If not, you should be!
Keep reading to see how I do it!
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Like many of you, I'm fairly new to Steemit.
I signed up last July but hadn't really given the platform, or the science behind it, much thought until this past March. At that time I began to work long days with @papa-pepper cutting grass across Missouri and Oklahoma. It was during this time that I began to really observe how @papa-pepper was always making the most of his spare time by creating content on Steemit while on the move. Without being pushy, he was quietly preaching the gospel of Steemit to me by sharing what he was working on, what other content creators were working on, who was responding to him, and what his current payouts were. Needless to say, I was impressed.
Since then, because of @papa-peppers encouragement and example, I've been blogging and researching, trying to wrap my mind around cryptocurrencies in general and Steemit in particular. The more I learned about all of it the more excited I became. The more excited I became, the more I've had to share what I was learning with anyone and everyone I knew.
I have become an ardent Steemit Evangelist.
However, I don't stand on street corners with a megaphone.......................... yet.
Perhaps one day.........
But what I do do is that I take the opportunities that present themselves to share what Steemit has done for me and for uber popular content creators like @papa-pepper, @stellabelle, @trafalgar, @teamsteem, @ausbitbank, @slowwalker, @canadian-coconut, and @gringalicious to name a few.
Most people that I begin talking to about Steemit seem to be quite skeptical of the whole platform at first. Sure, they've heard of Bitcoin, but readily admit that they really don't understand it. To them, it all sounds like a scam.
The first question my potential Steemit converts ask inevitably seems to be:
How can people make money online by just blogging and upvoting other peoples blogs? Where does the money come from?
Once I get done explaining how it all works, they seem to catch the excitement bug themselves, at least just a wee little bit. Once they start looking into it themselves, however, then they catch the full blown fever.
Just like I have.
Most likely, just like you have too!
Here's how I evangelize them:
Firstly: I explain what Cryptocurrencies are in a way that everyday peeps can understand.
They are essentially "Chuck-E-Cheese" tokens on an online store. For those not familiar with Chuck-E-Cheese, its an American based restaurant "where a kid can be a kid." Chuck-E-Cheese takes U.S. dollars (the currency of the country they operate business in) to buy their in-house tokens.
Children and adults use these tokens to play all the games within the Chuck-E-Cheese Restaurant. Upon finishing a game, if you've done well, you get rewarded with paper coupons with which you can exchange for candy and toys within the Restaurant.
Chuck-E-Cheese has created their own currency (mouse faced tokens) within their own economic system (the restaurant.) Chuck-E-Cheese tokens can't be spent outside of the Chuck-E-Cheese economy. If you take a Cheese Token to Walmart and try to buy a soda the cashier will laugh at your silly joke and ask for "real" currency. If you persist, the cashier may very well ask you to leave. If you still persist you might very well take a ride in the back of a paddy wagon.
Currencies are only able to be used in their designated economies.
Secondly: I explain a non technical version of the story of Bitcoin.
I begin by saying that Bitcoin was created to be used as an in-house currency between computer geeks and those within the computer programming community. Much like Chuck-E-Cheese tokens, the Bitcoin was only able to be traded between these "geeks" for mutually agreed upon services.
I imagine the first transaction went down like this:
Geek 1 (Harry): "Hey Bart, I need some code for my new giga-app. Can you write it for me in a jiffy?"
Geek 2 (Bart): "Sure thing, Harry, I will do it for 100 Bitcoin."
(Harry): "100 Bitcoin!?? Done Deal-eo! Thanks, bro!"
*(Bart): "NP"
(Harry): :)
(Bart): :P
Perhaps it was all in Japanese, but i'm pretty sure it went down SOMETHING like that.
Now, more and more of these computer geeks started collecting Bitcoins by running their computers to solve complex computer equations. Once they solved these computer equations they are rewarded a Bitcoin, much like the coupons that Chuck-E-Cheese gives to those who play their games.
