Should Salespeople be on Parler

If you have been reading or listening to me for a while now, you know I am a fan of social media. Social media has become the great equalizer. It has allowed small people to have massive impact. It has gone as far as helping to overthrow a corrupt dictator and has created a ton of almost overnight millionaires.

Parler is one of the latest popular platforms on social media. Since the U.S. earlier this month, it has really taken off. But what is it, and should you be using it for sales?

You can hear my more detailed opinions on my podcast episode here. However I will give you a quick overview here.

I am not a fan.

What if I just ended the blog there? I kinda want to. I really think you would get much more out of the podcast episode.

You sure you want to read?

How old school of you. I admire that.

I will start by saying I reserved my name on Parler. I have zero intention of using it right now, but I set up my name just in case I am wrong. I am willing to admit I might be.

Let’s start by describing my view on social media is overall. Each social media platform is like a party or a bar. They have their own specific appeal to a certain crowd, and there are going to be bars that you like more than others. I am not a fancy martini drinker, so I wouldn’t hand out in a martini bar. I am a bourbon and BBQ kind of guy, and those are the kinds of place I usually find myself.

Social media is no different.

Instagram is the new happening bar that is really glitzy. It attracts younger people who are attracted to more visually stunning material.

Facebook is like a family reunion. It is a place to keep in touch with people you have not seen forever.

Twitter is like the bar you see in old movies about newspapers. It focused on current events and being the first to hear something.

Linked In is the business bar where people wear suits and ties and drink dirty martinis. This is more for B2B netowrking.

So where does Parler fit in on all of this? Well Parler is they place that never hired a bouncer. It is slated as the “free speech” social platform. It is marketing primarily to the people who have been getting kicked out of the other four bars. These people have often been banned by ignoring the rules and being toxic to other users.

To be point blank, this is not a demographic that I would focus on in my marketing.

Anyone can join Parler, no matter how extreme the viewpoint is. In the most extreme cases, I have seen screenshots of people calling for every person of one political party to kill two people of the other political party. I have seen numerous examples of hate speech, conspiracy theories, and violent rhetoric even in the short time I .

I have also seen people who simply feel like they don’t have a platform to be heard. They feel like they have been ignored and are frustrated about that. They feel like they are being marginalized, and simply want to vent about not being heard.

I am not going to be focusing on Parler because it is not the kind of “bar” I want to hang out in. I would also be mildly concerned about working with people who do go to that bar. However I am not saying that should be the rule for everyone.

If you sell a highly politicized product, you may want to be there. If you are a marijuana dispensary or a political fundraiser it is in your best interest to be on this platform. This will be a great tool to drum up support for political causes because it will be a highly motivated group of passionate people.

However until something substantial changes do not expect to see me there.