How would you convince a newbie to use BTC?

[johnyj]

I simply tell my friends, now I only send money to my relatives abroad through bitcoin exchanges, it can be done in a couple of hours, which is much faster and cheaper than international bank transfer

And another answer with much steeper learning curve:
Henry Ford: "It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning."

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[AtheistAKASaneBrain]

This should do:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O305BmU1VgQ

This can impress clueless people. Given they aren't braindead, they should see the revolution of sending value this quick surpassing all limitations as never seen before, which shows how much of a FUD/clueless idiot one is to not be buying like crazy as we speak.

[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

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.

Yes, I absolutely agree with you . Even my family , no one believe me though I tried to explain to them whenever possible. Sometime, I also don't understand what i said . LOL

[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

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).

Yes, as i said above to Katsou and now to you. Sometime, I also don't understand what I said to my family. Hihihihi !;D

[erikalui]

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 want to introduce bitcoins to my friends as they will first question me if using it is legal or not and it's not legal to use bitcoins nor do online websites or local stores in my country accept it. It's like making them risk their money in stock market/forex.

[bornil267645]

I would just simply ask :

  "want to store your money in codes and keep it under the pillow instead of having to worry about safe deposit box, then use bitcoin...simple..."

[oblivi]

You cant really convince people telling them, you can showing them. Show them how you can easily convert BTC into fiat quickly without anything else but a smartphone with bit2me. This is effective.

[MF Doom]

tell them to look at the 5 year price charts...then let them decide!

[--Encrypted--]

tell them to look at the 5 year price charts...then let them decide!

I think most people will think that bitcoin is dying if we do that without a proper explanation 

[c789]

I believe most publicity is good publicity.

I wear a bitcoin t-shirt about once a week and have had a few people ask me about it. They usually begin with, "I've seen that on the news. What is it?"

Just yesterday I put this on my car. This weekend I'll get a more professional-looking sticker but for now, I'm hoping for a few questions...and tips

[nambich]

I think everyone will understand widely if their goverment accept Bitcoin

[goosoodude]

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.

Tell me about it. I am so passinate about this but all around me fail to grasp th eimportance and still look at me as if I am some idiot. It has me half wishing for an economic collapse or funds seizure from banks so that I can say to them that they shouldve listened to me earlier.

[c789]

I recently watched The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin. It's worth the watch if you're into BTC, which I'm assuming you are if you're reading this. One of the things I heard a few times in the movie was people's frustration with trying to explain Bitcoin. Several people likened it to trying to explain what the Internet was during the early-mid 1990's. It took time for people to understand what the Internet was and the possibilities it offered. So, during the movie, a point was made that's essentially this (I'm paraphrasing):

Bitcoin is to money what the internet was/is to communication.

You see that sticker I hastily slapped on my car? Between the time I posted that pic and this post, I had a guy (early 20's) at a gas station ask me what Bitcoin was. We were pumping gas so there wasn't much time, so I just told him it was basically money for the internet, that no government controls it, it's free to get and basically free to use, and can be sent globally. He said he'd never heard of it but he seemed receptive to it. I suggested that he do what I did: put a sticker on the back of his car and maybe someone will send him Bitcoin (money). He asked if it would cost anything, and when I told him no, he said, "yeah, free money, why not?"

[Rude Boy]

well, yeah!
I was explained to my friends about cryptcurrency (not only BTC, but also i've introduced some other coins) with price comparison.
By this price comparison, unfortunately BTC has more valuable than other coin. So they're wondered and now they're using..

[BitUsher]

How you convince someone to be interested and use bitcoin is dependent upon the target audience, but the three easiest ways to do it are:

1) Go to a store or restaurant that excepts Bitcoin and buy something with bitcoin in front of them (repeat if needed)

2) Send them a off the chain tip or gift with coinbase or changetip that gives them bitcoin without them having and account yet and lets you know if they setup an account to claim the free gift(by returning unclaimed)

3) Buy something on amazon for 15-25% off with purse.io or brawker in front of them and brag how bitcoin saves you so much money.

[Armis]

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.

SEE and this is why you should not introduce the currency as a commodity to invest in.

INSTEAD you introduce the currency as a currency to use to buy things.

When did anyone ever introduce a fiat to you talking about its exchange value with other currencies.  Most people come into contact with 'foreign' currencies when they visit other countries, and at that time you really, for practical purposes, don't care what the exchange rate is you just want the local currency so that you can buy things.

 

How you convince someone to be interested and use bitcoin is dependent upon the target audience, but the three easiest ways to do it are:

1) Go to a store or restaurant that excepts Bitcoin and buy something with bitcoin in front of them (repeat if needed)

2) Send them a off the chain tip or gift with coinbase or changetip that gives them bitcoin without them having and account yet and lets you know if they setup an account to claim the free gift(by returning unclaimed)

3) Buy something on amazon for 15-25% off with purse.io or brawker in front of them and brag how bitcoin saves you so much money.

BINGO ... give them money and have them BUY SOMETHING!

[BTC-Bank]

In my country is very easy!I just say how safe do you believe your money are in your Bank??

P.S. I live in Greece!


Just kidding i believe that the most attractive today for someone wich is not idealist is to show him the charts from the beginning (for investing and profit purposes) and explain how much you can earn from time, fees, anonymity and how useful it can be the network and use of Bitcoin.That is my personal opinion, also if you want to trick him you can say: The best part is that you can start mining your own! profit from a machine working for you in your home!Woohoo no one newbie(without any knowledge) will ask for the power cost or difficulty!  

I really never make it well explaining Bitcoin to my friends...or they are so closed minds.
Some reactions are: Total unsecured, Buble, oh another fraud, The only value is money that you can have in your pocket, What is that like the free coins in games?

Kind Regards,
BTC-Bank.

[johnyj]

Most of the doubt from newbies come from 3 categories:

1. They are not sure if it is a scam

2. They are not sure if they can handle the required IT skills

3. They don't understand why bitcoin is superior than fiat money

No need to educate them, they just need a proper channel to find out the answer by themselves

Time is also important, I have several friends constantly express their doubt for bitcoin during last several years but now they start to accept it as a normal existance

[MF Doom]

Most of the doubt from newbies come from 3 categories:

1. They are not sure if it is a scam

2. They are not sure if they can handle the required IT skills

3. They don't understand why bitcoin is superior than fiat money

No need to educate them, they just need a proper channel to find out the answer by themselves

Time is also important, I have several friends constantly express their doubt for bitcoin during last several years but now they start to accept it as a normal existance

Only think is a lot of people couldnt handle number 2, leading them to an instance of number 1.  Either getting scammed while buying, selling, sending coins to wrong address, losing private keys, etc.  I've seen even experienced members of this forum do those things, making it a tough sell for new users

[AtheistAKASaneBrain]

You cant really convince people telling them, you can showing them. Show them how you can easily convert BTC into fiat quickly without anything else but a smartphone with bit2me. This is effective.

Oh yeah that shit is pretty awesome. I was so turn off by the idea of needing to give your ID, a tax paper and god knows what else in exchanges, even your god damn fingertips in actual BTC ATM's to get some damn money. With stuff like that now we can use the existing infrastructure to get things done quick, instantly without even waiting for confirmations. The future is now gentlemen, and we are 10 years ahead of the pleb.