Deploy the frame
Use frames strategically to guide perception and influence outcomes.
You built and tested your frame. Now put it to work in the debates, meetings, or presentations it was designed for. The steps below show you how to deploy it effectively.
Deploying a frame is like handing people a pair of glasses. You help them see the world the way you intend.
👉 Start early.
Lead with your frame because the first perspective often shapes everything that follows. Set the tone fast and the audience will follow the path you set.
Example: In a meeting about company priorities, open with your top initiative. Say “Our main focus this quarter is improving customer satisfaction.” Do it before competing ideas hit the table.
👉 Anchor what matters.
Put your strongest point first. Keep it simple, focused, and impossible to miss. It becomes the foundation for the rest of the conversation.
Example: In a project kickoff, lead with the single goal that matters most. “Our priority this quarter is to increase customer retention by 20 percent.”
👉 Tell a story.
Use a short, concrete narrative to make your frame relatable. Stories help people feel the idea, not just understand it.
Example: When pitching a new process, tell a story about a colleague who saved hours each week by using it. Make the benefit real.
👉 Stay in your frame.
Guide the audience back to your core message whenever the discussion drifts. Keep people anchored in the perspective you want them to use.
Example: In a debate, someone shifts the topic to cost. Bring it back to quality. Show how quality drives long-term value.
👉 Avoid their frame.
Do not repeat someone else’s words, mental models, or metaphors. Denying their frame only reinforces it. The pink-elephant rule applies: telling someone not to think about it only makes them think about it. Famous examples include “I’m not a crook” and “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”
Example: In a negotiation, avoid saying “These services aren’t overpriced.” Focus instead on “long-term value and reliability.”
👉 Repeat with intention.
Stay visible and consistent. Use the same key phrases, examples, and images to reinforce your frame. Repetition builds familiarity and makes your message stick.
Example: In a sales pitch, keep returning to the same benefit. “This tool saves you 5 hours a week.” Support it with different stories or visuals.
👉 Structure your path.
Use clear transitions and move logically from one point to the next. Smooth flow keeps your audience with you.
Example: Present the problem. Then the solution. Then the benefits. Signal each step so people can track your logic.
👉 Watch the room.
Observe how your frame lands. Adjust your pacing or phrasing when you need to. Keep your message sharp and your audience engaged.
Example: In a Q&A, notice confusion and re-explain the idea with a simpler or more concrete example.
🎉👏🎈
Frames work when you use them early, repeat them strategically, and avoid getting pulled into someone else’s story. Stay anchored in your perspective and make it easy for others to adopt it. Do that well and your message lands the way you want it to.
