Thread by @jchervinsky

It's another holiday season in a crypto bull market.

You know what that means: questions from family members who are curious about crypto, or skeptical, or downright hostile.

Are you expecting questions like these? Here are 10 tips I've learned for answering them effectively 🧵

1: Skip the hard sell.

Nothing turns people off faster than an aggressive pitch, especially when they're trying to relax over the holidays.

If your family wants to talk about crypto, great. If not, great. Don't force it. You'll only make them more closed-minded if you're pushy.

2: Avoid financial advice.

You should always be careful about telling family what to do with money, & that goes twice for crypto.

Even with "blue chip" assets, the volatility alone can be too much for some people. Being blamed for family losing money is a worst case scenario.

3: Come prepared.

If you expect questions on crypto, take time in advance to think about or research how you want to respond.

We all know the feeling of looking back on conversations with family & wishing we'd said something different or better. Try to do that work beforehand.

4: Keep it simple.

Remember how hard it was to understand crypto at first? Put yourself back in that mindset.

Don't try to explain technical details or advanced concepts. Avoid jargon & name-dropping. Stick to the basics. Go slow. Focus on the big picture & share your passion.

5: Know your audience.

Crypto touches so many different facets of life. Because of that, there are many social, economic, & geopolitical points to be made in its favor.

Think about which are most likely to resonate with your family members, & then speak to what they care about.

6: Listen more, talk less.

Often, the best way to break through to people is to get them thinking for themselves. One good question can be more effective than hours of explanation.

Resist the urge to simply repeat the same old talking points. Ask questions, listen, & ask more.

7: Seek common ground.

This is the art of persuasion 101. If you treat any discussion as an argument, you'll most likely end up with two opposing sides. If you want to reach consensus, find common ground & build from there.

Learn to use Rapoport's Rules:
rightattitudes.com/2017/06/16/rap…

8: Acknowledge uncertainty.

People can sense a weak argument when presented as an absolute certainty with no drawbacks or downsides; it just doesn't pass "the smell test."

Be honest about the risks, the unsolved issues, & the unknowns. Don't act like you can predict the future.

9: Know when to move on.

You spend tons of time consuming crypto content. Your family probably doesn't. Don't try to go all the way down the rabbit hole at once (unless they want to).

If you can, just make a positive impression & pique your family's curiosity, then let it go.

10: Don't take it personally.

No matter what, some of our family will angrily accuse us of various & sundry offenses: boiling the oceans, enriching criminals, buying tulips, etc.

Know this: it's not you, it's them. Breath deep & remember, your crypto family is here for you 💕

Crypto has always relied on its supporters to educate & onboard newcomers. Like all the best things we do, our approach to sharing information is decentralized.

Let me know how these discussions go & what tips you have to get the message across. Have a great holiday season! 🎆