Rebuild Broken Strategy Using 4 Points Strategy Framework
Your current strategy isn't a strategy; it's a 40-slide apology for why you're not hitting your numbers. It’s a Frankenstein’s monster of stakeholder opinions and buzzwords that mean absolutely nothing to the person actually paying for your product. The 4 Points Strategy Framework is the emergency surgery you need to stop the bleeding. We're stripping away the 'synergy' and 'omnichannel' crap to find the one human problem you're actually capable of solving. If you can’t fit your entire 'transformation' into these four boxes, you don’t have a strategy - you have a very expensive hobby. Let’s stop pretending and fix the damn thing before the board realizes you’re just winging it.
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 are broken because they're too polite to tell the truth. This forces you to be honest, which is usually painful but always more effective than 'alignment meetings.'
PROBLEM
Don't give me 'declining sales.' That's a you 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 'declining sales.' That's a you 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
Legacy SaaS Pivot
A bloated project tool losing to simpler, more 'aesthetic' apps.
PROBLEM
Teams feel suffocated by 'productivity' tools that actually just add more digital chores to their day.
INSIGHT
Users secretly sabotage the software because they want to feel in control of their time, not monitored by a dashboard.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Ghost Mode' feature that lets users draft work offline and sync only when they are ready to be 'seen.'
STRATEGY
Position the tool as the 'Rebel's Workspace' that protects the worker from the corporate bureaucracy.
PROBLEM
Teams feel suffocated by 'productivity' tools that actually just add more digital chores to their day.
INSIGHT
Users secretly sabotage the software because they want to feel in control of their time, not monitored by a dashboard.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Ghost Mode' feature that lets users draft work offline and sync only when they are ready to be 'seen.'
STRATEGY
Position the tool as the 'Rebel's Workspace' that protects the worker from the corporate bureaucracy.
Generic Eco-Cleaning Brand
A 'green' brand losing market share to cheaper, harsher chemical competitors.
PROBLEM
People feel guilty about the planet, but they are even more terrified of a dirty, germ-ridden house.
INSIGHT
'Eco-friendly' has become mental shorthand for 'too weak to handle real stains.'
ADVANTAGE
A proprietary enzyme formula that is actually more corrosive to grease than the toxic leading brands.
STRATEGY
Weaponize the 'Eco-Warrior' label by making it about the power to destroy dirt rather than the power to save trees.
PROBLEM
People feel guilty about the planet, but they are even more terrified of a dirty, germ-ridden house.
INSIGHT
'Eco-friendly' has become mental shorthand for 'too weak to handle real stains.'
ADVANTAGE
A proprietary enzyme formula that is actually more corrosive to grease than the toxic leading brands.
STRATEGY
Weaponize the 'Eco-Warrior' label by making it about the power to destroy dirt rather than the power to save trees.
Struggling Neobank
A bank with great tech but no one is switching their main account over from legacy banks.
PROBLEM
Moving banks feels like a root canal - painful, messy, and something you'd rather put off forever.
INSIGHT
People don't stay with bad banks because they're loyal; they stay because they're terrified of a missed mortgage payment during the 'switch.'
ADVANTAGE
A 'Switch-Insurance' guarantee that pays your late fees and provides a human concierge if the transfer hiccups.
STRATEGY
Become the 'Safety Net' bank that removes the fear of the transition rather than just selling 'better UX.'
PROBLEM
Moving banks feels like a root canal - painful, messy, and something you'd rather put off forever.
INSIGHT
People don't stay with bad banks because they're loyal; they stay because they're terrified of a missed mortgage payment during the 'switch.'
ADVANTAGE
A 'Switch-Insurance' guarantee that pays your late fees and provides a human concierge if the transfer hiccups.
STRATEGY
Become the 'Safety Net' bank that removes the fear of the transition rather than just selling 'better UX.'
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fix a strategy that has five different goals?
No. Pick one. Five goals is a wish list, not a strategy. If everything is a priority, nothing is.
What if my 'Insight' is just a data point?
Then it's useless. Data tells you what happened; an insight tells you why it happened. If it doesn't make you go 'Oof, yeah, that's true,' it's just a number.
How do I know if my Advantage is real?
If your competitor can say the same thing without lying, it's not an advantage. 'We care' is not an advantage. 'We have a patent on X' is.
My boss wants the strategy to be 'to grow.' Is that okay?
No. Growth is a result. Strategy is the logic you use to get there. Tell your boss to go back to business school.
Why do I have to focus on a 'Human' problem?
Because robots don't have credit cards. People do. Solve their mess, and the business problem fixes itself.
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