I just got off the phone (well, Skype) with Peter Shankman, the founder of HelpaReporter.com. I recorded an interview with him to ask him about how he used Facebook to launch a service to connect experts with journalists. He provided some interesting statistics and I’m going to post the interview in the Fall.

The interview lasted 20 minutes and one thing became clear - Peter is so dang cool because he sprinkles all his answers with personal anecdotes. For every question I asked, Peter answered it with a story from his experience. I laughed, I didn’t cry, but I also became reflective based on the things Peter was telling me. And we were talking about social media.

Peter took me on an emotional roller coaster, but not in a bad-relationship-with-a-crazy-guy type of way. He was able to get me emotionally involved and I can see why he’s a sought after keynote speaker.

As I got off of Skype with him, I had to ask myself if I’m sprinkling stories about my experiences throughout my presentations. Sadly, I do so little of it. There is one where I talk about my 14 hour road trip to Boston when the drive should’ve taken only 9  hours. I recall that every time I tell that story, people either laugh in hysterics or crease their brow in shame wondering how I could make such a mistake.

This is what makes your marketing materials and keynotes speeches so interesting - when you can recount situations that are unique to you and use them as part of your brand. Peter is himself in so many ways. He’s quirky, he’s transparent and he reminds me of Philip Kaplan, but not as dirty.

And I had a great example very early in my life. My dad is the best storyteller in the world. He makes a drive to the supermarket seem like a 10-day journey around the world. My sisters and I love spending time with him because we laugh until our bellies hurt based on his stories. All we have to do is mention taxes, politics or David Miller (the mayor of Toronto) and that gets him started.

If I enjoyed my interview with Peter and enjoy spending time with my dad, then this is the experience I must create in my own business. Everyone who comes into contact with me must enjoy the experience whether they are my target market or not.

So, if you’re looking for a slight edge over the competition, don’t lower your prices or try to be faster or better. Instead, dig down deep, look into your past and figure out which experiences help shape your unique wisdom today. Then, sprinkle that throughout your presentations and speeches to create a memorable experience for your target market.