You’ve found the perfect PPC expert for your company, discussed their benefits, and you’re good to go. Except for one thing: your new hire wants a higher salary. If you believe they are the ones and are open to negotiating, then go for it. However, you must be careful not to go too far from what you can afford.
Let me show you some insights to help you negotiate a PPC expert salary.
Do your homework
Before you jump in, set your expectations. Will your PPC expert ask for a higher salary than you initially offered? It’s possible. The most common reason for that is a strong local job market, and the more in-demand a specialist is, the more likely they will request more money. In this case, if your chosen candidate is worth hiring, then they have a price tag on their head. The candidate knows their value.
This means that, before you start negotiating, you must know exactly what you need from your new hire. So, first, research the PPC expert salary ranges for similar jobs and professionals on their level. Then, set your price range based on it and your budget to start negotiating.
Discuss salary early on in the process
You should set salary expectations way before the job offer stage. This would have to be discussed at some level along the hiring process. When you do this, there’s less room for negotiation beyond your salary range and budget. Besides, none of the parties could say they’re too surprised by the discussed amounts.
Have a plan and stick to it
Salary negotiations can sometimes get out of hand. I’ve seen some managers say things they didn’t mean. That’s because they’re excited about hiring the person, but it becomes too easy to be flexible. You can be flexible, but not too much. For example, consider including a commission on performance or managed media spending instead of a higher base salary. Depending on the amount of budget managed, a 0.5% commission can represent a decent bonus on their income.
Above all, make sure you have a plan and stick to it. This will help you get the maximum in the negotiation process and save your company money in hiring another professional.
Don’t go sharing figures
Salaries can be delicate, so you don’t need to make public figures in your company. Instead, leave it to people that are inside the hiring process. Some of your staff might be upset if they find you’ll hire the new PPC expert for a salary deemed too high. My experience tells me that, no matter how right you feel about the new hire and their salary, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so avoid oversharing.
OK, everything is set now that you’ve negotiated the PPC expert salary. Your new PPC expert is ready to go to work and deliver some fantastic results. But now comes a fundamental step in the whole process: integration. I’ll dedicate my next article to this subject.
