How to build an onboarding system that converts like crazy

Hello Gym World,

How fast can a gym grow with the right systems?

Jeremy Jones scaled The Collective, his hybrid strength, cycle and recovery studio, from $40K to over $100K/mo in less than a year. And it’s projected to reach $150K in monthly revenue soon.

What got our attention, though, was how Jeremy and his team bring in new members.

From the moment someone fills out a form, they follow a clear process to guide them to membership. It’s one of the most thoughtful onboarding experiences we’ve seen.

Watch the full interview below to see exactly how it works:

Or keep reading for the full breakdown.

Inside The Collective’s onboarding process

A lot of gym owners wait too long to follow up with leads. But Jeremy and his First Impressions Team (i.e., sales team) have a clear system to guide every prospect from inquiry to membership.

It starts as soon as someone fills out this form for a free trial on The Collective’s website:

Within 5 minutes, someone from the team is calling that lead.

If the prospect picks up

The team uses the call to connect and qualify. They’ll ask quick questions like:

• Do you know anyone at the gym?

• What does your current fitness routine look like?

• What are your fitness goals?

Based on their answers, the team recommends the best class to start with and books them in for a free session. They also limit choices by offering one or two time slots because:

1. it reduces decision fatigue

2. it adds a bit of urgency, especially if a class is usually full

If the prospect does NOT pick up

The team calls again within a minute. Jeremy says this persistence increases the chances they’ll answer a second time.

And if there’s still no response, the team follows up in three ways:

1. leaves a voicemail

2. sends a text

3. may also send a DM

The free trial

When a prospect arrives, they start with 30 minutes alongside a First Impressions Team member. During that time, they:

• fill out an intake form with basic info and goals

• share what class times work best (which Jeremy says helps overcome objections later)

Then they’re introduced to the coach for their session. The team member shares what the prospect wrote on the intake form to give the coach a better understanding and make the experience more personal.

After the class, the coach does a quick recap with the prospect. They revisit the intake form, explain how the session aligned with their goals, and walk through how continued training can help. This makes the prospect feel seen, supported, and more confident about signing up.

Finally, the prospect is handed back to a First Impressions Team member to go over membership options and complete the sale.

How Jeremy’s experience shaped the gym

Jeremy’s been in the fitness industry for over 20 years. He started as a personal trainer in 2002, then opened a strength gym with his business partner Luis Galdino in 2008.

Over the years, they kept evolving by adding private coaching, group classes, and semi-private training, then opening a cycling studio in 2016.

That experience gave him a clear advantage. When the opportunity came to move to a new location, he and Luis took everything they’d learned and combined their best ideas into one: a strength, cycle, and recovery studio under one roof.

They launched The Collective in April 2023.

What the business model looks like

The Collective keeps things simple and accessible. There are no long-term contracts, and members pay a flat weekly rate for access to all services:

Pricing is straightforward:

• 2x/week – $35 per week

• 3x/week – $55 per week

• Unlimited – $59 per week

If a member decides to cancel, The Collective asks for 21 days’ notice. That window gives the team a chance to:

• reconnect with the member

• identify any gaps or issues in their training

• show them how the gym can still support their goals

And oftentimes, that’s enough to change someone’s mind.

How they’re getting people in the door

Since The Collective was a rebrand of Jeremy’s long-standing gym, he wasn’t starting from scratch. Many members stayed on during the transition, and after 15 years in the community, Jeremy and his team had built a strong reputation to grow from.

Today, most new leads come from three main sources:

1. Word of mouth – Members refer friends, family, and coworkers.

2. Instagram – A dedicated coach regularly starts conversations with people who engage with their content.

3. Local partnerships – The team attends and hosts events with nearby businesses to connect with more people.

They’re not fancy tactics, but they consistently attract people with the same mindset, goals, and energy as their current members. And that helps maintain a strong culture.

The Collective also has a smoothie shop called Oh-Eight Fuel Bar at the front of the gym, which is open to the public and available on DoorDash and Uber Eats.

And while Jeremy treats it like a separate business, it supports the gym by bringing in extra revenue and helping more locals get familiar with the space, which can lead to new members down the line.

Takeaway for gym owners

The Collective’s fast growth to over $100K in monthly revenue might look like luck from the outside. But if you’ve read this far, you know it’s not.

A big part of that growth came from a clear, well-run onboarding process that gets leads in the door and into the right membership, and years of experience refining what works.

So if you’re in the early stages of building (or rebuilding) your gym, here’s what you can take from this:

• Nail the first impression. Follow up fast, personalize the experience, and guide people clearly.

• Make it easy for leads to say yes. Keep your pricing simple. Respond fast. Remove friction.

Do those things well, and growth becomes a whole lot easier.

For more insights, watch or listen to Jeremy’s full interview on Gym World.

later,

j

📣 P.S. If you liked what you read, then tell another gym owner to subscribe to the newsletter.