~ Approach local merchants to ask if they would accept Bitcoin.
Agreed.
~ Ask Merchants to install a Bitcoin ATM in your area.
It's not as easy as it may seem. Depending on the country people are in, it may involve quite some legal hassle. The rewards for merchants likely don't justify the effort needed to deploy ATM's, and most ATM's are very expensive to use.
~ Stop hoarding all our coins and start to buy from the merchants that does accept Bitcoin.
Don't tell people what to do with their coins.
~ Start using the Lightning Network to fast track the implementation.
Proper clients are lacking making it easy to use, it's too much of a hassle to set up a node, and it's not safe in current form if you don't fully know what you are doing.
~ Help people to invest in Bitcoin.
Investing is actually the last aspect that we should talk about. Obtaining a decent level of understanding is what I consider to be much more of a helping factor.