bitcoinmagazine.com/15302/dac-sun-limited-launches-first-official-bitshares-x-chain-distributed-trading-commodities-stocks/

http://www.coinssource.com/bitshares-the-road-multi-million-dollar-decentralized-companies/

[metalallen]

Our news releases are getting 10,000 hits already.

I'm sorry, where are the news?

bitcoinmagazine.com/16972/exclusive-interview-bitshares/
this one?

[Stan]

It hasn't been a secret.
We've told you the plan in forum and newsletter and mumble and blog form.

Recapping:

Our news releases are getting 10,000 hits already.
(If you have strayed across any of this material you have already noticed how Dan's smiling face seems to follow you around to every website you visit.)
We are reaching out to the crypto community with speeches, and posts, and educational videos.
But there is too much noise and partisanship in that channel.
There are few there with ears to hear right now. 
There is no way that those with ears haven't heard by now.

So the big push starts when we have our commercial grade consumer sign-up funnel in place.
It will on-board anybody that comes through the funnel with the complete capability to buy, save, and spend bitUSD.
It will train those who have barely heard of Satoshi's Bitcoin all about "Daniel's bitcoin" - bitUSD.
Then we will turn on our *awesome* ability to route eyeballs into that funnel.
We are not going to route eyeballs there until we can permanently capture them.
When we do capture them, our market cap will sit securely at the number two spot.
Then the crypto community will take a second look for the first time.
Then value will begin to flow from Satoshi's crypto checking into Daniel's crypto savings.
Then bitUSD will be number one on coin market cap.

And that's not even counting an independently conceived and equally brilliant plan to accomplish the same thing by the China team.

how can bitUSD will be number one on coin market cap when BTSX is twice the market cap than BitUSD at any given time(theory of how to issue a BitUSD) ?

Er, good point, BTSX will be number zero?   

[Stan]

It hasn't been a secret.
We've told you the plan in forum and newsletter and mumble and blog form.

Recapping:

Our news releases are getting 10,000 hits already.
(If you have strayed across any of this material you have already noticed how Dan's smiling face seems to follow you around to every website you visit.)
We are reaching out to the crypto community with speeches, and posts, and educational videos.
But there is too much noise and partisanship in that channel.
There are few there with ears to hear right now. 
There is no way that those with ears haven't heard by now.

So the big push starts when we have our commercial grade consumer sign-up funnel in place.
It will on-board anybody that comes through the funnel with the complete capability to buy, save, and spend bitUSD.
It will train those who have barely heard of Satoshi's Bitcoin all about "Daniel's bitcoin" - bitUSD.
Then we will turn on our *awesome* ability to route eyeballs into that funnel.
We are not going to route eyeballs there until we can permanently capture them.
When we do capture them, our market cap will sit securely at the number two spot.
Then the crypto community will take a second look for the first time.
Then value will begin to flow from Satoshi's crypto checking into Daniel's crypto savings.
Then bitUSD will be number one on coin market cap.

And that's not even counting an independently conceived and equally brilliant plan to accomplish the same thing by the China team.

[Method-X]

After having spent a few days with some of the developers, mainly Toast and Nathan, I believe the marketing plan is real, big, and well thought out. I didn't get specifics obviously but the general feeling I got from the folks I met was that there is a lot brewing. There is also a lot of work going on with respects to the client, market mechanics, and payment processors.

Question for Methodx: You've done a lot of online marketing in the last seven years. When doing a big campaign for a product that also has a public forum do you lay out your plans as you make them, keep them close to your vest until they're ready, or some combination of the two? What sort of information do you think would be safe to share yet not let the cat out of the bag? Is there a cat? A bag? I know nothing about marketing online or otherwise.

I see your point. When preparing a campaign you don't show your hand until the very end. My problem so far has been with the lack of basic marketing. I hope my intuition is wrong and they do have a decent strategy though; I've just never been one for faith.

