Are you using the Reading List feature of LinkedIn®? It is always helpful to get to know as much as you can about the people that you are selling to, or attempting to sell to. Here at Fill the Funnel, we are dedicated to share tools and techniques that help you accelerate your success.
At lunch with a customer earlier this week, she asked me my thoughts about Crowdsourcing? I smiled and asked what she knew about it, and she said that she was just learning about it, and that she had noticed I was reading the book Crowdsourcing while reviewing my LinkedIn® Profile under my Readingt List. That took me by surprise, first because a customer is looking at my profile for preparation, and second that anyone would look at the Reading List in the profile.
Several key learning points from this experience were:
- You never know who is reading your profile, so put some effort into it.
- The Reading List is a terrific window into the interests and thoughts of your prospects.
WebTools Tip: You can elect to follow someone’s Reading List. Track the lists not only for those that you might have as a prospect, but also those that you respect. Might be a good idea to connect to the reading list of your executive team. Tremendous window into the interests of those that matter to you.
Give it at try and let me know what you discover in comments below.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the tip regarding the reading list. This is a great tool to keep up on the latest reading resources available! Excited to read Crowdsourcing.
I haven’t used the Reading list but agree that the more info you put on LinkedIn, the better. You never know what someone will key into.
Nice blog. I’ll keep following it.
I am going to make a reading list now. Thanks for the insight.
Thanks a lot Miles! My reading list is now showing
http://www.linkedin.com/in/vikasrajput76
Thanks for the feedback Patrick. I hear the same thing from time to time, typically from the SalesMaker that also says they don’t use LinkedIn because their competitors will see who they are connected to. You are a successful LinkedIn trainer, what do you say to someone with this concern?
Even though I have added my choice of books in the amazon reading list, I still cannot see it in my profile. Can you pls tell me how to see reading list in somebody’s profile?
Regards,
Interesting post, but I’ve talked to a lot of sales people who don’t want their competition knowing about great and powerful books that they are reading.
Pat
http://www.patrickomalley.com
For whatever reason, I wasn’t aware of the reading list feature, and I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. I’m an avid reader of biz books, so think it might be a good thing to add to my LinkedIn profile.
Thanks for this info; I’m not currently using the Reading List, and it is definitely something I’ll try out – it will be very useful I can see, as I’m frequently researching for interviews with authors and topics I’m writing about, as well as reviewing.
I use the Reading List feature on LinkedIn – I love it! A great resource for like-minded people.
Vikas, you have the ability to turn on or off the visibility of your reading list to the public. To do this you go to the “Application” tab on the left of the main LinkedIn menu, select “Reading List by Amazon”. Under Application Info on the right side of the screen, you will see two options, “Display on my profile” and “Display on LinkedIn homepage”. Check the appropriate choice(s) and remember to click on “Update Settings” and you should be showing your Reading List.
Let us know when it is visible and share the link to your LinkedIn Profile here for our readers to check out your book list.
Excellent! I will check out your reading list now. Mine can be found at http://www.linkedin.com/in/milesaustin