As a writer for small businesses, one of my daily challenges is finding ways to explain something simply to someone who has no previous knowledge on that topic. In the cryptocurrency space, and maybe it's just because I'm still learning, I've had a hard time explaining the value that this technology will bring into the real world to family, friends, and my network.
I've tried to explain blockchain technology, it's value in countries where governments are crumbling, and how fast and inexpensive the transactions are. The mistake I've made in these attempts was that I was trying to explain something complicated to someone who knows nothing about it in too great of detail. For example, if someone had never seen or heard of a car, you wouldn't start by explaining how much horsepower it has or that it has leather interior, instead, you would explain an application of it or what it's used for.
"A car moves and can take you from one place to another much faster than you can walk or ride a horse." Giving this quick explanation helps give someone a base of general information to work off of. They can then conduct their own research to learn more.
We should explain cryptocurrency to others in a similar way. Instead of trying to explain the whole thing, give them a short and understandable example that they can easily digest and then start to research and learn more on their own.
My Example
Yesterday in a coffee shop, I finally figured out how to explain a small piece of the value that cryptocurrency brings to the world. A piece so simple that anyone could understand.
I was talking to a friend at a coffee shop--a friend who I've convinced to join Steemit (
Decades ago, mail had to be sent physically. It was slow, expensive, and time-consuming. Using computers, email was invented, which has now changed how we can send information.
Currently, businesses pay fees (sometimes as high as 4%) just to accept our money from us for a purchase. Using computers and cryptocurrency (I know it's more detailed than this, but remember to keep it simple!), these businesses won't have to pay these fees, saving them millions of dollars.
Remember, it's important to keep it simple since a complicated explanation will cause confusion. A simple and easy to understand description could be the start of someone's knowledge about a subject. My hope is that by using this explanation frequently, more people I'm connected to will quickly understand the value that cryptocurrency will bring to the world (1,000X more than cutting transaction fees, but it's a start, right?), and that they will then conduct their own research or ask me questions to deepen their understanding.
What do you think? How do you explain cryptocurrency to others? Please comment below.
