It’s too easy to think your brand story is everything it should be. That is a very good reason to revisit it on a regular basis. And put it to the test.

Your brand story is the most important statement you can make about your brand. With that said, you need to make sure it's as powerful as it can be. To do so, take your brand story through this stress test.

Document your brand story

Give it the thought it deserves. Work on multiple drafts. Hone it, polish it, and keep it concise. Here’s a template you can use to state your brand story:

For (YOUR AUDIENCE) who are looking to (PROBLEM THEY ARE TRYING TO SOLVE OR OPPORTUNITY THEY ARE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF), (YOUR BRAND) helps them (THE UNIQUE THING YOUR BRAND DOES). (YOUR BRAND) accomplishes this by (3 SUPPORTING POINTS FOR THE UNIQUE THING YOUR BRAND DOES). The result is (WHAT YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH).

Ask these 3 questions

Now that you have your brand story documented, it’s time to put it to the test. These 3 questions will help you conduct a stress test.

1. Is it relevant?

You can state what you think is important, but the only thing that matters is that it’s important to your audience. Make sure your language feels like it belongs to them.

2. Is it valuable?

Does your brand story deliver real value to lives of your audience. If it isn’t immediately evident, go back and craft the statement so it delivers the value.

3. Is it extendable?

Can your brand story extend across your entire offering? Can it grow with you into the future. Make sure your story has real depth.

Go through the exercise. Ask the 3 questions. It will help ensure your most important story is everything it can be.