Account Executive - Inside Sales

As a Level I Inbound Account Executive, you will be a critical part of our revenue engine, responsible for converting warm, qualified leads into loyal customers. You will be the voice of our brand, engaging with prospects who have already shown interest in our solution. Your primary focus will be on understanding their needs, demonstrating the value of our product, and guiding them through the sales process to a successful close. This is a perfect role for a motivated individual looking to build a successful career in software sales.

Key Responsibilities

• Respond & Engage: Promptly respond to and effectively qualify a high volume of inbound leads from marketing campaigns, website inquiries, and free trial sign-ups.
• Discovery & Consultation: Conduct thorough discovery calls to understand a prospect's business challenges, goals, and buying criteria.
• Product Demonstration: Perform compelling, personalized product demonstrations that clearly articulate how our solution addresses the specific needs of the prospect.
• Pipeline Management: Meticulously manage your sales pipeline from initial contact to close using our CRM (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot), ensuring all data is accurate and up-to-date.
• Closing: Guide prospects through the evaluation process, manage negotiations, and successfully close new business to consistently meet and exceed monthly and quarterly quotas.
• Collaboration: Work closely with Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) and Marketing to ensure a smooth handoff of leads and provide feedback on lead quality.
• Product Expertise: Develop and maintain a deep understanding of our product, the competitive landscape, and our target customer personas.
• Forecasting: Provide accurate sales forecasts to sales leadership.

What You Bring to the Table

• Required:

  • 1-4 years of experience in a sales-focused role at a tech or SaaS company, preferably as a Sales Development Representative (SDR)
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to listen actively and present ideas clearly.
  • A strong desire to learn, a high degree of coachability, and a passion for technology.
  • Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
  • A competitive spirit and a relentless drive to achieve and exceed goals.

• Preferred:

  • Prior experience in a closing role, even with a short sales cycle or small deal size.
  • Hands-on experience with CRM software (Salesforce is a strong plus).
  • Familiarity with the SaaS business model and key metrics (MRR, ARR, Churn).
  • Formal sales training (e.g., Sandler, MEDDICC, Challenger Sale).

Core Sales Skills

• Lead Qualification: Ability to quickly assess if a lead matches the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and has a genuine need.
• Discovery: Skill in asking open-ended, probing questions to uncover pain points, business impact, and decision-making processes.
• Active Listening: The ability to hear, understand, and retain what a prospect is saying (and not saying).
• Product Demonstration: Competency in showcasing software in a way that connects features to the prospect's specific problems and required business outcomes.
• Objection Handling: Ability to professionally address and resolve prospect concerns regarding price, timing, features, or competition.
• Value Proposition Articulation: Clearly explaining the ROI and business value of the software, not just its features.
• Closing Techniques: Basic understanding of how to create urgency, ask for the business, and navigate the final steps of a sale.
• Pipeline Management: The discipline to maintain an accurate and up-to-date sales pipeline, reflecting the correct stages and deal values.

Software & Tool Proficiency

• CRM: High proficiency in using a CRM like Salesforce or HubSpot for logging activities, tracking opportunities, and managing contacts.
• Video Conferencing: Expertise with tools like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams for conducting virtual meetings and demos.
• Communication & Collaboration: Familiarity with internal communication tools like Slack and project management suites like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
• Sales Engagement (Bonus): Experience with tools like SalesLoft or Outreach for sequencing and communication.

Soft Skills & Personal Attributes

• Coachability: Eagerness to receive, process, and implement feedback from peers and managers.
• Curiosity: A genuine interest in learning about different businesses, industries, and the challenges they face.
• Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of a prospect, building rapport and trust.
• Resilience: The mental fortitude to handle rejection and deal losses without losing motivation.
• Time Management & Organization: The ability to prioritize tasks, manage a high volume of leads, and follow a structured sales process.
• Drive & Motivation: A self-starter with a strong internal desire to succeed and hit targets.
• Problem-Solving: The ability to think on one's feet and creatively solve prospect challenges.

Business & Industry Acumen

• SaaS Metrics: Basic understanding of key SaaS concepts like Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), and Customer Lifetime Value (LTV).
• Industry Knowledge: Foundational knowledge of the industry the company sells into and the common personas of buyers within that industry.

At Freshworks, we are creating a global workplace that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion and ethnicity. We are committed to providing equal opportunity for all and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer work environment that advances the goals of our employees, communities and the business.