An Account Executive (AE) is a sales professional responsible for closing deals with qualified prospects, managing client relationships, and driving revenue growth for a business. AEs typically take over leads passed from SDRs (Sales Development Representatives) and work them through the middle and bottom of the sales funnel.
The AE is the closer—the one who converts qualified leads into paying customers through value-driven conversations and consultative selling.
What Is an Account Executive?
An Account Executive is a customer-facing role that focuses on:
- Managing the sales process from discovery to close
- Handling product demos and proposals
- Negotiating contracts and pricing
- Managing a book of business
- Collaborating with SDRs, sales engineers, and customer success
In B2B SaaS, AEs are central to revenue generation, acting as the bridge between marketing-qualified leads (MQLs), sales-qualified leads (SQLs), and paying customers.
Key Responsibilities of an AE
| Responsibility | Description |
|---|---|
| 🔍 Discovery | Identify needs, goals, and pain points |
| 💡 Demo & Presentation | Show how the product solves customer problems |
| 🧠 Consultative Selling | Advise prospects based on value, not just features |
| 💬 Objection Handling | Address concerns around budget, timing, or competitors |
| 🤝 Proposal & Negotiation | Present pricing, terms, and win-win deals |
| ✍️ Closing | Secure signatures and complete the sales cycle |
| 🔄 Handoff or Retention | Work with CSMs or handle upsells/renewals |
| 📊 Forecasting & Reporting | Update CRM with accurate deal statuses |
AE in the B2B Sales Funnel
| Stage | Handled By |
|---|---|
| 🧊 Lead generation | Marketing / SDR |
| 🔍 Qualification | SDR → AE |
| 🎯 Discovery | AE |
| 💡 Demo | AE (with SEs, if needed) |
| 📝 Proposal | AE |
| ✍️ Close | AE |
| 🎉 Customer success | CSM or AE (depending on model) |
In some teams, Full-Cycle AEs handle the entire process from outreach to close.
Skills Required for a Successful AE
✅ Strong communication and storytelling
✅ Negotiation and persuasion
✅ Product knowledge
✅ Empathy and listening
✅ Objection handling
✅ Time and pipeline management
✅ CRM and sales tech fluency
✅ Business acumen and ROI selling
AE vs. SDR vs. CSM
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| 🔎 SDR (Sales Development Rep) | Top-of-funnel prospecting and qualification |
| ✍️ AE (Account Executive) | Mid- and bottom-of-funnel closing |
| 🤝 CSM (Customer Success Manager) | Post-sale onboarding, retention, and expansion |
Common AE KPIs
| KPI | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| 💰 Quota Attainment | % of monthly/quarterly sales goal hit |
| 📈 Revenue Closed | Total contract value won |
| 📅 Sales Cycle Length | Time from discovery to close |
| 📊 Pipeline Value | Total potential deals in progress |
| 🧠 Win Rate | % of opportunities closed-won |
| 🔄 Upsell & Expansion | Added revenue from current accounts |
| 📝 CRM Hygiene | Clean, up-to-date opportunity data |
Compensation and Career Path
- 💸 Base Salary + 💰 Commission = OTE (On-Target Earnings)
- Top-performing AEs may earn 2x base salary in variable pay
- Career progression may include:
- ➡️ Senior AE
- ➡️ Enterprise AE
- ➡️ Sales Manager or Sales Director
- ➡️ VP of Sales or Revenue Operations
AE Tools & Technology Stack
| Tool Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| 📥 CRM | Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho |
| 📧 Sales Engagement | Apollo, Outreach, Salesloft |
| 📞 Dialers | Aircall, RingCentral, Dialpad |
| 📹 Demo & Video | Loom, Zoom, Demodesk |
| 🧠 Intelligence | Gong, Chorus, Avoma |
| 📊 Forecasting | Clari, InsightSquared |
| 🧩 Lead Enrichment | CUFinder, Clearbit, ZoomInfo |
How CUFinder Helps Account Executives
CUFinder empowers AEs to:
- ✅ Access verified B2B contact data with firmographics and job titles
- ✅ Save time on research with lead enrichment and LinkedIn insights
- ✅ Find decision-makers faster in target accounts
- ✅ Keep CRM data clean and up to date
- ✅ Fuel sequence personalization with fresh insights
Cited Sources
- Wikipedia: Sales
- Wikipedia: Sales process engineering
- Wikipedia: Customer relationship management
- Wikipedia: Business-to-business
Related Terms
- SDR (Sales Development Representative)
- Sales Funnel
- Sales Pipeline
- CRM Integration
- Lead Qualification
- Discovery Call
- Demo Call
- Objection Handling
- Sales Enablement
- Deal Forecasting
- CSM (Customer Success Manager)
- Full-Cycle Sales Rep
- Closing Techniques
- Revenue Operations
- Enterprise Sales
FAQ
What does an Account Executive do?
An AE is responsible for working qualified leads, managing sales conversations, and closing deals. They guide prospects through the middle and bottom of the funnel.
What is the difference between AE and SDR?
SDRs prospect and qualify leads; AEs run demos, handle objections, and close the deal.
How do AEs get leads?
Typically through SDRs, inbound leads, or account-based outreach. AEs may also self-source in smaller teams.
Is an AE a sales or marketing role?
Account Executives are sales professionals, but they often collaborate with marketing teams to align messaging and targeting.
How does CUFinder help AEs close more deals?
CUFinder delivers real-time enriched contact data, helping AEs reach the right decision-makers with personalized messaging, faster.