As a proud member of both England and Great Britain’s blind football teams, Brandon Coleman’s passion for sport has led him to understand how everyday muscle pains can affect both performance and comfort. Working with everyone from elite athletes to construction workers, Brandon offers unique deep tissue and holistic treatments based in a purpose-built studio at his home in Horndean, near Portsmouth.
When Brandon lost his vision in 2012, he went to hone his massaging skills at Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford. Looking back, he couldn’t be happier with his decision to pursue professional massage: “I wanted to move onto the next stage of my life. It was something that was able to compete with other people who can see, and also something that I'm passionate about. I really enjoy my job.”
A digital calendar
Brandon uses a screen reader to assist him with navigating Fresha. He says:
“I never used to use booking software, I just used to manually take down the bookings on my phone. But since I've used Fresha, it's enabled me to have a lot more bookings, it’s made my life easier.”
Although just as any tech company needs to constantly work to improve accessibility, Brandon said he appreciates the help of Fresha’s support team. “Every time I've spoken to Fresha, they've been really supportive in making sure that I'm able to use the software successfully and that it's the best software for my business.”
Book anytime, anywhere
Brandon says that from his personal experience, having to download an app to make a booking can feel like a hassle and puts people off.
But since Fresha integrates with Facebook, Instagram and Google, Brandon uses our convenient ‘Book now’ buttons on those platforms, so clients can make appointments right from their social feeds. Brandon says: “Having Fresha linked with my social media makes it so much easier for all my clients to get booked in.”
Before he got Fresha, Brandon’s clients struggled to figure out his availability, which they found “quite frustrating”. Now whenever he needs to block time out for training or competitions, Brandon simply updates his Fresha calendar. His clients can then select the service they want and view available appointments, with no chance of double bookings.
Word spreads fast
Brandon relies on Fresha’s marketing features to update his loyal client base. He sends targeted emails and text messages with updates and offers, everything from changes to his working hours, last-minute appointments and even links to watch upcoming matches. He can then track all the bookings made through the campaign — which earn him much more than the amount he spends on them.
He also makes use of Fresha’s free automated marketing campaigns, including giving his regulars a generous 30% discount on their birthday, which has proved “really successful”. Once set up, the messages are sent automatically to clients with personalised offers. He says: “If it's their birthday, it's a nice little treat getting 30% off and being able to get a cheaper massage.”
Coleman’s Massage Therapies is going from strength to strength, helped by the many glowing 5-star reviews from Brandon’s lucky clients. Whether they come for sports rehabilitation or relaxation, Fresha’s reviews help to spread the word.
“I get really good feedback from all of my clients, which is quite rewarding… Having over 360 reviews through my Facebook page and Fresha lands me a lot more bookings.”
Playing for England
The day we met Brandon, he’d recently returned from the Blind Football European Championships in Italy. His team walked away with a bronze medal, but Brandon’s ambitions are sky-high: he’s got his eyes on the gold in the World Cup in Birmingham in 2023, and then the Paris Paralympics in 2024.
“It was a massive, proud moment for me to play for my country. But I still feel like I've got so much more to give, l haven't fulfilled my potential yet.”
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