Making an Offer

Let's assume you've got a candidate and an employer who have wrapped up their interviews and want to work together. How, exactly, do you choreograph an offer and get it accepted?

I take the position that an offer is worthless or even counterproductive unless it's accepted. Therefore, a "clean" offer is the gold standard to strive for.
A clean offer is an offer that's been pre-accepted by the candidate. In other words, you've closed the candidate at a salary lower than what you know or anticipate the company is planning to offer, and tied up any loose ends that might present a problem. So, when the company tells you they've decided to make an offer, you reply that the candidate has already authorized you to accept. To seal the deal, you ask the employer to call the candidate to shake hands over the phone, and generate a letter of acceptance for the candidate to sign and date.
A less desirable option is the "conditional" offer, in which the offer is extended and accepted, but with one or more components to be determined prior to the start date. Conditional offers are fairly common in sales positions, in which there might be two or three different commission plans to choose from, or territories that need to be carved out. Generally, these deals can be put to bed with a simple meeting between the candidate and his or her prospective supervisor. But if the stumbling blocks are significant (as in dealing with a relocation), you might need to make eleventh-hour adjustments to protect the placement.