Asking for more money is one of the scariest things you have to do in your career. Many people feel a deep worry or anxiety when they think about having that conversation.
If you work from home (WFH), this fear can feel even bigger. You work endless hours that no one ever sees. You have less facetime with your manager. Your client calls aren’t recorded.
The good news? This fear is normal. The best way to overcome it and start negotiating salary is by being the most prepared person in the room.
Studies show that 82% of full-time workers who asked for a raise in 2024 got one. Most people that ask are under -prepared. So, that means close to 100% of people who prep get a better salary.
Just by being here you’re in the right place to negotiate a better salary.
Do your Salary Negotiating Homework
Before you go into negotiating salary, guns blazing ready to take on anyone in your path, relax. Salary negotiations are often won before the meeting.
You need to be prepared with a good alternative, a strong understanding of your value, and the right timing.
Having these three things in place will make you unstoppable.
1. Your Alternative to a Salary Raise
This is the strongest psychological advantage that will help in your negotiation. It’s so impactful that negotiation practices have made an acronym for it. Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)
A BATNA is your lifeline. Knowing that you have another job offer, a network of people that can find you better things, even a financial safety net. You have to establish what happens if you walk away.
So before you go into the negotiation, find out what others would pay for your skills. Ask friends and managers of the position what the value is. Worst case, you walk away from this company and find another paying similar or more.
Perfect, now we can lean into the negotiation without feeling a need to back down.
2. Win the Negotiation by Knowing Your Value
Many salary negotiation tips will tell you to check the average pay for your position and negotiate there. This is wrong. You will be stuck with average pay your whole career.
Don’t negotiate on averages. Negotiating salary is about getting paid for the value you provide to the company.
So do this in advance:
- Transform your daily activities into revenue value or operational savings. Ex. A customer service rep helping 10 customers who all stay for 6 months at $10,000/month each. That’s $600,000 of value right there.
- Minimum 5:1 Value to pay ratio: You should be providing a minimum of 5X the value of what you’re being paid. There’s no negotiating if you’re not providing value. If you’re not here yet, go do more.
When you know your value, you become unstoppable in your negotiation.
3. When is the Right Time to Negotiate Salary?
If you’re really unhappy with your compensation, then the time is now. Don’t wait for the right time because you will become disengaged and your value goes down. This makes it hard to get that raise later.
However, there are some times that are better for a business than others:
- Track your company’s growth: Become a shareholder. Anyway you can. That way you can see the financials.
A quarter with high profit is an excellent time if your job is to save money. A quarter with high revenue is perfect if your job involves getting more revenue.
- Match your Big Milestones: Waiting until you’re done with the big project is common advice. But, at that point it is too late.
People are already moving on and looking for the next opportunity. When the project is at 95% and about to be completed, make the ask.
I’ve used these strategies to hold a salary that is 70% higher than the same people at my level. You can do it too.
How Do I Start a Salary Negotiation?
Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to get the ball rolling.
Writing the Salary Negotiation Email
This is my biggest pet peeve. People spend hours crafting the perfect email to send to their manager. Just to get the reply “Okay, lets chat about it soon”.
This part is actually simple. Get a meeting with your manager any way you can. It can be slack, a phone call, an email, or via bat signal. Get a salary meeting.
Your manager needs to know two things coming into a meeting:
- The point of the meeting. Discussing your current performance, your salary expectations, or your compensation. Make sure they come ready to chat about money!
- The time and date you’re sitting down to chat.
Negotiating Salary Offer Email Example (The Template):
Like I said above, this isn’t where you need to divulge the details. Save that for the follow-up email.
Keep the salary negotiation email simple:
Subject: [Name]’s Compensation OR [Name]’s Performance Discussion
Hi [Manager’s Name],
I would like to sit down for a chat about my recent performance. I’m seeing a large difference between the value I offer [company name] and my compensation.
Can we sit down for a discussion about this? I see that you have 30 mins at [Time and Date that you selected from their calendar].
Thank you in advance for your time.
Simple, straightforward and gets the meeting. Now the fun part!
Negotiating a Salary Offer That you Love
You’ve got your meeting. So now what? You need the skills to negotiate the salary you love. These skills include anchors, total compensation, and being on the same team.
Anchoring to Negotiate the best WFH Salary
If you have not heard of price anchoring then welcome to negotiation. An anchor is the first number that is said during a negotiation. It is the point where you will both reference for the rest of the negotiation.
So, you need to know how to deal with it.
You start by setting your salary goal and your salary basement (The lowest value you would take)
Use it as a reference point to decide how to deal with the first number:
If it’s way too low: Ignore it. Once you acknowledge an anchor it is set in. Move the conversation back to your value.
If it’s somewhere in the middle: Adjust your response so the middle point is above your salary goal.
If it’s above what you expected: This is often the case for the employer, not the employee. If you find yourself in this situation, take a deep breath and focus on the other areas of the negotiation.
If you say the first number, say one that is above your target goal. You got to aim high to get more than you expected.
Using Total Compensation to Increase Your WFH salary.
Total compensation is a great way to get some extras on your employment package. Look for opportunities to include:
- More Paid Time Off
- A Home office Stipend
- Learning / Training budget
Check out our Total Compensation blog to learn other sweet perks you can negotiate.
You are on the same team in a Salary Negotiation
At the end of the day, you still work together. So don’t get mean. Just point out the facts and be objective.
Your manager also has to pitch your salary increase to their boss. So help them justify it. Bring numbers, facts, and your personality into the conversation.
After the meeting, be sure to follow-up with the ask, decisions, and actions.
The ask: Your salary request
The decisions: The salary agreed upon and other total compensation changes
Actions: What are the next steps to keep this moving forward.
Give your manager the ammunition they need to fight for your salary. That’s how you win.
Plan Your Next Salary Negotiation Now
Rather than waiting for someone to ask or volunteer more money, set criteria early. Ask your manager “Hey, what would it take for you to 150% my current salary?” Get that in writing over an email then take off running.
Once you execute on this, it makes it much easier for you to request an increase.
Get Comfortable being Uncomfortable
Salary negotiations often go as well as you’re willing to be uncomfortable. It is hard to sit in stunned silence when you drop a big number. It can be awkward to ask for more than the people around you.
That’s why setting yourself up is needed. This isn’t about other people. This is about negotiating salary with your company.
The Forge Coaching helps WFH professionals get the salaries they deserve.
