Behavioral Strategy

Last updated: 2025-09-03

Behavioral Strategy is an interdisciplinary field that makes behavior the unit of strategy. It selects or invents the target behavior for a defined population. Organizations then design products, programs, policies, and operations around it to achieve Behavior Market Fit.

Why this field exists

Most teams seek behavioral help after launch, when the asked-for action is not happening. At that point leverage is low. The main determinant of success is whether the initiative chose the right behavior for that audience during planning. Behavioral Strategy moves that decision to the strategy table and makes it explicit, measurable, and early.

What is different

Timing: Behavior choice happens at strategy formation, not as a late optimization.
Unit of analysis: A specific behavior for a defined group, not features or messages.
Outcome: Behavior Market Fit precedes Product Market Fit.
Scope: Products and services, public health and government, HR and change management, marketing and communications, education and non-profits.

Key insight

Select the behavior first, then design everything around it. Behavior Market Fit exists when the selected behavior is:

compelling
reasonable
socially acceptable
physically simple
cognitively simple
affordable
rewarding
useful
impactful

The Four‑Fit hierarchy

Four Fit	DRIVE stage	Pass criteria
Problem Market Fit	Define	The target segment actively seeks solutions to a clearly defined problem
Behavior Market Fit	Research	The selected behavior clears BMF thresholds in realistic contexts with minimal enablement
Solution Market Fit	Integrate	The solution measurably enables the behavior with lower friction and higher payoff than alternatives
Product Market Fit	Verify	The behavior persists under market conditions with healthy unit economics

Heuristic: verify Problem Fit, then Behavior Fit, then Solution Fit, then Product Fit. Calibrate thresholds by domain.

Method at a glance

Define the goal and the population.
Conduct behavioral research on context, repertoire, worldview, and problems.
Behavior Matching: enumerate the feasible behaviors that could achieve the goal for this population.
Behavior Ranking and Selection: score behaviors on the BMF criteria and select the top candidate or small set.
Behavioral Innovation (conditional): if nothing qualifies, invent a new behavior and enabling form factor.
Design and implement the solution around the selected behavior. Use the Four‑Fit gates with DRIVE.

Selected applications

Outcome first. Then select the behavior portfolio per segment and context. Measure outcome movement, and track Δ‑B for each behavior so you can re‑balance toward what works.

Old playbook vs Behavioral Strategy

Old: Ads, raffles, mandates, one “hero” tactic; proxy metrics (impressions, enrollments, clicks).
Behavioral Strategy: Define the real outcome, choose a portfolio of high‑fit behaviors by segment, enable them (context, form factor, flow), and measure outcomes with behavior evidence (Δ‑B, TTFB, bPMF).

