It’s election season.

And you’ve probably been hearing lots of life stories from strategically-dressed strangers who want to be your new best friend.

There’s a good reason for this: research shows that personal stories make your message stick for everything from team updates to product launches, even stump speeches. And that stickiness is what we all want, right?

Stories can be powerful tools. But like all tools, they only work if you use them correctly. Here are 3 things to consider when deciding which slice of your story to include in any speech:

Is it true?
- I shouldn’t have to say it, but . . . making things up, or even stretching them to fit your purpose isn’t a good idea — because someone will always find out. And your most prized attribute as a speaker—credibility—will have vanished.
Is it relatable?
- Does this put you in the room with your audience? Does it make you one of them? This is the biggest reason people give for including stories, yet too often they miss the mark.
Is it pertinent?
- Even the best personal story can fall flat if the audience is left wondering “so what?” Anything that slows you down or gets in the way of your message sends your audience down a one-way street with a roadblock. You can lose them for good.

This election season is rich with personal stories. Some further the candidate’s mission of connecting with voters. And some are just plain . . . weird.

Want to make your message memorable? Use a good story. But be careful: improper use can result in injury.