How would you convince a newbie to use BTC?

[jeromanomic]

I just read this:
http://www.finance-guy.net/finblog/what-is-bitcoin

It got me thinking that most people I talk to, don't understand enough about tech, or cryptography, to fully appreciate BTC.

How would you explain it to them on a simple level so that they might become believers. 

A simple hook might help generate larger scale adoption by the masses.

[Agestorzrxx]

I just read this:
http://www.finance-guy.net/finblog/what-is-bitcoin

It got me thinking that most people I talk to, don't understand enough about tech, or cryptography, to fully appreciate BTC.

How would you explain it to them on a simple level so that they might become believers. 

A simple hook might help generate larger scale adoption by the masses.

It's hard to explain it to newbies.
I never talk about bitcoin to my friends or people around me, as the price of bitcoin is really disappointed.

[megamore]

It's hard to explain it to newbies.
I never talk about bitcoin to my friends or people around me, as the price of bitcoin is really disappointed.

LOL, me too 
very difficult to introduce bitcoin in the area that I live

but if anyone ask me, I can explain a little bit what is bitcoin and how to use bitcoin   
if no one knows that I will keep silent

[lalaisen]

I just read this:
http://www.finance-guy.net/finblog/what-is-bitcoin

It got me thinking that most people I talk to, don't understand enough about tech, or cryptography, to fully appreciate BTC.

How would you explain it to them on a simple level so that they might become believers. 

A simple hook might help generate larger scale adoption by the masses.

You say no wrong and I am one of those people. I know about Bitcoin is quite long but technically I like a blind man.

I think maybe my english is not enough to understand all what people guide

[Amph]

i would say to those newbies that bitcoin is like a thing composed by multiple safe box all connected by a chain, inside those safe box there are bitcoin(25 x for each safe box), and to use them you need a key(private key)

the definition of spending bitcoin in this case it's simple transfering them from a safe box to another

[S4VV4S]

Well, you could point them at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgo7FCCPuylVk4luP3JAgVw/videos

Apart from that, I will advise you to NOT try and convince your friends to get in to Bitcoin.
Instead just educate them and let them make their own decision.
Try not to be pushy otherwise when they lose money (and as newbies they will definitely lose some) they will blame you.

[cambda]

Decentralized - working like torrent
Crypto - the principles of PGP

These two things are put together. Now almost every one uses/heard about torrent, but mostly do not understand how it exactly work. And PGP, well hard to find one who heard about PGP at least. So basicaly both concepts have to be explained to those interested...

[Lethn]

If the person is having lots of trouble converting to other currencies, or sending money to other people outside their country or using Paypal then that's usually a great place to start. With paypal I got so frustrated once that I actually went an bought some Bitcoins in the same amount I was going to give a domain host I use and used that instead just because it was far easier than having to write out tons of personal information all the time and make an account I'd never use.

[coinpr0n]

I would explain commissions. I would ask them how they would send 5 cents to one hundred people spread across the globe - I might even introduce the notion that wikileaks or some governments cannot receive paypal/mastercard but Bitcoin knows no borders. I would focus on these things. Newbies do not need to know how EC cryptography works on Day One.

[Kprawn]

I explain the way a bank work to them first.. {Some people think, a bank keep all the money that is deposited, in their huge vault} ...When they understand that banks use a ledger to keep track of all transactions.. I start talking about the Blockchain and they grasp the concept quicker.

The only difference being, the lack of physical paper money and coins... like having virtual money, controlled by a ledger.

When they do get this... I get the "Ah ha" moment, and then the obsession starts. 

[Minerjoe]

I use comparison to the internet in 1995 and another comparison to gold.

After all, what was gold before it became precious metal? Just some shiny yellow stone.

[ikydesu]

I just read this:
http://www.finance-guy.net/finblog/what-is-bitcoin

It got me thinking that most people I talk to, don't understand enough about tech, or cryptography, to fully appreciate BTC.

How would you explain it to them on a simple level so that they might become believers. 

A simple hook might help generate larger scale adoption by the masses.

Simple just explain bitcoin same as like token, but its decentralization, limited and have significant value. First to explain bitcoin to newbie is tell them bitcoin is worth, especially with the price i also explain about bitcoin to my friends and people around me, they interested but not much who learn depper about bitcoin, just few of them.


~iki

[Armis]

I just read this:
http://www.finance-guy.net/finblog/what-is-bitcoin

It got me thinking that most people I talk to, don't understand enough about tech, or cryptography, to fully appreciate BTC.

How would you explain it to them on a simple level so that they might become believers.  

