Account executive (West)

As an Account Executive at Writer in San Francisco, you'll guide prospective customers through the evaluation process of our generative AI technology. Your primary responsibilities include educating users on how to harness Writer's capabilities to enhance their business operations, while also generating new leads from our ideal customer profile accounts. You'll be pivotal in establishing and maintaining strong relationships with teams across various industries, ensuring that your prospects see the maximum potential value from our solutions.

To excel as an Account Executive at Writer, it's essential to have a deep understanding of our users and their needs. Engaging in value-based selling techniques, being proactive in establishing internal champions at potential customers, and showcasing Writer's transformative capabilities are key to your success. Your success will also depend on your relationship-building skills, as you'll be required to collaborate with various departments within the organizations you target, making strong communication and negotiation skills vital.

The Account Executive position at Writer requires at least 5 years of experience in a B2B SaaS closing role, preferably one that focuses on companies with over 1,000 employees. Experience selling to leadership in areas like marketing or product, along with a proven performance track record is essential. Familiarity with legal, security, and procurement processes, as well as strong organizational and communication skills, will also set you apart as a competitive candidate.

Writer has been recognized as one of the best places to work by Inc. Magazine, fostering a culture where innovation and collaboration thrive. The company offers generous PTO, an array of benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage, and notable support for family and personal growth. Employees also receive work-life stipends and opportunities for continual development, making Writer an ideal environment for an Account Executive to flourish.

The sales process for an Account Executive at Writer is a blend of inbound lead qualification and proactive outreach to ideal customer profile accounts. You'll guide potential users through trials and evaluations, helping to create internal consensus through effective communication and relationship-building. This requires a strong understanding of Writer's offerings, as you'll need to educate users on the product's value while assisting them with their internal budgeting and procurement processes.

An ideal Account Executive at Writer should have a self-motivated, organized approach while being adept at working under pressure. You'll need to be detail-oriented and proactive in your outreach efforts, while also being comfortable asking tough questions and navigating complex sales environments. A positive, curious mindset will help you connect with prospects and turn them into enthusiastic advocates for our solutions.

Writer puts a strong emphasis on the growth and development of its employees. As an Account Executive, you will benefit from extensive learning and development stipends, aimed at enhancing your skill set. Additionally, Writer offers regular company-wide and team off-sites, creating networking opportunities that encourage knowledge sharing and professional growth while fostering a strong sense of community within the organization.

Value-based selling is crucial for an Account Executive at Writer, as it helps articulate how our solutions can directly impact a client's business operations. When responding, emphasize your ability to align solutions with customer needs, citing specific instances where you've successfully created a business case for executive sponsorship. Focus on metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the value you delivered.

Handling objections is a vital skill for any Account Executive. Share your strategies for addressing concerns and reframing them into opportunities for discussion, presenting data or case studies to alleviate worries. Highlight your approach in maintaining a calm and professional demeanor while engaging with clients, ultimately redirecting the conversation towards the value that Writer provides.

Building a robust pipeline involves a combination of inbound and outbound strategies. Discuss your experience with lead qualification processes, leveraging data and insights to connect with ideal customer profile accounts, and creating compelling outreach campaigns. Share any specific tools or approaches you've used to streamline lead generation and your success rates in securing meetings and demos.

Establishing relationships with key stakeholders is fundamental for an Account Executive like yourself. Discuss your approach to developing trust with early adopters and internal champions at each account. Highlight instances where you've utilized strong communication and interpersonal skills to educate stakeholders on the product and rally support for executive sponsorship.

Maintaining organization in a sales pipeline is essential for success. Share the tools and methodologies you use to track leads, follow-ups, and customer interactions, emphasizing your note-taking habits and regular review processes. Discuss your time management strategies and how you prioritize tasks based on deal size, urgency, and complexity to ensure you're addressing clients' needs diligently.

Research is crucial for understanding your audience and the potential impact of Writer's solutions. Be sure to highlight your commitment to researching client pain points, key decision-makers, and industry trends prior to outreach. Your response should demonstrate how thorough preparation enhances your conversations, making them more relevant and tailored to each prospect.

Measuring success as an Account Executive at Writer requires tracking various metrics, such as closed deals, customer retention rates, and client satisfaction. Discuss how you set personal goals and utilize KPI dashboards to monitor your performance. Emphasize your ability to adapt based on results, using data-driven insights to tweak your approach and continuously improve your sales tactics.

Successful sales negotiations often come down to understanding your client's needs and finding common ground. Share a specific example where you navigated the negotiation process, detailing how you addressed challenges and reached a win-win outcome. Make sure to highlight your active listening skills and ability to remain flexible while advocating Writer's value to ensure mutual benefit.

Ensuring successful onboarding is essential for long-term client relationships. Discuss your strategies for guiding clients through the initial stages of implementation, including setting clear expectations, providing tailored resources, and being readily available for support. Emphasize the importance of collecting feedback early in the onboarding process to adapt and enhance the experience.

As an Account Executive, motivation often comes from the thrill of closing deals and building relationships with clients. Share your passion for technology and its potential to drive business transformation, and how this mindset energizes you in your role. Additionally, express your commitment to contributing to Writer's mission and the fulfillment you find in helping others succeed with innovative solutions.