# How to Ask for a Raise: A Script for Marketers

> Build a short written case from your results and the market range for your role, ask for a meeting before budgets are set, name a specific number and explain why, then confirm what was agreed in an email. Asking for a raise is a normal part of managing your career, and if the answer is no, you still come away with what it would take and when to revisit it.

Canonical: https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/how-to-ask-for-a-raise/  
Published by the Know the Room team (https://knowtheroom.ai/authors/know-the-room-team/). Updated 2026-10-24.

## Key takeaways

- Ask for a raise in a dedicated meeting, with a one-page case built from your results, your added scope and the market range for your role.
- Name a specific salary figure when you ask for a raise, since a number gives your manager something to take to whoever approves pay.
- The best time to ask for a raise is a month or two before budgets are set, ideally soon after a visible win.
- After a raise conversation, send a short email that recaps the figure you asked for and the agreed next step.
- If the answer to a raise request is no, ask what you'd need to deliver and agree a date to revisit it.

## What should you say in the meeting?

Open with your results, connect them to the business, name your number and then pause to let your manager respond. If the thought of this conversation makes you nervous, that's normal, and it's exactly why a script helps: you've done the thinking in advance, so in the room you only have to say it. The pitch itself takes a few minutes; the rest of the meeting is their questions. Build the one-page case first ([how, below](#how-do-you-build-the-case-for-a-raise)).

```text
Thanks for making the time. I'd like to talk about my pay.

Over the past [period], I've [result 1], [result 2], and taken on [new scope] that wasn't part of the role when my salary was set. I've put it on one page for you.

I've also looked at what similar roles pay, at [level] in [market or city], and at the ranges in current postings. Based on that and the work I'm doing now, I'm asking for a salary of [specific number].

I enjoy working here and want to keep growing with the team. What would you need from me to make that happen?
```

A few things help:

- **Say a number, not "a bit more."** A specific figure gives your manager something concrete to take upstairs and argue for on your behalf.
- **Talk about the work, not your expenses.** Rent and childcare are real, but they aren't a case your manager can make to finance. Your results are.
- **Leave out threats to leave** unless you have an offer and would take it. A positive case is stronger.
- **Expect "I need to check."** Most managers can't approve on the spot, so this isn't a no. Ask when you'll hear back.

Put the script in your own words first, the way you'd actually talk to your manager; it should sound like you on a good day, not a speech. Then read it out loud twice before the meeting. Saying the number in your own voice beforehand makes it much easier to say it calmly on the day.

## How do you ask your manager for a meeting?

Ask for a dedicated meeting and say what it's about, so your manager can come prepared too. A clear request reads as professional, and it gives the conversation the time it deserves rather than the last five minutes of a one-to-one about something else.

```text
Hi [Manager's name],

Could we find 30 minutes in the next couple of weeks to talk about my compensation? I'd like to walk you through what I've delivered this year and how the role has grown, ahead of [planning / review season].

Thanks,
[Your name]
```

Sending this note is often the hardest part. Once it's out, the rest is preparation you've already started.

## How do you follow up after asking for a raise?

Send a short email the same day that sums up what you discussed and the next step. It gives your manager something to forward to whoever approves pay, and it gives you a clear record of what was agreed.

```text
Subject: Following up on our conversation

Hi [Manager's name],

Thanks for talking with me today. To recap, I asked for a salary of [number], based on [one-line summary of results and scope]. You said you'd [take it to / check with] [person or team] and come back to me by [date].

I've attached the one-page summary in case it's useful. Happy to answer any questions in the meantime.

Thanks,
[Your name]
```

If the date passes, check in once, politely. Following up is part of the process, not pestering.

## How do you ask for a raise in writing?

Write a short email that lists your results and added scope, gives the market range and names a specific number, then asks for time to discuss it. Use it when your manager is remote, prefers proposals in writing or asks you to send one; it still works best as the lead-in to a live conversation. Treat the template as scaffolding: rewrite it in the way you'd normally write to your manager, so it sounds like you and not a form letter.

```text
Subject: Request to review my salary

Hi [Manager's name],

I'd like to ask you to review my salary ahead of [planning / review season].

Since my pay was last set in [month and year], I've:
- [Result 1, with the number]
- [Result 2]
- Taken on [new scope: a channel, a team, an agency, a market]

Similar [job title] roles at [level] in [market] are posted at [range from postings or salary data]. Based on that and the work I'm doing now, I'm asking for a salary of [specific number].

I've attached a one-page summary. Could we find 30 minutes in the next two weeks to talk it through?

Thanks,
[Your name]
```

## How do you build the case for a raise?

Build it from what you've delivered, how your job has grown and what the market pays for the work. Write it on one page so your manager can take it to whoever approves pay. Putting it together is also a good reminder of how much you've actually done this year.

