Nxt marketing & promotion :: Nxt forum now moved to nxtforums.org

[VanBreuk]

Absolutely nothing wrong for me with gambling/legal marijuana, but the silkroad-ish niche might have at least one strong contender soon (Darkcoin) and even if Bitcoin was largely raised in Silk Road, the rules have changed and illegal markets are not anymore the biggest incentive for people to use crypto platforms. Having Nxt and focusing on a SR3 sounds a little like having Linux and focusing on Tor.

And to answer shortly Damelon's questions from the POV of someone outside of the IT world who has been trying to learn since december:



What is, in a few sentences, the "vision" behind Nxt?
Bitcoin has brought groundbreaking features and a whole new paradigm. The vision behind Nxt leads to improve and update this paradigm, to effectively implement the real potential within the concept of Bitcoin. This implies both an upgrade of the network, and a step further in the construction of consensus: making trust unnecessary thanks to transparency.  

What is the purpose/goals of Nxt?
Building a decentralized economy for the people.

Where are we now?
We are finally leaving behind tons of FUD. We have proved - 1) Nxt is a solid crypto project, 2) There is a powerful community behind it, 3) Nxt delivers. We're starting to get some serious attention. In development, Nxt is moving well above the usual league, and ideas are becoming facts. The early release of the source code has been a very good move.

In the other hand, we are in a critical situation to release good, usable features. The efforts and attention placed in promoting forging, in trying to make it look profitable and a valid translation from mining, have been an important strategic mistake imho. I'm sure we've lost a good deal of people simply because they are (of course) disappointed with forging. Forging it's a network feature, but not an asset to tease people with. And this asks for a deep mindset change, starting in the community itself.

What are the key issues with Nxt at this point?
#1 for me would be getting ASAP to a public beta for asset exchange, using the best client layout we have. That would be wesley's right now. If we don't jump in the arena right away with this soon, it might become too late.

What are our key target groups? Define at most three.
1) is as wide as all the people trapped in financial/banking straightjackets. And Nxt can offer much more than an unregulated store of (volatile) value. Another natural group right now is 2) the crypto community itself.

(In this sense) What strategies and tactics we aren't using and could be used?
I'd think about two well differentiated fronts for Nxt promotion according to these two groups. 1) aimed at people outside of the crypto community. Introduce Nxt without using "Bitcoin" in the first block of text. Avoid technical jargon. Offer in new clients a Simple/Advanced interface. Describe the potential behind the Nxt network in a way that could be interesting and understandable for the average business owner and for my mother. Put Nxt as a potential safe haven in upcoming financial meltdowns. And for 2), engage a new round of serious PR work with other crypto communities. With the exception of the actual competition, re-present Nxt as a tool and an ally. Nxt should eventually become a plug-in for whoever wants to trade freely cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. Make a poll in BTT asking users to suggest which coins would they want to see first in an NXT Asset Exchange Gateway. Get them again interested and involved according to what Nxt has really on the table now. Leave forging aside.

[mikesbmw]

Haha, I am nót taking over nxtcrypto.org!  
nxtcrypto is QBTC's/the communities' site. I am not the community, nor its spokesperson/marketeer.

I ám working with a group of young designers to try and get a coordinated "brand" going.

Everyone will have a repository they can freely take stuff from if they need it, so they can quickly make promo-material or set up a site that immediately says "Nxt".

Everyone is equally free to disregard it. If the material we provide is good enough, people will use it (which I hope, because I wánt Nxt to be immediately recognised). If not, it will fail.

Also, as you can see from my list, "brand" is more than just visuals. Visuals are supporting the brand, not the other way around.
I hope that clears it up. Communication is hard

At the moment, however, I'm just polling for our visions, goals, targets etc. It may be we have widely different views. This is also OK. I am at the moment pushing the guys forwards, while at the same time reserving the right to tell them we need to change gears and throw out the things they are making at the moment.

Hmmm, okay, that's a pity then about the nextcrypto.org site...

We differ on the "that's also okay" part 
Of course it's all open source, everyone can design whatever they want and do whatever they wish.
BUT: for the "official" (paid for by the community) branding we need uniformity and stick to it.

Is nxt.org ours? If so, that would really need to be a top notch designed website (through and through). All other official advertising should be based on the the same style and color schemes.

I also think that we should be tougher as to who receives what bounty and if they receive any bounty, we should also be allowed to change stuff and influence the look and feel. We are, after all, paying for it!

[Damelon]

Hmmm, okay, that's a pity then about the nextcrypto.org site...

We differ on the "that's also okay" part 
Of course it's all open source, everyone can design whatever they want and do whatever they wish.
BUT: for the "official" (paid for by the community) branding we need uniformity and stick to it.

Is nxt.org ours? If so, that would really need to be a top notch designed website (through and through). All other official advertising should be based on the the same style and color schemes.

