Go Beyond Surface Insights with the 4 Points Strategy
Your strategy deck is currently a collection of beige observations disguised as profound revelations. If your 'insight' is that 'customers want value,' please close your laptop and go for a walk. You’re not doing strategy; you’re reading a weather report. The 4 Points Strategy Framework is designed to help you stop being so damn shallow. It’s for the strategist who is tired of presenting slides that get polite nods but zero action. We’re here to dig past the generic fluff and find the human friction, the uncomfortable truth, and the one unfair advantage that actually makes people change their behavior. If you can't find the tension, you don't have a strategy - you have a wish list.
The TL;DR
Stop presenting observations and calling them insights. Use this framework to identify the real human mess, the secret truth no one admits, and the singular weapon you'll use to win before your competitors even wake up.
Why This Stops Your Strategy From Being Surface-Level Garbage
Surface insights are safe, and safe is how brands die quietly in the night. This framework forces you to find the 'ouch' factor that actually moves the needle.
PROBLEM
Stop talking about 'low conversion rates.' That's a spreadsheet problem. What is the customer actually struggling with? Are they feeling like a fraud? Are they exhausted by choice? If there's no human mess, there's nothing to clean up.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s the 'Oof' moment. It’s not a data point; it’s a realization about human behavior that makes you feel like you're eavesdropping. If it doesn't feel a little bit risky to say out loud, it's probably just a fact.
ADVANTAGE
This is your Advantage. Not 'innovation' or 'quality.' What do you have that they can't just buy or copy? It needs to be the specific tool that solves the specific human problem you just identified.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the 'how.' It’s a single, aggressive sentence that bridges the insight and the advantage. If it sounds like a slogan, you failed. It should sound like a battle plan.
PROBLEM
Stop talking about 'low conversion rates.' That's a spreadsheet problem. What is the customer actually struggling with? Are they feeling like a fraud? Are they exhausted by choice? If there's no human mess, there's nothing to clean up.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s the 'Oof' moment. It’s not a data point; it’s a realization about human behavior that makes you feel like you're eavesdropping. If it doesn't feel a little bit risky to say out loud, it's probably just a fact.
ADVANTAGE
This is your Advantage. Not 'innovation' or 'quality.' What do you have that they can't just buy or copy? It needs to be the specific tool that solves the specific human problem you just identified.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the 'how.' It’s a single, aggressive sentence that bridges the insight and the advantage. If it sounds like a slogan, you failed. It should sound like a battle plan.
How to Fail at Being Deep
(And keep producing mediocre work)
- ×Confusing a 'Fact' (people like coffee) with an 'Insight' (people use coffee as a socially acceptable way to take a 15-minute break from their kids).
- ×Defining the 'Problem' as 'they haven't bought our product yet.' That's not a problem, that's narcissism.
- ×Using 'Advantage' to list features instead of the one thing that actually differentiates you.
- ×Writing a 'Strategy' that is just a list of tactics like 'launch a TikTok account.'
- ×Ignoring the Insight because it feels 'too negative' for the brand guidelines.
- ×Trying to solve three problems at once because you're afraid of being wrong about one.
- ×Making the Strategy so broad that it could apply to literally any brand in your category.
- ×Forgetting that the four points have to actually connect in a logical chain.
If your strategy doesn't make someone in the room feel slightly uncomfortable, you're probably still playing on the surface.
Real Examples
High-End Fitness Apps
Targeting busy professionals who pay for memberships they never use.
PROBLEM
People feel a crushing guilt every time they see a gym charge on their bank statement.
INSIGHT
They don't actually want to 'get fit' as much as they want to stop feeling like a failure for being 'lazy.'
ADVANTAGE
A proprietary 'Micro-Dose' workout algorithm that counts 5 minutes of movement as a completed session.
STRATEGY
Reposition fitness from a 'heavy commitment' to a 'guilt-erasing ritual' that fits into a coffee break.
PROBLEM
People feel a crushing guilt every time they see a gym charge on their bank statement.
INSIGHT
They don't actually want to 'get fit' as much as they want to stop feeling like a failure for being 'lazy.'
ADVANTAGE
A proprietary 'Micro-Dose' workout algorithm that counts 5 minutes of movement as a completed session.
STRATEGY
Reposition fitness from a 'heavy commitment' to a 'guilt-erasing ritual' that fits into a coffee break.
B2B Cybersecurity
Selling to IT Directors who are tired of being blamed for everything.
PROBLEM
IT Directors live in a state of permanent 'Blame-Anticipation' - waiting for the one hack that ends their career.
INSIGHT
They aren't buying 'security'; they are buying a 'Not My Fault' insurance policy for when things go wrong.
ADVANTAGE
An automated 'Audit-Trail' feature that proves every possible precaution was taken in real-time.
STRATEGY
Shift the narrative from 'stopping hackers' to 'protecting the IT Director's professional reputation.'
PROBLEM
IT Directors live in a state of permanent 'Blame-Anticipation' - waiting for the one hack that ends their career.
INSIGHT
They aren't buying 'security'; they are buying a 'Not My Fault' insurance policy for when things go wrong.
ADVANTAGE
An automated 'Audit-Trail' feature that proves every possible precaution was taken in real-time.
STRATEGY
Shift the narrative from 'stopping hackers' to 'protecting the IT Director's professional reputation.'
Sustainable Cleaning Products
Competing against cheap, chemical-heavy household names.
PROBLEM
Eco-conscious consumers feel like they have to choose between 'saving the planet' and 'actually having a clean kitchen.'
INSIGHT
They secretly believe 'green' products are weak and that 'real' cleaning requires harsh chemicals they can smell.
ADVANTAGE
A lab-tested, plant-based formula that mimics the 'chemical sting' of bleach without the toxicity.
STRATEGY
Own the 'Aggressively Green' space by proving that 'natural' can be just as intimidating as industrial cleaners.
PROBLEM
Eco-conscious consumers feel like they have to choose between 'saving the planet' and 'actually having a clean kitchen.'
INSIGHT
They secretly believe 'green' products are weak and that 'real' cleaning requires harsh chemicals they can smell.
ADVANTAGE
A lab-tested, plant-based formula that mimics the 'chemical sting' of bleach without the toxicity.
STRATEGY
Own the 'Aggressively Green' space by proving that 'natural' can be just as intimidating as industrial cleaners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my insight feels too 'mean' to the customer?
Good. That means you've hit a nerve. People are messy, irrational, and selfish. If your insight makes them look like saints, it's a lie, not an insight.
Can the Advantage be 'our people'?
Only if your people are literal wizards. Otherwise, no. Your 'people' are a cost of doing business, not a strategic advantage.
How do I know if the Problem is deep enough?
Ask 'so what?' five times. If you end up at 'they might die' or 'they'll feel like an idiot,' you're getting close.
Is the Strategy the same as the tagline?
No. The Strategy is the internal logic. The tagline is the pretty bow you put on it for the public. Don't confuse the two or you'll end up with a strategy that has no teeth.
Why is there no 'Results' box?
Because if you do these four points right, the results are inevitable. If you need a box to tell you to 'increase sales,' you're in the wrong profession.
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