I just read this:
http://www.finance-guy.net/finblog/what-is-bitcoinIt got me thinking that most people I talk to, don't understand enough about tech, or cryptography, to fully appreciate BTC.
How would you explain it to them on a simple level so that they might become believers.
A simple hook might help generate larger scale adoption by the masses.
Bitcoin is a hard sell to newbies because at the moment I don't think it is much use to them especially as bitcoin's biggest positives seem to be political or capitalistic (if you're in it to try make some money which could be a 'hook' but as we have seen recently it's not a sure thing and people seem to have lost money rather than made it but the potential is still there). Most people sadly don't seem to care that much about economics nor do they understand it enough to see the benefits of bitcoin and get involved with it but maybe they will over time.
That's the problem, too many focus on the cool technical aspects of the technology rather than on the actual utility of the technology. And as you can see by the responses to this thread most people are consumed with BTC as a commodity rather than as a currency.
If you introduce something new to someone they are very likely to associate that thing with the initial introduction. So if you introduce BTC as a 'great investment' they will keep looking at it as a commodity. It should be introduced as a currency NOT as a commodity because it is as a currency that it will have long life and higher value.
The best way to learn about any currency is through use -- buy things with it, not buying and selling it.