[Riverhead]

After having spent a few days with some of the developers, mainly Toast and Nathan, I believe the marketing plan is real, big, and well thought out. I didn't get specifics obviously but the general feeling I got from the folks I met was that there is a lot brewing. There is also a lot of work going on with respects to the client, market mechanics, and payment processors.

Question for Methodx: You've done a lot of online marketing in the last seven years. When doing a big campaign for a product that also has a public forum do you lay out your plans as you make them, keep them close to your vest until they're ready, or some combination of the two? What sort of information do you think would be safe to share yet not let the cat out of the bag? Is there a cat? A bag? I know nothing about marketing online or otherwise.

[johncitizen]

From previous activity I would believe Adam may be correct but now they do appear to have a concise plan. Its not exactly shared with us, more of a "trust me its good" approach. Generally when a coin pulls this attitude with software I sell hard.

I like transparency as do we all. When things aren't clear it is usually a negative indicator. The marketing plan I have in my head pieced together from scraps of data does sound truly spectacular. Maybe its our christmas present?

[fuzzy]

they have in the past confused marketing with bizdev.  Talking to important people one at a time to find synergies and make deals is totally great and necessary, but that's not marketing. 

   I agree.  It seems like there is more business development than true marketing happening with BTSX.

While I agree that it is more business development, I see that as a good thing because the products are not yet ready for mass adoption which would call for real marketing.

Well I suppose they really did decide to go the opposite direction than ethereum

[onceuponatime]

they have in the past confused marketing with bizdev.  Talking to important people one at a time to find synergies and make deals is totally great and necessary, but that's not marketing. 

   I agree.  It seems like there is more business development than true marketing happening with BTSX.

While I agree that it is more business development, I see that as a good thing because the products are not yet ready for mass adoption which would call for real marketing.

[James212]

they have in the past confused marketing with bizdev.  Talking to important people one at a time to find synergies and make deals is totally great and necessary, but that's not marketing. 

   I agree.  It seems like there is more business development than true marketing happening with BTSX. 

[fuzzy]

Are we certain of this methodx?  As ive heard, they believed marketing was not as important as making connections behind the scenes.  I remember thinking that invictus not paying for an ad on ltb was a kind of bad idea though. Then watched nxt pay for one nearly every show...imagine how much better brand recognition would have been for bitshares. 

I refer to the post "how much is a new user worth?"

Interested to hear the invictus take on things though. Maybe there are some things we do not yet know about.

[Method-X]

The client is currently slow and buggy with lots of UI issues and in general just gives a bad user experience. There is no mobile client, no blockchain.info style web wallet, also no easy way to create paper wallets (bitaddress.org style).

I don't think marketing should start until all these things have been created and polished.

 

But knowing what I know about this team, they can't be oblivious to all these things.  Instead, I think they've got a few tricks up their sleeve.  Will the marketing push coincide with the release of the new BitSapphire wallet?

That would make perfect sense. The community should be ready to do its part once it comes to that

My observations says Invictus does not have a marketing plan, and I think you'll be sadly mistaken if you're waiting for a planned and executed strategy surrounding anything.  Invictus needs people who can do marketing to get involved, but it seems like they have in the past confused marketing with bizdev.  Talking to important people one at a time to find synergies and make deals is totally great and necessary, but that's not marketing.  Bitshares could really benefit from some quality, educational marketing material targeting early adopters in a couple of broad archetypes to help them concisely understand why Bitshares is the thing they want to get involved with vs any of the other options out there.

Unfortunately the most concise messaging we've seen has been "earn 5% on anything" or "bitusd is just as good as usd" which are very misleading unless you have a lot of outside context.

Having owned a marketing firm since 2007, it's become pretty obvious to me that what Invictus thinks is "marketing" isn't actually marketing. It's like when a marketer hires a programmer, he'll probably get someone mediocre because he doesn't know what a real programmer is (a hacker). Marketing is similar in that 90% of the people calling themselves "marketers" aren't real social hackers.

Invictus hired a marketing team that doesn't get online marketing.

