A QUEST FOR THE PERFECT PITCH (Attracting Awesome Content Creators to Steemit)

---

SteemFest was a revelation to me. The combination of seeing how well the conference came together and talking with the people behind the platform it made me realize the huge potential for tremendous success we have here. Yes, there’s money to be made on Steemit but the true potential is much larger than Steem or Steem Dollars. At its heart Steemit is about connecting with a more enlightened readership and interacting with a real community. In my enthusiasm I’ve really stepped up my efforts to think of ways to recruit new users to our platform.

I had been trying to introduce people to Steemit for several months before SteemFest but struggled to find an effective pitch. The struggle didn't come from not believing in the platform, I believe in Steemit more than anything I've ever been involved with. Steemit can be difficult to explain to newbies precisely because our platform is such a significant paradigm shift. Those people I spoke with previously always seemed to have the same kinds of responses…What’s crypto-currency?, I don’t have time to be on one more social media site, it’s too much to learn, etc.

---

“You believe today's paradigm are not going to change.... Ask the caveman then if his paradigms changed or not. Think for yourself you lose. Think for coming generations you win.” ― Sameh Elsayed

---

Then yesterday I was in my car driving and BAM an idea hit me. That idea was Don’t just focus on people who you think will connect with the concept of Steemit. Instead, try focusing your energy on friends who are already getting a huge amount of reader engagement on other social media platforms. These content creators already have demonstrated both the passion and ability to write well and connect with readers and they’re doing it elsewhere for free.

The more I thought about it the more this idea started to click. When I analyzed the post content of the friends who first came to mind I noticed how varied their genres and writing styles were, variety, which was another huge plus. I began using this new recruiting approach last night and of the three people I asked I got three immediate yeses. A 100% success rate during my first attempt! Two of these three have already signed up.

It was then I realized that, all along, it wasn’t my pitch that was wrong but it was the bandwidth of the audience I was focusing on. People who spend the time necessary to craft engaging content on other social media sites are doing it purely for the enjoyment of engaging with others. This same desire to connect with readers will likely overshadow any trepidations they harbor about joining a new social media platform.

One friend I invited has undergone a personal transformation and writes about yoga and aerial acrobatics, among other things. The other recruit mainly writes short posts polling people for their opinions on a variety of things, the third person I invited writes about her joys and struggles as a mom raising three boys. Each of these friends write about different topics but all of them have one thing in common, people really connect with their work. I’ll be sure to share their user names of these three (and more) with you after they’ve written a few posts. It’s a great feeling for me to know these people I’m introducing to Steemit have a real potential to be successful on our platform and even make a little something for their efforts in the process.

For those who are interested, here’s a script for the very simple pitch I used successfully last night (sent via Facebook Messenger):

Hey, [name] - Hope all is well. I've been writing for this new social media platform called Steemit for a while and had real success. We're trying to recruit some new writers on the platform and I thought about you. I've noticed your Facebook posts get lots of engagement and I think you'd do really well on Steemit. It's like Facebook only it’s a more positive and cohesive community. You also get rewarded each time someone "likes" your posts. Let me know if you join and I can send some pointers. Here's a link – [link to Steemit homepage]

The pitch is short, to the point, and can be modified easy based on the situation. Of course I know once they get here and write a few posts they’re going to realize how awesome Steemit is and will stay. As soon as new users get over the hurdle of signing up and learning the basics of posting here the rest of the knowledge they need to thrive will come through practice. Once these people realize the potential for themselves they will use their powers of persuasion to recruit others and so begins a self-perpetuating cycle (in theory). In short, our community sells itself and has the ability to change lives...it definitely changed mine for the better.

The general consensus I hear lately among many of my friends is they’re getting frustrated with other social media platforms for a variety of valid reasons. I've noticed a few of them have even started taking extended breaks from social media. I think people are ready for the next generation of social media and I see huge potential for a flood of new users here on Steemit. There’s never been a better time to show people there is something out there that is different, something that is better, and that something is called Steemit.

This latest epiphany has been a good reminder for me that it’s not always the wheel that needs to be reinvented but sometimes just the direction in which I’m rolling it. Steem on!

(gifs sourced from Giphy.com)

---

“That's been one of my mantras - focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” – Steve Jobs

---

I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and goofball. To follow my unfolding story please visit my website here to sign up for my author newsletter.

Have you heard of Project: Pay It Forward for the Holidays? If not click here to learn more about a simple way that you can make a real difference. If you decide to participate please share your story in the comments of the post and you may experience some good karma of your own (hint, hint)!