What is an Enterprise Account Executive?
An Enterprise Account Executive is a sales professional who manages and grows relationships with key, high-value clients, often dealing with complex sales cycles, multiple stakeholders, and larger contracts.
It’s easier to understand if we break down the job title into two parts:
- Enterprise
- Account Executive
“Enterprise” refers to the size of the accounts that the salesperson sells to. SMB and Mid-Market are two other terms used to refer to the size of accounts in sales. Enterprise accounts are the largest.
“Account Executive” refers more to the job itself. Often abbreviated as AE, Account Executives are the salespeople who are responsible for actually closing deals, as opposed to pre-sale roles like Sales Development Representative (SDR) and post-sale roles like Account Manager (AM).
Click here for a breakdown of all the different tech sales job titles.
So, to put it simply, an Enterprise Account Executive is just an AE who sells to Enterprise accounts.
In this blog, we’ll provide a more in-depth explanation of account sizes and then discuss in detail all the aspects of being an Enterprise Account Executive such as their responsibilities, salary, education requirements, and career path.
Account Sizes: SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
Again, “Enterprise” refers to the size of the accounts that the salesperson sells to.
In tech sales, the most common account sizes are:
- SMB
- Mid-Market
- Enterprise
*Note: SMB stands for “Small and Midsize Businesses.”
Account sizes are defined by either the number of employees or the company’s annual revenue.
The exact figures used to delineate account sizes vary. Different sales organizations have different thresholds.
For example, Gartner defines account sizes according to these employee thresholds:
- Small business: less than 100 employees
- Midsize: 100 to 999 employees
- Enterprise: 1,000 or more employees
And these annual revenue thresholds:
- Small business: less than $50 million
- Midsize: $50 million to $1 billion
- Enterprise: more than $1 billion
This video gives a more in-depth explanation of account sizes:
The important thing to note is that Enterprise accounts are the largest, which is why Enterprise Account Executives make more money than SMB and Mid-Market AEs.
Bigger accounts, bigger deals, bigger commission checks.
Enterprise Account Executive Job Description
Let’s look at a few real job postings on LinkedIn for Enterprise Account Executives …
“Our Enterprise Business team focuses on working with our most strategic customers and organizations of 10,000+ employees.”
“Our Enterprise Account Executives engage with existing customers and new leads to sell the entire Salesforce Customer 360 platform. They build positive, trusted relationships with both key team members and c-suite decision makers within their patch, and become naturals at helping customers realize value from their Salesforce investments.”
Source: LinkedIn
“The Enterprise Account Executive role at Rippling provides an extremely unique opportunity – we’re looking for talented and ambitious Account Executives who can both manage a high velocity sales cycle while also navigating a very strategic sales process.”
“One fundamental belief at Rippling is that Account Executives should spend 100% of their time between engaging with interested prospects, managing sales cycles to help potential customers evaluate our product, closing revenue from marketing generated demos, and working with our CSM team to ensure a seamless transition to our platform for new customers.”
Source: LinkedIn
“As the Enterprise Account Executive, you will work as part of an account team responsible for driving growth, value, and partnership with our largest strategic customers (8 figure revenue). We are currently looking for a curious and driven Enterprise Account Executive to align to new logo prospecting with the Enterprise segment (10-100K employee size). We are looking for someone willing to prospect into the Enterprise and land new logos as well as work on existing accounts to uncover upside. Split will be 75% New Logo / 25% Account Management.”
Source: LinkedIn
“We are looking for a team member who can educate and evangelize this mission to every office in the world. As a member of the Enterprise Account Executive team, you will help define our strategy to attract Enterprise size customers (2,001-5,000 employees). This role will be part of the Revenue and Success team where our goal is to be the most innovative, efficient, and effective customer team B2B has ever seen. Envoy is a rapidly expanding business, and there are many opportunities for career progression and advancement.”
Source: LinkedIn
As you can see, job descriptions for Enterprise AEs vary from company to company, but generally, Enterprise Account Executives are responsible for developing and managing relationships with large customers.
Most Enterprise AEs primarily focus on acquiring new business (“new logos”) by identifying enterprise-level prospects, understanding their business needs and problems, and proposing products or services as solutions.
Sometimes, Enterprise AEs also responsible for post-sale customer satisfaction and forging long-term relationships.
The EAE essentially acts as the liaison between the customer and the company, ensuring seamless communication, mutual understanding, and ongoing success.
Enterprise Account Executive Responsibilities
Now, you still might be wondering, “What does an Enterprise Account Executive do?”
Here’s a list of responsibilities from the job description for the Enterprise AE position at Rippling mentioned above:
And here are some other common responsibilities for Enterprise Sales Account Executives:
- Territory Sales Leadership: Manage sales initiatives within a specific region. Develop and implement strategies to onboard new clients and increase revenue from existing ones.
- Prospective Client Identification: Pinpoint potential clients through comprehensive research and effective networking. Generate leads using data analysis, skilled communication, and diligent research.
- Client Acquisition: Identify potential enterprise-level clients and initiate contact. Map out and execute a strategic sales plan tailored to each potential client.
- Tactful Sales Calls: Conduct sales calls in a manner that is both tactful and effective.
- Relationship Management: Build and maintain robust relationships with clients. Act as the primary point of contact for all enterprise-level client needs.
