What started as one small-group personal training facility has grown into a business with three gym locations and a team of 12 full-time employees. For CB Training Club, the journey has been about more than opening new sites. It has involved building a clear brand, creating a strong team, improving marketing and sales processes, and putting members at the centre of every decision.
Working with Fitness Marketing Agency has helped the business gain more direction and confidence in its marketing, giving the founder a clearer understanding of how advertising spend connects to lead generation and business growth.
The Challenge
The founder started his fitness journey while training to become a teacher. During the COVID period, he focused on coaching clients and quickly realised that fitness was where he wanted to build his future.
After training clients in commercial gyms, he noticed that some people found traditional gym environments intimidating. He wanted to create a more welcoming space for people who wanted support with their health and fitness without feeling uncomfortable or out of place.
At 24, he opened his first small-group training facility. He had almost 50 personal training clients at the time, with 32 making the move into the new facility.
As the business grew, so did the demands of running it. The founder was responsible for coaching, sales and marketing, while also managing the day-to-day operations and planning for future growth.
Marketing was an area where he had limited experience. Before working with Fitness Marketing Agency, his approach was largely based on posting on social media and hoping potential members would get in touch. He wanted a better understanding of what was working, how much to invest in advertising and how to generate a more consistent flow of leads.
Sales follow-up also became increasingly difficult to manage as more leads came in. The founder and gym managers were sharing responsibility for enquiries alongside their other roles, which made the process harder to organise.
The Strategy
Building A Clearer Marketing Approach
Working with Fitness Marketing Agency helped the founder move away from relying on occasional social media posts and towards a more informed approach to marketing.
Having a better understanding of advertising spend and lead generation gave him more confidence in making marketing decisions. Instead of simply hoping people would come through the door, he could start looking at the data and understanding what investment was needed to generate leads.
The business also uses several channels to reach potential members, including Meta advertising, organic social media, email marketing, WhatsApp and local promotional activities. These include leaflet drops with QR codes and sponsorships involving local golf and tennis clubs.
Improving Sales Follow-Up
As the business expanded, the founder recognised that sales needed dedicated attention. Previously, he and the gym managers were handling enquiries while also managing their own responsibilities.
To improve this, CB Training Club brought in a full-time in-house sales employee, Jess. She works on a base salary plus commission and is responsible for managing sales enquiries and following up with potential members.
Having someone dedicated to sales has helped create a more organised process. Jess also understands the business, its values and the people it wants to attract. This allows her to have more personal conversations with potential members and follow up with older leads, including people who first made contact nearly two years earlier.
Creating A Team Structure That Supports Growth
The business now has three locations, with gym managers and coaches supported by an area manager. Alongside the full-time sales role, the team also includes a dedicated cleaning position.
This structure allows the founder to spend more time working on the business rather than being responsible for every part of its daily operation.
The founder has also made a conscious effort to stay connected with members across all three locations. Even as the business grows, he wants long-standing members to feel valued and recognised for the support they have given the business.
Putting The Member Experience First
For CB Training Club, retention is closely connected to the experience members receive. The founder believes that high standards and a strong sense of community are two of the biggest reasons members stay.
The gyms maintain high cleanliness standards, with coaches cleaning between sessions and regular deep cleans taking place. The business also organises social activities that give members opportunities to connect outside their training sessions.
These activities are optional, but they help create a sense of belonging within each location. Gym managers also have retention KPIs, making member experience an important part of the team’s responsibilities.
The business has stayed focused on the type of people it wants to help, rather than changing its identity to follow every fitness trend. Its facilities are designed to feel welcoming, particularly for people who may not enjoy the atmosphere of a traditional commercial gym.
The Results
CB Training Club has grown from its first small-group training facility into a business with three locations and a team of 12 full-time employees.
The business now has hundreds of members across its locations, with 150 members at one site. Its growth has been supported by a clearer team structure, a dedicated sales role and a more informed approach to marketing.
One of the most notable results is its member retention. Over five years of running the gyms, the business has averaged just 0.8 members leaving each month.
The founder attributes this to maintaining high standards and building a genuine community within each facility.
Bringing in a full-time sales employee has also allowed the founder and gym managers to focus on their main responsibilities while ensuring enquiries receive dedicated attention. Jess can manage follow-ups consistently and build relationships with potential members who may not be ready to join straight away.
The founder has also become more confident in understanding the relationship between marketing investment and lead generation. Having access to data has helped him make more informed decisions instead of relying on guesswork.
Words From The Client
Reflecting on how his approach to marketing has changed, the founder explained:
“Obviously it was just, you know, I put a post up and hope people come through the door. Now it’s having data and knowing how much spend we need to, on average, get so many leads in.”
He also shared the importance of looking beyond one area of the business:
“I don’t think anyone should leave any page unturned.”
What’s Next?
The founder is focused on continuing to build the business while maintaining the standards and community that have helped CB Training Club grow.
He is also considering potential investment opportunities, but believes it is important to find the right investor who can bring more to the business than just financial support.
As the business develops, the priority remains creating a strong experience for members, supporting the team and making sure each location reflects the values on which CB Training Club was built.
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