Stop Guessing What People Care About Using the 4 Points Strategy Framework
You're probably staring at a spreadsheet trying to find 'engagement' while ignoring the fact that your audience finds your category about as exciting as a tax audit. The 4 Points Strategy Framework is the smelling salt for your delusional deck. It forces you to stop projecting your corporate hopes onto people who don't care about you and instead find the actual human friction that opens a wallet. If you can't find a real problem or a spicy insight, stop typing and go outside. This isn't about filling boxes; it's about finding the one nerve that makes people jump.
The TL;DR
Stop throwing expensive vibes at the wall. Pin down the human mess (Problem), the uncomfortable truth (Insight), your one actual weapon (Advantage), and the singular battle plan (Strategy) that forces the market to stop ignoring you.
Why This Stops Your Strategy From Being Total Guesswork
Strategy fails when it's built on 'shoulds' rather than 'is.' This framework acts as a lie detector for your marketing plan.
PROBLEM
Forget your 'declining organic reach.' What is the customer's struggle? Are they feeling like a fraud? Are they exhausted by choices? Are they trying to impress a boss they hate? If there's no human tension, you're just making noise.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s the 'why' behind the 'what.' It’s the secret belief or irrational behavior that drives their choices. If it doesn't make the client feel slightly awkward, it's probably too generic to be useful.
ADVANTAGE
Stop the fluff. What do you have that actually solves the Problem? Is it a specific feature, a legacy, or a price point that makes the competition look like a scam? It needs to be the specific 'key' for the 'lock' you identified in step one.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. The 'By.' It’s the singular move that connects the problem, the insight, and your advantage. It’s not a list of tactics; it’s the logic that makes the tactics work. Keep it under 15 words or you’re still guessing.
PROBLEM
Forget your 'declining organic reach.' What is the customer's struggle? Are they feeling like a fraud? Are they exhausted by choices? Are they trying to impress a boss they hate? If there's no human tension, you're just making noise.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s the 'why' behind the 'what.' It’s the secret belief or irrational behavior that drives their choices. If it doesn't make the client feel slightly awkward, it's probably too generic to be useful.
ADVANTAGE
Stop the fluff. What do you have that actually solves the Problem? Is it a specific feature, a legacy, or a price point that makes the competition look like a scam? It needs to be the specific 'key' for the 'lock' you identified in step one.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. The 'By.' It’s the singular move that connects the problem, the insight, and your advantage. It’s not a list of tactics; it’s the logic that makes the tactics work. Keep it under 15 words or you’re still guessing.
How You'll Suck at This
(And how to not)
- ×Defining the Problem as 'they don't know we exist' (that's your problem, not theirs)
- ×Confusing a demographic (Millennials) with an Insight (the 'why')
- ×Claiming your Advantage is 'passion' or 'innovation' (everyone says that, it means nothing)
- ×Writing a Strategy that is just a list of things to do, like 'launch a TikTok channel'
- ×Being too scared to pick a specific human problem, so you try to solve five at once
- ×Using 'marketing speak' to hide the fact that you don't actually have an insight
- ×Treating the four points as a checklist rather than a connected chain of logic
- ×Ignoring the Insight because it feels 'unprofessional' or 'too dark'
If your strategy doesn't make someone in the room feel slightly uncomfortable, you're probably just guessing again.
Real Examples
High-End Coffee Subscription
Moving beyond 'tastes better' for coffee nerds.
PROBLEM
Amateur coffee enthusiasts feel intimidated by the 'snobbery' of specialty beans.
INSIGHT
They don't actually want to be experts; they just want to feel like the kind of person who knows the difference.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Cheat-Sheet' brewing guide that guarantees a 'perfect' cup with zero jargon.
STRATEGY
Position the brand as the 'Gatekeeper-Free' entry into high-end coffee culture.
PROBLEM
Amateur coffee enthusiasts feel intimidated by the 'snobbery' of specialty beans.
INSIGHT
They don't actually want to be experts; they just want to feel like the kind of person who knows the difference.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Cheat-Sheet' brewing guide that guarantees a 'perfect' cup with zero jargon.
STRATEGY
Position the brand as the 'Gatekeeper-Free' entry into high-end coffee culture.
B2B Cybersecurity
Selling to IT managers who are ignored until something breaks.
PROBLEM
IT managers feel like the 'invisible janitors' of the company, only noticed during a crisis.
INSIGHT
They secretly crave being seen as strategic growth enablers rather than just a cost center on a spreadsheet.
ADVANTAGE
Reporting tools that translate 'security uptime' into 'revenue protection' for the CEO.
STRATEGY
Transform the IT manager from the 'No-Police' into the 'Guardian of the Bottom Line.'
PROBLEM
IT managers feel like the 'invisible janitors' of the company, only noticed during a crisis.
INSIGHT
They secretly crave being seen as strategic growth enablers rather than just a cost center on a spreadsheet.
ADVANTAGE
Reporting tools that translate 'security uptime' into 'revenue protection' for the CEO.
STRATEGY
Transform the IT manager from the 'No-Police' into the 'Guardian of the Bottom Line.'
Budget Airline
Competing in a market where everyone hates the experience.
PROBLEM
Travelers feel nickel-and-dimed and treated like cattle by 'low-cost' carriers.
INSIGHT
They are willing to suffer the middle seat as long as they feel they are 'winning' the system by paying the absolute minimum.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Transparency-First' pricing model that shows exactly what you aren't paying for.
STRATEGY
Weaponize the 'Cheapness' as a badge of honor for the savvy, street-smart traveler.
PROBLEM
Travelers feel nickel-and-dimed and treated like cattle by 'low-cost' carriers.
INSIGHT
They are willing to suffer the middle seat as long as they feel they are 'winning' the system by paying the absolute minimum.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Transparency-First' pricing model that shows exactly what you aren't paying for.
STRATEGY
Weaponize the 'Cheapness' as a badge of honor for the savvy, street-smart traveler.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my 'Insight' is just a data point?
Then it's not an insight. A data point is '60% of people use their phone in the bathroom.' An insight is 'People use their phone in the bathroom to escape their family for five minutes.' One is a stat; the other is a strategy.
Can I have multiple Advantages?
No. If you have three advantages, you have zero focus. Pick the one that most directly kills the Problem you identified.
Is the 'Strategy' (By) just the tagline?
No. The strategy is the internal logic. The tagline is the pretty bow you put on it later. Don't confuse the 'what' with the 'how.'
How do I know if my Problem is 'human' enough?
If it involves an emotion like shame, pride, fear, or laziness, you're on the right track. If it involves 'market share,' you're still talking to yourself.
What if the client hates the 'uncomfortable' insight?
Then they're probably the ones guessing. Show them the logic. If they want safe and boring, they can hire a different agency to waste their budget.
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