Build Strategy Around Human Behavior with the 4 Points Strategy
If your strategy is built on market segments and 'synergy' rather than actual human behavior, you're not planning; you're hallucinating. The 4 Points Strategy Framework is the industrial-strength filter you need to strip away the corporate fan-fiction and find a direction that actually moves the needle. It’s four boxes. If you can’t fit your genius plan into four boxes, your plan is probably just a collection of expensive delusions. This isn't about filling out a form; it's about finding the one sharp point that pierces through the noise of a crowded, indifferent market by understanding why people actually do the weird things they do.
The TL;DR
Stop hiding behind 60-page decks. Identify the human mess (Problem), the uncomfortable truth (Insight), your one actual weapon (Advantage), and the singular battle plan (Strategy) that ties them together before your budget runs out.
Why This Stops Your Strategy From Being Total Garbage
Most strategies fail because they're too polite. They talk about 'consumers' as if they are rational robots. This framework forces you to be honest about the messy, irrational humans you're actually targeting.
PROBLEM
Don't give me 'low market share.' That's a business problem. What is the friction in the customer's life? Are they bored, scared, annoyed, or just trying to look cooler than their neighbor? If there's no human tension, there's no strategy.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s not a data point; it’s a 'why.' Why do they do the dumb things they do? What's the secret belief or behavior that drives their choices? If it doesn't make you feel a little bit like a creep for knowing it, it's probably not a real insight.
ADVANTAGE
This is where you stop lying to yourself. Is your product actually better, faster, or cheaper? Or do you have a legacy nobody can buy? If your advantage is 'innovation,' go back to the drawing board. It needs to be a specific tool that solves the Problem.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the bridge. It connects the Problem, Insight, and Advantage into a single, aggressive sentence. It’s not a slogan; it’s a marching order. If it's more than 15 words, you're still rambling.
PROBLEM
Don't give me 'low market share.' That's a business problem. What is the friction in the customer's life? Are they bored, scared, annoyed, or just trying to look cooler than their neighbor? If there's no human tension, there's no strategy.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s not a data point; it’s a 'why.' Why do they do the dumb things they do? What's the secret belief or behavior that drives their choices? If it doesn't make you feel a little bit like a creep for knowing it, it's probably not a real insight.
ADVANTAGE
This is where you stop lying to yourself. Is your product actually better, faster, or cheaper? Or do you have a legacy nobody can buy? If your advantage is 'innovation,' go back to the drawing board. It needs to be a specific tool that solves the Problem.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the bridge. It connects the Problem, Insight, and Advantage into a single, aggressive sentence. It’s not a slogan; it’s a marching order. If it's more than 15 words, you're still rambling.
Ways You'll Probably Screw This Up
(And look like an amateur)
- ×Defining the 'Problem' as a lack of your product (narcissistic much?)
- ×Confusing an 'Insight' with a 'Fact' (Facts are boring; Insights have teeth)
- ×Claiming 'Customer Service' is a unique Advantage (it's not, everyone says it)
- ×Writing a 'Strategy' that is just a list of tactics like 'do more social media'
- ×Ignoring the Insight because it feels 'too negative' or 'unprofessional'
- ×Making the Strategy so vague it could apply to your competitors too
- ×Failing to connect the four points (they aren't independent silos, they're a chain)
- ×Trying to solve three problems at once because you're afraid to commit
Strategy is about sacrifice. If you aren't leaving 'good' ideas on the floor, you aren't doing the work.
Real Examples
High-End Coffee Subscriptions
Getting casual drinkers to pay $25/bag for 'origin-focused' beans.
PROBLEM
People want to feel sophisticated but are secretly intimidated by coffee snobbery and 'flavor notes.'
INSIGHT
They don't actually care about the soil pH in Ethiopia; they just want to be the person who knows more than their guests do.
ADVANTAGE
A simplified 'Taste Profile' system that translates complex bean chemistry into 'Vibes' and 'Occasions.'
STRATEGY
Position the brand as the 'Snob-Proof Curator' that gives you the knowledge without the judgment.
PROBLEM
People want to feel sophisticated but are secretly intimidated by coffee snobbery and 'flavor notes.'
INSIGHT
They don't actually care about the soil pH in Ethiopia; they just want to be the person who knows more than their guests do.
ADVANTAGE
A simplified 'Taste Profile' system that translates complex bean chemistry into 'Vibes' and 'Occasions.'
STRATEGY
Position the brand as the 'Snob-Proof Curator' that gives you the knowledge without the judgment.
Budget Financial Planning App
Selling a budgeting tool to Gen Zers who hate thinking about money.
PROBLEM
Checking a bank balance feels like a jump-scare, leading to 'financial ostrich' behavior.
INSIGHT
They aren't 'bad' with money; they're just using 'doom spending' as a coping mechanism for a world that feels too expensive to ever win in.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Safe Spend' algorithm that calculates what they can blow on fun stuff after the boring bills are mathematically handled.
STRATEGY
Frame the app as the 'Guilt-Free Spending Permit' rather than a restrictive budget tool.
PROBLEM
Checking a bank balance feels like a jump-scare, leading to 'financial ostrich' behavior.
INSIGHT
They aren't 'bad' with money; they're just using 'doom spending' as a coping mechanism for a world that feels too expensive to ever win in.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Safe Spend' algorithm that calculates what they can blow on fun stuff after the boring bills are mathematically handled.
STRATEGY
Frame the app as the 'Guilt-Free Spending Permit' rather than a restrictive budget tool.
B2B Cybersecurity Software
Pitching to IT Managers who are tired of being blamed for everything.
PROBLEM
IT Managers live in a state of constant 'Blame-Avoidance' rather than 'Security-Optimization.'
INSIGHT
They don't fear hackers as much as they fear the CEO asking, 'Why did we pay for this if we still got hit?'
ADVANTAGE
An automated 'Compliance Paper-Trail' that proves they did everything right, even if the interns click on a phishing link.
STRATEGY
Position the software as the 'Professional Alibi' for the modern SysAdmin.
PROBLEM
IT Managers live in a state of constant 'Blame-Avoidance' rather than 'Security-Optimization.'
INSIGHT
They don't fear hackers as much as they fear the CEO asking, 'Why did we pay for this if we still got hit?'
ADVANTAGE
An automated 'Compliance Paper-Trail' that proves they did everything right, even if the interns click on a phishing link.
STRATEGY
Position the software as the 'Professional Alibi' for the modern SysAdmin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have two Problems if they're both really important?
No. Pick the one that’s actually costing you money. Trying to solve two problems is the fastest way to solve zero problems. Focus or fail.
What if my Advantage is just 'we're cheaper'?
Then your strategy is 'Race to the Bottom.' If that's the case, own it, but don't try to wrap it in fancy language. Just be the cheapest and stop pretending you're 'innovative.'
How do I know if my Insight is actually an Insight?
If you say it out loud and everyone in the room goes 'Oof, yeah, that's true,' you've got one. If they just nod politely and check their phones, it's a boring fact, not an insight.
Why is the Strategy point also called the 'by' field?
Because strategy is the method. You achieve your goal BY doing this specific thing. If your 'by' doesn't sound like a plan of attack, it's just a wish.
Is 'human behavior' just for B2C brands?
Unless your B2B product is being bought by a literal algorithm, you're still selling to a human with a mortgage, an ego, and a boss they hate. Human behavior is the only thing that matters.
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