I was asked to write a blog post about STO marketing or the longer version of it, namely the marketing of security token offerings (STOs). Now the option is there to mesmerize you with a highly detailed and technical discussion, but given the risk of death due to boredom – I will try to divert from that and spice it up on a level that should resonate with almost anyone.
I can hear some of your already thinking aloud: “Dude, get to the point!” I fully understand and appreciate that sort of sentiment… so please hold that thought, take a deep breath and let’s dive into the pain-in-the-butt, regulated world of security token offerings and look at ways how you can increase chances of making your STO the center of attention. The kind of attention that should not get you into trouble with the ‘authorities’ – and perhaps most importantly, the kind of attention that resonates with the crypto community in a positive manner.
Keep Satoshi in Mind
There is no way around it, sucking up to authority, especially when governments and bankers are involved, is detested and frown upon in the crypto space – and rightly so. Satoshi Nakamoto’s vision for Bitcoin (Bitcoin whitepaper) was not for humanity to be further enslaved.
The true spirit of cryptos was always to level the playing field so that all of us get to benefit regardless of who we are, what we think, believe and more – where nobody is above anyone else. Where we all get to contribute to the benefit of all, whether we like it or not. Cryptos are after all of such nature that you cannot harm others without harming yourself in the process.
Even the bad guys who choose to scam and steal from others in this space are harming themselves in one way or another. It should for one be no secret that mass crypto adoption is needed to realize the full value and potential of cryptos. For this to happen, people must trust and feel comfortable using the technology – regardless of the nature or potential of the technology.
You can after all have the best software in the world, but if the network effect is lacking because people have lost trust, regardless of whether they actually use the software or not – you can pretty much close up shop. And when the latter happens, everybody loses out, including those who could have potentially benefited from having access to the given software (or superior technology for that matter).
The latter is something those who scam and steal from others in this space don’t seem to grasp at all. They are destroying trust and instead of choosing to benefit from the technology in a legit manner like the majority of hardworking people, they choose to benefit in a manner that shows weakness (and stupidity for that matter). This while it will eventually come back to bite them when we lose the whole nine yards as a result of their actions.
Likewise, cryptos were born as a counterweight to the problems caused by the bad guys in the government – those who can only survive and ‘thrive’ by abusing authority and by preying on others. This is not to say that everybody who work in government fall in the latter category. It only to say that there was enough abuse of authority allowed in government and elsewhere to cause systemic problems (2008 financial crisis, etc.), which the bad guys and their buddies on Wall Street used as an excuse to legalize theft on a massive scale (2008 bank bailout, etc.). No amount of sophistry and sugar-coating will be able to hide this fact of history, especially not from those in the crypto space who are wide awake, who fully know what’s going on and what is at stake.
Yet, given reality and despite all of the anger and pain caused, we don’t have the luxury of telling governments and bankers to go fly a kite or get lost – at least not today. This is why, whether we like it or not, we have little option but to leave the door open to reasonable requests of cooperation. The kind of cooperation where the parties involved are more or less treated as equals and where the decisions reached and actions taken are of mutual benefit.
It is probably hard to grasp the wisdom of allowing the fox to guard the henhouse, right? I find it hard, but we have to look at the bright side. Firstly, no government has full control over cryptos – so it is not a case of “allowing the fox to guard the henhouse” to the truest extent, secondly, there is no doubt in my mind that there are many ordinary people in government and elsewhere who are just as sick and tired of all the shenanigans as we are.
Therefore, treating everyone in government as the enemy is not a solution – it will only bring the kind of confrontation and violence that most of us are trying to avoid. Furthermore, there is no doubt in my mind that many of us support cryptos because it advances the non-aggression principle. Why push for violence when it can be avoided, right? Or have we lost track of reality to the point where we don’t give a damn about other human beings?
With the above in mind, if you decide to go with a security token offering (STO) instead of an initial coin offering (ICO), it is best to always keep Satoshi in mind. Never lose track of the reason why bitcoin and other cryptos have seen first light. Don’t shove government regulations into anyone’s throat by being forceful about it. Have a balanced, sensible approach that shows that you understand what is at play. Have this reflected in your STO marketing campaign. And you don’t want to be all blown-up and corporate about it.
Share your concerns and treat people as equals in this space and they will love you for it. This is the kind of rapport you wish to build.
Market Conditions
If you have observed or participated in the crypto market for longer than a year, you are probably aware that market conditions can change pretty quickly. A bull market normally triggers a lot of interest driven by higher prices.
On the other hand, a bear market (aka crypto winter) normally has the opposite effect. It is important to keep this in mind in any STO marketing campaign as it will impact results. This is not to say that you should not consider to take your STO to market during crypto winter. It is only to say that you should make sure that your expectations are realistic – as it requires greater effort to achieve the same results as during a bull market.
Read this guide to learn the secrets of STO marketing and get the most out of your campaign, even in the bear market.
Experience
It will cost more, but you want to get people with experience of the crypto space involved in your STO marketing campaign. This is not because they are going to perform ‘magic’ and get a 100 million people to support your project overnight and take it to the moon (or beyond). No, far from it. You want them onboard because they can bring valuable insight to the table that is not readily available. Insight that can potentially save time and money (beyond the initial price tag), insight that can help you to navigate the crypto space in a way that increases chances that your STO will be successful.
This makes it important to hire experienced, professionals to get the job done, especially during trying market conditions. Each member of the team needs to show the ability to work well standalone and as part of a team. You don’t want to hire an overbearing ‘prima donna’ who suppresses creativity, negatively impact the productivity of others and more. In fact, it is never a bad idea to hire a service or professional crypto outfit that specialises in marketing when it comes to the crypto space.
There you have it, a nonconformist approach to the marketing of Security Token Offerings (STOs). Now go act on it.