I also think that we should be tougher as to who receives what bounty and if they receive any bounty, we should also be allowed to change stuff and influence the look and feel. We are, after all, paying for it!

I am a firm believer that if my guys and I do a good job, it will be adopted. We are doing at least two styles to appeal to different groups and circumstances.

nxt.org is privately owned, so no, not ours.

My strategy with the branding guys is a relatively small bounty (30,000) for the work, but they then hodl Nxt, which will give them a reason to keep developing.
If not, we have all material and can work from that.

Mind you, it needs to be a total package, or there will be no payment at all.

[mikesbmw]

Hmmm, okay, that's a pity then about the nextcrypto.org site...

We differ on the "that's also okay" part 
Of course it's all open source, everyone can design whatever they want and do whatever they wish.
BUT: for the "official" (paid for by the community) branding we need uniformity and stick to it.

Is nxt.org ours? If so, that would really need to be a top notch designed website (through and through). All other official advertising should be based on the the same style and color schemes.

I also think that we should be tougher as to who receives what bounty and if they receive any bounty, we should also be allowed to change stuff and influence the look and feel. We are, after all, paying for it!

I am a firm believer that if my guys and I do a good job, it will be adopted. We are doing at least two styles to appeal to different groups and circumstances.

nxt.org is privately owned, so no, not ours.

My strategy with the branding guys is a relatively small bounty (30,000) for the work, but they then hodl Nxt, which will give them a reason to keep developing.
If not, we have all material and can work from that.

Mind you, it needs to be a total package, or there will be no payment at all.

I already like what I am seeing (regarding the design you posted)!

Thought so about nxt.org. Still sucks. They wanted to much money eh? 
Think it came by in the main thread.

I wasn't referring to you about being more strict with bounties. 
That's more of a general remark. If we pay for it, we get a say in it, otherwise: good luck! 

So about Amsterdam: what do we need and what do we already have?

[EvilDave]

Quick answer: we need a big pile of NXT.

I'm working up a budget, but we are looking at a fairly big numbers.
Check this out, while I put my list together....

http://bitcoin2014.com/

This is a headline event for crypto in Europe, we need to bring our best game.

[Damelon]

I already like what I am seeing (regarding the design you posted)!

Thought so about nxt.org. Still sucks. They wanted to much money eh?  
Think it came by in the main thread.

I wasn't referring to you about being more strict with bounties.  
That's more of a general remark. If we pay for it, we get a say in it, otherwise: good luck!  

So about Amsterdam: what do we need and what do we already have?

nxt.org is being privately developed. It may well become beneficial to the community, but it is not community property.
Dave will explain things for Amsterdam

[NxtMinnow]

Will every Nxter PLEASE go read this article and comment on the Richard Gendal Brown blog that is direct linked from https://twitter.com/bitcoinnews

http://gendal.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/bitcoin-exchanges-are-more-centralised-than-traditional-exchanges-we-can-do-so-much-better-than-this/

Go comment on this NOW if you are able to reply to the topic of the article;

"Bitcoin exchanges are more centralised than traditional exchanges. We can do so much better than this."

GO! GO! GO! Comment and explain how the implemented Nxt cryptocurrency ecosystem with Asset Exchange presents the solution to traditional centralized exchanges.

[mikesbmw]

Quick answer: we need a big pile of NXT.

I'm working up a budget, but we are looking at a fairly big numbers.
Check this out, while I put my list together....

http://bitcoin2014.com/

This is a headline event for crypto in Europe, we need to bring our best game.

Hmmm, I have no pile... Stack would be a better word or even smaller than that. 
Do we have a stand? Is anything planned already?

I could chip in with *cough* fiat money *cough* to provide for stuff.

For now it's bedtime (have to wake up at 06:15, grmbl). But I will read through that site!

[salsacz]

Quick answer: we need a big pile of NXT.

I'm working up a budget, but we are looking at a fairly big numbers.
Check this out, while I put my list together....

http://bitcoin2014.com/

This is a headline event for crypto in Europe, we need to bring our best game.

I think if there is a chance to get more funds for conferences for the year (now 200.000 Nxt), we can use more than 20-40k for this event if it is important now and then start to look for new donations. Especially for the table with working Raspberri, this might be a viral thing. We definitely need a guy with a good camera to create awesome videos there.

[Damelon]

Quick answer: we need a big pile of NXT.

I'm working up a budget, but we are looking at a fairly big numbers.
Check this out, while I put my list together....

http://bitcoin2014.com/

This is a headline event for crypto in Europe, we need to bring our best game.

Hmmm, I have no pile... Stack would be a better word or even smaller than that. 
Do we have a stand? Is anything planned already?

I could chip in with *cough* fiat money *cough* to provide for stuff.

For now it's bedtime (have to wake up at 06:15, grmbl). But I will read through that site!

