As a founder in FM, M&E, property or construction, you know LinkedIn matters. You see competitors posting regularly, watch industry peers build their profiles and recognise that digital presence drives business. Yet every time you sit down to create content, the cursor blinks mockingly at you.
You’re not alone. Most technical founders face the same challenge: how do you build a meaningful LinkedIn presence when you’re too busy actually running your business to become a social media expert?
Key takeaways for busy founders: your best clients are watching your LinkedIn content but never engaging publicly. They’re building trust through your posts and will reach out when ready to buy. Focus on quality content that demonstrates expertise, not chasing likes from networking buddies. Consistency over 7-12 months drives real business results.
Let’s address the elephant in the room. You’re embarrassed about posting on LinkedIn. Your reputation matters in these industries. The thought of publishing something and getting just three likes (from your business partner, your mum and that enthusiastic guy from networking) makes you physically cringe.
So you either avoid posting altogether or, when you do share something, you obsess over every like and comment, treating them as validation of your professional worth. When a post performs poorly, you retreat further into your shell, convinced that LinkedIn “doesn’t work” for your industry.
This embarrassment is completely understandable. In FM, M&E, property and construction, professional credibility is everything. A failed post feels like public proof that you don’t know what you’re doing. But this mindset is holding you back from one of the most powerful business development tools available.
Here’s what you’re missing: your best prospects are poker players.
They’re sitting at the table, cards held close to their chest, watching every move you make. They’re reading your posts, absorbing your insights, quietly building that crucial know-like-trust factor. But they’ll never show their hand by liking or commenting publicly.
Why? Because they’re evaluating you for a major contract, a strategic partnership or a significant project. The last thing they want is to tip you off that they’re interested before they’re ready to do business. In industries where contracts can be worth hundreds of thousands or millions, decision-makers don’t casually engage with potential suppliers on social media.
Meanwhile, who’s actually hitting that like button? Your networking buddies. Your suppliers. Other founders in similar situations. People who already know you but aren’t about to spend £100k on your services.
This creates a dangerous illusion. You think nobody’s paying attention because the engagement seems low, but your ideal clients are watching everything. They’re building confidence in your capabilities through every post you share about solving complex facility management challenges, navigating tricky property deals or managing difficult construction projects.
When they’re finally convinced you’re the right choice? That’s when they reveal their cards and pick up the phone.
Most founders obsess over the wrong LinkedIn metrics. You celebrate 50 likes, panic when a post gets three comments and think 500 views means failure. But these vanity metrics tell you nothing about business impact.
The real ROI of thought leadership is compelling:
But here’s the thing: the metrics that matter most can’t be tracked by LinkedIn analytics.
That phone call from someone who’s been reading your posts for six months. The referral from a client who shares your article with their network. The contract that comes because someone saw your expertise demonstrated consistently over time.
Understanding the thought leadership timeline helps set realistic expectations:
Months 1-3: Building awareness Lots of views, few enquiries. You’re establishing your voice and demonstrating competence. Don’t expect immediate business results.
Months 4-6: Establishing credibility Quality followers begin accumulating. Occasional meaningful conversations start. Your content demonstrates consistent expertise.
Months 7-12: Converting prospects Meaningful business opportunities emerge. People who’ve been watching finally reach out. Referrals increase as your network grows.
Your best prospects aren’t liking your posts during this period. They’re taking screenshots, forwarding articles to colleagues and adding you to their shortlist.
The LinkedIn code isn’t cracked by chasing likes. It’s cracked by consistently sharing quality content that demonstrates your expertise, addresses real pain points and showcases your values and professional approach.
Problem-focused insights: share how you’ve solved specific challenges. “How we reduced energy costs by 30% in a 50,000 ft2 office building” will get attention from facility managers facing similar issues.
Industry trend analysis: your perspective on regulatory changes, new technologies or market shifts positions you as someone who understands the bigger picture.
