Marketing - 1st wave

[G1ng3rBr34dM4n]

OK gang, this is a fresh rough idea, let me know what you think...

I've continued to do some thinking about how I may be able to get my close friends & family involved and interested in BitShares.  In my opinion, 'paper wallets', of sorts, work well for facilitating newcomers into the crypto ecosystem.  So I've come up with an idea that I need a little help fleshing out and validating (particularly on some of the technical details).

I'd like to create a "paper-wallet-scavenger-hunt".  My hypothesis is that this will not just show them how to get into the crypto ecosystem, but encourage them to explore and learn for themselves; and perhaps this can be a fun way, to do just that.  The quote that inspired me to think through this lens is:
 
“A mediocre person tells. A good person explains. A superior person demonstrates. A great person inspires others to see for themselves.” -Harvey Mackay


This is how I would propose it be set up:
1. Create a little paper card-like-thing, or send a picture, such as this (BIG thanks and recognition to Cass on the image):


2. The person would have to figure out how to download the wallet themselves.  (a bit of googling does a mind good )
3. The person would have to figure out they need to reach out and ask for help if they're going to be able to acquire the necessary "key" (small amount of BTSX) to send to the address included on the card.
4.  They would send the specific amount to the specific address and the person who owns that address (i.e. the person who gave them the 'paper wallet') would send them some pre-determined amount; say 10-100 BTSX (or whatever amount you'd like).

How I envision this working on the back end (and this is where I need validation on the technical side) is that I would create an unregistered address for each person I give a card to and use their name (if a first name is taken, does it matter if the address is unregistered?).  I'd plan to fund each account I create with around 100-1000-ish BTSX.  That BTSX address will be the one to insert where it currently says "insert BTSX address"  I know it's been mentioned before, but will this create latency issues in the client?  Once I see the specific amount of funds show up in the account (which I'll probably make different for each person I give one to), I'll send the balance of that account to that person.  It's tedious and a lot of hand work, I know, but I'm just trying to get the ball rolling here in order to reach the masses.  I see this as a way to get people who are mildly interested, much more interested by creating a fun and mildly challenging exercise in the form of a scavenger hunt to incentivize them to get into it and learn about it before the rest of the world.

Think of this as a rough draft/MVP (minimum viable product).  Thoughts??  Am I on the right track here?  Tear into it.

[G1ng3rBr34dM4n]

Can't wait for bytemaster and Brian to "unleash the beast"

It might not be bytemaster and brian who "unleash the beast".  It may be all of us once the proper tools are in place...keep your eye out for those tools, because they are coming.

Step 1 - Just start bringing up BTSX in casual conversation to everyone you know.  We don't need to wait for anything to begin getting people interested.  Just tell the truth, and let people see and feel your excitement.

I may be wrong, but I don't believe it's going to be an unleashing of the beast as much as it's going to be a trickle that becomes a canyon over time.

I tried that with Bitcoin when it first clicked for me and people looked at me like I was nuts. They still do, in spite of it going up 10x in price. This is a much more difficult task than it seems.

Don't give up.  Now that people have "heard about that bitcoin thing on the news", they're actually starting to take it a little more seriously, at least enough to look into it. 

I've been talking bitcoin with my boss for the past 9 months and finally convinced him to download the BitShares client now that it's out and its a bit more "digestable".  Jab jab right hook style marketing.

[bitbro]

The best way is to describe BitShares music.

You can pitch it as a business that gives power back to the artists. "Picture iTunes meets the NYSE."

[merockstar]

Can't wait for bytemaster and Brian to "unleash the beast"

It might not be bytemaster and brian who "unleash the beast".  It may be all of us once the proper tools are in place...keep your eye out for those tools, because they are coming.

Step 1 - Just start bringing up BTSX in casual conversation to everyone you know.  We don't need to wait for anything to begin getting people interested.  Just tell the truth, and let people see and feel your excitement.

I may be wrong, but I don't believe it's going to be an unleashing of the beast as much as it's going to be a trickle that becomes a canyon over time.

I tried that with Bitcoin when it first clicked for me and people looked at me like I was nuts. They still do, in spite of it going up 10x in price. This is a much more difficult task than it seems.

