17, June 2025

The Storytelling Checklist Every Brand Should Steal

Every brand has a story. But is yours actually being told - or just sitting on a deck somewhere?

Behind every brand is a spark.
An insight. An itch. A frustration. A “what if we did it differently?”

But in the rush to get the logo just right, set up the socials, and launch that next campaign, most brands forget to carry the why into their how.
And that’s when your story becomes background noise instead of your brand’s strongest tool.

Enter: The Storytelling Checklist

If you want your brand to connect - not just communicate - these are the questions to ask yourself:

1. What sparked the brand?
Was it a market gap? A personal problem? A rebel idea?
This is your origin story - and it's more powerful than you think.

2. What belief drives it today?
Beyond your offering, what do you stand for?
(Great brands sell more than a product - they sell a worldview.)

3. What challenge shaped its tone?
Did you battle a saturated market? Go through a painful pivot?
Your tone isn’t just a style - it's a scar turned into strength.

4. Where is that story being told?
And not just in the “About Us” section.
→ Is it reflected in your decks, your social posts, your onboarding, your internal meetings?
→ Is it embedded in how you write, how you design, how you show up?

5. Is it emotionally relevant to your audience?
This is the dealbreaker.
Your story doesn’t need to impress - it needs to resonate.
Can your audience see themselves in your narrative?

Why This Matters in B2B

In B2B, buying isn’t always rational - it’s emotional + justified by logic.
If people connect with your story, they’re more likely to remember your brand, trust your intent, and recommend you when no one’s watching.

Memory > Messaging
People don’t recall taglines.
They recall how your brand made them feel, especially if your story sounded like something they’ve lived through.

A Few Brands That Nail It

Zoho – Their story of building from scratch in India, staying profitable without external funding, and creating for the long-term shows up in everything from product philosophy to employer branding.

Atomicwork – A relatively new SaaS brand that’s leaning into culture-first storytelling, especially around work tools and employee experience.

Figma – Not just “a tool for design,” but a brand born from a belief in collaboration, openness, and community. Their story is reflected in product features, tone, and community-led growth.

So if you're building a brand, ask yourself:
Are we telling a story or just ticking boxes?
Because when storytelling leads, connection follows.