Behind-the-scenes realities: honest insights about project challenges, client management or business development struggles. Authenticity builds trust faster than perfection.
Educational content: explain complex concepts in accessible terms. Help your audience understand topics that affect their business but might be outside their expertise.
Case study storytelling: share project successes and lessons learned. Focus on the problem-solving process rather than just the end result.
You don’t need to post daily. Consistency matters more than frequency. One thoughtful post weekly that generates meaningful engagement delivers far more value than daily content that fails to resonate.
Quality content requires:
Remember: your competitors posting frequently but saying nothing meaningful aren’t gaining an advantage. They’re just creating noise that makes your quality content stand out more.
The strongest LinkedIn strategies focus on building genuine professional relationships rather than accumulating followers. A smaller network of engaged professionals in your industry is infinitely more valuable than thousands of random connections.
Engage meaningfully with others’ content. Add thoughtful comments that advance the conversation rather than generic praise.
Share others’ insights when they provide value to your network. This demonstrates you’re not just self-promoting.
Connect strategically with people you meet at industry events, conferences or networking meetings. LinkedIn should strengthen offline relationships.
Respond promptly to comments and messages. Professional responsiveness builds trust.
Offer value first before asking for anything. Share knowledge, make introductions, provide resources.
“I don’t have time to post regularly” is the most common objection from busy founders. The solution isn’t finding more time; it’s working more efficiently.
Repurpose existing materials: turn project reports into case studies, presentations into LinkedIn articles and client meetings into industry insights.
Batch content creation: spend an hour monthly planning and drafting several posts rather than scrambling for ideas weekly.
Use voice notes: record insights while travelling or between meetings, then transform them into written content later.
Document your day: notice interesting challenges, conversations or observations that could become valuable content.
Leverage templates: develop formats for different content types to streamline the creation process.
Consistent thought leadership creates compound returns. Each quality post builds on previous content, gradually establishing your reputation as a knowledgeable professional worth following.
This visibility generates opportunities beyond direct client acquisition:
Your professional network expands naturally as people discover your expertise through content. These extended connections often become sources of referrals, partnerships and opportunities you couldn’t have anticipated.
The founders who succeed on LinkedIn are those who push past the initial discomfort of public posting. They recognise that building professional visibility requires some vulnerability and accept that not every post will be perfect.
When your primary goal is providing value to your audience, the pressure to create perfect content decreases.
Your expertise and perspective have value even if your writing isn’t flawless.
Most posts are seen by a fraction of your network, so the risk of widespread embarrassment is minimal.
A meaningful conversation with one prospect is worth more than hundreds of likes from irrelevant connections.
Each post teaches you something about what resonates with your audience.
Your clients are out there, watching and evaluating. They’re reading industry content, researching potential partners and building shortlists for future projects. The question is whether your name will be on those lists when opportunities arise.
Building a meaningful LinkedIn presence isn’t about becoming a social media expert overnight. It’s about consistently demonstrating your expertise, sharing genuine insights and building professional relationships that support long-term business growth.
Your technical skills got you this far. Your ability to communicate those skills effectively will determine how much further you can go.
The poker game is already underway. Your competitors are playing their hands. The only question is whether you’ll stay in the game or fold before you see the cards that matter.
Your best clients are watching. Give them something worth their attention.
Ready to build a LinkedIn presence that attracts your ideal clients without overwhelming your schedule? My Executive Thought Leadership services help busy founders in FM, property and construction establish authoritative professional voices with just one hour of their time monthly. Contact me for a free, no-obligation consultation about how this might work for your specific situation.
Antoinette Chappell is a thought leadership strategist, ghostwriter and consultant who helps C-suite executives build influential voices through her London-based company, ARC Writing and Translation Services. A qualified member of the ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting) and author of ‘Copy that!’ (2023), she specialises in transforming executive expertise into compelling content that establishes authority and opens the door to new opportunities.