Once the FIAT value kicked in, it has become much easier to “sell” the Pi story to regular Joes & Janes. So, since the Open main net, I have managed to include 9 new people to the Pi Project.
Nurturing your referral team
I am not just satisfied with them clicking that button to give me boost. I genuinely want them to become part of the project, to understand its value and to take advantage of the future that’s coming. I try to nurture those referrals as much as possible whether it be a DM like:
“Hey asshole, click that button, who’s gonna pay for you kids’ education, booze and drugs??!”
Or by sending them new quality material regarding Pi adoption cases, interesting facts, and sometimes trade value – as I am not a trader myself, I don’t encourage it.
This is not easy, as I don’t want to bore them to death with it and turn them away. So I included only the people that asked me what I am doing, while we are chatting and that KYC validator circle is spinning in front of them.
Then the questions start:
“Is your phone ringing?”
“Are you trying to figure out the song?”
“Are you a spy?”
Mind you, they are all my friends, I hardly try to “include” anyone who isn’t, although it has happened once, but the guy was a Pioneer ages ago, lost his old account, but wanted to join again once he found out that it didn’t turn out to be a scam.
I have a sheet with reminders when to check up on people, after a week, then after a month (a quick 30-45 minutes chat while having a coffee will do) – just enough time to run through the main net checklist, instruct them how to save their pass phrase, expand their circle. I even set a target for “recruitment” to them, which is like:
“You need to get 1 person as a referral per week until you get your 5 for the security circle, this would be a great starting boost for your mining rate!”
And it has been working so far, most get it done! This also allows me spend some time with my friends for which I perhaps wouldn’t have time now a days, since we all have less and less time as we get older. You all know what’s it like today, no time for anything (except to scroll on the phone…), I don’t feel bad if we only see each other when someone needs a favor.
Pi Network Potential
I have also tried to explain the potential of the exposure to 100m user base (increasing daily) to a few startups, developers, designers, small business owners, accountants – but either I am a crap salesman (probably!) or the majority of the people are way too conservative or scarred to enter into the unknown – without getting paid immediately. It would be easier with a younger crowd, I bet, but I just don’t have the time/energy to mingle in those circles.
I did have some ideas of my own regarding an app, but since I can’t code, it is what it is. I am glad that those ideas are coming to life, since I see other people making similar apps, with some of the features I had in mind, so it’s all good.
Paid in Pi?
Recently I was offered a job, by a very rich person whom I worked for a few times in the past few years. He’s indirectly responsible for my transition from a bartender job to online marketing, so I have patience for him and his projects, although it’s very difficult as he usually just think of his end goal – making money, naturally.
Knowing his background, and his ability to recognize opportunities and the fact that he worked with crypto before, for his latest endeavor I made a request to be paid in Pi, to their immediate objection.
Then I offered to reduce my salary by 50% if they can pay me in Pi, but they refused to bother with it again. Apparently, their accountant figured that there are too many issues in handling the taxes when crypto is in question.