We all would benefit from making more money.

And in many cases, a lot of us deserve to be paid a little more than we do for the hard work we put into our job. We want to be compensated for the value we provide instead of the hours we work, but in the corporate world that’s rarely ever the case…unless you’re in top management.

Some people try to make more money by working a second job. But not everyone has that option.

Some may have to care for a sick parent or fight an illness and they honestly can’t afford to work a second job. But they’re hard working people that don’t get compensated enough. Others are passionate about their job and they want to continue working for that company, but they want their salary to be consistent with the value and creative solutions they bring in to their job.

And so they want to negotiate their salary.

But before you can negotiate your salary, you need to learn more about the art of negotiation. You need to know exactly what you need to do before you ask for a “salary negotiation” appointment with your boss.

The Art of Negotiation

There’s no trick to negotiation.

There are no exact words or sentences in this world that can convince your employer that you deserve a raise if you can’t demonstrate that you deserve it.

And what that means is: you have to show your boss that you’re worth way, way more than what you’re getting paid to do.

What a lot of people don’t know is that getting a raise is about what you do 3 – 6 months before you sit down with your boss and have that conversation.

From my experience, you will have some clarity about your chances of getting a raise well before you have that conversation. In fact, the official conversation would just be a formality by that point.

Here are five tips that will you get a raise or get promoted.

1. Show Up Early

Don’t show up to your meetings late…EVER.

In this competitive market environment, people will remember when you show up late. In fact, if you’re late two times in a row, people will probably remember that about you for a very, very long time and that will hurt your chances of doing a lot of things.

So show up early.

And if you show up on time you still won’t make the impression you need to get your boss’ attention. So plan to be there early every single time.

You need to show your boss that you’re the first one there for every event, every meeting, and every follow up. You will the right hand wo/man.

2. Emails

If you want a pay raise, then you should respond to your email on weekends. I know it sucks but if you’re like the rest of people that never respond to email on weekend, you won’t stand out.

If I were you, I would respond to emails as soon as I see them. Your boss will know he or she can fully depend on you and that you’re serious about being the best employee in your company. You need your boss to know that you care about the company and its mission and you’re there because you really want to be there.

But if you don’t like working for your company, I don’t know why you would put in the extra effort to get a raise. But that’s a different topic.

Getting a raise is hard work and you have to demonstrate that you deserve a raise. So get ready to work weekends. (I think most people don’t send out emails on weekends unless they’re urgent, so don’t worry you won’t be enslaved to your company. Just be there when they need you. They will remember that.)

3. Over-deliver

Most people won’t do anything more than what is expected of them.

If that’s you, then drop the idea of negotiate a raise.

If you simply do your job, then your job is a good fit for your skills and talents.

You also don’t demonstrate that your skills and talents are better suited for a better position or for a higher salary. You’re pretty much where you deserve to be.

But if you want to negotiate your salary, then you have to over-deliver.

When you take on a project, finish the project well ahead of the deadline. Send out emails showing progress. Get your boss to give an opinion or a “consultation” on the direction the project should take.

Some bosses like to be hands off and if that’s the case, be sure to keep your boss updated. Your boss has to have all the answers about your project and he or she must get them from you. You must be accurate, on time and on track.

Also, do more than what is expected of you. Take on a second role in the project. Or volunteer to connect your company with another organization that can help promote the project you’re working on and perhaps get your company some funding. Money talks and you will become a valuable asset in the eyes of your boss.

4. Visibility

Don’t be reticent about your work.

But don’t be boisterous about it either.

When asked about your project, be sure to share how you’re moving the project forward. Talk about the obstacles that your company is facing and how you’re managing to push through nevertheless.

This will help you develop a reputation of being able to get things done.

I know it doesn’t sound right, but volunteer to share with others what you’re doing, some won’t care but some are going to want to hear more of that story later on. They’re going to want to follow up with it. That’s good for you.

People will start talking about you and your name will start coming up during meetings. That’s the attention you need to get a promotion.

5. Time to Get a Raise or a Promotion

After you’ve conducted yourself using the above tips for a lengthy period of time, it’s now time to speak with your boss.

But you need to impress your boss.

First, you need to lay out what you’ve done in the past 3 – 6 months that have moved the company forward. I’ve gotten excellent results from crafting a short concise email stating what I’ve accomplished during that time period and I sent it to my boss in the form of a summary of my department’s accomplishments and my role in pushing it forward.

I’ve gotten amazing feedback, and I believe the process I used can help you too. So try my method.

Write and email and be very clear about your role in moving the company forward. And again, the email should be short and to the point.

Only after you’ve sent the email, you should set up an appointment with your boss to discuss your responsibilities and your role with the company. In the meeting, you need to express to your boss how a higher salary or a promotion will help you deliver even greater results.

So get recognized and you’ll receive the raise you deserve.