Til one day there was a computer geek who happened to own his own pizza place. Another computer geek loved to eat this persons pizza but had no money to buy it. In a flash of brilliance, born out of hunger and desperation, the computer geek asked the Pizza Place owner if he would take 10,000 Bitcoin for his pizza. Much to his surprise, and relief, the Pizza Place geek said,
Why, yes, I will!
And so, Bitcoin made the leap from it's own private computer geek economy into the practical everyday real world economy.
Once this Genie was out of the bottle there was no putting it back in.
Soon, computer geeks all around the world were accepting Bitcoin for real world goods and services. Now, Bitcoin is almost universally accepted as money in many parts of the world. In fact, Japan just declared it to be so in their country. In fact, Bitcoin can be sold for U.S. Dollars or whatever currency a person wants. In fact, Bitcoin is made up out of thin air, and then is able to be converted into U.S. Dollars. In fact, It's created in almost the same way that U.S. Dollars are created.
I stop the conversation there, however. I don't want to take these new converts down that rabbit hole just yet. That's another conversation for another time...
Thirdly: When I evangelize I explain that many Cryptocurrencies have sprung up since Bitcoin.
All of them trying to gain the same level of acceptance. Many have failed, but a few are thriving.
One of those that are thriving is Steemit. I explain that Steemit is a cryptocurrency that uses it's own money called "Steem" that can be traded within it's own economy. It can also be traded for other Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
I zealously describe how Steemit is the first Social Media Platform that combines the social media aspects of Facebook with it's own Cryptocurrency.
I ask the potential convert if they've ever heard of Reddit? Many of them are familiar. So taking them further down the conversion road is easier from here on out. I explain that users create posts on the Steemit platform and other users upvote them based on the quality of their content. The upvote is how Steem is awarded to the creators of the content posted.
I then briefly explain that one of the coolest parts of the whole Upvote system is those who upvote a post earliest actually get a share of that posts earnings. This process is called "curation." Much like a curator of a museum watches over and manages the condition and display of it's artifacts, and is rewarded with pay for his or her due diligence, so to do curators on Steemit get a part of the reward by upvoting quality content.
Fourthly: I ask the minnow-to-be how much money have they ever made on Facebook, Youtube, MySpace, Reddit, etc...?
I begin reeling the freshly hooked minnow in when I ask them how much money their own postings online have made them? I encourage them to consider that if they are going to post something online they might as well get paid for it, right?
To that, most new converts whole-heartedly agree.
Lastly: I quote and promote @papa-pepper.
I end my evangelistic efforts by showing hooked minnows the rewards that quality content creators, like @papa-pepper have awarded over the last year by investing their time online through Steemit. I take them to any number of well rewarded posts that @papa-pepper has done and show them his closing taglines.
Don’t waste your time online, invest it with Steemit.com
Person after person is blown away at how an ordinary and non-computer savvy guy like @papa-pepper can achieve such wild success in just under a year of blogging.
I tell them, "Go and do likewise young Padawan. May the Steem be with you."
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This method seems to work every time.
Feel free to use it, adapt it, and improve upon it as you and your evangelistic circumstances dictate.
Together We Are Stronger
If you've been won over by @bluerthangreen 's Steemit Evangelistic efforts please sound off in the replies section.
Thanks for Reading!
As Always,
Oh yes from the moment I found Steemit . My biggest for if advertising is from my Steemit Licence plate .
You have a vanity plate that says Steemit? I haven't looked yet, but have you made a post about that? I would definitely upvote that. Niice.
Dad ,I can only wonder how many people have found steemit just by reading your tag or you mentioning it to people who ask you about it!
That is so cool. It puts all the other Steel bling to shame.
I like this.
I call myself a bitcoin, (and steemit ! lately ) evangelist. I do it every day. Check my older posts.
However this is not easy, to explain somebody what they are, in 10-20 minutes.
Why so short? That is how long the typical ride lasts.
Nice to meet you. Keep up the good work. I've always been curious what living in countries like Lithuania would be like. I look forward to reading your posts so I won't have to wonder anymore. Following!
