How Meeting and Event Planners Should Ask for a Raise

As a meeting professional, your role is pivotal in ensuring events are successful, from corporate and association conferences to special events. If you’ve been excelling in your role and believe it’s time for a salary increase, approach the process with preparation and professionalism. Here’s how to do it.

Document your achievements

Your role in event planning often involves managing complex projects, working with diverse stakeholders and delivering exceptional results. To start the process of asking for a higher salary, compile evidence of your successes.

• Highlight major events you've organized, especially those that exceeded expectations, brought in extra revenue, and received notable praise.
• Include any positive feedback from internal and external clients, vendors and/or attendees.
• If you’ve consistently come in under budget, negotiated value-added contracts or managed large-scale events efficiently, document these achievements.
• Showcase any creative solutions or improvements you’ve implemented that enhanced event experiences or streamlined processes.

Understand industry standards

Research industry salary benchmarks. Your first source is the Northstar Meetings Group/MeetingJobs-Cadre Salary Survey, which will be released in early October. Also, insights from sites like Glassdoor and Payscale will assist you in gauging where your current compensation stands relative to industry norms, helping you prepare a realistic request.

Choose the right timing

Picking the right moment can significantly impact your request's success. Aim to ask for a raise during a period of positive company performance or after the successful completion of a major event. Avoid times when the company is experiencing financial difficulties or organizational changes. Align your request with performance-review cycles or after you’ve achieved a significant milestone in your role.

Craft your case

When preparing for your meeting, focus on the value you bring to the organization. Structure your points around:

• How your numerous accomplishments have benefited the company
• If you’ve been given additional responsibilities, such as managing larger budgets or more complex events; and
• Your knowledge of industry standards, to justify the raise.

You might say, “Given my contributions and increased responsibilities, I believe an adjustment is appropriate.”

Practice your pitch

Rehearse your pitch to ensure clarity and confidence. Practice articulating your achievements, your contributions, and the rationale behind your request. Prepare for potential questions or objections your manager might raise. This practice will help you present your case effectively and handle the conversation smoothly.

Schedule a formal meeting

A face-to-face meeting or a video call is preferable to an email or an informal chat. During the discussion, be professional and concise. Begin by expressing gratitude for your role and the opportunities you’ve had, then present your case.

Be ready to negotiate

Your manager might propose an alternative offer. If a raise isn’t feasible, ask for a timeline or specific goals that could lead to a future increase.

Follow up

After the meeting, send a follow-up email thanking your manager for their time and consideration. If you received a raise, express your gratitude and continue to demonstrate the value you bring to the team. If your request was deferred, reiterate your commitment to meeting the agreed-upon goals and discuss a timeline for revisiting the topic.

Handle rejection gracefully

If your request is denied, be professional. Ask for constructive feedback on areas where you can improve. Express your willingness to work toward these goals and schedule a follow-up discussion.

Look forward constructively

If your manager does not support your efforts to improve, it’s time to reassess your career. Are there even growth opportunities at your current organization? If not, make a change. Start by registering on Meetingjobs.com.

Dawn Penfold is president of Meetingjobs.com, a Cadre company and cosponsor of NMG’s Salary Survey.