Introduction
Just receiving your first job offer is thrilling. However, for most freshers, an offer is not the end of the excitement. It brings the stress of what to do next. Freshers often wonder how to negotiate without coming off as greedy, anxious, and hard to please. Negotiating a digital marketing job salary is especially hard for freshers. The salaries are unstable as the field is broad. On top of that, many students find it difficult to negotiate anything beyond a simple bill.
The good news is that with sufficient research and the right mentality, negotiating a digital marketing salary for the first time is entirely possible, even for a first-time candidate. Many freshers believe that they have to accept the first offer, but that comes with settling. Instead, freshers should believe that they can enter the job market confidently. This guide covers the most effective ways to negotiate the best offers.
Why Freshers Often Leave Money on the Table
Before we dive into the how, it is important to understand the why. The first reason comes down to fear of losing the offer. Most freshers believe that negotiating will cause the company to pull the offer. This thought process is flawed and prevents many freshers from making a crucial step. The truth is that most companies expect some negotiation. Many even factor that into the initial offer.
There are a few reasons why freshers avoiding salary negotiations is common
Not having enough information about the market. Without any knowledge about the salary range for a digital marketing fresher in their city, what typical salary figures are for that industry, or for that company size, candidates have no benchmarks to base their negotiation, thus forcing them to simply accept what's offered.
Unwillingness to engage in the negotiation. Coming in for your first job is an awkward situation, and freshers are likely to simply say yes in order to shorten the period of the uncomfortable situation, hence no salary negotiation.
Treating compensation synonymous with salary. Freshers often simply think about the salary component and are unaware of the negotiable components that are likely included in the offer, such as performance bonus, learning budget, some remote work, and maybe a flexible schedule, and an earlier review allowing for a sooner increase in salary.
Being aware of these reasons is the first step to not falling into the same trap.
The first step to avoiding these reasons for salary related issues is actually doing some research. This should be the case even before you've formally received an offer.
The offer is not needed to begin researching salary expectations for freshers in digital marketing. This research should be as soon as job interviews are being scheduled.
Look for as much digital marketing salary information as possible. Use salary aggregator sites, LinkedIn salary insights, and if possible, speak to entry level digital marketers in your network. Keep in mind that salaries are paid differently for different city locations, different company size, and can also vary with digital marketing roles focusing on content, performance marketing, or even a flexible generalist digital marketing role.
It's crucial to understand what range a company will be paying in the offer. Startups and smaller agencies typically pay less, but tend to be more flexible for growth, in contrast to larger companies, which more standardized roles. Consider what kind of company it is, and you can define how flexible you can expect them to be.
Step 2: Understand Your Value as a Fresher
You may not have as much to negotiate as an established employee, but you have more than you think. Interested in how to negotiate? First, consider your contributions.
This may be recent, high-value certifications, freelance or personal work that you wish to monetize, improvements to social media or web traffic from internship work, or in-demand skills related to paid advertising and/or analytics. Consider your academic work, as well, especially if you worked on data or real campaigns.
The intention is to not over-state your experiences. Understand your contributions and value for the negotiation, so you can cite a reasonable amount.
Step 3: Know What You can Actually Negotiate
You may often think salary is the most highly asked for quantity, and while it can be a large quantity, especially with a digital marketing role with fixed pay bands, that is not the only thing you can negotiate.
If your base pay is completely non-negotiable, consider discussing a signing bonus, opting for an earlier performance review, a budget for professional development, remote work flexibility, or an adjustment to your title if it helps strengthen your resume even if it doesn't come with a pay bump.
Negotiating around these options, instead of isolating your focus to the base pay, will most likely result in a more desirable final offer.
Step 4: Scripts for Negotiation
Digital marketing salary negotiation can be daunting, but having a few phrases ready can really help calm the nerves. Below are some examples of phrases that can be used in the common situations that entry-level professionals run into.
When Receiving an Initial Offer
"Thank you for the offer! I look forward to the opportunity to become part of the team! I'd like the opportunity to review the full offer and get back to you in a few days if that is okay."
This focuses your efforts on the review period and gives you the opportunity to not jump to a response, which is a common rookie mistake.
When Negotiating for an Increased Base Salary
"I appreciate the offer and am quite interested in the position. After analyzing the market for comparable entry level digital marketing positions and factoring in my certifications and project experience, I would appreciate consideration for a base salary of [specific number]. Would that be possible?"
This example adds more value by requesting an amount based on research, experience, and certifications, as opposed to the vague request of feeling like one should have a higher base salary, something hiring managers have no patience for.
When the Company States Their Budget Is Final
"I appreciate that budgets are fixed. Understanding that, would you be able to offer anything else that is comparable to a fixed number, say, an early performance review, signing bonus, or an educational budget for certifications?"
This example helps to negotiate without pushing for a number that is clearly budgeted.
When Competing Offers Exist
"A competing offer is on the table and, to be clear, this position is my preference out of the two due to [specific reason], however, the competing position offers a higher salary. Would you be able to increase your offer to get closer to that compensation?"
There is a great advantage to being forthright in this example. Just be certain to offer a true competing offer as this can be verified and easily backfire.
Proof Sample Accept
“Thank you for your commitment to the process. I am pleased to accept the adjusted offer. The revised offer letter may be sent at your convenience.”
You should always request formal confirmation of the final terms prior to your start date, regardless of how positive the prior conversation may have been.
