Is it okay to ask for a salary raise by email?
Approaching a salary negotiation, whether a few years into your job or at the start of your career, requires thought and preparation. However, if you negotiate it via phone or scheduling a meeting, you may worry about forgetting what you want to say or stumbling over the words when you can write it all down.
Let’s take a look at how beneficial it is for you to draft an email to ask for a raise!
Help you prepare what to say
When you discuss your salary on the phone or in person, you’re more likely to make mistakes due to nervousness or a simple lack of familiarity with the negotiation process. It’s also difficult to succinctly state your case for why you should have a raise when you’re nervous and feeling rushed.
Therefore, sending an email to your boss will be a great way to express your ideas and show your careful thought, your value and work experience. You can also have a chance to consider the situation better.
Help you feel more comfortable
For most people, talking about salary is not easy, especially when it comes to asking for a salary raise. You might have a tendency to be hesitant to upset the social order, especially the hiring manager or your boss.
In fact, many people will actually agree to a lower number suggested over the phone, just because they have a hard time saying “No.” Email negotiation eliminates this pressure and helps you feel more comfortable.
Keep as a record
You’d be surprised how often companies go back on something they said “unofficially” during a phone negotiation. As anyone will tell you “An oral contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.”
With an email negotiation, there is always a written record of everything that was agreed to.
How to ask for a salary raise by email?
1/ General purpose
In the first paragraph of your letter, mention how you enjoy working with the company. It’s also helpful to state your job title and how long you’ve worked for the company. Then explain the letter’s general purpose which is to ask for an increase in your salary.
Example:
I have greatly enjoyed working at XYZ Salesforce Company for the past three years. In those years, I have become an integral member of the salesforce team, and have developed innovative ways to contribute to the company.
2/ Reasons
After stating your request, it’s time to state your reasons for it.
The most common reasons for you to ask for a salary increase are:
- Your employer promised to raise your salary after you’ve completed your probationary period
- You received a promotion
- You have taken on new responsibilities
- There’s an increase in the cost of living in your job’s location
- You haven’t received a raise in a long time
- Your salary falls below the average market value
- You have improved your skills and qualifications
Example:
As you know, my salary has remained the same since I was hired in 20XX. Since then, I have happily added some duties to my workload that have allowed me to contribute even more to the company.
I’ve been employed for your company for over 2 years and I’m sure you would agree that I have become a valuable asset in the Salesforce Department. I’ve used the full range of my capacities to make our Salesforce team become successful as it is today.
3/ Accomplishments
Think about all of your accomplishments and then list them down. Be very specific when describing these accomplishments and only include the most significant ones – those which will show your employers what value you bring to the company and why you deserve to get paid more.
Example:
In the past 2 years, I’ve achieved the following goals:
– Consulted with internal partners to ensure platform design drove value and efficiency. Contributed to a 25% increase in annual sales revenue.
– Raised client satisfaction with our requirements-gathering phase by 20% through department-wide active listening training.
– Developed process diagrams and data flow diagrams that improved understanding of system. The project led to a 30% rise in team satisfaction with the application.
4/ Specific number
Specify the amount you’re requesting for. Remain tactful when writing this part down to ensure that you don’t sound overly demanding.
Example:
My research indicates that a raise of 10% would be appropriate.
Having said that, I would like to ask for a raise of 15%
I would like to kindly ask you for a salary adjustment of 10% that corresponds with the efforts and results I’ve put in my work.
5/ Statement about negotiation
Another way to soften your request is by saying that you’re open to negotiations. It would be very helpful if your employer sees that you’re willing to negotiate if they can’t afford the amount you gave initially.
Example:
In the light of what has been stated above, I would like kindly ask you to consider a salary negotiation at the earliest opportunity.
I would greatly appreciate an opportunity to discuss this further, and kindly ask that we meet at a time most convenient for you.
Sample letters to ask for a raise
Wrong
Dear Mr.Joe,
It’s been 2 years that I’ve been working as a Salesforce Consultant at this company. I was always hard-working and result-oriented. I’ve dedicated myself to the job and stayed at the company very late at night to finish projects and assignments.
However, as you notice that I get low payment and already requested to get my salary raised but didn’t get a proper reply from you.
There are some reasons for me to do so. First, my current salary is not enough to cover all the living expenses of my family. What’s more, I’ve been offered several jobs recently that show how competitive their salary and package are.
Therefore, I decided to send you an email to ask for a raise in my salary. I believe that you would consider and get back to me soon.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Connie Arlette
Right
Dear Ms.Chloe,
I’m writing this letter to express my gratitude toward you and the management of our company. I’ve been working for our company for almost 3 years and it’s absolutely a great pleasure.
I’ve grown significantly as a professional, improved my skills and taken more responsibilities. However, my salary has remained the same since I was hired in 20XX. For these reasons, I would like to request an adjustment to my salary.
As far as you know, I’ve accomplished the following:
– Raised client satisfaction with our requirements-gathering phase by 20% through department-wide active listening trainings.
– Consulted with internal partners to ensure platform design drove value and efficiency. Contributed to a 25% increase in annual sales revenue.
– Configured and set up a custom Salesforce org for 1500+ users from scratch
I would like to request a pay raise of 6%, which I believe reflects both my current competencies and industry averages.
I would greatly appreciate an opportunity to discuss this further, and kindly ask that we meet at a time most convenient for you. Once again I would like to express my sincere thanks for the support you have shown me and I look forward to continuing to serve the department and the wider company.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
Regards,
Nadia Smith