How to Ask for a Raise via Email

Introduction Once a week, biweekly, or once a month - whenever we get our paycheck, our day seems to become a little brighter. No matter how many labor motivation research studies people conduct, fair compensation is still a #1 reason why we go to work every day. However, with the ever-growing cost of living, increased workload, and additional responsibilities, you may feel you aren&rsquo;t paid enough. If that&rsquo;s the case, you can reach out to your management and discuss the opportunities for your income growth - or, simply put, ask for a raise. In this article, we will discuss the good (and bad) reasons to ask for a raise, ways to prepare for the conversation with your boss, and guidelines for a successful pay raise request email - all so that you can learn how to ask for a raise via email As always, we&rsquo;ll include a few templates you can use to get a pleasant addition to your paycheck. Preparing to Ask for a Raise Before you learn how to ask for a pay raise via email, make sure that you are ready to prove that you should get one. Prepare as many as you can from the following: Positive performance review scores - it would really help if you have a good track record of meeting and/or exceeding expectations. Positive customer reviews - any proof of your qualifications and ability to get the work done will come in handy. List of achievements - if you managed to cut the company expenses, secured a large contract, or helped optimize workflows, make sure to include all your achievements in the raise request. Average market salary research - use resources like Glassdoor, Indeed, or Payscale to see what the minimum, average, and top salaries for your skillset and profession are in your area. You can use this data to justify the raise request - or even find a better job in the meantime. List of your actual responsibilities and working hours - if you have recently been doing way more than your initial job description required - and work longer hours to do so - list all the things you do in order to show that a raise is due. ❗️Important note: while things like increased cost of living, personal financial problems, desire to be paid as much as your colleague or long periods of work without any raises are all good reasons to ask for a higher salary, you shouldn&rsquo;t include any of them in the raise request. Focus on why you&rsquo;re valuable, not on why you need the money. When to Ask for a Raise Request for a raise is a lot like asking your friend for a favor - unless you get the timing right, you are very likely to hear &ldquo;no.&rdquo; Here are some more appropriate times you can try and get your salary reviewed: Salary review meeting If your company actually has such a meeting, it&rsquo;s a perfect occasion to bring up your recent achievements and note that your current pay is below the market average. Performance review meeting These happen more often, and while they have nothing to do with salary revision, you can use your manager&rsquo;s positive feedback to bring up the possibility of a raise. Even if you don&rsquo;t get an immediate &ldquo;yes,&rdquo; you can work out a roadmap to career (and compensation) growth together. Successful completion of a project If your hard work helped the company close a big deal, complete a project on time, or secure a hefty deal, you can use this opportunity to discuss the changes to your current wages. End of the financial year Change of payroll involves planning and budget allocation, so the best time to discuss it may be when the company is planning its next financial year. Completion of a course If you recently got a new skill - or improved the one you already have - and you are sure that this will positively reflect in the way you work and bring value to the company, you can use it as an argument for salary renegotiation. Promotion opportunity If a new vacancy opens in your company and the pay there is better than what you are currently getting, let your management know that you are interested in the position. While a raise may be both long-awaited and deserved, there are certain cases where you shouldn&rsquo;t start the conversation, such as: Recent layoffs and budget cuts. If your company is going through some rough times, you aren&rsquo;t likely to get a raise. When things get better, though, you can use your loyalty to the company as one of the reasons why you should be paid more. Recent raise. Generally, salaries get reviewed once every 6-12 months. If you recently got a raise, don&rsquo;t rush to request one more. Recent professional failures. If you made mistakes in important documents, botched a presentation or otherwise disrupted the work of the company, give your management some time to forgive and forget. With this in mind, let&rsquo;s dive deeper into how to ask for a raise via email. How to Write an Email Asking for a Raise Asking for a raise in person can be way too stressful - you want to sound assertive and confident, so stuttering and blushing as you look for the right words won&rsquo;t help. That&rsquo;s why email is the perfect way to start the conversation, as it can lead to a hefty monetary bonus or any other additional perks you are looking for. To understand how to ask for a pay raise via email, check out these key email elements: Subject Line Just like with any other email, the subject line of your raise request should clearly and concisely explain what your message is about. Here are some examples: Salary adjustment request Request for compensation review Discussion request: Salary adjustment ❗️A few things to remember: Be direct and respectful. The subject line should give a clear indication of the email's purpose without sounding demanding. Keep it professional. Avoid casual phrases or jokes that might undermine the seriousness of your request. Opening Starting your email with