[BitTitan]

I'm pretty new and I have searched YouTube and found a lot of stuff on bitshares. I have been listening to the hangouts that Dan does too since I can't make it to be there myself. All in all I am really glad to see what they have so far.  Now that delegates are running maybe they will help advertise too?


I have been kind of sad to see that bitshares doesn't seem to be talked about on ltb very much though...which is where I get a lot of my information.  Being number 4 in the first couple !months definitely brought my interest back to this project.  Why does ltb seem so uninterested?

Not trying to sound disrespectful..but it was you who taught me about bitcoin so I thought you would be lining up with the best tech with fair models and helping us learn about them too. Maybe do some episodes like "let's talk bitshares"? I read somewhere you get paid by delegates from btsx so maybe it would be a good idea to use those talents to give back! Maybe I read wrong though so sorry if so...but either way bitshares is amazing!

Great points BTW Adam.

[AdamBLevine]

The client is currently slow and buggy with lots of UI issues and in general just gives a bad user experience. There is no mobile client, no blockchain.info style web wallet, also no easy way to create paper wallets (bitaddress.org style).

I don't think marketing should start until all these things have been created and polished.

 

But knowing what I know about this team, they can't be oblivious to all these things.  Instead, I think they've got a few tricks up their sleeve.  Will the marketing push coincide with the release of the new BitSapphire wallet?

That would make perfect sense. The community should be ready to do its part once it comes to that

My observations says Invictus does not have a marketing plan, and I think you'll be sadly mistaken if you're waiting for a planned and executed strategy surrounding anything.  Invictus needs people who can do marketing to get involved, but it seems like they have in the past confused marketing with bizdev.  Talking to important people one at a time to find synergies and make deals is totally great and necessary, but that's not marketing.  Bitshares could really benefit from some quality, educational marketing material targeting early adopters in a couple of broad archetypes to help them concisely understand why Bitshares is the thing they want to get involved with vs any of the other options out there.

Unfortunately the most concise messaging we've seen has been "earn 5% on anything" or "bitusd is just as good as usd" which are very misleading unless you have a lot of outside context.

[Riverhead]

The biggest market for Bitshares and bitUSD is not cryptoheads. The sort of publications giving other 2.0 products air time aren't even known to 99% of our market.

We aren't competing for btc's lunch; we're going after the bank's.

[Gentso1]

I had hopes the conference would see bitshares reassert its uptrend, it did not.  Am I seller at these prices? No not till $10 dollars each.

Anyways, opinions, is the marketing execution by Brian Page doing us justices.

What is exactly going on specifically?

Nothing you currently see is good enough to service a million new eyeballs who have no idea about crypto lore.  Both marketing and engineering are building systems and processes never before seen for use in on boarding the masses.

I figure we all have time to invest at least one more paycheck while BTSX is having its pre-public blowout  sale.  But wait!  If you act now you can get a second BTSX for the same low price!

 

One more paycheck implies 1-2 weeks.....because that is how often most people get paid here in the US.

Use of the phrase "we all have time" means you have to consider all possible next paydays.   

I also threw in the phrase "at least" to guard against promising anything specific at all.   

Just when I think I will get the carrot its gets pulled back a little  further

but some things are worth waiting for a bit...

[Ander]

Ah, so we're feeling the bitcoin contraction, just delayed a bit; assuming the reason we fared so well was a buy-in in preparation for the Vegas miracle.

So given the ~18% drop in BTC, BTSX should bottom-out somewhere between 600 and 700 before the marketing push sends us to heights unseen.

We already underperformed bitcoin since the price bottom, btsx went from about 9500 satoshi to about 8000. 

Thats not to say it couldnt drop more, but it doesnt have to.

[Method-X]

The client is currently slow and buggy with lots of UI issues and in general just gives a bad user experience. There is no mobile client, no blockchain.info style web wallet, also no easy way to create paper wallets (bitaddress.org style).

I don't think marketing should start until all these things have been created and polished.