- Solution Proposal: Understand the client’s problems and goals and propose solutions that their products or services can provide. Highlight the benefits and value of their offerings.
- Sales Presentations: Design and deliver compelling sales presentations that elucidate their services and the costs associated with each option.
- Sales Closing: Navigate complex sales cycles, handle objections, negotiate contracts, and close deals with enterprise-level clients.
- Sales Cycle Management: Steers the entire sales cycle from initiation to closure.
- Post-Sale Client Satisfaction: Ensure client satisfaction post-sale. Address any issues or concerns and ensure the client sees the value and benefits of the products or services.
- Long-Term Relationship Forging: Work towards building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with enterprise-level clients. This involves regular check-ins, addressing concerns, and identifying further opportunities for collaboration.
- Enterprise Account Management: Handle Enterprise Accounts for the most prestigious clients. Ensure client satisfaction throughout the entire engagement process.
Enterprise AE Education Requirements
In most cases, becoming an Enterprise Account Executive requires a bachelor’s degree (usually in business, marketing, communications, or a related field).
Some organizations might even prefer candidates with a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) or a similar advanced degree.
Also, possessing certifications or courses in sales or marketing could elevate your profile, setting you apart in the competitive landscape.
In addition to formal education, continuous learning in the workplace is a must for successful Enterprise AEs.
Working closely with seasoned professionals provides insight into industry practices while managing client relationships and devising value-driven strategies.
As an Enterprise Account Executive, it’s crucial to stay updated on the latest industry trends, sales strategies, and technological advancements.
You should know that this role calls for extensive industry knowledge, which is often developed through years of experience in sales or account management roles.
In tech sales, the typical career path is to start as an SDR or BDR, then get promoted to AE for smaller accounts (e.g., SMB or Mid-Market), before finally being promoted to Enterprise AE.
Click here to learn more about tech sales career paths.
Benefits of Being an Enterprise Account Executive
Rewarding Financial Compensation
As an Enterprise Account Executive, one major benefit is the potential for high financial rewards.
This role offers a competitive base salary and performance-based bonuses and commissions tied to meeting sales targets.
Enhanced Career Progression
Enterprise Account Executive is already a fairly senior role that most salespeople only get to after 5-10 years of sales experience.
After Enterprise AE, you still have plenty of options for career progression:
- Sell to even bigger accounts: Strategic, Majors, Global, Large, or Key accounts
- Sales Leadership: Sales Director, VP of Sales, Chief Revenue Officer
- Start your own company: successful salespeople make great CEOs
Professional Development Opportunities
Enterprise Account Executives often have access to a wealth of professional development opportunities.
These include industry conferences, networking events, and training programs, helping to hone your skills and stay ahead in the competitive and ever-evolving world of sales.
High Level of Autonomy
This role often grants a high level of autonomy, allowing you to manage your accounts independently.
This freedom can be extremely fulfilling and empowering, giving you the reins to drive your career forward.
Strategic Influence
As an Enterprise Account Executive, you play a pivotal role in shaping the company’s sales strategies.
Your insights and experiences can greatly influence decision-making processes, making this role both challenging and rewarding.
Enterprise Account Executives Salary
The resource I trust the most for salary data for tech sales jobs is the Compensation Guide published annually by Betts Recruiting.
This table from the guide shows Enterprise Account Executive salary data by location:
Source: Betts Recruiting
Also, just in case you’re curious, here are the salaries for the Enterprise AE roles mentioned earlier …
On the low end, Enterprise AEs make a little more than $100,000.
On the high end, Enterprise AEs can make as much as $400,000.
To fully understand compensation. for Enterprise Account Executives, it’s important to understand the concept of on-target earnings (OTE).
FAQs
What is the Difference Between an Account Executive and an Enterprise Account Executive?
The key difference between an Account Executive and an Enterprise Account Executive lies mainly in the size and complexity of the accounts they manage.
Account Executives typically handle a variety of smaller accounts or a few large ones.
Enterprise Account Executives are entrusted with the responsibility of managing and growing the largest and most strategically important accounts of the company, often referred to as ‘Enterprise’ accounts.
Their role can extend to overseeing a whole region or managing the company’s primary clientele.
These accounts usually involve complex sales cycles, and higher stakes, and require more strategic and consultative selling skills.
What comes after Enterprise Account Executive?
After the role of an Enterprise Account Executive, many professionals progress to higher leadership positions within the sales department.
This might include roles such as Sales Manager, Director of Sales, or even VP of Sales.
These roles involve overseeing a team of Account Executives, developing sales strategies, and achieving overall business growth.
It’s also not uncommon for Enterprise Account Executives to venture into entrepreneurial roles, using their vast experience in managing key accounts to start their own businesses or consultancies.
What is an Enterprise Account?
An Enterprise Account is a type of business account that is typically associated with large, multinational corporations.
These accounts often represent significant sources of revenue for a company.
Due to the complexity and scale of these accounts, they demand a higher level of attention and strategic management.
This is often done by Enterprise Account Executives, who are tasked with nurturing relationships with these key clients, understanding their unique needs, and ensuring tailored solutions are provided to meet their business objectives.
Conclusion
To keep it simple, an Enterprise Account Executive is a salesperson who sells to large accounts.
If you want to grow your career and make more money in sales, it’s a good idea to aim for an Enterprise AE role.
As we mentioned before, bigger accounts, bigger deals, bigger commission checks.
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