How would you convince a newbie to use BTC?

[Chomsky]

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.

I don't think most people understand enough about electronics or circuitry but they can use their computer and phones just fine. Bitcoin is a hard sell to newbies because at the moment I don't think it is much use to them especially as bitcoin's biggest positives seem to be political or capitalistic (if you're in it to try make some money which could be a 'hook' but as we have seen recently it's not a sure thing and people seem to have lost money rather than made it but the potential is still there). Most people sadly don't seem to care that much about economics nor do they understand it enough to see the benefits of bitcoin and get involved with it but maybe they will over time.

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[Snail2]

I did it only a few times. Mostly after some of my friends had issues with slow and clumsy legacy money transfer methods (with high fees). Bitcoin is a lot less hassle.

[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.

I don't think most people understand enough about electronics or circuitry but they can use their computer and phones just fine. Bitcoin is a hard sell to newbies because at the moment I don't think it is much use to them especially as bitcoin's biggest positives seem to be political or capitalistic (if you're in it to try make some money which could be a 'hook' but as we have seen recently it's not a sure thing and people seem to have lost money rather than made it but the potential is still there). Most people sadly don't seem to care that much about economics nor do they understand it enough to see the benefits of bitcoin and get involved with it but maybe they will over time.

That's the problem, too many focus on the cool technical aspects of the technology rather than on the actual utility of the technology.  And as you can see by the responses to this thread most people are consumed with BTC as a commodity rather than as a currency.  

If you introduce something new to someone they are very likely to associate that thing with the initial introduction.  So if you introduce BTC as a 'great investment' they will keep looking at it as a commodity.  It should be introduced as a currency NOT as a commodity because it is as a currency that it will have long life and higher value.

The best way to learn about any currency is through use -- buy things with it, not buying and selling it.



 

[zetaray]

The best way to introduce bitcoin to a newbie is to setup a wallet on their phone and send them some btc over a meal. You cannot convince anyone to use bitcoin without them having some bitcoin to play around with.

[madmax6688]

The best way to introduce bitcoin to a newbie is to setup a wallet on their phone and send them some btc over a meal. You cannot convince anyone to use bitcoin without them having some bitcoin to play around with.

This. Set a wallet up for them on blockchain.info and send them $20 in BTC, not 10 cents.

[countryfree]

I use political arguments. BTC is a currency outside the control of any government. To most of the people I'm hanging out with, they appreciate.

[Amph]

The best way to introduce bitcoin to a newbie is to setup a wallet on their phone and send them some btc over a meal. You cannot convince anyone to use bitcoin without them having some bitcoin to play around with.

i don't know, this will tech away the notion about how bitcoin work and what it really is, in this way you are just giving away money, they ask for more in the end without care too much about how bitcoin really work, you will distract them more i think...

[Q7]

The best thing to do is have them try out themselves how things work. Lead them to faucet and tell them basically the bitcoins that they earned is equivalent to real money. Once they got hooked they will by themselves search more information and voluntarily learn about bitcoin. I find that it's much better than telling about decentralization, deflationary which doesn't impress them at all.

[Netnox]

Show it in practice, works much much better. Easiest way of doing it is to do it with something they are already familiar with, get them the app GetGems messenger which is WhatsApp/Telegram like. Now tell them that now they can also send money like sending a text message as simple as typing 1 btc and pressing send, you can also make payments with it by scanning the QR code.

I did this to someone completely non tech and she liked it, since she was familiar with it like downloading app, instant messaging, whatsapp etc. I showed her in the app how 1 BTC is currently $244 and the thing she said after was of course 'how can i convert BTC to Dollar'. Then you can explain things such as exchanges and where they can buy it etc. Once she understands this whole Bitcoin/money thing. You can explain the more technical aspect, you need to dumb it down first and show it in practice first going into details.

So now i have her contact details through texting and introduced bitcoin to her. It's like a new way to get in touch with girls without having their phone number muaha.

[zetaray]

The best way to introduce bitcoin to a newbie is to setup a wallet on their phone and send them some btc over a meal. You cannot convince anyone to use bitcoin without them having some bitcoin to play around with.

i don't know, this will tech away the notion about how bitcoin work and what it reeally is, in this way you are just giving away money, they ask for more in the end without care too much about how bitcoin really work, you will distract them more i think...