A simple hook might help generate larger scale adoption by the masses.

How and why would you "convince" anyone to use, or invest in a foreign currency?

Well there are a couple reasons:
1)   as a commodity in 2015 BTC is growing in value (same could not have been said for 2014)
2)   as a currency it is a digital currency, modern lightweight, no footprint,
3)   as a currency it is a medium of exchange but also a way to move money very fast, relatively safe, at very low cost even over boarders.
3)   as a currency it is growing in adoption / utility  ...


A project called PICISI (in development) will be a crowdfunding site that will accept fiat as well as cryptocurrency.  I think PICISI will add a whole new perspective on how BTC and CC in general will be viewed.  

PICISI will allow people to see CC in actual action as a currency, just like they see fiat in action at all other crowdfunding sites.  They won't have to be concerned with the exchange value, and won't have to be bothered with downloading a wallet, most of that just confuses people.  

Let's look at an ordinary person seeking to CF a project that was never involved with CC, how does PICISI convince them to want it, get it, and to use it?   Well first of all  we know their primary motivation for visiting the site -- to get money, so we give them money via our sponsors.   The will have many opportunities to receive money for their campaign simply by asking for it.  What do you think will happen when they see those funds coming in?  The will want to know it's comparable value to the fiat of their nation, they will want to know how they could convert it or how to use it.  When they see that they could use it to help them develop and/or market their campaign they will have a well rounded appreciation of the currency.

When someone is gently immersed into a positive environment it will likely cause them to want to know more about that environment.  

Current List of PICISI Sponsors:

[redsn0w]

I have convinced one my friend to start use (also) bitcoin due the lowest fee and the rapidity/irreversibility of the transaction. She is using it to sell their technical stuff online (on their platform) and she is happy to have discovered it. At the moment I am discussing with my other friends and maybe they will start to use bitcoin (or at least I hope to convince them).

The important things are :

- Lowest fee,
- Irreversibility and rapidity,
- Don't need any document to "open" or better create an public address.

[WhatTheGox]

I just read this:
http://www.finance-guy.net/finblog/what-is-bitcoin

It got me thinking that most people I talk to, don't understand enough about tech, or cryptography, to fully appreciate BTC.

How would you explain it to them on a simple level so that they might become believers. 

A simple hook might help generate larger scale adoption by the masses.

The number 1 best way to get people into bitcoin is show them.  Get them to download a mobile wallet and send them $5 bitcoin or something, this will get 90% of people interested.  They have a reason to now be interested.

[NUFCrichard]

I just read this:
http://www.finance-guy.net/finblog/what-is-bitcoin

It got me thinking that most people I talk to, don't understand enough about tech, or cryptography, to fully appreciate BTC.

How would you explain it to them on a simple level so that they might become believers. 

A simple hook might help generate larger scale adoption by the masses.

The number 1 best way to get people into bitcoin is show them.  Get them to download a mobile wallet and send them $5 bitcoin or something, this will get 90% of people interested.  They have a reason to now be interested.

Except that they probably can't do anything with that $5 you just sent them because almost nowhere offline no where accepts bitcoin!
I don't try to convince people about bitcoin, if they want to use it, I will help them, but I don't want to be responsible for them losing money if they make a mistake or the price crashes.

I don't give stock tips either!

[bryant.coleman]

Give a small amount of BTC as free (may be BTC0.001 or BTC0.002). In 2013, I convinced my cousin to use BTC, after giving him BTC0.01 and then explaining the benefits.... but that was when BCT was trading at $10.....  

[amiryaqot]

i think in these days it is not hard to introduce Bitcoin to newbies because now bitcoin has more merchants and global acceptance and much informative materiel available like videos blog and etc, i think now easy to introduce to others. 

[EternalWingsofGod]

I just read this:
http://www.finance-guy.net/finblog/what-is-bitcoin

It got me thinking that most people I talk to, don't understand enough about tech, or cryptography, to fully appreciate BTC.

How would you explain it to them on a simple level so that they might become believers. 

A simple hook might help generate larger scale adoption by the masses.

Honestly, this is literally one of the hardest questions there is
It requires people to understand the concept of the blockchain which is best explained in Satoshis Whitepaper

Once people get that it all makes sense but it requires reading lol...

The other approach in words is to say, its a new way of storing and transferring data securly and transfering value at low cost.

[dhimasnk]

Convincing them that bitcoin is an online payment system that is most convenient, fast and cheap. And also, bitcoin can be used to make money.
Especially if it is supported by video and blog post for sure they will be more understanding about bitcoin.