Author, speaker, and general all-round smart guy Seth Godin is famous for observing that “marketing is a tax you pay for not being remarkable.” 

Marketing is everything from your location, pricing, and how the phone is answered, to your website, signage, social media, and tableside manner.

Remarkable, as in something worth remarking to another about—without prompting.

Naturally, you don’t decide what’s remarkable, patients do.

However, over the last 40 years, I’ve observed some things that consistently impress patients:

1. Surprise phone call the evening of the first adjustment. 2. Profound, interruption-free listening. 3. Clear explanations of every procedure in advance. 4. Remembering the names of children, spouses, and pets. 5. Respecting the patient’s health goals, even if modest.

Not on the list: a one visit miracle cure.

Remarkability usually means exceeding a patient’s expectations, particularly when contrasted with their medical experiences.

You can assume their expectations. Or simply ask.

Bill Esteb, a passionate chiropractic advocate since 1981, brings a fresh perspective to the profession as Patient Media’s creative director and co-founder of Perfect Patients. With 12 insightful books examining the doctor-patient relationship, he inspires chiropractors worldwide as a chiropractic speaker, through his chiropractor coaching program, and consulting. Since 1999 Monday Morning Motivation has been emailed weekly to over 10,000 subscribers, sparking breakthroughs across the chiropractic community.

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