Corporate wellness programs are a great way to foster a healthier and happier workforce. They are designed to reduce healthcare costs, increase productivity, enhance employee morale and retention, lower stress levels, increase job satisfaction and improve recruitment. Depending on the size of the company, a variety of initiatives can be offered to improve physical, mental and emotional health.

With increasing healthcare costs for businesses across the United States, corporate wellness programs are a great way for personal trainers to add a source of revenue and grow your business. It will take preparation and determination to build your network and offer corporate wellness services, but it will be worth it.

1. Create a Plan for Services Offered: Create a plan of services you offer that are within your expertise. Keep your offerings simple and easy to implement. HR professionals or wellness coordinators typically wear a lot of hats, so simple but effective program offers are key.

2. Determine Your Cost: Once you decide what services you will offer, you need to calculate how much you will charge. If you can offer a couple different services to choose from this will increase the likelihood for more opportunities as you build relationships in your network.

3. Professionalism: Presenting yourself in a professional manner will set you apart from other candidates. The way you dress, speak and treat others is a reflection of your brand. Represent yourself in a way that makes you proud and stand out.

4. Network with HR Professionals: Researching companies who offer wellness programs in your area is a great place to start when looking for opportunities. Online programs are great, but in-person programs will help you build a relationship with the employees making it easier to retain a corporate client. Networking resources such as LinkedIn is a great way to connect with HR directors or wellness coordinators. Another great way to connect with HR professionals is reaching out to people already in your network who work in HR. Practice your pitch and be prepared to speak about how you can help improve the overall health and wellness in the workplace.

5. Proposal and Contract: I highly recommend preparing a proposal based on the services or packages you offer that the client is interested in. Include your costs, timeline, starting and ending dates and any additional add-on options like newsletters or participating in health fairs that you could provide. Upon approval of the proposal, you should provide a formal contract. If the client doesn’t offer a contract, you can provide your own. This is to protect both you and the client. Make sure your professional liability insurance covers your services and any additional insureds or requirements the company you are contracting with may need.

As a personal trainer, there are several great options you can offer to stand out. Popular services you can offer are:

● Series of Workshops or Presentations

● Exercise Programming

● 4-Week Campaigns

● Health Coaching

Keep in mind, employees who typically participate in corporate wellness programs will likely be different from your 1:1 paying clients. The employees usually do not have skin in the game because the program is offered by their employer for free. This can feel as if the employee isn’t as dedicated as you are used to; however, if you can impact a handful of employees you are making a difference.

As a personal trainer, you are not only increasing your revenue, but you are building your network for more opportunities in the future. If you have not looked into offering corporate wellness services, these simple steps will get you started offering more services to your business.