Step 5: Pitfalls to Avoid
Your negotiations may be very well planned and rehearsed, but still, be sure to avoid these pitfalls.
Never offer an ultimatum, unless you intend to truly walk away. With an empty ultimatum, you not only lose, but you also create a lack of confidence and trust in the offer you received, even if the company met your ultimatum. State your case with confidence, and do not make statements of your peers’ compensation in the hope of comparing a higher compensation with what you have been offered. This will come off as insecure. Always aim for the fluid communication a phone call can provide over email. The offer of a phone call will eliminate the need for negotiating over the most sterile and aggressive form of communication. Finally, you will completely ruin your credibility and trust before starting the job if you keep negotiating after formally accepting the offer.
Step 6: Accepting Firm No’s
Expect to have a successful negotiation only some of the time. Having a firm offer is not necessarily a failure. If the offer is outside your acceptable compensation range, you have the option of declining, but accepting it is justified if the position, company, and potential for personal growth is strong.
The digital marketing world is smaller and more interconnected than it appears. With that in mind, keep a warm, professional tone as you would in any negotiation. Although this may be the only position you are discussing with this hiring manager, how you conduct yourself during negotiations, even if you’re unsuccessful, often determines how you will be viewed in the profession as a whole.
Preparing Mentally Before the Conversation
The nerves that come with a digital marketing salary negotiation are often more of an obstacle than your knowledge and research. The most common issue we see with entry-level digital marketing candidates occurs when they practice the negotiation so many times that, when it finally occurs, they are so anxious that they forget the negotiation altogether.
There are so many tiny things you can do to get used to the way this will all feel. The most important of which is to simply practice your negotiation out loud. You can always do this in the comfort of your own home, but you can also ask a friend or a trusted mentor to do this with you. Also, take some time to practice memorizing your most important negotiation points, and have them written down so that you can refer to them if you get distracted during the negotiation.
Also, remember that negotiating is the opposite of an adversarial process. The majority of the time, the hiring manager actually wants to offer you the position, and is just following the steps in their hiring process, which allows for some negotiation. If you think of the conversation as more of a collaborative process rather than a competitive one, you will have a more satisfying experience, and more likely then not, a better result.
First, understand that any single negotiation discussion, irrespective of how it ends, is not a judgment about your value as a candidate or as a professional. Even the best negotiators don’t get their way all the time, and the firm ‘no’ that is taken in stride often makes a better impression than an emotional rebuttal.
How the Company Size Affects Your Negotiation Strategy
The best negotiation strategy changes depending on the size of the firm making the offer, and being aware of this before the negotiation helps you set the appropriate expectations.
In a large, established company, salary ranges are firm for a given position and level, and the company determines these salary bands well beyond the discretion of a hiring manager. In this scenario, focusing exclusively on the base salary may result in no movement, but asking about salary adjacent items, like a signing bonus, relocation assistance, or a performance review in six months’ time, typically has more negotiation space.
In a startup or small agency, salary bands for a given position are generally negotiable and may even be set by the founder or the most senior marketing lead. In these instances, negotiating for the base salary may be easier, especially if there is a gap in the skills the candidate possesses that the agency or start-up may be looking to fill. However, small firms may also be working with a budget that is less than a large firm’s, and in this case, even a great argument may not get you the salary you want.
At a mid-sized growing company, there is enough structure so that things feel organized, as well as enough flexibility, so that a well-articulated, research-based, precise request has a good shot at being fulfilled.
You can make your negotiation seem more credible and more informed, to both yourself and the person on the opposite side of the table, by varying your tone and expectations as per what category your request falls into.
Salary Benchmarks that Freshers should be Aware of
Although the figures can differ quite a bit depending on the city, the size of the company, and the field of work, there are some patterns that can be found in most markets. Freshers that have some kind of certification and a small portfolio of work that shows they have worked on real projects, typically have higher starting pay when compared to those that do not have any skills that can be shown beyond the degree. Entry level positions that are focused on Performance Marketing and Paid Advertising, since they are more technical and have a revenue linkage, usually have a higher entry level salary when compared to other roles in digital marketing that are content-centric. Well-funded large companies and MNCs typically have entry level positions with the same salary and pay higher when compared to small agencies that have a lower salary but rapid hands-on experience and faster promotions. metropolitan cities have a huge impact on pay as they will typically have higher salaries compared to smaller cities to account for the varying costs of living.
Instead of fixating on an exact number, use the patterns above to determine a rough salary range for your request and use that as a salary range when negotiating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is negotiating with no experience seen as an issue?
Not usually. Many companies expect some level of negotiation, and if the offer was based on solid research, it is unlikely to be rescinded. The most important factor is your tone and level of preparation, not the fact that you did negotiate.
What happens if I do not know the market rate for my city?
Then you can use an educated range rather than a specific number. A range is much better than saying a number and being unsure.
Should I go for a negotiation if this is my dream company?
Yes, it should still be done, but you might want to negotiate a little softer. Try to push for something like an early review instead of base salary, but try to keep it much more reasonable as the offer itself might be more important.
Conclusion
The negotiation is not meant to be an aggressive back and forth, rather it is showing up to the negotiation ready, and able to clearly show your value, and that is important even as a fresher. Those that negotiate can greatly increase their salary on day one, and those that do so effectively will carry that on to future negotiations for salary increases.
Acadivzen's career support programs offer recent graduates structured interview prep, salary benchmarking, and lead mentored mock negotiation practice to help them walk into an entry level digital marketing job offer conversation fully prepared.
