Key Skills for an Enterprise Account Executive at a Cloud Cost Management Startup
For success as an Enterprise Account Executive, organization is key, as "time kills all deals," requiring strong time management and note-taking skills. Equally crucial are effective communication and active listening, with the ability to "drill down and get important information" from clients, alongside building rapport as "people buy from people they like."
Communication, Organization, Active Listening, Empathy, Relationship Building
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Nick Martinazzi
Enterprise Account Executive
Cloud Cost Management Start Up
University of California Santa Barbara
None
Classics, Spanish Literature
Technology
Sales and Client Management
Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Organization: Strong organizational skills are crucial for managing multiple tasks, prioritizing effectively, and ensuring timely follow-ups, as delays can negatively impact sales.
2. Communication and Listening: Effective communication involves both actively listening to understand client needs and skillfully conveying information. The ability to ask insightful questions and delve deeper into client priorities is vital.
3. Interpersonal Skills: Building rapport and maintaining positive relationships are key, both internally within the company for resource access and externally with clients, as people tend to buy from those they trust and like.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
If I had to break down the most important skills for an enterprise account executive, I'd focus on three to four. The first is organization.
Without organization, important details can slip through the cracks, and follow-up can be delayed. A common saying in sales is that time kills all deals. If you can do something today, do it today instead of waiting for tomorrow.
Understanding what needs to be done and how to organize your day, your notes, and what others are working on all tie into this. The next two skills go hand in hand: the ability to speak with people and hold a conversation, as well as listening.
Listening is actually more important than your ability to communicate because you need to understand what's important to the person you're talking to. You can come up with ideas, but by listening, understanding, and asking follow-up questions, you can determine what's most relevant to them.
For instance, if they mention they want to know about X and Y, it's your job to follow up and ask why that's important to them or what would happen if they didn't have it. Knowing how to have and continue that conversation, drilling down to get crucial information, is key.
These two skills go hand in hand. You can't communicate well if you're not listening, and if you're not communicating well, they won't have much to say because you aren't asking the right questions.
Finally, one of the most important things is simply being nice and easy to work with. This helps internally when you need resources and support within your organization.
People also buy from people they like. While the product must work and provide value, at the end of the day, many people are buying from a person. If you are standoffish, rude, or unpleasant to be around, it will significantly impact your success in the job.
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