Clarify Why You Win Using the 4 Points Strategy
Your current strategy is likely just a collection of polite delusions meant to keep the board from panicking. They’re vague, cowardly, and usually written to avoid offending the CEO’s ego. If you can’t articulate exactly why you win in four simple steps, you aren’t winning - you’re just surviving until a smarter competitor notices you. The 4 Points Strategy Framework is the smelling salts for your brand. It forces you to stop hiding behind 'synergy' and 'innovation' and find the one sharp, uncomfortable reason you actually deserve to exist in a market that is already bored of you. If it doesn't fit in these four boxes, it's not a strategy; it's a hallucination.
The TL;DR
Winning isn't a goal; it's the result of solving a real human mess with a truth no one else is talking about, using a weapon only you have. Stop hiding behind 60-page decks and find your one sharp point of attack.
Why This Stops Your Strategy From Being Total Garbage
Most brands fail because they try to be everything to everyone. This framework is a filter that removes the fluff and leaves only the bone.
PROBLEM
Stop talking about 'market share.' That's your problem, not theirs. What is the friction, the annoyance, or the deep-seated fear in the customer's life? If there's no human tension, there's no reason for them to care about your solution.
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 secret belief drives their choices? If your insight doesn't make you feel like you're eavesdropping on a therapy session, it's probably just a boring fact.
ADVANTAGE
Be honest. Is your product actually better, or are you just louder? Your Advantage must be the specific tool that solves the Problem. If your advantage is 'we care more,' go back to the drawing board and find something real.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the bridge. It connects the Problem, Insight, and Advantage into a single, aggressive sentence. It’s a marching order. If it's more than 15 words or uses the word 'leverage,' you're still rambling.
PROBLEM
Stop talking about 'market share.' That's your problem, not theirs. What is the friction, the annoyance, or the deep-seated fear in the customer's life? If there's no human tension, there's no reason for them to care about your solution.
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 secret belief drives their choices? If your insight doesn't make you feel like you're eavesdropping on a therapy session, it's probably just a boring fact.
ADVANTAGE
Be honest. Is your product actually better, or are you just louder? Your Advantage must be the specific tool that solves the Problem. If your advantage is 'we care more,' go back to the drawing board and find something real.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the bridge. It connects the Problem, Insight, and Advantage into a single, aggressive sentence. It’s a marching order. If it's more than 15 words or uses the word 'leverage,' you're still rambling.
Ways You'll Probably Screw This Up
(And look like an amateur)
- ×Defining 'Winning' as hitting a sales target instead of solving a customer problem.
- ×Writing a 'Problem' that is just 'they don't know about us yet' (narcissism at its finest).
- ×Confusing an 'Insight' with a 'Stat' (10% of people do X is a stat; they do X because they're lonely is an insight).
- ×Claiming 'Quality' or 'Trust' as a unique Advantage (those are table stakes, not advantages).
- ×Making the 'Strategy' a list of tactics like 'launch a TikTok channel' instead of a singular direction.
- ×Ignoring the Insight because it feels 'too negative' for a corporate slide deck.
- ×Failing to connect the Advantage to the Problem (having a cool feature that solves nothing).
- ×Trying to solve three problems at once because you're afraid to say 'no' to stakeholders.
Strategy is the art of sacrifice. If you aren't leaving 'good' ideas on the floor to focus on the 'best' one, you're just making a list.
Real Examples
Local Coffee Chain
Competing against a massive, clinical global coffee giant.
PROBLEM
People feel like a nameless transaction number in a 15-minute drive-thru line.
INSIGHT
They don't actually want 'artisanal' beans; they want to feel like they belong to a neighborhood that knows their name.
ADVANTAGE
A staff-first culture where baristas are hired for personality and 'no-laptop' zones that force human eye contact.
STRATEGY
Position the cafe as the 'Un-Digital Sanctuary' where local community is the primary product and coffee is just the excuse.
PROBLEM
People feel like a nameless transaction number in a 15-minute drive-thru line.
INSIGHT
They don't actually want 'artisanal' beans; they want to feel like they belong to a neighborhood that knows their name.
ADVANTAGE
A staff-first culture where baristas are hired for personality and 'no-laptop' zones that force human eye contact.
STRATEGY
Position the cafe as the 'Un-Digital Sanctuary' where local community is the primary product and coffee is just the excuse.
Budget Airline
Winning in a market where everyone hates the experience.
PROBLEM
Flying has become a miserable, over-priced chore full of hidden fees.
INSIGHT
Travelers are willing to be treated like cattle for two hours if it means they can actually afford to eat at a 5-star restaurant when they land.
ADVANTAGE
A cost-obsessed operations model that strips away every non-essential 'luxury' to keep fares lower than a tank of gas.
STRATEGY
Own the 'Bus to the Beach' identity - brutally honest about the lack of frills to highlight the surplus of savings.
PROBLEM
Flying has become a miserable, over-priced chore full of hidden fees.
INSIGHT
Travelers are willing to be treated like cattle for two hours if it means they can actually afford to eat at a 5-star restaurant when they land.
ADVANTAGE
A cost-obsessed operations model that strips away every non-essential 'luxury' to keep fares lower than a tank of gas.
STRATEGY
Own the 'Bus to the Beach' identity - brutally honest about the lack of frills to highlight the surplus of savings.
Enterprise CRM
Competing against bloated legacy software like Salesforce.
PROBLEM
Sales teams spend 40% of their time 'managing' the software instead of actually selling.
INSIGHT
Salespeople secretly sabotage CRM data because it feels like a 'nanny' tool for their boss rather than a tool for them.
ADVANTAGE
An automated 'Zero-Entry' interface that syncs data from emails and calls without the salesperson lifting a finger.
STRATEGY
Frame the CRM as the 'Salesperson's Secret Weapon' that buys them back two days a week to hit their commission.
PROBLEM
Sales teams spend 40% of their time 'managing' the software instead of actually selling.
INSIGHT
Salespeople secretly sabotage CRM data because it feels like a 'nanny' tool for their boss rather than a tool for them.
ADVANTAGE
An automated 'Zero-Entry' interface that syncs data from emails and calls without the salesperson lifting a finger.
STRATEGY
Frame the CRM as the 'Salesperson's Secret Weapon' that buys them back two days a week to hit their commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I have two Problems?
Because you'll have two mediocre strategies instead of one great one. Pick the problem that's actually hurting your bottom line the most and kill the other one.
Is the Advantage the same as a USP?
Sort of, but USPs are often boring features. An Advantage is a weapon. It’s why you win the fight. If your USP is 'we have an app,' that's not an advantage.
What if my Insight feels too mean to the customer?
Then you've probably found a good one. Real human behavior is messy and often selfish. If your insight is 'polite,' it’s probably useless.
How long should the Strategy sentence be?
If you can't say it in one breath, it's too long. Aim for 12-15 words. If you need a comma, you're probably trying to sneak in a second strategy.
Does the Strategy go on the ads?
No. The Strategy is for you. The creative team turns the Strategy into ads. Don't confuse the 'logic' with the 'lipstick'.
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