[G1ng3rBr34dM4n]

Can't wait for bytemaster and Brian to "unleash the beast"

It might not be bytemaster and brian who "unleash the beast".  It may be all of us once the proper tools are in place...keep your eye out for those tools, because they are coming.

Step 1 - Just start bringing up BTSX in casual conversation to everyone you know.  We don't need to wait for anything to begin getting people interested.  Just tell the truth, and let people see and feel your excitement.

I may be wrong, but I don't believe it's going to be an unleashing of the beast as much as it's going to be a trickle that becomes a canyon over time.

[fuzzy]

Can't wait for bytemaster and Brian to "unleash the beast"

It might not be bytemaster and brian who "unleash the beast".  It may be all of us once the proper tools are in place...keep your eye out for those tools, because they are coming.

[bitbro]

Can't wait for bytemaster and Brian to "unleash the beast"

[Empirical1]

You should probably be marketing to two types day traders and finance/VC's with more capital.

For day traders, you would find out what the 4/5 most popular trading forums are. Make a post that outlines what X is and what it's advantages are and ask for feedback. We should get a good idea from that how likely they are to start trading once it becomes fairly functional. (You could also try to incentivise 'hero members' on their forum to try download and use it, if they like it they'll promote it and if not you will get some very valuable feedback)

The marketing director for DAC's unlimited should be presenting to more high profile people, so giving a presentation/phone call to secondmarket for example with a follow up. You could also contact people who were bidders for Bitcoin that were recently auctioned. You only need a handful of these people to get the potential.

THis is where I was headed the other night when trying to type on my phone.  There are tons of trading forums etc.  In fact when I get around to setting up a delegate this would be my one and only goal.

I might even suggest we support some fork that is basically play money.  Don't you see these things on forex markets etc?  They're likely rigged in the customer's favor by having 0 spread etc, but... I know they exist.

  Fantastic. We could also maybe do a promotion where we give people that have more than 100 posts a little BTSX to try the system.

I tried day trading myself a few years back, and I actually think the BTSX wallet is easier and more intuitive than some of the trading software I downloaded back then, with a few more weeks developments, I suspect the average day trader will be very comfortable setting it up and getting started with some clear instructions.

I also agree with Gingerbreadman, part of the challenge may actually be taking them through the process of acquiring BTC and then exchanging it for BTSX to fund the wallet in the first place... 

[gamey]

You should probably be marketing to two types day traders and finance/VC's with more capital.

For day traders, you would find out what the 4/5 most popular trading forums are. Make a post that outlines what X is and what it's advantages are and ask for feedback. We should get a good idea from that how likely they are to start trading once it becomes fairly functional. (You could also try to incentivise 'hero members' on their forum to try download and use it, if they like it they'll promote it and if not you will get some very valuable feedback)

The marketing director for DAC's unlimited should be presenting to more high profile people, so giving a presentation/phone call to secondmarket for example with a follow up. You could also contact people who were bidders for Bitcoin that were recently auctioned. You only need a handful of these people to get the potential.

THis is where I was headed the other night when trying to type on my phone.  There are tons of trading forums etc.  In fact when I get around to setting up a delegate this would be my one and only goal.

I might even suggest we support some fork that is basically play money.  Don't you see these things on forex markets etc?  They're likely rigged in the customer's favor by having 0 spread etc, but... I know they exist.

[bitbro]

This is a topic I've been thinking about a lot lately.  BTSX is the first crypto-equity that I am SOO close to introducing my parents and colleagues at work (approximately in their mid 50's); along with all my friends (20-somethings; I've already been spreading the good word  ).  The user experience and UI is nearing the point at which I don't think they would be completely lost in trying to send funds once they create a username.

Right now, I believe the biggest barrier to entry is the process by which one needs to accumulate BTSX:

• acquire bitcoin - to a 1st time user, this alone can be a daunting task if you're trying to figure it out without help (the whole having to set up a bank account with coinbase or similar has been a barrier to some people I've talked to)
• transfer to an exchange - can also intimidating
• purchase BTSX
• transfer to BitShares wallet

I think a MAJOR component of marketing would be an easy way to 'give' shares. 

i.e. analogous to paper wallets or casacious coins for bitcoin.  The experience I would like to replicate would be one in which I could gift shares to, anyone.  Unless I'm missing something, I think this is a feature that's missing from the current BTSX ecosystem.

