How to get users to switch from X to X and use it

There are many free, open source programs available which are equal (if not better) than paid counterparts, but the biggest hurdle to overcome is getting people to switch. It is imperative that you remember what caused you to switch and realize the two reasons for change:

“You change for two reasons: Either you learn enough that you want to, or you’ve been hurt enough that you have to.” – Unknown

So how do we get users to switch from X to X? Here are some quick ways:

• Share what you have learned about X
• Explain why you switched to X
• Show someone how to use X

For example, I switched to OpenOffice (now LibreOffice) back in 2005. While I had a licensed copy of Microsoft Office 2003, one key feature was missing: saving as PDFs. OpenOffice has a simple button to save as a PDF. Once my friend showed me how to use it and where the button was, I was eager to learn more about OpenOffice. That is when I took the plunge and went all in.