Yep.

All we need are onramps. Network effect can't be built later, these things can.

[oldman]

The client is currently slow and buggy with lots of UI issues and in general just gives a bad user experience. There is no mobile client, no blockchain.info style web wallet, also no easy way to create paper wallets (bitaddress.org style).

I don't think marketing should start until all these things have been created and polished.

Yep.

[Rune]

The client is currently slow and buggy with lots of UI issues and in general just gives a bad user experience. There is no mobile client, no blockchain.info style web wallet, also no easy way to create paper wallets (bitaddress.org style).

I don't think marketing should start until all these things have been created and polished.

 

But knowing what I know about this team, they can't be oblivious to all these things.  Instead, I think they've got a few tricks up their sleeve.  Will the marketing push coincide with the release of the new BitSapphire wallet?

That would make perfect sense. The community should be ready to do its part once it comes to that

[sschechter]

The client is currently slow and buggy with lots of UI issues and in general just gives a bad user experience. There is no mobile client, no blockchain.info style web wallet, also no easy way to create paper wallets (bitaddress.org style).

I don't think marketing should start until all these things have been created and polished.

 

But knowing what I know about this team, they can't be oblivious to all these things.  Instead, I think they've got a few tricks up their sleeve.  Will the marketing push coincide with the release of the new BitSapphire wallet?

[Stan]

I had hopes the conference would see bitshares reassert its uptrend, it did not.  Am I seller at these prices? No not till $10 dollars each.

Anyways, opinions, is the marketing execution by Brian Page doing us justices.

What is exactly going on specifically?

Nothing you currently see is good enough to service a million new eyeballs who have no idea about crypto lore.  Both marketing and engineering are building systems and processes never before seen for use in on boarding the masses.

I figure we all have time to invest at least one more paycheck while BTSX is having its pre-public blowout  sale.  But wait!  If you act now you can get a second BTSX for the same low price!

 

One more paycheck implies 1-2 weeks.....because that is how often most people get paid here in the US.

Use of the phrase "we all have time" means you have to consider all possible next paydays.   

I also threw in the phrase "at least" to guard against promising anything specific at all.   

[Gentso1]

I had hopes the conference would see bitshares reassert its uptrend, it did not.  Am I seller at these prices? No not till $10 dollars each.

Anyways, opinions, is the marketing execution by Brian Page doing us justices.

What is exactly going on specifically?

Nothing you currently see is good enough to service a million new eyeballs who have no idea about crypto lore.  Both marketing and engineering are building systems and processes never before seen for use in on boarding the masses.

I figure we all have time to invest at least one more paycheck while BTSX is having its pre-public blowout  sale.  But wait!  If you act now you can get a second BTSX for the same low price!

 

One more paycheck implies 1-2 weeks.....because that is how often most people get paid here in the US.

[Rune]

The client is currently slow and buggy with lots of UI issues and in general just gives a bad user experience. There is no mobile client, no blockchain.info style web wallet, also no easy way to create paper wallets (bitaddress.org style).

I don't think marketing should start until all these things have been created and polished.

DPOS and bitUSD are currently the best product concepts in the crypto industry, but the implementation and the packaging are not finished. I have faith that the developers will improve them over the next few months, and personally I expect a January "launch" (with no real evidence to back this up).

If there's one thing I'm a bit disappointed with, it's how the bitshares community/ecosystem is currently spread out over tonnes of different products and DACS. In the short term the top priority should really be to perfect the bitUSD user experience. It's the killer app and if it takes off then the future of all bitshares DACS will be secured.

[James212]

It seems that lots of people were thinking that some miracle would happen at the conference and make BTSX go up, and when that didnt happen they all sold.

Ah, so we're feeling the bitcoin contraction, just delayed a bit; assuming the reason we fared so well was a buy-in in preparation for the Vegas miracle.

So given the ~18% drop in BTC, BTSX should bottom-out somewhere between 600 and 700 before the marketing push sends us to heights unseen.

