There are hundreds of crypto-currencies that all think they are going to be Bitcoin when they grow up. We have a product that has proven to be user-friendly to mainstream users. How many people figured out how to buy and sell bitcoins and get this funny digital cash from place to place where it can be utilized? How many of those people only learned to either put money in or money out, because they came to steemit?
We have passionate end-users who are mad over the state of the platform, who want to go somewhere else, but they don't have any place to go. It is a business person's dream, it is a blockchain's dream. (do blockchain's dream?)
People in this community tend to refer to SteemIt as a social media site, and thus compare us to the competition. (Facebook, etc) That isn't who we are competing against. We are competing against Doge, Dash, ETH, and other "Alt-coins", most of them have a niche or something they are trying to prove.
With all the talk of community based marketing, what is our story?
Why is Steem better than the community knows? SteemIt has created an economy where kids and Grandparents are moving money around using Steem as their tool. There is a desire for more steem and the ability to quickly learn how to manage it.
MOST OF THE CONFLICT RIGHT NOW IS CAUSED BY PERSONALITIES NOT FLAWS IN THE PRODUCT.
So here we are, real humans in our digital forms messing up this product.
Let me try to mediate for a minute.
To the witnesses and whales - the end-users are good they are concerned about their time and money and emotional investments, just like you are. A 10% loss (just used 10% no reason or math) is a 10% loss to everyone whether you have a million or 100. Passionate users are a good thing. They are adding volume to the currency and becoming educated about crypto, some of you are not being wise when you think and say, that you want to get rid of the end-users. Some have put real money in and others are in wait and see mode. While businesses recognize they lose their early adopters, this project just isn't at that point yet. You have a success story here, I know it is hard to see it, but at this time word of mouth or crowd sourced marketing is what we are going to get. If it is well organized, I think it could be very effective.
What if the community felt respected and valued? There are studies that show people want to be respected and valued more than they want money.
To the End-Users - The whales and witnesses are trying to build something that can stand the threshold of time in a really competitive market of blockchains and coins. It needs to be adjusted and changed, and they need to have that flexibility. There are going to be bumps in the road. It has been clearly stated that it is an experiment. If you are trying to make a living on this platform, that is a really high risk thing to do. If you can handle the risk emotionally and financially more power to you, but don't expect it to be the same tomorrow as it is today. Sometimes in life you get flagged and sometimes it isn't fair. (That doesn't mean any normal human being wants to watch people be targeted)
To SteemIt Inc. - Communication would help with the tension, misinformation and "educated guesses". Since you do have newbies in the space who are coming from Facebook and such, maybe some education or at least communication would be great. (I see that you are trying to head down that path) Post some updates once in while about what is being considered for the next hardfork, tell us what is going on with the reward pool. Take a picture of your office once in a while tell a cute work story. Help us to see SteemIt, Inc. is a group of real people who are also interested and involved in growing, tweaking and working on the investment we all have made.
To Everyone: In most business environments people work for less during the start-up phase, because you are working for the outcome the end result and effort is the investment. Money comes later.
For 9 months I have been hanging around asking everyone, "What is the value of Steem?". I keep saying it will take off when most people can answer that question. What is the value of Steem?
- The Technology - this is often the answer I get. I assume it means that it is fast, user friendly and well designed.
- So easy a GMA can (mine) earn it, transfer it and spend it.
- It is consensus based (okay we are still working on it)
- It comes with it's own communication and education platform
- There are real life people using it
- YOU ADD A FEW
If marketing chooses to they can find some great stories in the community, and paint a picture of a digital cash system so simple GMA's and kids can mine it. Or The Digital Cash for real people. Or Everyone's Crypto. Isn't that what DASH and others are trying to achieve?
Most of this is my personal ramblings, but one thing I know, Time and Technology don't wait for personality issues.
Steem - Tag line - (What would you use for the tag line?)
Feel free to add your thoughts on the value in the comments.