How Strategy Directors Fix Unfocused Strategy with the 4 Points Strategy Framework
Strategy Directors, let’s be real: your current deck is a 60-slide insomnia cure that says everything and achieves nothing. It’s unfocused, bloated with corporate buzzwords, and probably trying to solve twelve problems at once because you’re too scared to tell the CEO that half their ideas are garbage. The 4 Points Strategy Framework is your intervention. It’s designed to strip away the 'synergy' and 'omni-channel' fluff to find the one sharp point that actually matters. If you can't fit your plan into these four boxes, you don't have a strategy; you have a very expensive wish list. This guide is about finding the signal in the noise before your client realizes they’re paying for a hallucination.
The TL;DR
Stop the strategic sprawl. Use these four boxes to identify the human friction (Problem), the dirty little secret (Insight), your one real weapon (Advantage), and the singular marching order (Strategy) that prevents your deck from being ignored.
Why This Stops Your Strategy From Being Total Garbage
Most strategies are unfocused because they try to be polite. This framework is a blunt instrument designed to kill mediocre ideas before they waste your budget.
PROBLEM
Don't give me 'declining sales.' That’s a spreadsheet problem. What is the mess in the customer's life? Are they confused, feeling guilty, or just tired of being lied to? If there’s no human tension, your strategy is just noise.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s the 'why' behind the 'what.' It’s the secret motivation or the irrational belief that drives their behavior. If the insight doesn't make the room go quiet for a second, it's probably just a boring fact.
ADVANTAGE
Stop listing features. What do you have that the competition can't just buy or copy? It must be the specific tool that solves the Problem you just identified. If it doesn't fit the lock, it's not the right key.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. The 'By.' It’s the bridge that connects everything into a single, aggressive marching order. No 'and,' no 'also,' no 'while.' Just one clear path. If it’s more than 15 words, you’re still rambling.
PROBLEM
Don't give me 'declining sales.' That’s a spreadsheet problem. What is the mess in the customer's life? Are they confused, feeling guilty, or just tired of being lied to? If there’s no human tension, your strategy is just noise.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s the 'why' behind the 'what.' It’s the secret motivation or the irrational belief that drives their behavior. If the insight doesn't make the room go quiet for a second, it's probably just a boring fact.
ADVANTAGE
Stop listing features. What do you have that the competition can't just buy or copy? It must be the specific tool that solves the Problem you just identified. If it doesn't fit the lock, it's not the right key.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. The 'By.' It’s the bridge that connects everything into a single, aggressive marching order. No 'and,' no 'also,' no 'while.' Just one clear path. 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 business KPI instead of a human struggle.
- ×Using a generic 'Insight' that could apply to any brand in your category.
- ×Claiming your Advantage is 'Innovation' or 'Passion' (those aren't advantages, they're table stakes).
- ×Writing a 'Strategy' that is actually just a list of three different ideas joined by commas.
- ×Treating the four points as separate tasks instead of a single, logical chain.
- ×Keeping the strategy vague so you don't have to take a real stand.
- ×Confusing the Strategy with a creative tagline - one is the logic, the other is the flair.
- ×Trying to be 'everything to everyone' because you're afraid of losing a niche audience.
Strategy is the art of sacrifice. If your deck doesn't leave someone feeling slightly uncomfortable, you haven't made a choice yet.
Real Examples
Retail Banking
Fixing a legacy bank's 'unfocused' attempt to attract Gen Z.
PROBLEM
Young adults feel like the financial system is a rigged game they weren't invited to play.
INSIGHT
They don't want 'financial literacy' classes; they want to feel like they're 'gaming' the system back.
ADVANTAGE
A round-up feature that invests 'the bank's money' (via high-interest sign-ups) rather than just their own spare change.
STRATEGY
Position the bank as the 'Cheat Code' for a generation that thinks traditional saving is a scam.
PROBLEM
Young adults feel like the financial system is a rigged game they weren't invited to play.
INSIGHT
They don't want 'financial literacy' classes; they want to feel like they're 'gaming' the system back.
ADVANTAGE
A round-up feature that invests 'the bank's money' (via high-interest sign-ups) rather than just their own spare change.
STRATEGY
Position the bank as the 'Cheat Code' for a generation that thinks traditional saving is a scam.
Enterprise SaaS
Focusing a project management tool that's losing to simpler apps.
PROBLEM
Middle managers are drowning in 'work about work' and feel like glorified babysitters.
INSIGHT
They secretly hate the 'transparency' of their current tools because it exposes their team's chaos to the C-suite.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Private Draft' layer that lets managers clean up the mess before the 'Official' report is generated.
STRATEGY
Own the 'Manager’s Secret Weapon' space by prioritizing internal control over external visibility.
PROBLEM
Middle managers are drowning in 'work about work' and feel like glorified babysitters.
INSIGHT
They secretly hate the 'transparency' of their current tools because it exposes their team's chaos to the C-suite.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Private Draft' layer that lets managers clean up the mess before the 'Official' report is generated.
STRATEGY
Own the 'Manager’s Secret Weapon' space by prioritizing internal control over external visibility.
High-End Fitness
Refocusing a luxury gym brand facing 'home workout' fatigue.
PROBLEM
High-achievers feel that working out at home has turned their sanctuary into a second office.
INSIGHT
They don't go to the gym to get fit; they go to the gym to legally disappear from their family and Slack for 60 minutes.
ADVANTAGE
Sound-proofed, phone-free 'Digital Detox' zones that are enforced more strictly than the actual workouts.
STRATEGY
Transform the gym from a 'place to sweat' into a 'fortress of scheduled isolation.'
PROBLEM
High-achievers feel that working out at home has turned their sanctuary into a second office.
INSIGHT
They don't go to the gym to get fit; they go to the gym to legally disappear from their family and Slack for 60 minutes.
ADVANTAGE
Sound-proofed, phone-free 'Digital Detox' zones that are enforced more strictly than the actual workouts.
STRATEGY
Transform the gym from a 'place to sweat' into a 'fortress of scheduled isolation.'
Frequently Asked Questions
My client wants to solve three problems. Can I just add more boxes?
No. Tell your client that trying to solve three problems is the same as solving none. Pick the biggest fire and put it out first.
What if our 'Advantage' is actually just 'we're the same as everyone else'?
Then you don't have a strategy, you have a commodity. Find a different angle - even if it's just your personality or how you deliver - or prepare to compete on price until you go bust.
Is the 'By' the same as a slogan?
Hard no. The 'By' is the internal logic. If the 'By' is 'Become the Cheat Code,' the slogan might be 'Level Up.' Don't confuse the engine with the paint job.
How do I know if my 'Insight' is sharp enough?
If you present it and the client looks a little embarrassed or says 'I've never thought of it that way, but it's true,' you've won. If they just nod, it's a boring fact.
Does this work for B2B, or just consumer stuff?
B2B buyers are still humans with egos, fears, and annoying bosses. If anything, B2B needs this more because it’s usually 10x more boring and unfocused.
Generate a Framework for your Product Launch Strategy
Use our framework generator to generate various Get Who To By, 4C, 4 Points Strategy, and other frameworks — all in one place and directly to editable Google SLIDES!
Go to Framework Generator