We want to have a lowest rung sponsor spot of 1500 euro.
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2014/02/26/euros-bitcoin2014sponsorshipandexhibitoropportunities1/preview/page/4/

Salsacz, can we have confirmation that is is OK? It's important due to planning!

We also want to bring in a cubie or raspi of course and we would have a booth.

We need to make a list of people we want to meet and contact them.

We need to make and order our apparel and brochures and other things we haven't yet planned.

EvilDave is now making a budget, so we can get approval by salsacz and then we will move quickly.

[Damelon]

Quick answer: we need a big pile of NXT.

I'm working up a budget, but we are looking at a fairly big numbers.
Check this out, while I put my list together....

http://bitcoin2014.com/

This is a headline event for crypto in Europe, we need to bring our best game.

I think if there is a chance to get more funds for conferences for the year (now 200.000 Nxt), we can use more than 20-40k for this event if it is important now and then start to look for new donations. Especially for the table with working Raspberri, this might be a viral thing. We definitely need a guy with a good camera to create awesome videos there.

A video report is one of the things that we both were very enthousiastic about.
So we will do that, period. It's fun and it's a great way to get footage that can be used in other ways.

Good to hear about the funding.

Maybe ebereon can build us one of his wonderful solar raspi/cubies?

We really, REALLY need some technical cannon there, though.

[NxtMinnow]

I have keywords on my sites.

Nxt is developing innovations in the field of Financial Cryptography, an industry five years young.  Nxt is drawing from diverse disciplines including Accounting and Auditing, Programming, Systems Architecture, Cryptography, Economics, Internet, Security, Finance, Banking, Risk, Marketing and Distribution, and Central Banking.  

Including some of those industry keywords in the metatags will include your site in a wider variety of searches, therefore raise the site's organic search ranking.  Someone correct me if I am wrong on any of this or if there are more disciplines that Nxt stands at the crossroads of.

[EvilDave]

The 2014 Bitcoin Conference Amsterdam 15-17 May!
http://bitcoin2014.com/

Info on sponsorship levels (ie stands):
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2014/02/26/euros-bitcoin2014sponsorshipandexhibitoropportunities1/


Ok, guys and girls, here's a fairly short list of expected costs for the above:

See the .pdf for sponsorship options, this is currently the best option for us:

  "Contributing sponsor": 1 registration, stand, some promo material, guidebook/website advertising: €1500

  Standalone registration: €370-€415 per person.

  RaspPiSolar: €250-€300

  Clothing: €250-€500

  Publicity material: €250-€500

The above is just a very rough estimate, particularly on the promo material and clothing costs.
Need to pick Salsacz brain, find out how much they spent in Berlin.

Anyhow, the rough estimate comes out to between:

€2620. For just 2 people, cheapest possible options on everything.  68,050 NXT

all the way up to:

€4045. For 4 people, most expensive options. 105,064 NXT
(NXT @ $0.053 = €0.0385)

This is not including the costs of any giveaway or special promo actions.

These are fairly big numbers, Salsacz has indicated that we have 20,000 NXT available immediately from the Marketing fund, but we are obviously going to need a lot more.

And we are going to need people most of all.

Especially tech types who would be willing to give a talk or take part in a panel. Myself and Damelon can probably put on a nice song and dance routine, but we don't have the in-depth knowledge of NXT ( and crypto) to impress serious industry players.

I'd also like to have a relatively professional video maker/reporter blogger film some NXT reports from the conference, particularly if a serious NXTer is giving a speech/panel.

Bring on your thoughts....

[salsacz]

Min: thanks for SEO text, added to the topic: https://nextcoin.org/index.php/topic,2190.0.html

[Damelon]

I'd also like to have a relatively professional video maker/reporter blogger film some NXT reports from the conference, particularly if a serious NXTer is giving a speech/panel.

I didn't mention this before, but I have a very good friend who is a film maker for Dutch television. He also does one-man reports for television.
He has his own gear, and would probably be willing to do this for just food and drinks.
I'll send him an email tomorrow and report back.

[salsacz]

Amsterdam:
- please begg for the speaker positions
- Contributing sponsor is probably our best choice, ther is probably some deadline here

- Every person inside now costs 12k Nxt. This could be worse or better by the time..

- I paid 300 Nxt for Business cards, 200 Nxt for stickers and infographic.

Nxt T-shirts was a gift, now I have got them so I can send/bring them
Raspi could be sent too

There might also be a chance to make a Nxt gathering during the event. Not everyone would buy a ticket, but we can get all Dutch, Belgium, British or even French/German people together, chat in the pubs on the evenings, but also: create some flashmobs / viral videos. And interviews. It could be done with 10-20 people...

[EvilDave]

@Damelon:Twee krentenbollen en een fles Chocomel, niks meer.

