You're not selling surgery, you're selling certainty

Private practice is a strange game.

You're not selling a product. You’re not even really selling a service.

You’re selling certainty — to people who are anxious, confused, or scared.

Let me explain.
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People assume you’re capable

It’s easy to forget this, but most patients don’t understand the difference between a “good” and a “great” surgeon.

They assume you’re qualified. That you’ve trained. That you won’t make a mess of their shoulder.

They’re not reading your CV like a job application. They’re scanning your website for one thing:

“Will I be looked after?”

That’s it.

Not “what fellowship did this person do” — but do they seem human? Do they listen? Will they rush me?

If your digital presence doesn’t answer those questions, it doesn’t matter how many letters are after your name.
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You can't manufacture demand

Here’s the other thing most marketers won’t tell you:

You can’t create more surgical patients.

Someone either needs a knee replacement or they don’t.

No clever ad campaign is going to convince them otherwise — and rightly so.

Which means you're not playing a conversion game. You're playing a volume game.

The more people who see you, the more likely it is that some of them will need surgery. If 1 in 8 or 1 in 10 need an op, then it’s a question of maths:

More eyes = more opportunities.

But here’s the bit that matters:

To earn those “eyes”, your online presence needs to do one thing well...
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Connect with people

Go on most private medical websites and you’ll find a lot of facts.

Timelines. Procedures. Outcomes.

But that’s not what gets people over the line.

What gets people to book - or even just trust you enough to enquire - is emotional safety.

A sense that:

• You're not going to belittle their problem
• You're going to take time to explain
• You're on their side

That’s why video works so well. It's why blogs written in your voice build trust. It’s why warm photography trumps generic headshots.

People don’t need you to be perfect.
They need you to be present.

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The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing

If you're doing this right, you shouldn't feel like a salesman.

You're not trying to “persuade” anyone into surgery - because that’s not ethical, and it’s not how private medicine works.

But what you can do is show up consistently. Share your perspective. Be useful.

You create content that answers real questions.

You explain your process in plain English.

You let people see who you are - so that when the time comes, you’re the name they remember.

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In short

You're not competing on skill.
You're competing on comfort.

Because in private medicine, what sets you apart isn’t your technique…

It’s how you make people feel.

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PS. If your current website and content doesn’t reflect the way you speak to patients in real life, let’s fix that. At Alchemy Med, we help private surgeons build digital homes that feel human - with video, photography, and content that actually builds trust.

Let’s talk.

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