LinkedIn for Building Products Sales Professionals. Part 5 of 7.
I post more than I comment. That's the truth.
I know commenting works. I know it increases profile views. I know it puts my name in front of people who might never see my posts. I know all of this because the data is clear and because I've seen it happen.
But here's the honest version. If I spend my time on the front end of LinkedIn, reading other people's posts and leaving comments, I get sucked in. And I achieve all of my success on the back end. Calling candidates. Speaking to clients. Actually doing the work that earns the fee.
Every salesperson in building products faces the same tension. LinkedIn engagement works. But your job isn't to be a LinkedIn influencer. Your job is to sell.
This post is about finding the balance. Because there is one, and it doesn't take as much time as you think.
The starting point for engagement is having the right people connected - if you've just signed a new role, the LinkedIn checklist for the week between signing and day one covers how to build that target list.
Why commenting matters more than you'd expect
Here's the simple version. When you post on LinkedIn, your content reaches a percentage of your network. When you comment on someone else's post, your name, photo, and headline appear in front of their entire network.
Posts with comments get up to 60% more views. People who comment regularly see 78% more profile views than those who don't. Your comment doesn't just help the person who posted. It puts you in front of everyone who reads that post.
If an architect with 2,000 connections posts about a project they're working on, and you leave a thoughtful comment, your name is now visible to their audience. Builders, specifiers, developers, other architects. People you might never have reached with your own content.
That's free visibility with the exact right audience. And it took you 30 seconds.
What makes a comment worth leaving
Most comments on LinkedIn are noise. "Great post!" "Well said!" "Thanks for sharing!" These are the equivalent of a thumbs up in a meeting. They technically count as participation but nobody remembers them.
Here's the thing though. Even low-effort comments are good for the person who posted. They boost engagement metrics and help the post reach more people. So if you're going to leave a "Great post!" on a client's content, it's not a waste. It's just not doing much for you.
A comment that works for both of you adds something. An opinion. A related experience. A question. Something that shows you actually read the post and have a perspective on it.
"We've seen the same thing on projects in western Melbourne. The compliance changes are pushing specifiers toward alternative cladding systems faster than anyone expected."
That's a comment that starts a conversation. That's a comment that makes people click on your profile. That's a comment that a hiring manager or potential customer actually notices.
You don't need to write an essay. Two or three sentences that show you know what you're talking about. That's it.
The 10-minute rule
Here's what I'd recommend for any salesperson in building products who wants to use LinkedIn more effectively without losing their morning to the feed.
Ten minutes. That's it.
Open LinkedIn. Scroll through your feed for 10 minutes. Look for posts from people in your market. Architects, builders, specifiers, clients, industry associations, trade publications. Leave two or three genuine comments on posts that are relevant to what you do.
Then close LinkedIn and get on with your day.
Ten minutes is enough to stay visible. It's enough to keep your name appearing in other people's feeds. And it's enough to pick up useful information. A project that's coming up. Something happening with a competitor. A code change. An industry event. A hiring announcement. There's genuine market intelligence sitting in your feed every day. Ten minutes lets you find it and respond to it.
The mistake is treating LinkedIn like a destination. It's not. It's a tool. Use it for 10 minutes, get what you need, and go back to the phones.
Who to engage with (and who not to)
Be deliberate about whose posts you comment on.
Clients and prospects. If a GM at a building products manufacturer posts something, and you leave a thoughtful comment, it registers. They see your name. Their network sees your name. That's the highest-value commenting you can do. It's subtle, it's professional, and it keeps you visible to the people who matter.
Industry voices. Trade publications, HIA, Master Builders, architecture firms, design practices. When these accounts post, the comment section is full of your target market. Being visible there positions you as someone who's engaged with the industry, not just selling into it.
Candidates and peers. If you're in recruitment like me, engaging with candidates' posts can build warmth. For salespeople, engaging with other reps in adjacent (not competing) product categories can build referral relationships.
Competitors. This is where I have a clear position. I try not to engage with competitors' content. There's one competitor I respect who regularly comments on my posts, and honestly, I question it. Why would you boost someone else's visibility when they're competing for the same business?
I also try not to be connected with direct competitors. I'd rather they don't see what I'm doing. Some people will disagree with that. That's fine. But think about it from a practical standpoint. Every time you comment on a competitor's post, you're helping their content reach more people. Including your clients.
There's a reason I keep my network focused on my target market. The same logic applies to where I spend my commenting time.
The irony of all of this
There's an irony in me writing about the value of commenting when I openly admit I don't do enough of it myself. I post regularly. I don't comment nearly as much as I should.
The truth is that people often make noise on LinkedIn for the sake of making noise. I'm aware of that. I'm also aware that there's a fine line between being visible and being everywhere. Nobody needs to see the same person commenting on every post in their feed.
The balance that works for most salespeople in building products is simple. Post when you have something worth sharing (Part 3 of this series). Comment for 10 minutes a day on posts from people in your market. Spend the rest of your time doing the actual work.
LinkedIn is a tool that makes the rest of your job easier. It's not the job itself.
Posting vs commenting. Which matters more?
Both have a role. They do different things.
Posting positions you as someone with a perspective. It builds your personal brand over time. It gives people a reason to follow you and stay connected. When done well, it establishes credibility and expertise.
Commenting puts your name in front of other people's audiences. It's faster, easier, and requires less creative energy. For someone who finds posting intimidating or time-consuming, commenting is the lower-friction entry point.
If you can only do one, comment. It takes less time, reaches new audiences, and doesn't require you to come up with original content.
If you can do both, post once or twice a week and comment for 10 minutes a day. That combination covers both bases. Your own audience sees your content. Other people's audiences see your comments. Your name shows up everywhere it needs to without you spending hours on the platform.
The people who never comment are still watching
This is worth repeating from Part 4. Your silent audience is bigger than you think.
Most people on LinkedIn never post, never comment, never react. They just scroll. But they're still forming impressions. They still recognise your name when they see it. They still check your profile when something you said caught their eye.
Commenting increases the chances of being seen by those silent watchers. Every comment you leave puts your name in a new feed, in front of a new set of eyes. Some of those people will never engage. But they'll remember you when it matters.
Quick action checklist
1. Spend 10 minutes a day on LinkedIn. Comment on two or three posts from people in your target market. Then close the app.
2. Prioritise commenting on posts from clients, prospects, and industry voices. That's where your audience is.
3. Make comments that add something. An opinion, a related experience, a question. Not "Great post!"
4. Avoid commenting on competitors' content. You're boosting their visibility at your expense.
5. If posting feels like too much, start with commenting only. It's faster and still builds visibility.
6. Use your 10 minutes to pick up market intelligence. Projects, competitor moves, industry news. It's all in your feed.
7. Remember: LinkedIn is a tool, not a destination. Use it, then get back to work.
I'm a specialist recruiter for the building products industry. James Bowesman runs Specified Select, a boutique recruitment consultancy based in Melbourne.
If you're a sales professional in building products thinking about your next move, or a hiring manager looking to build your team, get in touch at james@specifiedselect.com
This is Part 5 of a 7-part series on LinkedIn for Building Products Sales Professionals. Part 1: Clean Up Your Network | Part 2: Your Profile Should Sell You Twice | Part 3: What to Post and What to Stop Posting | Part 4: The Phone Still Wins | Part 5: Stop Broadcasting, Start Engaging | Part 6: When to Take It Offline | Part 7: LinkedIn for Job Seekers | Part 8: After You Accept a New Sales Role