LinkedIn has evolved into one of the most powerful tools for design professionals looking to build visibility, credibility, and meaningful connections. Yet many architects, engineers, and operations leaders aren't leveraging the platform to its fullest potential. During our final EDConnect25 session, marketing strategist Josh King—founder of Tinderbox Marketing and instructor at Whitworth University—shared practical, actionable guidance tailored specifically to professionals in the A/E/C industry.

Why LinkedIn Matters More Than Ever

LinkedIn is no longer just an online résumé—it's your digital storefront. It's often the first place clients, colleagues, future employers, and industry partners go to learn who you are and what you do. A strong LinkedIn presence helps design professionals:

• Communicate their expertise
• Showcase meaningful work
• Strengthen firm visibility
• Build lasting industry relationships

In today's competitive landscape, a well-managed profile isn't optional—it's a core part of building both personal and firm-wide reputation.

About Josh King

With a career spanning digital media, brand strategy, and corporate marketing, Josh King brings deep insight into how creative and technical professionals can communicate with clarity and impact. His session focused on simple, sustainable steps anyone can take to strengthen their LinkedIn presence—no marketing or social media background required.

1. Build a Strong Personal Profile

Your profile is the foundation of your professional brand. Josh emphasized several essentials that design professionals should update immediately:

• Professional Photography: A clean, high-quality headshot provides an immediate boost in credibility. Skip the selfies and casual crops.
• Meaningful Headlines: Move beyond job titles. Use your headline to communicate your role, specialty, or what differentiates your work.
• Updated Contact Information: Make it easy for people to reach you—especially clients, partners, and recruiters.
• A Clear, Third-Person Bio: Your About section should function as both an introduction and a professional summary. Write it in the third person to make it easy for others to share, reference, or repurpose when needed.

A polished profile builds trust and sets the tone for your interactions across the platform.

2. Post Content With Intention

You don't have to post every day, but consistency matters. Josh recommends posting two to three times each week, focusing on content that:

• Highlights recent projects or milestones
• Offers behind-the-scenes insights into your process
• Shares lessons learned or best practices
• Responds to industry trends
• Elevates colleagues or celebrates team achievements

For those unsure where to start, even short audio notes, project reflections, or meeting takeaways can be transformed into posts using generative AI tools. The goal is progress, not perfection.

3. Strengthen Your Firm's Presence

A firm's LinkedIn presence is often one of the first touch points for prospective clients and talent. Josh encouraged firms to:

• Assign ownership of the company page to designated staff
• Maintain branding consistency, especially across visuals and messaging
• Encourage employees to engage, share content, and amplify company updates
• Repurpose long-form content into shorter posts to extend reach

A cohesive firm presence reinforces brand identity and showcases the human side of your work.

Quick Tips You Can Put Into Action Today

• Start your morning with a 5–10 minute LinkedIn check-in. Engage with posts, comment thoughtfully, or share a quick insight.
• Ask a colleague or leader to record a 30-second voice note about a recent project—turn it into a post.
• Review your headline and About section. Updating these two areas can dramatically improve your profile in minutes.
• Consider a weekly "LinkedIn Power Hour" where your team posts, shares, or updates profiles together.

Small, consistent actions create momentum and make the platform feel manageable rather than overwhelming.

4. Track What's Working

LinkedIn offers valuable metrics—profile views, post performance, follower growth, and engagement trends. Reviewing these regularly helps you understand what resonates with your audience and refine your content strategy accordingly.

Your Next Step: Refresh Your Presence

Josh's message was clear: your LinkedIn presence deserves intentional care. A few small updates can dramatically improve your visibility and impact in the A/E/C community. Whether you're a marketer, business operations professional, emerging designer, or firm leader, your profile is one of the easiest and most effective ways to strengthen your professional voice.

Want to Learn Directly From Josh? Share the Full Session With Your Team

This article only scratches the surface of the insights Josh delivered at EDConnect25. If you want to explore his full strategies—including live examples, profile walk-throughs, and deeper implementation tips—you can purchase the complete session recording here. SDA Member Price: $59 (be sure to log-in for member pricing).

Many firms use SDA recordings for:

• Team lunch-and-learns
• Marketing and business development training
• New hire onboarding
• Professional development credit
• Skill-building for emerging leaders

It's an excellent resource for individuals and teams looking to elevate their LinkedIn presence and strengthen their professional brand.

In the fast-paced world of architecture and design, each project represents an opportunity for creativity, innovation, and growth. However, not all projects are equally beneficial, and deciding which ones to pursue demands thoughtful consideration. This decision point is where the Go/No-Go process comes into play—a dynamic approach that assists firms in navigating the complex terrain of client and project selection.

Why It Matters Beyond Direct Responsibilities:  

Even if it is not directly within your daily responsibilities, understanding the Go/No-Go process is crucial for administrators, HR professionals, and office managers. It impacts overall company strategy, resource allocation, and team dynamics, influencing everything from workload distribution to client relationships and financial health.

Key Factors in the Go/No-Go Process:

• Profit Potential: Assess the project's profitability in terms of time, resources, and labor investment.
• Past Client Experiences: Reflect on previous interactions with the client to gauge reliability and ease of collaboration.
• Future Collaboration Opportunities: Evaluate the potential for ongoing partnerships with the client beyond the current project.
• Efficiency of Collaboration: Consider how smoothly the project  will proceed based on past experiences.
• Staff Capacity: Evaluate current workload and staff capacity to determine feasibility.
• Competitive Landscape: Analyze market competition and your firm's competitive positioning.

Why the Go/No-Go Process is Essential:

• Only 45% of A/E firms have a formal Go/No-Go process, and even fewer use it strategically (26%).
• Strategic use can significantly impact profitability (average of 18.7% for A/E firms) by optimizing resource allocation.
• It minimizes risk exposure, enhances team alignment, and ensures efficient resource utilization.

Considerations Beyond Direct Project Management:

Marketing costs can account for up to 12% of net revenue, underscoring the importance of strategic decision-making.

The process ensures informed decisions, mitigates financial risks, and maximizes return on investment.

Factors Influencing Go/No-Go Decisions:

Key considerations include regulatory compliance, technological readiness, contract terms, and client engagement levels. These factors collectively contribute to successful project outcomes and client satisfaction. According to the 45th Annual Deltek Clarity survey, A|E companies rank factors influencing proposal submission as follows:

Questions to Consider:

• Do we have design experience with the project type?
• Is the company experience in the project delivery method, e.g., Design-Bid-Build, CM at Risk, or Design-Build
• Are we well-versed in relevant regulations and technologies?
• Does the contract align with company policies regarding indemnity and liability?
• Can the company meet the insurance requirements?
• Are we comfortable with the fee type, such as time and materials, time and materials to a max, fixed fee, or by unit, and the scope of work? 
• Does the current percentage of client profitability warrant pursuing the project?
• Is there sufficient client engagement to proceed with proposal preparation effectively?
• Does the contract allow progress billing, or will large labor expenditures be made before payment?

Understanding and applying the Go/No-Go process strategically not only enhances project success rates but also supports broader organizational goals. By aligning decision-making with company strategy and resource capabilities, administrators, HR professionals, and office managers play a vital role in driving sustainable growth and operational excellence within architectural and design firms.

Want to learn more? Here are some resources:

SDA Program Recording: The Go/No-Go Process: Promoting Effective Marketing & Risk Management

SDA Forms & Templates: Marketing

LinkedIn Article: Five Basic Rules for Better Go/No GO Decisions in A|E|C Marketing 

45th Annual Deltek Clarity Architecture and Engineering Industry Study