You may have heard that I've been known to frequent the r/sales and r/techsales subreddits from time to time. It's one of the ways that I source ideas for my content.

I'm mostly a lurker there, but from time to time, I'll chime in on a post. This week, I responded to two different posts, one about losing deals late in the cycle and the other about struggling during interviews. My response to both was the exact same suggestion: Improve your executive presence!

Executive presence... sounds like a corporate buzzword, right?

Well, here's a definition (thanks ChatGPT): Executive presence is the ability to project confidence, credibility, and authority in a way that commands respect and influences others. It combines strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and professional demeanor to create a lasting impact in leadership and sales situations. Those with executive presence exude confidence, stay composed under pressure, and communicate clearly, making them more effective in closing deals, leading teams, and advancing their careers.

What if I told you it is a must-have skill if you ever want to close deals (and earn) in the multiple six figures? Seriously, it's a skill that applies to both selling large deals and securing top roles in the industry.

It used to be something revenue leaders actively invested in as part of rep coaching and enablement. But since 2020, it seems to have been shoved aside. In a world of virtual SKOs and new sales methodology trainings each quarter, it seems to have become a lost art. You'll need to find ways to develop executive presence beyond formal, company sponsored trainings.

I also worry this might end up creating a big skills gap between reps who got into the industry before 2020 and those who entered after 2020. It's possible this could drive earnings down in tech sales for newcomers who are unskilled. There is definitely a strong correlation between executive presence and high W-2 earnings. Those who have had more time to develop and improve their executive presence will continue to land the highest-salaried roles with the biggest upside.

Okay, we got it, Jesse. Exec presence = $$$. So how do I get started?

It's probably going to take me more than one edition of the newsletter to break this all down, so I'll plan to make this a multi-part series. I'll also post a pod episode later today that will go into more detail.

For now, the first step is to start reflecting on how you approach the following:

• Writing – Are your emails, memos, texts, etc., clear and concise, or are you adding a bunch of fluff? Really dig in here. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: brevity is a superpower. If you can sum things up with a feasible ask, you're already on your way.
• Presentation / Speaking / Storytelling – Similar to writing (and these skills are all complementary), can you get ideas across without making word salad? I honestly still struggle here—it's a journey. How's your pace? Your tone? Are you able to provide background context or tell a story to help get the point across?
• Listening – Are you listening to understand or to respond? Do you interrupt others when they are talking?
• Creating – Do you create assets to help you sell? This includes decks, spreadsheets, one-page briefs, visuals, demo videos—the list goes on. The ability to develop assets for your deals is a critical part of your executive presence.
• Preparation / PoV – Are you in the habit of preparing before buyer/leadership-facing meetings? Have you developed a point of view based on research? Do you have your facts straight? Are you asking insightful questions?
• Optics – Are you dressed properly? Look, I get it—I wear a hoodie 99% of the time for internal meetings. But for exec-facing calls, internal or external, you can bet I have a collared shirt and sometimes even a sport coat on, even via Zoom. Investing in a good mic, camera, and your background for virtual meetings is also part of this.

For this week, just make a point to reflect on your current process for the above. From there, we'll continue breaking these down even further in future editions/episodes with specific ways to improve.

Remember, it's a journey, not something you'll be able to improve overnight. I've interviewed many top performers on the podcast, and many acknowledged that they are still looking for ways to improve their executive presence.

If you want to connect 1:1 on this topic, hit reply and let's talk. And be sure to forward this to all of your colleagues and friends who want to make life-changing money in tech sales.

Until next week.
-JW