At age eleven, I started working in my father’s specialty men’s clothing store in the heart of West Texas. Only in hindsight have I understood that he was my professional mentor and inspiration to view everything through the customer’s lens. It became the lens through which I developed customer-centric marketing strategies, executed marketing tactics with precision, and arrived at meaningful measurements and analysis of those efforts for over two decades.

Without the market access of Manhattan’s Paul Stuart or the marketing budgets of Neiman Marcus, my father built a highly-respected luxury business loved by his customers (who came from all over Texas and surrounding states) and admired by his industry peers (from New York to Italy and France).

How did he do it? With a relentless and single-minded focus on the customer at every point in their experience from seeing an ad, walking through the door for the first time, to making their umpteenth purchase. (The customer journey)

The training started in the gift wrapping department where I learned to make perfectly tight bows, cleanly measure and cut the wrapping paper, carefully fold the tissue paper, and tape the edges of the package with a barely visible three pieces of tape. (Product packaging)

From department to department, the education in attention to detail and the best possible customer experience continued. In the shipping and receiving room, there was much care as to where to place the price tag so that it was easily visible on the rack or shelf, never uncomfortable or awkward for the customer when trying on, and did not harm the merchandise with a single prick on the fabric. (User experience design)

The most coveted job by me and my seven siblings when we turned 16 was driving the delivery van. What we hoped would be some mild joy-riding across town was really about mindfulness in how we interacted with the customer in their home or office. It was not only how we represented the store, but also how we represented our family in the community. (Brand reputation and PR)

The graduate level education happened on the sales floor, the highest position to hold. It started with communicating with the customer in just the right way by being friendly, attentive, and helpful, but never hovering or ingratiating. It meant welcoming new customers and knowing the history and preferences of returning customers. (Customer acquisition and retention)

While all of the above was commendable, the thing that set our brand apart and made it a highly profitable enterprise for almost 70 years, was the practice of helpfulness. Helping the customer was more than beautiful packages and prompt deliveries, it was primarily the helpful education about what they were buying: why choosing Sea Island cotton from Georgia, or merino wool from Italy, or silk hand-rolled ties from France mattered and how it made their lives more enjoyable and their purchases an investment in themselves. (Content strategy)

The family business became a part of people’s lives with three and four generations of customers who were unwaveringly loyal and eager to spread the word. (Tribes and brand ambassadors)

The philosophy of customer advocacy is at the heart of everything I do to help companies and marketers make meaningful and lasting relationships with their customers. This time-tested approach outlives and outperforms marketing trends and yields the bounty of an enduring brand and robust bottom line not for a quarter or two, but for years to come.