Hidden Profits Marketing

What Hidden Profits Marketing does

Hidden Profits Marketing (HPM) is a privately held, Netherlands-headquartered digital marketing agency that exclusively serves the fitness industry. Founded in 2004 by Aernout Leezenberg and operating as Hidden Profits Marketing BV from Amsterdam, the company delivers a proprietary 8-week "Growth Formula" marketing transformation program to fitness clubs, gyms, CrossFit boxes, personal training studios, boutique clubs and health clubs. Its tech stack centers on campaign management for Google Ads, Microsoft Bing, and Meta (Facebook/Instagram) channels — for which HPM holds official Partner certifications — supplemented by proprietary tooling such as the LeadConnect 2-minute callback assistant, an internal HPM Marketing Lab innovation function, and AI/automation-enhanced trial offerings. Customer engagement begins with a free Marketing Scan that benchmarks a prospect against HPM's claimed "world's largest" fitness marketing benchmark dataset of 800+ active clients (and 2,500+ cumulative clubs served) across 12 countries, then progresses through a Trial Campaign and into the recurring Growth Formula engagement.

HPM operates a sales-led, consultative go-to-market: website lead capture, free diagnostic scan, personalized consultation, trial campaign, and ongoing retainer-style service contracts. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based, with the firm targeting a minimum 10X return on marketing investment (ROMI) for clients while explicitly avoiding discount-led acquisition tactics. Revenue is largely recurring service contracts (subscription/recurring categorization), supplemented by content monetization through the Hidden Heroes Podcast, ebooks, and guides such as the 90 Day Recovery Plan and HYROX Marketing Program. The company maintains formal partnerships and ecosystem ties with Google, Meta, Microsoft Bing, NL Actief, Fitness.be, Fitnation, InBody, Technogym Benelux, Virtuagym and HOWEST University, and operates localized English, Dutch and German-language sites to serve Benelux, DACH, UK/Ireland, North America and Oceania markets.

For the year-ended 2024 HPM celebrated its 20th anniversary. The leadership team comprises Founder & Co-owner Aernout Leezenberg, Co-Owner Wouter Cornelissen, and Co-CEO Kim Sterkenburg, supported by a sales director, head of marketing operations, online marketing leads, client success managers and performance marketers. Headcount is reported in the 51-100 range (with ~50 full-time staff noted in a 2019 event reference). No external funding rounds, parent company, or M&A activity are disclosed in available material, and HPM has no standalone consumer app; its software surface is delivered through its portal, automated marketing campaigns, and partner ad-platform integrations.

Name

Hidden Profits Marketing

Legal name

Hidden Profits Marketing BV

Website

https://hiddenprofitsmarketing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hidden Profits Marketing is a privately held Amsterdam-based digital marketing agency founded in 2004 that exclusively serves fitness clubs, gyms, PT studios, and CrossFit boxes worldwide with a proprietary 8-week Growth Formula methodology and managed Google, Meta, and Bing advertising campaigns across 12 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketing Services and Consulting: Hidden Profits Marketing generates revenue through providing digital marketing services to fitness clubs, gyms, and studios. The company offers their Growth Formula marketing methodology and campaign management services. Revenue is generated through ongoing marketing service contracts with clients, with emphasis on achieving measurable 10X return on marketing investment (ROMI) for clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hidden Profits Marketing is a digital marketing agency that provides fitness-specialized marketing services to gyms, health clubs, fitness studios, CrossFit boxes, PT studios, and boutique clubs. Its flagship offering is the proprietary Growth Formula, an 8-week marketing transformation program that delivers paid-media campaigns (Google, Facebook/Meta, Instagram), lead generation, and conversion optimization with claimed minimum 10X ROMI and a satisfaction guarantee, offered without discount promotions.

Product overview

Hidden Profits Marketing offers a unified fitness marketing methodology centered on the Growth Formula — an 8-week transformation program that guarantees constant member and profit growth. The core offering consists of the Trial Campaign (entry-point test) and the Full Growth Formula implementation. Supporting products include the Free Marketing Scan (benchmarking tool), AI Trial (AI-powered campaigns), LeadConnect (virtual call assistant for 2-minute lead follow-up), and the Online Portal (client knowledge platform). Content offerings include the Hidden Heroes Podcast, ebooks on AI in marketing, and educational guides like the 90 Day Recovery Plan and HYROX Marketing Guide. The HPM Marketing Lab innovation team continuously develops new automation and marketing techniques. All services are focused exclusively on the fitness industry across 12 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fitness Marketing Growth Formula: The company's core marketing methodology and approach for fitness businesses
• HPM Fitness Marketing Lab

