Build Strategy Around Winnable Advantage with the 4 Points Strategy
You're looking for a 'winnable advantage' because, let's be honest, your current strategy is a list of prayers. You're trying to out-compete everyone on everything, which is a great way to go broke and end up in a mid-tier agency graveyard. The 4 Points Strategy Framework is the industrial-strength filter you need to find the one spot where the competition is weak and you're actually dangerous. It’s four boxes. If you can’t find a winnable edge in four boxes, you don’t have a strategy; you have a hobby. This guide is for the strategist who is tired of 'synergy' and ready to actually win a fight.
The TL;DR
Stop trying to be 'better' at everything. Identify the human friction (Problem), the secret behavior (Insight), your one unfair weapon (Advantage), and the singular battle plan (Strategy) that makes the competition irrelevant.
Why This Stops Your Strategy From Being Total Garbage
Most strategies fail because they're too polite to admit they have weaknesses. This framework forces you to stop lying to yourself and find the one place where you actually have the high ground.
PROBLEM
Forget your sales targets. What is the friction in the customer's life? Are they confused, annoyed, or just trying to hide their incompetence? If there's no human tension, you're just throwing money at a wall.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s the secret reason people do what they do. If your insight doesn't make the client feel a little bit exposed, it's just a boring data point.
ADVANTAGE
What do you have that the other guys can't just buy or copy? Is it a patent, a weirdly obsessed community, or a supply chain that shouldn't exist? If it’s 'quality,' try again.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the single sentence that tells everyone exactly how we’re going to use our Advantage to solve the Problem. If it's more than 15 words, you're still rambling.
PROBLEM
Forget your sales targets. What is the friction in the customer's life? Are they confused, annoyed, or just trying to hide their incompetence? If there's no human tension, you're just throwing money at a wall.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s the secret reason people do what they do. If your insight doesn't make the client feel a little bit exposed, it's just a boring data point.
ADVANTAGE
What do you have that the other guys can't just buy or copy? Is it a patent, a weirdly obsessed community, or a supply chain that shouldn't exist? If it’s 'quality,' try again.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the single sentence that tells everyone exactly how we’re going to use our Advantage to solve the Problem. 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 'we need more customers' (that's your problem, not theirs)
- ×Confusing an 'Insight' with a 'Fact' (facts are for spreadsheets, insights are for humans)
- ×Claiming your Advantage is 'Innovation' (innovation isn't a feature, it's a buzzword)
- ×Writing a Strategy that is actually just a list of tactics like 'Post 3 times on TikTok'
- ×Trying to solve a problem that your Advantage doesn't actually fix
- ×Using the word 'Leverage' in your Strategy (it's the universal sign of having no ideas)
- ×Making the Strategy so vague that it could apply to a brand of toilet paper or a hedge fund
- ×Ignoring the Insight because it feels 'too mean' to the customer
Strategy is about sacrifice. If you aren't leaving 'okay' ideas on the floor, you're just making a to-do list.
Real Examples
High-End Coffee Gear
Selling $2,000 espresso machines to suburban dads.
PROBLEM
Home espresso machines are intimidating, making users feel like they need a PhD to get a decent caffeine fix.
INSIGHT
These guys don't actually want to be baristas; they want to feel like the most sophisticated person in the room without doing the work.
ADVANTAGE
A machine with military-grade precision and exactly one 'Perfect Shot' button that makes a loud, impressive hiss.
STRATEGY
Position the machine as the 'Unfair Shortcut to Coffee Mastery' for the busy perfectionist.
PROBLEM
Home espresso machines are intimidating, making users feel like they need a PhD to get a decent caffeine fix.
INSIGHT
These guys don't actually want to be baristas; they want to feel like the most sophisticated person in the room without doing the work.
ADVANTAGE
A machine with military-grade precision and exactly one 'Perfect Shot' button that makes a loud, impressive hiss.
STRATEGY
Position the machine as the 'Unfair Shortcut to Coffee Mastery' for the busy perfectionist.
B2B Cybersecurity
Competing against massive legacy firms with deep pockets.
PROBLEM
IT Directors are drowning in 'security theater' - endless alerts that don't actually stop breaches.
INSIGHT
They aren't afraid of hackers as much as they're afraid of being the person fired after a breach they couldn't prevent.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Zero-Blame' audit trail that proves the IT team followed every protocol, even if the system is compromised.
STRATEGY
Market the software as 'Career Insurance' rather than just another firewall.
PROBLEM
IT Directors are drowning in 'security theater' - endless alerts that don't actually stop breaches.
INSIGHT
They aren't afraid of hackers as much as they're afraid of being the person fired after a breach they couldn't prevent.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Zero-Blame' audit trail that proves the IT team followed every protocol, even if the system is compromised.
STRATEGY
Market the software as 'Career Insurance' rather than just another firewall.
Direct-to-Consumer Skincare
Launching a new brand in a market obsessed with 12-step routines.
PROBLEM
Modern skincare is a part-time job that people are increasingly failing at.
INSIGHT
People are secretly relieved when they skip a step, but feel guilty because the industry tells them they're 'neglecting' themselves.
ADVANTAGE
A high-concentration 'All-In-One' serum that replaces four different products without losing potency.
STRATEGY
Own the 'Productive Laziness' space by making the 1-step routine a badge of efficiency, not failure.
PROBLEM
Modern skincare is a part-time job that people are increasingly failing at.
INSIGHT
People are secretly relieved when they skip a step, but feel guilty because the industry tells them they're 'neglecting' themselves.
ADVANTAGE
A high-concentration 'All-In-One' serum that replaces four different products without losing potency.
STRATEGY
Own the 'Productive Laziness' space by making the 1-step routine a badge of efficiency, not failure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have two Advantages if they're both really good?
No. Pick the one that actually solves the Problem. If you try to lead with two, you'll confuse the customer and dilute your impact. Pick your best weapon and leave the other one in the bag.
What if my Advantage is just 'we're cheaper'?
Then your strategy is 'Price War.' If you can't find a better advantage, you better have the lowest overhead in the industry, or you're just waiting to be killed by someone with more scale.
How do I know if my Insight is 'uncomfortable' enough?
If you present it to the client and they say 'We can't say that in public,' you're on the right track. Insights are truths people live by but don't put on their LinkedIn profiles.
Is the Strategy the same as the Tagline?
God, no. The Strategy is the internal logic that dictates what you do. The tagline is the pretty bow you put on it for the public. Don't let the copywriter write the strategy.
What if the competition has the same Advantage?
Then it's not an advantage, it's a 'table stake.' Go back and find something they're too lazy, too corporate, or too stupid to emphasize.
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