### Your results, in business terms

Marketers have an advantage here: most of the work leaves a measurable trail. Translate activity into outcomes your manager's boss cares about.

| Instead of | Write |
|---|---|
| "Ran the email program" | "Rebuilt the welcome series; [metric] rose from [X] to [Y] over [period]" |
| "Managed social" | "Grew [platform] engaged audience by [X]; [campaign] drove [result]" |
| "Handled paid search" | "Cut cost per [lead/acquisition] by [X] while holding volume" |
| "Worked on the rebrand" | "Led [part of the rebrand], delivered on [date] within [budget]" |
| "Wrote content" | "[Number] articles now bring in [share] of organic sign-ups" |

Use real numbers from your own dashboards, and keep the source handy in case someone asks. If you don't have a number, a plain description of the outcome still counts: "the sales team now uses the deck in every first call."

### Your scope

List what you do now that wasn't in your job when your pay was last set: a new channel, people you manage, an agency relationship, a bigger budget, a market you now cover. Scope creep is one of the clearest reasons for a raise, and managers often don't notice it until it's written down, so writing it down is doing them a favor.

### The market range

Look up what the role pays. Our [marketing salaries](/career-salaries/) pages show government pay data by role, such as [marketing managers](/career-salaries/marketing-manager/) and [social media managers](/career-salaries/social-media-manager/). Add the ranges in job postings for similar roles, which some US states and cities require employers to include.

Then choose a specific number. Aim a little above your real target, but stay inside a range you can defend. With the data in front of you, the number stops being a guess and becomes something you can explain.

## When should you ask for a raise?

Ask a month or two before your company sets budgets or runs performance reviews, and soon after a clear win. Timing it this way gives your manager room to say yes; once the budget is set, even a manager who agrees with you may have nothing left to give.

Good moments to ask:

- **Before the planning cycle.** Find out when your company sets next year's budget and talk to your manager before it closes.
- **After a result people noticed.** A launch that hit its target, a channel you grew, a cost you cut.
- **When your job has grown.** You picked up a channel, a team or an agency nobody took off your plate.
- **When the market has moved.** Similar roles now pay more than you earn.

Moments to wait out: the week of layoffs, the day after a missed quarter, or a passing chat in a hallway. If the company is in real trouble, the case is harder, and asking for a review date later can be smarter than asking for money now. That's still progress: you've put the conversation on the calendar.

## What if the answer is no?

Ask what it would take and when you can talk again, then get that in writing. A no with a plan is a real result, and often a better one than a vague maybe.

```text
I understand. Can we agree on what I'd need to deliver to get there, and set a date to revisit it, say in [three / six] months?
```

Then ask about other parts of the package if salary is truly fixed: a title change, a bonus, extra time off, a training budget, or a [promotion path](/guides/how-to-ask-for-a-promotion/) with clear criteria. Our [salary negotiation guide](/guides/salary-negotiation/) has a table of the parts of a package you can ask for.

If you've asked more than once, delivered what was agreed and still hear no, the market may value your work more than your employer does. Interviewing elsewhere is a reasonable answer, and the case you've built is ready to reuse. If you're asked to stay once you have an offer, the [resignation letter guide](/guides/resignation-letter/) covers how to handle a counteroffer.

## Mistakes to avoid

Each of these is easy to sidestep once you know it's there.

- **Asking without a number.** It leaves your manager to choose one, and it will be lower. Name yours.
- **Comparing yourself to a named colleague.** It puts your manager in an awkward spot and rarely helps. Market data makes the same point more gracefully.
- **Leading with personal need.** Keep the case on the work and the market.
- **Bluffing about an offer.** It's easy to call, and you don't need it when your case is solid.
- **Waiting for the annual review.** By then the pool is usually set. Ask earlier.
- **Taking the first no as final.** Ask for criteria and a date.

## FAQ

### How much of a raise should I ask for?

Base it on the market range for your role and level, and on how much your job has grown. Use our [salary pages](/career-salaries/) and current job postings to find the range, then ask for a specific figure a little above your target. If you're paid hourly, the same approach works: ask for a specific new hourly rate.

### Can I ask for a raise after a year?

Yes. A year in, with results to show, is a natural time to ask, especially if it lines up with planning season. Some companies only adjust pay at set review cycles, so find out when yours is.

### Should I ask for a raise by email?

Ask for the meeting by email, but have the conversation live, in person or on a video call. Then follow up in writing. A raise request done only by email is easy to postpone, while a conversation gets an answer.

### What if my manager says there's no budget?

Ask when there will be, and whether a one-off bonus, title change or review date is possible in the meantime. Agree on goals for that review and confirm them in writing, so you walk in next time with the case already made.

### How do I ask for a raise during a performance review?

Tell your manager before the review that you want to discuss pay, and bring your one-page case to it. By the review itself, raises are often already decided, so the earlier heads-up gives your manager time to push for budget.

### Is it OK to ask for a raise when I'm underpaid compared with new hires?

Yes, and it's one of the strongest cases you can make. Use the posted ranges and market data rather than a colleague's salary, and frame it as bringing your pay in line with the role.

## More on Offers and pay

- [What are your salary expectations?](https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/salary-expectations.md)
- [Salary negotiation](https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/salary-negotiation.md)
- [Counter offer letter](https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/counter-offer-letter.md)
- [How to accept a job offer](https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/how-to-accept-a-job-offer.md)
- [How to decline a job offer](https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/how-to-decline-a-job-offer.md)
- [How to ask for a promotion](https://knowtheroom.ai/guides/how-to-ask-for-a-promotion.md)