Also, don't forget the Overstock effect.  Im sure there were some who invested with the expectation that we would get the business of building the crypto stock market.  They may be selling now since that didn't happen.   However, I am still concerned about marketing execution.  I know we have assurances that things are coming, but I'm not even seeing the basic stuff like Brand awareness and product positioning.  In my (unscientific) survey of media, it just seems that other brands in the 2.0 space get far more mention than we do. We should be the talk to the town!  We have the technology and we are pretty much at the forefront.   

  Marketing has always been a concern for me with I3.  I'm not picking on the current regime though, IMO its been that way since it's inception..   I have further resources that I want to commit, but I am patiently waiting to be dazzled by the up coming promised programs before moving forward.  Lets hope it'll be soon. 

[Stan]

I had hopes the conference would see bitshares reassert its uptrend, it did not.  Am I seller at these prices? No not till $10 dollars each.

Anyways, opinions, is the marketing execution by Brian Page doing us justices.

What is exactly going on specifically?

Nothing you currently see is good enough to service a million new eyeballs who have no idea about crypto lore.  Both marketing and engineering are building systems and processes never before seen for use in on boarding the masses.

I figure we all have time to invest at least one more paycheck while BTSX is having its pre-public blowout  sale.  But wait!  If you act now you can get a second BTSX for the same low price!

 

Stan dont worry we wont hold you to this "...one more paycheck...pre-public blowout sale"  I do not think you are in charge of marketing.

That is surely a good thing!

[thisisausername]

It seems that lots of people were thinking that some miracle would happen at the conference and make BTSX go up, and when that didnt happen they all sold.

Ah, so we're feeling the bitcoin contraction, just delayed a bit; assuming the reason we fared so well was a buy-in in preparation for the Vegas miracle.

So given the ~18% drop in BTC, BTSX should bottom-out somewhere between 600 and 700 before the marketing push sends us to heights unseen.

[eagleeye]

I had hopes the conference would see bitshares reassert its uptrend, it did not.  Am I seller at these prices? No not till $10 dollars each.

Anyways, opinions, is the marketing execution by Brian Page doing us justices.

What is exactly going on specifically?

Nothing you currently see is good enough to service a million new eyeballs who have no idea about crypto lore.  Both marketing and engineering are building systems and processes never before seen for use in on boarding the masses.

I figure we all have time to invest at least one more paycheck while BTSX is having its pre-public blowout  sale.  But wait!  If you act now you can get a second BTSX for the same low price!

 

Stan dont worry we wont hold you to this "...one more paycheck...pre-public blowout sale"  I do not think you are in charge of marketing.

[xeroc]

I figure we all have time to invest at least one more paycheck while BTSX is having its pre-public blowout  sale.

Oh shit .. only one more paycheck? 

[Stan]

I had hopes the conference would see bitshares reassert its uptrend, it did not.  Am I seller at these prices? No not till $10 dollars each.

Anyways, opinions, is the marketing execution by Brian Page doing us justices.

What is exactly going on specifically?

Nothing you currently see is good enough to service a million new eyeballs who have no idea about crypto lore.  Both marketing and engineering are building systems and processes never before seen for use in on boarding the masses.

I figure we all have time to invest at least one more paycheck while BTSX is having its pre-public blowout  sale.  But wait!  If you act now you can get a second BTSX for the same low price!

 

[Ander]

I had hopes the conference would see bitshares reassert its uptrend, it did not.  Am I seller at these prices? No not till $10 dollars each.

Anyways, opinions, is the marketing execution by Brian Page doing us justices.

What is exactly going on specifically?

It seems that lots of people were thinking that some miracle would happen at the conference and make BTSX go up, and when that didnt happen they all sold.

[eagleeye]

I had hopes the conference would see bitshares reassert its uptrend, it did not.  Am I seller at these prices? No not till $10 dollars each.

Anyways, opinions, is the marketing execution by Brian Page doing us justices.

What is exactly going on specifically?