Episode #576

Building Frameworks That Grow Your Speaking Brand

With Melanie Deziel

“Once you have your go-to framework, your go-to model, and then as you innovate, few come up with new ideas, and instead of just doing away with the old one, it becomes a tool in your pocket. And you can keep building that toolbox as you go.”

This week, host Grant Baldwin reconnects with his good friend, renowned speaker, author, and content strategist Melanie Deziel. If you’ve ever struggled to organize your ideas, wanted to stand out in the crowded speaking market, or wondered how successful speakers build frameworks that turn concepts into intellectual property, you’re in the right place.

Grant and Melanie explore the crucial role frameworks play in building a memorable and scalable speaking business. Melanie breaks down why frameworks matter, what separates a strong framework from a pile of raw ideas, and how you can start developing your own signature process or model. Using relatable analogies, the discussion centers around how having a clear structure not only makes your message more memorable but also acts as a powerful tool for marketing, referral, and content creation.

Listeners will gain practical strategies with Melanie’s “IRON” method—Information, Relationship, Operation, and Name—for building frameworks step-by-step. She discusses the risks of trying to cram too much into one model, why a unique name or catchy acronym isn’t the first thing you should focus on, and how to make sure your framework truly represents your expertise.

Whether you’re a new speaker refining your message or a seasoned professional reimagining your brand, you’ll find plenty of guidance on how to take your ideas from abstract to impactful!

You’ll learn:

  • How frameworks offer structure, scalability, and memorability
  • Building intellectual property (IP)
  • Overcoming the fear of narrowing your expertise
  • The IRON Method: Information, Relationship, Operation, Name
  • When to innovate an existing framework vs. introducing a new one
  • Leveraging AI for brainstorming, organization, and naming
  • And much, much more!

“The real challenge is having so many ideas, but they are not in a usable structure to be able to share those ideas effectively.”

Want to know exactly how to find and book more paid speaking gigs?

Download our 18-page guide to the 6 proven steps you can use to book more paid speaking gigs in 2024!

About Melanie Deziel

Melanie Deziel is a Creative Systems Architect passionate about helping individuals, teams, and organizations unlock their creative potential and organize their creative efforts. As a keynote speaker, author, and award-winning branded content creator, Melanie has spent her career developing the skills to think differently and discover new ways to engage audiences through content.

Her biweekly newsletter, Creative Constructs, reveals the hidden structures that hide underneath creative processes and offers tactical tips for optimizing creative work. She is the author of “The Content Fuel Framework: How to Generate Unlimited Story Ideas” and “Prove It: Exactly How Modern Marketers Earn Trust.”

After discovering her autistic identity in her early 30s, Melanie also works to raise awareness for the unique experiences of autistic women, more than 80% of whom remain unrecognized and undiagnosed by age 18. Through keynote speeches, corporate workshops, and her newsletter, The Late Diagnosed Diaries, she hopes to help more autistic women discover their identity sooner and help medical professionals learn to better recognize autistic women.

Having been the first-ever editor of branded content at The New York Times, a founding member of HuffPost’s brand storytelling team, and Director of Creative Strategy for Time Inc’s 35 US magazines, Melanie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience on how content can be used as a strategic tool, and how processes can help unlock its power.

Episode Resources

Share This Episode 

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Email
Reddit

Explore Recent Episodes

#575: Storytelling, Identity, and Growth in Speaking with Harris III
“I started pursuing meaning instead of money. And I made way more money focusing on meaning and not thinking about money as much as I did when I was laser focused on making more money but living a life...
#574: Moving from Moments to Meaning: Mastering Stage Storytelling with Katie Quesada
“All those little intangibles that are so nuanced, the great storytellers can put themselves physically and emotionally back in the story and bring you with them, and then somehow bring it back to...
#573: Keys to Thriving as a Professional Speaker with Brian Lord
“When downselling, it’s really good to say, ‘Who is above me, and who is below me?’ And then also find out, looking laterally, who do you compete against? Who is within a similar fee range?…Who can...