That is a good method, and I see that it had been working!
This post just screams...
PIZZA
Ur (pun intended as a play on your username) making me hungry. Go to bed!
Hungry? U R the one who used the word pizza 5 times and cheese 10 times in a post!
Luckly people start to hear about bitcoin and crypto now i don't even have to make people listenig to me I just say what I do for a living and they start ask about it! 6 month ago it was no more that 10 minutes if you fail they wont make money now they keep asking question every day I have the chance to deeply explain crypto... How amazing!
Just started out here on Steemit. I am enjoying the community feel, vastness of topics and discussions, as well as the conversational exchanges with people on various topics. I have shared my posts on Gab.ai as well. Getting the word out!
Welcome to Steemit! The more it grows the more we all can benefit.
"Steemwork makes the dream work!"
Great post! I like your step by step walk through of how you discuss crypto-currencies and SteemIt.com. It was very easy to follow, and a pretty good read!
Thanks, I try to make things that are complex a little more simple so that everyone can wrap their minds around it.
Very good article!
Well put. I've been trying to figure out how to best explain it. This is good.
Thanks for the invite, so far so good.
I was pretty excited to see you comment on this post. Glad you're on board.
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" - Leonardo Da Vince
Keep up the good work!
Thanks!
Your explanations of Steemit are great.
Hopefully you make several converts!
Who doesn't like Chuck-E-Cheese? Thanks!
First day on steem, and I love it!
Welcome to Steemit. Isn't it exciting to blog and see immediate rewards? Steem On!
Yes! It's super awesome!
That's a good way of putting it. We have a chuck e cheeses around my area as well so I think I will start using that idea as well. I also was not active at first on here but saw that with the new hard fork the money is back up again on here so I am going to be more active. Either way I do realize it just takes time to build up a following and therefore a good income with it as well.
Yes, I imagine the HF19 will bring many a new person (and many an old) to the is platform.
“Never, never, never give up.”
― Winston Churchill
Fantastic explanations of cryptocurrencies with real world analogy of Chuck E Cheese! Great job there!! :)
I still don't know how Papa does it but I'm exceedingly impressed with him! :)
Thanks. Papa keeps it real, posts about his own life and tries to help others in the Steemit community. Good recipe for success IRL or online.
I introduce people to Steemit every chance I get but I don't always get a good response when I do. But it's okay, at least I tried right?
@imwatsi ~ I write poems
The key is developing relationships, whether here on Steemit or IRL. Keep on trying. The more people that know, the stronger this platform will get.
I just joined Steemit yesterday and Im already a huge fan
I can tell you without a doubt if this website has seen such growth since just last summer, this platform is going to be MAJOR in the coming years, especially once more people find out about it.
literally the only thing holding it back is that more people have jumped aboard....but, for the early adopters thats great because we get a bit of a head start in this field
Like most investements, early movers have the advantage. They also share the highest risk. No risk no reward, right? I agree, I believe this platform is going to be huge. The more that know about it the stronger it will become.
I like it. Still learning the ropes here and still struggling to explain it all to others - but I'm getting there. And this post helps a lot - thank you.
I'm starting with the rest of the family - hopefully will get them all interested soon.
Family is a great place to start sharing what you're excited about. Keep sharing and caring and they will be minnows in no time. Thanks.
Thank you - hopefully there will be a few more minnows from the pennsif family swimming in the rivers of steemit shortly.
Resteemit!
Thanks! I hope the post was helpful to you. Steem On!
Excellent post brother! I keep trying to explain steemit to people , but always get the same results. They say, sounds like a scam or where does the money come from? This post will be helpful in explaining to them. Thank you! Steem on!
Glad this analogy could help.
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Great article! You and @allforthegood definitely inspired me last week...it was great to see you all!! Still haven't done anything aside from a couple comments and upvotes. I'm stuck and just don't know what to say about myself for an intro haha. Plus I'll have a lot more time on my hands once the kids are back in school...anyway God bless!!