gratitude and appreciation sets a positive tone and shows respect for your manager&rsquo;s time and efforts. Open your email with one of these lines: I hope you are doing well. I would like to express my gratitude for the support and opportunities provided to me at [company]. I would like to take this opportunity to discuss my role and contributions to [company]. I&rsquo;m grateful for the ongoing support and the opportunities for growth I&rsquo;ve experienced during my time here. Working in this company for the past X years has been a true pleasure - and this is largely due to your support, mentorship, and guidance. ❗️A few things to remember: Stay positive. Even if you feel underappreciated, start your email on a positive note to set the right tone. Be sincere. Genuine appreciation can help create a favorable atmosphere for your request. Making Your Case Presenting your accomplishments, increased responsibilities, and market research is crucial in justifying your request for a raise. Use the opportunity to highlight your achievements with one of these phrases: Over the past year, I have successfully led several key projects, including [project], which resulted in a XX% increase in sales compared to last year. My role has expanded to include additional responsibilities, such as [tasks], which have significantly contributed to our team&rsquo;s success. Based on my market research, the average salary for my position in our industry is $XXk/year, which is higher than my current compensation. ❗️A few things to remember: Operate with facts. Provide concrete examples and metrics to support your case. Be confident yet humble. Present your accomplishments clearly without coming across as bragging. {{banner_1}} Closing Suggest requesting a meeting to discuss the raise in person and express gratitude again. Make sure you outline the expected steps and, optionally, suggest an in-person meeting for further discussion. Try one of these lines: I would appreciate the opportunity to meet and discuss my request in more detail. Please let me know if you have time for a meeting next week. Thank you once again for your time and consideration. Could we schedule a meeting to further discuss this matter? I am grateful for your support and look forward to your feedback. Thank you for considering my request. I am looking forward to the possibility of discussing this with you in person during our next 1-on-1 meeting on November 2nd. ❗️A few things to remember: Be polite. A respectful tone can go a long way in getting a positive response. Show willingness to discuss. Indicate your openness to have a detailed conversation about your request. Follow-Up Your manager probably won&rsquo;t reply right away - even if they do feel that your case is solid and you deserve a raise, they still need to run this decision by their management and the finance department. To show that you are patient but determined, consider ending your email with one of these lines: I will follow up next Wednesday to see if you&rsquo;ve had the chance to review my request. I understand you have a busy schedule, so I will follow up next week. Please let me know if you need any additional information from me. I will send a follow-up message in a few days. Of course, if you promise to send a follow-up, be sure to do so. A few things to remember: ❗️Be patient. Give your manager enough time to consider your request. Be persistent but respectful. A gentle follow-up shows that you are serious about your request without being pushy. Templates for Asking for a Raise via Email Template for a Straightforward Request {{template_1811}} Read more about Template for a Straightforward Request Template for a Performance Based Salary Raise Request {{template_1809}} Read more about Template for a Performance Based Salary Raise Request Template for a Request Based on Market Rates {{template_1810}} Read more about Template for a Request Based on Market Rates What to Do If Your Request Is Denied Even if your raise request is not greenlit right away, it&rsquo;s okay - after all, &ldquo;no&rdquo; is not &ldquo;never.&rdquo; To make your next attempt more successful, be sure to ask your manager for feedback - namely, ask why your raise wasn&rsquo;t approved and what can be done to get a pay rise next time you request it. Together, you and your manager can work out a roadmap for career - and salary - growth. Don&rsquo;t focus on the money only. Perhaps the company would be more comfortable with non-monetary benefits such as a corporate car, gym membership, access to educational programs, options and shares, or longer vacations. Whatever you have in mind, be sure to suggest alternative options in your follow-up email. How TextPie Can Help You Get a Raise If you&rsquo;re struggling to write a proper &ldquo;how to ask for increase in salary&rdquo; email, TextPie has you covered. With this awesome text expander, you can use one of the pre-written email templates and personalize it accordingly. You can use any template from this article or craft your own. Textpie wasn&rsquo;t made just for &ldquo;how to ask for increase in salary&rdquo; emails, though - it helps you save time and send emails more efficiently. As a result, you work more efficiently, show remarkable results and can finally get the raise you deserve. Textpie&rsquo;s customizable text snippets can help you: Reduce typing time: By using snippets, you significantly cut down on the time you spend copying and pasting large blocks of text, such as saving time on repetitive typing. Ensure consistency: Customizable snippets ensure that your frequently used text is consistent every time you use it, reducing errors and maintaining a professional standard. Quick access: In just a few clicks, you can quickly insert complex text without disrupting your workflow. Try Textpie today and see how easy and fast online communication can get!