Farmstead Cheeses and Wines, a small retail shop inside a public market in Alameda, Calif., boasts a relaxed, down-to-earth experience that would make any visitor feel welcome. With a motto of “Relax, it’s just food,” Farmstead has built a community of devoted customers who feel they are part of one big, happy, wine-and-cheese-loving family.

“If you want something to grow, you must feed it and care for it,” says Jim Cecil, founder of the Nurture Institute, in Woodbridge, N.J, which helps companies boost customer loyalty. “It’s the ultimate law of nature, as ancient as man: Feed and nourish before you harvest.” Using Farmstead as a case in point, here’s a four-step plan for growing the seed of a single interaction into a healthy, fruitful customer relationship:

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1. Plant the seeds. The first things you see when you wander into Farmstead are signs showcasing newly arrived wines and cheeses, as well as a wide range of “employee picks.” Those who make a purchase are asked if they’d like to enter their name into a database and receive the company’s e-newsletter. Owner Jeff Diamond and his employees use the database to help serve their customers better. For example, based on a customer’s recent purchases, Farmstead will recommend other wines or cheeses that person might enjoy.

2. Add water. Diamond’s e-newsletters combine mouthwatering descriptions of wines and cheeses with stories of his family’s wine-buying travels abroad, news about store employees, updates on Farmstead’s Charity of the Month (to which customers can contribute at the counter), and descriptions of upcoming tastings and wine clubs. Every newsletter concludes with, “You are our best marketing program. So please tell your friends, family, and colleagues about what we’re doing here at Farmstead.”

3. Shine the light. Farmstead’s voice mail message ends with a quip: “If this is a wine or cheese emergency, please hang up and dial 911.” It’s another example of how the store makes its customers feel at ease while also creating an insider familiarity. Diamond makes sure all employees engage with customers in what he calls the store’s “cheesy, breezy ways.”

“You’re building a subliminal position as being the friend in the business,” Cecil explains. “You want to be the one people think of when someone says, ‘I want to buy something.’ That’s how a small business takes the business away from big businesses.”

4. Reap the harvest. By creating a warm, welcoming vibe and continually nurturing customer relationships, Farmstead welcomes many satisfied return customers. “My theory is the more time you spend with me — and my blog and my travels and my cheeses — the more time you want to spend with me in the store, the more you are invested in my success,” Diamond explains.

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