I echo your same sentiments. For me the big change will only come when the demand for owning Steem outweighs the potential gains people see from cashing out steem to invest in other coins. I believe that will happen with the advent of SMTs. I doubt it will happen immediately after SMTs are available, or even in the few months after they become available, only once there is a demand for the SMTs that have shown actual potential, will we see the rise.
The great part about the SMTs is the fact that they will open up many more opportunities for the demand for Steem to grow. It's almost like diversifying your investment without having to own all the different coins at once.