You plan events. We get the word out.

relevent/ marketing ideas


How do I write a “convince your boss” letter?

Your number one goal is growing attendance. Your event naturally offers a rich experience for attendees, as well as valuable networking opportunities and first-class educational sessions. But with the costs and time commitment associated with your conference, many interested attendees face a significant hurdle: convincing their boss that attending your event is worth the time and investment.

It’s for this reason that “convince your boss” or “Justify your trip” documents have been growing in popularity. Why not help people build their case with pre-written helpful resources that spell out the benefits of attending your event? Post them to your event website and share them with your prospective participants. The following are tips to keep in mind when creating convince your boss documents for your attendees:

Attending a conference is serious business

The convince your boss letter requires a professional tone at all times. This document is designed to be sent from the prospective attendee to his/her manager with some tweaks, so write in the first person. Format the letter so that there are spaces for the manager’s name, the date, the sender’s name, etc. Making sure the letter looks clear and concise can make all the difference!

Put yourself in the boss’ shoes

Initially, you want to demonstrate to the manager that you understand their position. If you’re familiar with the trials that managers in your industry face, you’re in a prime position to write this section in a way that connects with them. Outline the importance of saving money in your industry, for example, or the importance of aiming for high returns on investment with any new initiatives. Dreamforce ‘16 actually featured an ROI calculator based on past results.

Get to the point

State the intention of the prospective attendee: they want to attend your conference. Mention the dates, location, as well as the breadth and scope of the event in the convince your boss document.

Describe your uniqueness

Now the letter should focus on explaining why your event is a must-attend. What makes your event different from similar ones in your industry? Describe the main selling points, but always keep the boss in mind. This writing should not be an exact copy of your website copy; it should be designed to address concerns specific to managers in your industry.

Connect the dots

When building the case to convince your boss, make sure to connect the education received to the positive impact on the business’ bottom line. For instance, detail how chosen sessions can impact productivity and in turn drive down costs. The SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition does a great job of highlighting education. In addition, all lessons learned can be also shared with colleagues back at the office, contributing to their career advancements.

Breakdown the expenses

What typically follows is a breakdown of expenses associated with attending your event. These could be presented as a bulleted list with the names of the expenses and the dollar amounts. The prospective attendee fills in the variable costs such as hotel, airfare, etc. Be sure to itemize expenses such as the ticket, workshops, and other related things. The letter template for Inbound 2016 does this effectively.

Early bird rates

As part of a convincing closing argument, it’s a good idea to mention the potential savings available with early bird rates. This includes cost savings on their registration fee as well as discounts on hotels, who similarly reward early birds. But stress the fact that there are limited places available and time is of the essence!

Top Tweets from our Community

Article by Justin Mulfati

Justin Mulfati

Justin is passionate about bridging the gap between art and business, and is constantly on the lookout for great event marketing content to share with the sensov/ community.

Share this post

Share the post "How do I write a “convince your boss” letter?"