(Two currant buns and some chocolate milk, no more)

@salsacz:
First, we need people for any speaker/panel position, before i can start trying to beg......

Is it possible to swap passes from person to person ?

[NxtMinnow]

ATTN: URGENT

The great looking Austin Trifold Brochures that went to the press this weekend (for good money) has links to incomplete web content.  The http://new2nxt.com/ is NOT READY for primetime AT ALL.  Is rickyjames the webmaster at http://new2nxt.com/


Can http://new2nxt.com/ simply be redirected to http://www.mynxt.org/ or http://www.nxtcrypto.org/ immediately please until adequate content is at http://new2nxt.com/

This is the kind of stuff that deserves attention as Nxt presents a more cohesive marketing front moving forward.

I would like to match the business cards I make for Coinsumm.it with the blue Nxt logo on the Trifold Brochures unless anyone has any other suggestions for logo use.  

However, Black cards with round large embossed gold Nxt logo on reverse with gold rectangular Nxt Logo on front with contact/web info would look slick too, just would not match Trifold Brochures.

[EvilDave]

@NxtMinnow:
Well spotted. Can't believe I didn't check that myself, as I did some of the proofing work on that folder. Mea culpa....

The new2nxt needs a re-direct, or a full re-build, but I think a re-direct to nxtcrypto.org is the best short-term solution.

Have u PM'd RJ?

[igmaca]

Right, to include everyone in this:

I would like some extra input from all of you, so I can forward it to my guys.
They are simple questions, but with big implications.

There is no "right or wrong" in these questions!

What is, in a few sentences, the "vision" behind Nxt?
I'm not looking for the right vison, but for what youthink is the vision. We don't need to agree, but we dó need it out in the open for now.

It is the vehicle to move from a centralized economy to a decentralized economy.

What is the purpose of Nxt?
Again, no right or wrong.

It is the instrument to move from being passive actors in the construction of our collective reality to become active participants

What are the goals of Nxt?
Same

removes trust points
low energy network

Where are we now?
So, basically, at what stage do you think we are at? I'm not looking for a good/bad judgement here. Just an honest appraisal of where we are.

in beta

you have to be technically minded to operate the system
have to simplify things for a less technical profile are interested

What are the key issues with Nxt at this point?
This will no doubt be connected with your earlier answers. Define a few key issues that really need to be addressed. Be honest!

assets exchanges. nxt must turn as the reference currency. nxt must convert in the nxt gold standard coin

I propose that for nxt can see as reference currency we must promote nxt utilization as a measure of consumer price index by country.

we must go to Statistics offices to invite tu use nxt for to reference price shopping basket.

read this article

In Search of a Stable Electronic Currency  perhaps Nxt?

ROBERT J. SHILLER is Sterling Professor of Economics at Yale.

Bitcoin, an experiment with a radically new kind of electronic money, has exhibited many of the characteristics of a speculative bubble. That was clear long before the collapse of the Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox last week.

Bitcoin’s future is very much in doubt. Yet whatever becomes of it, something good can arise from its innovations — even if the results are very different from its current form or its numerous competitors. What I have in mind isn’t another wave of price speculation. Instead, I believe that electronic forms of money could give us better pricing, contracting and risk management.

Continue reading the main story
RELATED COVERAGE

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/business/in-search-of-a-stable-electronic-currency.html?ref=business&_r=2

Mark Karpeles, second from left, attended a news conference after his company, Mt. Gox, filed for bankruptcy.DealBook: Erosion of Faith Was Death Knell for Mt. GoxFEB. 28, 2014....

What are our key target groups? Define at most three.
Keep it short. We could talk about this for hours, but I just want a short easy list.

some small country

some collective. eg I have an idea in my mind. small cooperatives selling green energy using the currency with customers who only want to consume green energy

some sectors like university center that use the currency to its internal activities

some casino gaming company

What are the current strategies to engage these groups? Name at most three.
Strategies are conceptual. "Reach out to the main public" Show that Nxt is fun

generate a coin on top of nxt specified for these examples and promote its use. for example lowcarbon energy coin

Name a few of the employed tactics in these strategies.
A tactic is an action you take to execute the strategy. "Organise an online show match" "Get articles published in big newspapers/sites"

do seminars, meetings etc to explain how to use nxt

What strategies and tactics aren't we using and cóuld be used?

have several cases in real life where nxt is used to demonstrate its utility

we have to create several working groups to create new business formed by developers, marketers and specialists of the proposed business and create useful things with nxt

One of the first things my people told me is that these aren't explicit. We need to get them explicit. That way, we know what we are talking about. We don't need to agree, but we dó need to be clear.

I will post this over on the forums, too.

Please take some time to fill it out, so a) we ourselves define these and b) my guys don't have to come up with something that really isn't what we want, but we can't tell them why. Have fun, and thanks for your input!