By the time they extend a job offer, hiring managers are breathing a sigh of relief. They’ve slogged through several weeks of screening applicants, scheduling and conducting interviews, and analyzing results – on top of their usual workload. The hard part is over, right?

Maybe – and maybe not. Whether negotiating the job offer itself is a struggle depends on how well hiring managers are prepared to negotiate. And this is especially true when dealing with sales and marketing candidates, who are skilled in the art of negotiation themselves.

How can you successfully negotiate a job offer with a new sales or marketing candidate? Consider the following tips:

Create a competitive offer.

It’s easier to negotiate from a place of authority, and easier to get a candidate to accept an offer, if that offer is competitive with what other companies in your industry would offer similar candidates. You can limit your negotiation range knowing that your competition would do the same, and candidates who have done their homework will also know that the offer won’t be topped by another company.

If you’re not sure where to begin evaluating the competitiveness of your job offer, talk to a staffing partner who specializes in placing sales and marketing staff in your industry. These professionals know what similar companies offer, giving them the information to evaluate the offers you’re making and provide valuable feedback.

Don’t shy away from non-traditional benefits.

For many top candidates, offering a larger salary won’t change their minds, because the work is not (entirely) about the money. For these candidates, a workplace that offers non-traditional benefits is often preferable over one that offers a higher salary. Consider offering flex time, telecommuting, and other non-traditional benefits to sales and marketing candidates in order to encourage them to accept an offer and to make it easier for them to do their best work.

Make sure your non-traditional benefits really do “benefit” employees, however. Sales and marketing staff are particularly smart at knowing when a benefit really enhances the offer and when it’s a gimmicky add-on, like a Ping-Pong table in the break room that never actually gets used.

Put it in writing.

Putting the offer in writing at every stage clarifies what is on the table, reducing the chances of a misunderstanding that leads to conflict in the future. It also creates perspective by placing the offer outside the negotiator’s heads and allowing both parties to think about it more objectively. Make sure everyone has the same written version of the offer and that everyone signs the same agreement.

At SMR Group, our sales and marketing recruiters help you seek and find better candidates at each step of the hiring process, from screening to job offers. Contact us today to learn more about our recruiting services for the biotech, medical, and pharmaceutical industries!