Products and services

• Growth Formula (Fitness Marketing Success Formula) Proprietary 8-week marketing transformation methodology combining online marketing, lead generation, and conversion optimization to deliver constant member and profit growth for fitness clubs without discount offers, with a satisfaction guarantee and claimed minimum 10X ROMI.
• Trial Campaign (Proefcampagne) Entry-point marketing campaign designed to deliver initial lead-generation results within 6 weeks, allowing fitness businesses to test the Growth Formula before committing to the full engagement.
• Free 2-Minute Marketing Scan Free diagnostic tool that benchmarks a club's marketing strategy against Hidden Profits Marketing's database of 800+ fitness clients across 12 countries, delivering personalized tips and strategies within one working day.
• AI Trial AI-powered trial offering that incorporates artificial intelligence and marketing automation into fitness marketing campaigns as part of the company's broader AI and automation initiatives for fitness operators.
• HYROX Marketing Program 12-week marketing program specifically designed for official HYROX Training Clubs to attract new HYROX members and maximize their HYROX license investment through targeted campaigns.
• Online Portal (client knowledge platform) Exclusive online knowledge platform for long-term clients providing access to resources, guides, call scripts, and strategic marketing materials that complement the Growth Formula engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10X minimum Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI) for clients
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Technogym BeneluxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership announced in April 2026 between Hidden Profits Marketing and Technogym Benelux combining technology and marketing expertise to support fitness club growth in the Benelux region.
• VirtuagymcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Virtuagym, a fitness industry supplier that differentiates by providing not only equipment but also associated opportunity sales support and member engagement technology.
• InBody EuropeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for joint presence at FIBO 2025 at the InBody stand. InBody provides body composition analysis technology and HPM provides marketing expertise for InBody-equipped clubs.
• NL ActiefcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial knowledge partner of NL Actief, the Dutch fitness industry association, providing exclusive member boost programs and marketing support for association members.
• Fitness.becoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of Fitness.be, the Belgian fitness industry association, providing marketing expertise and resources to Belgian fitness operators.
• FitnationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of Fitnation, the end-of-year Fitness Business Conference in Amsterdam, with HPM presenting workshops on marketing strategy.
• HOWESTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with HOWEST University of Applied Sciences for studies on the added value of online fitness marketing in Belgian fitness centers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Two-Brain Business: Two-Brain Business is a fitness business coaching and marketing education company serving gym owners globally, with a mentorship model that includes marketing implementation support. It is directly comparable to Hidden Profits Marketing as both target fitness entrepreneurs with growth-focused marketing services and operate on a recurring, high-touch model.
• PushPress: PushPress is a gym management software platform (Club OS, Train, Reserve) with built-in marketing automation and member acquisition tools for fitness operators. It competes for the same per-member marketing budget that Hidden Profits Marketing addresses through agency services, serving independent gyms and CrossFit affiliates.
• Glofox: Glofox is a fitness studio management platform that bundles member management with built-in marketing and lead-generation tools for boutique studios and gyms. It competes with Hidden Profits Marketing for the same fitness SMB marketing budget, though delivered as SaaS rather than agency services.
• Wodify: Wodify is a gym and CrossFit box management platform with integrated marketing automation, lead capture, and member engagement features. It is comparable to Hidden Profits Marketing because it serves the same fitness SMB customer with combined operational and marketing capabilities, and targets the CrossFit segment HPM explicitly references.
• Active Marketing Group: Active Marketing Group is a digital marketing agency that specializes exclusively in marketing services for health clubs, gyms and fitness studios. It is a direct peer to Hidden Profits Marketing, sharing the vertical-specialist agency model targeting fitness SMBs with lead generation, paid media, and retention marketing.

Emerging players

• Mariana Tek: Mariana Tek is a boutique fitness studio management platform with built-in marketing, retention, and branded member experience features. It is an emerging player that overlaps with HPM in the boutique studio segment (e.g., SX Sportsclub, EasyFit testimonials), though delivered as SaaS rather than agency services.

Broad incumbents

• ClubReady: ClubReady is a multi-location fitness club management platform with integrated marketing, lead management, and member engagement features. It is comparable to Hidden Profits Marketing as it serves the same fitness chain and franchise customer segment with bundled operational and marketing capabilities at greater scale.
• Disruptive Advertising: Disruptive Advertising is a digital marketing agency providing paid media, SEO, and lifecycle marketing services to mid-market and enterprise clients across multiple verticals. It is comparable as a broad-incumbent marketing agency with overlapping paid social and paid search capabilities, but lacks HPM's fitness-specific vertical specialization and proprietary methodology.
• ABC Fitness Solutions: ABC Fitness Solutions is a leading provider of fitness business management software serving large chains, franchises, and independent operators with member management, billing, and marketing automation. It is a broad incumbent that competes for the same fitness marketing budget HPM addresses, particularly with multi-location enterprise customers.
• Mindbody (ABC Fitness Solutions): Mindbody, now part of ABC Fitness Solutions, is a broad fitness and wellness business management platform with built-in marketing automation, member acquisition, and retention tools. It is a broad incumbent in the fitness SMB software space, offering marketing capabilities that overlap with what HPM delivers as agency services, but as part of a wider portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/facebook
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hidden-profits-marketing

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hidden Profits Marketing