A tale of mass adoptionIf there would be a worthy goal for NEM, it would certainly be mass adoption. In fact if mass adoption of NEM would happen, at least part of all the problems regarding current unsustainable economic systems would be solved in the process. It would seem the best way to start working on NEM would be with this final goal in mind. Picture a utopian future where NEM mass adoption has already happened. Now look closely at that future, what do you see? All you have to do now is reason backwards from there or reverse-engineer the process to understand what would have had to happen in order for NEM to reach that point.
Although there are a lot of things that are very blurry about that version of the future, at least some things are crystal clear:
- We have radically redefined the perception about crypto-currency by shifting from this complex geeky thing to making it the simplest, safest and fastest way to use money.
- We have gradually removed all impediments(physical or psychological) toward mass adoption – including thinking about it.
- Nobody cares how it’s even called anymore because it just works and everybody uses it.
- We have stopped showing average people technical specs and features and created a simple story to capture their imagination and outline the great benefits they have when using our system, because we figured that’s the only thing they care about.
- We have created an abundant ecosystem and seamlessly integrated NEM to naturally be used for everything we do in the world.
- We made money simple and sexy, all while solving some of the most critical economic problems in the process.
I understand that for mass adoption to happen, multiple paradigm shifts and pandemic like adoption rates are necessary at some point, however I think the idea is still worth a thought experiment.
Maybe there is a way we can somehow orchestrate these things to reach that outcome, maybe NEM is one of the next black swans.
Here are some steps we could start with now in order to take that version of the future closer to reality:1. Outline a basic plan/roudmap toward mass adoption(or whatever our target is) and establish some basic guidelines in the form of checkpoints toward which the community could aim.
2. Focus on establishing our brand:Action:
- answer these questions: who are we?(currency, store of value, payment system, a movement to enable all of that and a lot more?) what are 3 terms that best describe the benefits we bring to the end user(E.g. simplicity, financial freedom, security?), what is our target?
3. Create a concentrated, sustained and targeted marketing campaign to share our message in the most effective manner:Action:
- Define core principles and values for our NEM movement.
- Spread our brand(key words, logo, smart and attractive campaign) everywhere.
- Create a "secret" feature launch calendar and strategically coordinate launch dates and announcements of important features.
- Create the investors handout and update it along the way with our history, most important benefits we bring and long term plan(all covered in good marketing).
- Create one or more smart and appealing NEM videos. We can definitely start with something like this in mind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um63OQz3bjo but why not try to make it more like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5X5cV-4LRo.
- Create a cool weekly blog and newsletter for all NEM stakeholders containing updates, market analysis, pre-announcements of features etc.
- Set a target to strategically market ourselves in the most important newspapers, publications, well known blogs and conferences four our field.
- Coordinate social media accounts strategically and effectively in accordance to our branding.
- Strategically target and offer 5 - 10 free stakes to convert celebrities/entrepreneurs/ influential people to NEM.(Economists, smart technology guys, entrepreneurs, etc)
- Try to create a viral marketing campaign - offering a great incentive to all stakeholders/businesses to bring new people in.
- Create a NEM evangelist manual outlining how businesses should be pitched and have a F.A.Q. added to the manual.
- Contact several payment processors right after the alpha launch and establish a relationship with them. (Bitpay, Coinbase, Coinkite, etc) in order to be able to offer merchants and businesses the ability to accept NEM as soon as possible and even allow them to pay salary in NEM.
- Establish the demographics of our ideal user and try to develop a very appealing marketing strategy for him.
- Create a campaign in which every NEMster is attempting to bring 3(or more) of his smartest friends into NEM.
- Create some NEM games.
- Create a corporate design theme.(I like what NXT is doing)
- Establish what we can and want to do for businesses and try to develop a very appealing marketing strategy to help businesses accept NEM, list on our asset exchange, etc(show them step by step how to do it and how they would benefit from doing that).
- Establish a target of reaching at least 30000 users until the end of 2014 and plan how we can do that.
- Establish a target to get at least 30 companies to list on our asset exchange until the end of 2014 and plan how we can achieve that.
- Establish a target to find at least 10 companies that will pay salaries in NEM until the end of 2014.
- Establish a target to fund at least 20 big NEM project to enrich the NEM ecosystem until the end of 2014.
- I have some more ideas which will be kept secret till the right moment comes.
I also believe it is extremely important try to measure the effect of strategies we undertake in order to know if we want to pivot or persevere.
This plan is meant to be some food for thought and a springboard for the community to start participating. When looking at the suggestions above, do it with this question in mind: how could we improve things even more, how can we make things even more effective?
When you think about the great potential NEM has please understand this, we're only at the very beginning and trust me, you've seen nothing yet. Thank you for posting this. Well thought out. Having goals is the way to turn an idea into reality.
The core of NEM for me so far is transparency, communication and inclusiveness. The way I personally think it will spread most effectively is by word-of-mouth person-to-person.