So the question I would be trying to answer, in terms of marketing, is: How can I truly gift someone BitShares, without it being an "IOU after you download the client."

What do you guys think?

Genius idea while standing on shoulders of giants: we should build marketing programs into the next hard fork

Edit: e.g.  Gift wallets; fountain, sign up here, get Bts over x amounts of days. All linked to the blockchain, just sign up, or download wallet; giveaways for performing your first successful trade

[G1ng3rBr34dM4n]

This is a topic I've been thinking about a lot lately.  BTSX is the first crypto-equity that I am SOO close to introducing my parents and colleagues at work (approximately in their mid 50's); along with all my friends (20-somethings; I've already been spreading the good word  ).  The user experience and UI is nearing the point at which I don't think they would be completely lost in trying to send funds once they create a username.

Right now, I believe the biggest barrier to entry is the process by which one needs to accumulate BTSX:

• acquire bitcoin - to a 1st time user, this alone can be a daunting task if you're trying to figure it out without help (the whole having to set up a bank account with coinbase or similar has been a barrier to some people I've talked to)
• transfer to an exchange - can also intimidating
• purchase BTSX
• transfer to BitShares wallet

I think a MAJOR component of marketing would be an easy way to 'give' shares. 

i.e. analogous to paper wallets or casacious coins for bitcoin.  The experience I would like to replicate would be one in which I could gift shares to, anyone.  Unless I'm missing something, I think this is a feature that's missing from the current BTSX ecosystem.

So the question I would be trying to answer, in terms of marketing, is: How can I truly gift someone BitShares, without it being an "IOU after you download the client."

What do you guys think?

[CLains]

For day traders, you would find out what the 4/5 most popular trading forums are. Make a post that outlines what X is and what it's advantages are and ask for feedback.

This is both easy and interesting. 

[Empirical1]

You should probably be marketing to two types day traders and finance/VC's with more capital.

For day traders, you would find out what the 4/5 most popular trading forums are. Make a post that outlines what X is and what it's advantages are and ask for feedback. We should get a good idea from that how likely they are to start trading once it becomes fairly functional. (You could also try to incentivise 'hero members' on their forum to try download and use it, if they like it they'll promote it and if not you will get some very valuable feedback)

The marketing director for DAC's unlimited should be presenting to more high profile people, so giving a presentation/phone call to secondmarket for example with a follow up. You could also contact people who were bidders for Bitcoin that were recently auctioned. You only need a handful of these people to get the potential.

[Overthetop]

The first step, I think , could be having a basic and continuous teaching process for the BTT users.

Becuase they are the kernel community of the crypto industry.

If we got the support from them, the price of BTSX will soar ,and then the mass will keep their eyes on BTS system.

 

[gamey]

anyone should do what he can do. i am sure, that when anyone will talk and write about bitshares with his friends, colleague businesspartners etc. it will start. slowly but it will start. talking here is fine but everyone has to take action in his own hands.

Yes. Why not just day traders and those types. We need People interested in participating in the market pegging mechanism. Whoever this is true for we target. Whether users of bitassets or Market peggers. Can't we define a demographic by this?

edit - lol at the original message written on my phone.

[Shentist]

i just found this

http://coinbrief.net/coin-brief-coin-representatives/

i don't know how big this side is, but maybe someone who speaks and write better englisch then me will take this job.

[Shentist]

anyone should do what he can do. i am sure, that when anyone will talk and write about bitshares with his friends, colleague businesspartners etc. it will start. slowly but it will start. talking here is fine but everyone has to take action in his own hands.

[CLains]

Just look at how Facebook started. It began on a single campus and then spread to other campuses before becoming a huge hit with the population as a whole. A similar thing happened when Google was starting out--I witnessed this firsthand at my university: students there were among the first adopters of the Google beta search engine.

  for first-adopter user base

[amatoB]

When we finally get to the point of marketing outside of the crypto community we'll need to choose which demographics to target.

Should it be Students? Should it be bankers? Possibly. Maybe.

