Need and want are subsets of the real motivation I believe we should all be searching for as marketers – and that is intent.

Intent is about what a customer wants to accomplish rather than simply what they want to purchase. Parents want their children to be happy, to have a great childhood, to learn and absorb, and to enjoy time with their friends. That’s a way bigger agenda than just wanting to buy them the latest Star Wars figure or Playskool set.

Actually, toy manufacturers seem to have this alignment of intent and purchase down to a fine art. But applying that thinking elsewhere could offer new opportunities to meet that intent with offers or rewards that are delightful and distinctive.

Try this. Jot down a 6 – 10 point Statement of Intent that summarises the real things your customers want to see happen when they come to you. Do your offerings and service address and reward those? Really?