REVOLVE Conference is an inspiring experience that will have a lasting impact on you both personally and professionally. That said, if you need to request time away from your job to attend, or even ask your employer to pick up the tab, you’re going to need to come up with solid persuasive arguments to get to that ‘Yes’.

Your plan for getting your manager to approve your attendance at REVOLVE should focus on how your company’s investment (financial, and giving you up for the time you’ll be away) will be ‘rewarded’. Emphasize that it’s not about you, that it’s about how your team/department, and by extension, your company will benefit from the information and insights you’ll gain.

Devise a strategy, *craft your talking points, then proceed to confidently present your case!

STEP 1:  Strategize

• Review the REVOLVE Conference schedule, and choose the sessions you’d like to attend.  Be prepared to indicate how these sessions will help improve your work and impact your team’s expertise.
• Download the persuasive letter below (PDF) for your boss. Include the sessions you’d like to attend, and indicate how they will impact your job performance.
• After you’ve submitted the letter, schedule a brief in-person meeting to bolster your case.

STEP 2:  Pick the Right Time to Talk About It

You don’t want to approach your manager after a string of back to back meetings or just before lunch.  Judiciously choose a time that he/she will be in a ‘forgiving’ frame of mind.

STEP 3:  Present Your Case

• Be prepared to respond to common objections your manager may raise (such as costs in terms of registration, transport, your time away from work and how it will affect the company) with thoughtful answers, and innovative solutions.
• Tell your boss that the investment in sending you to REVOLVE for two days is nominal when compared to other more expensive and longer conferences.
• Elaborate on how the company will benefit from sending you to the event.
• Tell your boss about the multidisciplinary sessions that can enhance your current skill set.
• Walk through the conference website together to review the program and speaker lineup.

Download Convince Your Boss Letter

* Linked TripWire Article – Justifying the Value of Conference Attendance to Your Boss by Jim Nitterauer