Or maybe it should be Marketers.  Market to the marketers.  The marketers will then market.  And our marketing will increase expand exponentially.

So - who should we target and how?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Students: Yes, definitely. When Bitshares X is ready, it should target university students aggressively. Targeting this demographic is one of the surest ways for Bitshares to seed future rapid growth. University students in general are among the most open-minded, socially responsible, and willing to try new technologies. They want to be hip, and they have large social networks that are likely to spread fads and new innovations rapidly. At the same time, college-age students are independent adults and are old enough to need banking/financial services. Perhaps Bitshares could start with on-campus trial programs, like university cash. Once they graduate in a couple of years, the college students of today will need even more financial intermediation services when they become wage earners. There are vast opportunities for loyalty/affinity programs as students graduate and enter the workforce. Plus, the university student demographic includes lots of people who are not involved with crypto yet, which creates good opportunities for future growth.

Just look at how Facebook started. It began on a single campus and then spread to other campuses before becoming a huge hit with the population as a whole. A similar thing happened when Google was starting out--I witnessed this firsthand at my university: students there were among the first adopters of the Google beta search engine. Shortly after I started seeing Google search pages popping up in the computer labs, it began to spread like wildfire. I'm willing to bet that similar things happened with Napster, etc.


Bankers/financial institutions: A much lower priority. They don't have a vested interest in Bitshares X because it goes against the very idea of traditional banking. What would be the value proposition for them? Why would they have an incentive to use it or promote it? (Having said that, I'd also point out that Ripple has targeted financial institutions for some time now; this is a quite different approach that could very well bear fruit for them in the medium term).

[CLains]

Getting quotes from famous people in the space like Charles Hoskinson, Vitalik Buterin, Sergio Lerner, Peter Todd, Andreas Antonopoulos, Adam B. Levine, and other high status, savvy developers/media/pundits.

More difficult, getting quotes and support from famous investors and entrepreneurs, Andreessen Horowitz, Patrick Byrne, Winklevoss, Elon Musk, Mark Cuban, etc. and from celebrities that are non-savvy, like Ashton Kutcher, Nas, Roseanne Barr, Snoop Dogg etc.

For a start, at least Hoskinson, Buterin, Lerner, Todd, Antonopoulos, Levine, should have something quotable to say about the BitShares X project. Having this on the .info site probably wouldn't hurt.

(see what people are saying!)

[CLains]

We should target high status people first. If the most intelligent, influential, rich person in your local community is talking about something, then the trend will follow.

Marketing to the "masses" is always an illusion, the masses blindly (and perhaps wisely) follow the advice of those who "made it," i.e. intellectuals, pundits, celebrities and wealthy people.

[cass]

IMO guess we should target --> Market Markters / financial institutions / Developers ! Something similar to this ..

[luckybit]

When we finally get to the point of marketing outside of the crypto community we'll need to choose which demographics to target.

Should it be Students? Should it be bankers? Possibly. Maybe.

Or maybe it should be Marketers.  Market to the marketers.  The marketers will then market.  And our marketing will increase expand exponentially.

So - who should we target and how?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Why don't you conduct a survey and collect data then analyze it to figure that out?

[merockstar]

The problem with the under banked element is that the people who do not have bank accounts are not exactly people wheeling and dealing in bitcoin

maybe i'm the exception but... *raises hand as such a person*

all it takes is a money order to coinmkt or campbx.

[gamey]

The problem with the under banked element is that the people who do not have bank accounts are not exactly people wheeling and dealing in bitcoin

[merockstar]

after market pegging comes out (if it works, i think it will) we should market to people who either can't get bank accounts because of bad credit or are fed up with banks for their bullshit.

[gamey]

I think that after AGS being done, there is little to market for except to general crypto-enthusiasts.  Once we get a functional market with market pegging then it seems obvious we need to target day trading types. 

[bitbro]

When we finally get to the point of marketing outside of the crypto community we'll need to choose which demographics to target.

Should it be Students? Should it be bankers? Possibly. Maybe.

Or maybe it should be Marketers.  Market to the marketers.  The marketers will then market.  And our marketing will increase expand exponentially.

So - who should we target and how?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk