Episode 2: Building and Owning an Audience Part 1
Robbie & Tim discuss building and owning an audience in part 1 of this two-part discussion.
“Strong relationships are built through consistency, not intensity.”
Transcript
[Intro]
Robbie Fitzwater:
Hello, this is Robbie Fitzwater and Tim Lowry with the Content, Community, and Commerce podcast. We unpack and discuss ideas at the intersection of content, community, and commerce—so e-commerce entrepreneurs and marketers can leverage those ideas, have some fun, and make marketing a little more accessible.
Excited to kick off round two for Content, Community, and Commerce.
Tim Lowry:
Yeah, it’s official. Once you get to podcast number two, it’s a thing now. Like, this is real.
Robbie Fitzwater:
Yeah, we’ve gotten past the first date. You swiped right.
Tim Lowry:
I did.
Robbie Fitzwater:
We went on a date, and now we’re going on a second date. This is a big deal.
Tim Lowry:
Alright, hopefully it's a good one. Hopefully we make it to the third. In a world with infinite options, I’ll take it.
Robbie Fitzwater:
So we were brainstorming topics for today, and you had a great client story that really tees things up nicely. We’d been toying around with the idea of: How do you build and own an audience? It’s a high-level concept, but your story really grounds it.
Tim Lowry:
Yeah, it literally just happened this week. Super fresh, super relevant. I got off the call and was stoked.
Obviously, the goal with content is always to drive traffic to the client’s site and generate leads or conversions—whether it’s B2B signups or purchases for e-commerce. But in this case, it was even more unique.
We created a piece of content in the CBD space—a space where paid ads are really limited due to regulations. This client isn’t a CBD company themselves, but they provide labels for CBD brands, essential oils, and other similar businesses.
We published a comprehensive guide on white-label and private-label CBD companies. Now, that post is ranking so well that when companies search for themselves, they’re finding our post at the top.
Robbie Fitzwater:
That’s amazing.
Tim Lowry:
Yeah! This week, the client got multiple calls from stakeholders at these companies asking, “How do we get included in your guide?” They want to be at the top of search, and now we’re the ones showing up in the places they want to be.
It’s narrowing down their options and giving our client visibility. Their sales team now has the opportunity to talk to these prospects—which could represent hundreds of thousands in annual revenue. Not just because they liked the content, but because they also love the product and see an opportunity to partner.
Robbie Fitzwater:
So it’s not just about a broad audience—it’s about the right audience.
Tim Lowry:
Exactly. It was cool being on that call because the person I spoke to said, “The excitement in our office right now over this blog post is unreal.” From the CEO to the team level, they were jazzed about a blog post. It’s genuinely driving calls from the right people and opening doors they wouldn’t have otherwise.
It’s not the typical “label your jar” type of content. It’s deeper. It’s: Who is the audience? Where are they searching? How can we show up there?
Robbie Fitzwater:
This is why I got excited about this story—it’s not your typical content marketing move. It adds unique value beyond just pushing for a sale.
Tim Lowry:
Exactly. So many companies play it safe. “We do X, so let’s just talk about X.” But your audience isn’t one-dimensional. You need to meet them at various stages of intent: what they’re thinking about, what keeps them up at night, what gets them excited.
If you only live in one vertical, you’ll miss them elsewhere.
Robbie Fitzwater:
Totally. It reminds me of a classic example: the John Deere Furrow Magazine. They started it in the late 1800s to empower farmers with relevant info to help grow their farms—not to sell tractors directly. But if they grow their farms? They’ll need more equipment.
Tim Lowry:
Exactly. Content helps you build relationships. You show up where your audience needs you, offer value, and build trust. If your content helps a potential customer land 10–20 leads, they’ll want to work with you.
It becomes a sticky, long-term relationship.
Robbie Fitzwater:
You're turning what might seem like a traditional B2B company into a media company—leveraging expertise to create real value and build relationships with valuable stakeholders.
Tim Lowry:
Yeah. If you can become a media source for your audience, they’ll come to you excited.
We’re not just building a one-off blog. We’re building a content hub—around labeling, packaging, regulations, e-commerce, logistics. Wherever they are in their journey, they’ll likely land somewhere on our client’s site.
We’re doing this for CBD, supplements, and now expanding into new verticals. It’s just a fun space to be in.
Robbie Fitzwater:
And those relationships are built on consistency—not intensity. You don’t win trust with one big gesture. You win it by showing up every day, consistently offering value.
Tim Lowry:
Right. And especially with B2B, you’re often selling to someone who has a lot at stake—maybe their job. They need to trust that this is the right decision.
Robbie Fitzwater:
Exactly. The old adage: “Nobody gets fired for hiring IBM.” Because IBM was consistent, trusted. And that’s what content can do when it’s consistent and thoughtful.
Tim Lowry:
It’s the long sales cycles in B2B that make this so important. We’re not just selling to a brand—we’re selling to a person. And if we make them look good to their team, that builds loyalty.
Robbie Fitzwater:
So the question becomes: Where do you start? What are the keywords? What are the problems? What’s valuable?
Tim Lowry:
Exactly. Understanding the problems, the decision stages, and offering content for each one.
And yeah, it helps the sales team too—because they’re getting more qualified leads. Not cold ones who need to be nurtured from scratch.
Robbie Fitzwater:
It’s all about building a warm audience. Let’s talk about that hierarchy: building vs. renting vs. owning an audience.
Tim Lowry:
I’m biased—organic is king. It’s the best long-term way to grow. Paid ads are important, but if you stop paying, you lose access.
With organic, you build something that compounds over time. The work is hard, but it shields you from volatility—especially if you avoid shortcuts and do things right.
Robbie Fitzwater:
Exactly. With paid or social, you’re renting. When the platform changes, or costs go up, you’re out.
I always say I hate Facebook, but it made me a better marketer. It taught me that you can’t rely on rented land forever. You’ve got to move that relationship somewhere you own.
Tim Lowry:
And once you build that trust, you’ve got to maintain it. Trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets.
Robbie Fitzwater:
Amen. And that’s where owning an audience becomes so powerful.
Tim Lowry:
Alright—we’ll wrap part one here. In part two, we’ll dive into what it means to own your audience.
Robbie Fitzwater:
And shoutout to our unofficial sponsors: baskets and hush puppies. I’m craving Long John Silver’s now.
Tim Lowry:
We’re totally going to get sued.
Robbie Fitzwater:
But again, these are all pieces of the puzzle. Marketing is about meeting people where they are, offering value, and being there consistently.
Tim Lowry:
Exactly. Show up, give them the good stuff, and your content will do the work for you—even when you're not available to take the call.
Robbie Fitzwater:
Alright, we’ll let the tension build a bit. Hopefully we added enough value—and Long John Silver’s hasn’t shut us down—so you’ll come back for part two.
Tim Lowry:
Did you like it? Leave us a review.
Robbie Fitzwater:
Seriously. Five stars—or at least three and a half.
[Outro]