Outcome we care about	Behavior portfolio options (choose per segment & context)	Enablement examples (patterns)	Metrics (outcome first)
Fewer serious respiratory hospitalizations this season	People: Accept immunization in least‑aversive form factor (intranasal, patch, needle) during an existing visit; stay home N days when positive; upgrade mask quality in crowded indoor settings. Places: Facilities run higher‑ventilation schedules on high‑risk days.	In‑visit default scheduling; visible choice of needle‑free form factor; paid‑sick‑time prompt bound to positive test; “high‑risk day” banner at entry (Context Redesign, Behavioral Innovation, Implementation Intentions).	Primary: Age‑adjusted hospitalizations/100k. Behavioral: Δ‑B by immunization form factor; % symptomatic days stayed home; % facilities at ventilation target; TTFB for first dose; bPMF for N‑day stay‑home compliance.
Lower average HbA1c for adults with T2D	10‑minute post‑meal walk twice daily; pre‑portion weekday meals on Sunday; weekly medication pack‑up to simplify regimen; adopt CGM or simple logging; 2×/week coach check‑in.	If‑then plans (“If I clear the table, then I walk 10 minutes”); Sunday block + grocery list template; CGM onboarding with honest value preview; streak micro‑celebrations (Implementation Intentions, Behavior Calendar, Progress Visualization).	Primary: Δ HbA1c at 90/180 days. Behavioral: Δ‑B for post‑meal walks/week; % weeks with meal prep; pack‑up completion; bPMF for 30‑day walking target.
Household resilience: reach $500 emergency savings in 90 days	Split paycheck to a separate vault at account open; turn on round‑ups + weekly sweep; one‑time windfall deposit; pause/downgrade one discretionary subscription for 3 months.	Editable default for paycheck split at onboarding; proof‑of‑benefit after week 1; frictionless “pause subscription” with visible savings impact (Defaults aligned to behavior, Proof of Benefit, Value Escalation).	Primary: % of new households at $500 by day 90; median $ at D90. Behavioral: Δ‑B for split‑deposit activation; round‑up + sweep adoption; one‑time deposit rate; D180 balance retention (bPMF).
Earlier colorectal cancer detection	Complete at‑home FIT kit within 14 days; exit‑visit scheduling for colonoscopy; CT colonography as an alternative path for specific segments.	Mail‑to‑home kit with “Sunday morning” if‑then plan; buddy text; exit‑visit scheduling with prep checklist; ride‑arrange prompt (Implementation Intentions, Behavior Calendar, Context Redesign).	Primary: Stage‑at‑diagnosis shift; guideline‑concordant screen completion in window. Behavioral: Δ‑B for kit return ≤14 days; exit‑visit scheduling rate; TTFB to first completed screen.
Reduce 30‑day readmissions for heart failure	Daily morning weigh‑in with threshold action; sodium‑limit checklist while shopping; weekly pill‑pack assembly; 48‑hour tele‑check after discharge.	Scale paired to bedside with auto‑alert; shopping “swap” card; blister‑pack kit + Sunday reminder; nurse call pre‑booked at discharge (Context Redesign, Implementation Intentions).	Primary: 30‑day readmission rate. Behavioral: Δ‑B for daily weigh‑ins and threshold‑action compliance; pill‑pack completion; % attending 48‑hour call.
Cut Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) for SMB invoices	Turn on autopay at first invoice; require 1‑click ACH in contract; small autopay discount; “pay now” inside the PDF/email.	Default autopay toggle during onboarding; embedded payment in invoice; ACH advantages made obvious; recovery path rehearsal (Context Redesign, Proof of Benefit).	Primary: DSO reduction (days). Behavioral: Δ‑B for autopay enablement; ACH share; same‑day‑pay rate; TTFB to first successful payment.
Increase community‑college transfer success and BA completion	Register 15 credits/term; monthly advisor check‑in; FAFSA + verification by October; schedule block that matches work hours.	Default to 15 credits with advisor override; recurring advising slot pre‑booked; one‑session FAFSA lab; schedule templates to avoid conflict (Behavior Calendar, Context Redesign, Implementation Intentions).	Primary: Transfer rate and 6‑year BA completion. Behavioral: Δ‑B for 15+ credits; advising attendance; on‑time FAFSA; bPMF for credit load adherence across D30/D180.
Reduce verified data‑exfiltration incidents	Enable passkeys/2FA at first login; just‑in‑time (JIT) access for sensitive repos; encrypt new repos by default; report suspicious events within 5 minutes.	Security choices embedded in login and repo‑create; longer friction path for skipping; single‑click JIT request; inline “report” affordance (Context Redesign, Implementation Intentions).	Primary: Incidents per 10k endpoints. Behavioral: Δ‑B for passkey/2FA day‑1; JIT adoption; default‑encryption coverage; time‑to‑report; bPMF for weekly secure‑practice compliance.

Why this matters: We optimize outcomes (hospitalizations, HbA1c, resilience cash, stage of cancer, readmissions, DSO, degree completion, security incidents), not proxies like “adherence” or “enrollment.” Multiple behavior paths let us adapt by segment and context, then re‑allocate effort to the behaviors with the strongest Δ‑B and best economics. Calibrate thresholds by domain and log claims in the Evidence Ledger.

Explore details in Applications.

Evidence

See exemplars and methods in the Evidence Ledger.

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Get started

Contact: hello@behavioralstrategy.com
See the Evidence Ledger