Back at the turn of the year when steem was riding high I started a SignUp100 personal quest to recruit a hundred people on to steem during 2018.
With steem shooting to the clouds, and my wallet looking fat and healthy, it was quite easy. A quick glance at the dollar signs, a mumbled "you too could have this" and they were signing up on the dotted line.
In the first few weeks I scored a dozen.
But it all went wrong. The steem price went south, my new recruits scattered in panic and confusion, and only two hung on.
I learnt my lesson. Never utter those fateful words "blog and earn" - blog and yearn might be better.
In those weird old days I would tell just about anyone that moved all about steem.
Now I am more choosy. I look for a reason why steem might actually be useful for them before telling them about it.
Can steem improve or enhance some element of their life that they are already doing? Will it add value?
Ideally it shouldn't be that way. If steem aches for mass adoption it really should offer something for everyone.
For the moment steem is an acquired taste. It requires something of a moral commitment and a pledge of allegiance to the ways of steem.
It still needs a big glowing neon sign above the door that says "Handle With Care - Enter at your own risk".
For new recruits you really need to lead them gently by the hand, whisper sweet upvotes in their ears and stay by their side until they are brave enough to venture out alone.
Putting it into practice
I am now having another go.
This time I am targeting better. Through my new @communityaction project I am particularly looking at bringing on board charities and community organisations.
First up I am working with a Welsh conservation charity.
They are interested in promoting their work, hopefully raising funds and exploring ways they might be able to reward volunteers. They should be up and running by next week.
Second up, I have recruited someone who makes children's video games. They are already on Steam but they are interested in exploring what Steem has to offer now.
For both of them I am setting up their accounts through steeminvite.com. That will at least knock down one of steem's naughty and nasty technical barriers.
I am hoping with this more measured approach I can up the retention rate beyond the miserable 10 - 15% that seems to be the norm for steem.
Slow and steady, keep them close and vote them often...
PROJECTS :
Introducing @communityaction - taking steem out into the community
A Dollar A Day charitable giving project : July 2018 - summary of donations received and given out
[CONTEST] A Dollar A Day charitable giving project : What can you buy for 1 SBD?
BLOGS :
Pennsif’s Progress #589 – Hothouse Earth - how can I prep?
Pennsif’s Progress #591 – Reducing my footprint, increasing my impact
Pennsif’s Progress #592 – Come on Steem, I want to save the planet
RADIO :
My Life in 8 Songs - introducing the Charity Jukebox - supporting A Dollar A Day & the Musicians of Steem
My Life in 8 Songs - the Monty Python edition - with @d-vine, @darrenclaxton & @onemedia
The Alternative Lifestyle Show - Friday 10 August - guests @truthforce, @dwinblood, @richq11, @gregorypatrick, @thegreens & @faetee
The Alternative Lifestyle Show - Friday 3 August 2018 - with @sndbox & @wwf [recording]
My Life In 8 Songs - 2 August 2018 - @jonmagnusson, @beatseb & @jamesgetsit [recording]
[ images from pixabay.com ]