I get you. I want to introduce them to the blockchain and mining too. Those are too heavy for newbies. Similar to internet was first used, you introduce newbies to email and webpages, not explain how IP address works.

[futureofbitcoin]

There is currently no reason to USE bitcoin. The reason you might want to hold bitcoins is so that you get it while it's cheap, or you want to support the economy and get it going faster.

It's probably better to just admit that bitcoin as it is currently just isn't a great tool yet, just as the first computers were not all that useful. But it has the potential to become a globally accepted currency/store of value, and could bring innovations that we haven't imagined yet. That's the selling point right now.

Don't try too hard saying there are 100k merchants accepting bitcoin or whatever. I don't think that'll convince anyone.

[1Referee]

It depends on what that person needs. If he wants to get paid for small jobs like coding and such then Bitcoin is a great option.

Getting rid of paypal and their charge backs is mostly enough to convince people. Sending money instantly with a near to zero fee is also music in their ears.

[abyrnes81]

It depends on what that person needs. If he wants to get paid for small jobs like coding and such then Bitcoin is a great option.

Getting rid of paypal and their charge backs is mostly enough to convince people. Sending money instantly with a near to zero fee is also music in their ears.

He is asking, how would you convince a "newbie" to use bitcoin?  No why bitcoin is better then Paypal (as method of payment ).

[acquafredda]

I've already converted so many people to BTC use.
I just explain how it works, what it is about, why is safe etc., I let them asking me questions and then if they're OK they start discovering the BTC world.

Easy and clean

[1Referee]

It depends on what that person needs. If he wants to get paid for small jobs like coding and such then Bitcoin is a great option.

Getting rid of paypal and their charge backs is mostly enough to convince people. Sending money instantly with a near to zero fee is also music in their ears.

He is asking, how would you convince a "newbie" to use bitcoin?  No why bitcoin is better then Paypal (as method of payment ).

OP asks "How would you convince a newbie to use BTC?"

Can't you read? I stated it depends on what that person needs. If I know what he needs and wants I would tell (convice) him to use Bitcoin and tell him why it is better.

Your turn.

[--Encrypted--]

It depends on what that person needs. If he wants to get paid for small jobs like coding and such then Bitcoin is a great option.

Getting rid of paypal and their charge backs is mostly enough to convince people. Sending money instantly with a near to zero fee is also music in their ears.

He is asking, how would you convince a "newbie" to use bitcoin?  No why bitcoin is better then Paypal (as method of payment ).

read again
he said it depends.

if this newbie is having a hard time liking bitcoin because he is only interested in buying things, bringing up paypal's (or whatever it is that they use) cons and bitcoin's pros is a good way too convince them.

if the guy only interested in making money, then we can introduce them to trading and other money making method that uses bitcoin.

I see some dumb posts here. even if they're a newbie to bitcoin doesn't mean they're an idiot.

[memai]

I think because Bitcoin really is something too vague , unrealistic . Even people who have knowledge of information technology are hard to understand let alone those who do not know anything about computers

[tokeweed]

How would you convince a newbie to use BTC?

Don't.

[--Encrypted--]

I think because Bitcoin really is something too vague , unrealistic . Even people who have knowledge of information technology are hard to understand let alone those who do not know anything about computers

not only vague, bitcoin is complex too.
but it certainly is not unrealistic.. of course people might think it is unrealistic the first time they hear about it, but it will change after they do a little reading about bitcoin
and one does not have to learn how crypto technology works to use bitcoin.

[redsn0w]

I think because Bitcoin really is something too vague , unrealistic . Even people who have knowledge of information technology are hard to understand let alone those who do not know anything about computers

Sure, but it is obvious that in the beginning it will be hard to understand how bitcoin works. As you,me and all the other users who have "heard" about bitcoin in the first days, no one know what bitcoin is really but each day we have learned the "background" (with a little IT knowledge) and now we can explain to the "newbie" how to buy/spend bitcoin easily (trust me, if you talk to a person "you can send thousand & thousand of dollars with only 0.03 $ of fee" they will start to use it for send money to their relatives/parents in other countries , instead to use WU, moneygram or other money transmitter).