Meet Eloïse Laot, Account Executive at HowNow

As she approaches her third HowNowversary (aka her third year at HowNow), we caught up with Eloïse Laot on her HowNow journey and role as Account Executive.

Why did you choose HowNow?

When I first met the team, which was a lot smaller then, I could tell the company culture was suited to me. Everyone I met during the interview was smart,  passionate and really welcoming. 

For me, it’s super important to surround yourself with others that push you to be the best you can be! 

From day one, there has always been a massive focus on teamwork, taking ownership, trying new things, and delivering great work. I was really keen to work for a startup, where things are fast-paced, the product is constantly evolving, and the culture is highly valued.

‍Can you tell us about your progression since joining HowNow?

I was a graduate when I first joined HowNow. I’d had previous experience in customer-facing roles in a few different industries such as hospitality and as a florist, but I’d never worked in sales or business development. 

I initially joined as an SDR over two years ago, dealing with both Inbound and Outbound deals, before progressing into a smaller deal Account Executive after around 12 months. 

Within 18 months, the role has now progressed to working with mid-market and larger deals.

There was a lot of graft put in to get me to this stage, and I’m looking forward to having a clear view on what the next step looks like for me at HowNow!

Which skills do you feel are most important to someone in sales? 

Being hyper-organised, and being able to multi-task are key, otherwise you need to be able to retain lots of information and spin many plates at the same time. 

Being able to deliver an effective demo, and really understand which challenges the prospect is facing and how you can solve their problems is vital. 

I find that taking a consultative approach to all of my deals aligns with how I am generally as a person, and also ensures that my skill set of being personable, outcome-oriented and organised are always being used.  

Keeping a true sense of self is really important when you come into this industry. Your skills can be developed over time, but there is only one YOU, and that is the most important thing. 

Prioritisation is definitely also important. As an Account Executive, there are always many different tasks you can do, but prioritising your day based on what is going to ultimately guide you to achieving your target is where you need to spend your time. 

Giving feedback on the process & ensuring you use your voice is also key.  In Q3 this year, the approach was revised to ensure that the biggest impact tasks and deals were always prioritised across the board.

It was exciting to see that Q4 was our best quarter to date, for both myself and the team, and that is really motivational for us as we move into the new year! 
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What is your approach to self-development?

Working in Sales, you always have many plates you’re spinning. Sometimes, it can be hard to keep track of all the hard work you are putting in day-in, day-out. 

I always make a point to ask customers for feedback on their process with me, which gives me a good sense check on where I'm doing well, and where I can improve. This ensures any projects I am assisting or leading are well documented, to ensure that my manager check-ins are productive and in line with my career progression.

When I decided I wanted to move to the AE role, I  recorded myself delivering demos & pitches, and went through these with a fine-toothed comb, analysing where I can improve with the team. 

I’ve spent time with Chris, our Head of Sales, with Nelson, our CEO, and Alfie our Product Marketing Manager to really deep-dive into the system and understand each use case. I’ve also really invested time to understand the product & our customers deeply. This is definitely a gradual process that comes with time. 

We have a lot of support articles available on our website, and these were great resources to really understand the product features.

Collaborating and working with internal experts, including Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success that all have knowledge I can learn from has been an important part of my progression. I’m still learning and evolving, and still have a lot to learn! 

What have been your biggest successes so far? 

My biggest two achievements so far have been achieving HowNow’s Employee of the Quarter in Q4 2023, or getting promoted to an AE role from an SDR.  Both took a lot of effort,  and I was really pleased to be recognised for my hard-work.