Love Your Customer As Yourself

Nearly every religion in the world endorses a version of the Golden Rule, known most commonly in English as "do unto others as you would have them do unto you," (stated by Jesus of Nazareth in Matthew 7:12).

Confucius stated it as, "Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself." (Analects XV.24)

Buddha said, "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." (Udanavarga 5:18)

And the Hebrew Torah reads, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Leviticus 19:18)

What happens to marketers who apply this Rule in their work? Who act based on the customer's point of view, rather than their own? Who evaluate ideas on the basis of how they would feel if they were the customer? Who consider how they themselves like to be treated (or serviced, or communicated to) as customers? Who value the customer's interests above their own?

I would venture to say that these marketers are better able to meet the customers' needs, and better able to make a connection with consumers. And thus they enjoy stronger customer loyalty and stronger sales.

Why? Because they continually do unto the customer as they would have others do unto them.

Love your customer as yourself.