Apex Pro AI - Sales Playbook

SALES PLAYBOOK

Account Executive Guide • Jan 2026

"Your time is valuable. Disqualifying fast = more time for real opportunities."

Your Mission

2-3

Closed Deals / Month

$20-48K

Average Deal Size

40%+

Jumpstart → Partner

You close deals. SDR books qualified meetings, you run discovery, present solutions, handle objections, and get signatures. Your focus is on high-quality conversations that lead to long-term clients—not quick wins that churn.

How Leads Come to You

What SDR Provides	Why It Matters
Company name, website, industry	Basic research done for you
Contact name, title, email, phone	Know who you're talking to
Company size (employees, revenue estimate)	Sizing the opportunity
Pain points mentioned in outreach	Starting point for discovery
Why they agreed to meet	Their motivation/urgency

Before Every Call

Review SDR notes
Check LinkedIn for additional context
Look at their website (2 minutes)
Note any relevant news about the company

Monthly Targets

Metric	Target	Notes
Discovery Calls	15-20	From SDR bookings
Proposals Sent	8-10	~50% of calls warrant proposal
Close Rate	25-30%	Of proposals sent
Deals Closed	2-3	THE number
Average Deal Value	$20K-$48K	Jumpstart ($2.5K) + 40% convert to Partner ($48K)

Discovery Call Structure (45-60 min)

Phase	Time	Goal
1. Rapport	5 min	Build connection, set agenda, get permission to ask questions
2. Discovery	20 min	Understand their situation, pain, impact, timeline
3. Budget	5 min	Qualify budget fit early—don't waste time on bad fits
4. Solution	15 min	Present how we solve their specific problems
5. Concerns	10 min	Surface and address objections
6. Close	5 min	Get commitment on next step (proposal, decision timeline)

Rapport Script

Opening (5 min)

"Thanks for taking the time, [Name]. Before we dive in, let me quickly tell you how I'd like to use our time—and make sure it works for you.

I'd love to spend the first part understanding your business, what's working, what's not, and where you're trying to go. Then I can share a bit about what we do and see if there's a fit. If there is, we'll talk next steps. If not, I'll tell you honestly. Sound good?"

Key Discovery Questions

Category	Question	What You're Learning
Pain	"What's the biggest headache with your current tech setup?"	Primary pain point
Quantify	"How much time does that eat up each week?"	Cost of the problem
Impact	"What happens if nothing changes in the next 12 months?"	Urgency / stakes
Timeline	"When do you need this solved by?"	Decision timeline
Decision	"Besides yourself, who else is involved in this decision?"	Buying committee
IT Situation	"Who handles your IT currently? How's that working?"	Current state, competition

Pro Tip

Let them talk. Your job in discovery is to listen 70%, talk 30%. The more they talk, the more you learn, and the more invested they become.

Budget Conversation

Don't save budget for the end. Surface it early so you don't waste time on deals that can't close.

Budget Script

"Let me give you a sense of investment so we're on the same page.

We have two paths: First is our Automation Jumpstart—$2,500 one-time for discovery plus one custom workflow. It's a quick win to prove value. Second is our Automation Partner program—$48K pay-in-full or $5K/month for 12 months. That's the full transformation: 8-10 workflows, CRM, integrations, AI assistant, dashboard, and 12 months of support.

Most clients start with Jumpstart to test the waters, then move to Partner. Which sounds more aligned with where you are?"

If They Can't Afford Jumpstart ($2,500)

They're not our ICP. Politely disqualify: "I appreciate your honesty. At that investment level, we probably aren't the best fit—we'd be doing you a disservice. Can I point you toward some resources that might help?"

Presenting the Solution

Don't pitch features. Connect their specific pain to your specific solution.

Solution Framework

"Based on what you've told me, here's what I'm thinking...

Pain they mentioned: [restate their problem]

What we'd do: [specific solution]

What that means for you: [outcome/benefit]

Example: 'You mentioned spending 15 hours a week on manual follow-ups. We'd automate that entire sequence—when a lead comes in, they get the right message at the right time without you touching it. That's 15 hours back in your week, and leads don't fall through the cracks.'"

Our Two Offers

Offer	Price	What's Included
Automation Jumpstart	$2,500 one-time	Discovery + 1 custom workflow + 30-day support. Quick win to prove value.
Automation Partner (PIF)	$48,000 one-time	12-month partnership: 8-10 workflows, CRM, integrations, dashboard, AI assistant, support. $127K value.
Automation Partner (Monthly)	$5,000/mo × 12	Same as PIF, $60K total. For clients who prefer monthly payments.

Lead with Jumpstart, Upsell to Partner

Jumpstart is the low-risk entry point. Once they see value (Day 10 check-in), present the Partner program. Target 40% conversion. Their $2,500 Jumpstart fee credits toward Partner.

Objection Handling

Objection	Response
"Too expensive"	"I hear you. Let me ask—what's this problem costing you now? [Let them answer.] If we can save you [X hours/prevent Y risk/grow Z revenue], would [our price] be worth it?"
"Need to think about it"	"Totally fair. What specifically do you need to think through? Maybe I can help clarify." [Surface the real objection]
"Talk to my partner/team"	"Makes sense. Would it help if I joined that conversation? Sometimes having me there to answer technical questions speeds things up."
"Talking to other vendors"	"Good—you should. Can I ask what you're comparing? I want to make sure you're looking at apples to apples." [Understand their criteria]
"Can you do it cheaper?"	"Our pricing reflects the value we deliver. I can adjust scope if needed—but cutting price usually means cutting service, which hurts both of us."
"Let's start small"	"I understand wanting to test the waters. Challenge is, our model works because we do everything. Piecemeal often costs more and delivers less. What's driving the hesitation?"

Objection Handling Framework

Acknowledge - "I hear you..." / "That makes sense..."
Clarify - "Help me understand..." / "What specifically..."
Respond - Address the real concern
Confirm - "Does that help?" / "Make sense?"

Red Flags to Disqualify Fast

Walk Away If:

They can't afford $2,500 Jumpstart minimum
No clear decision maker on the call
No real pain—just "exploring options"
Timeline is "maybe someday"
They want to nickel-and-dime every line item
They've churned from 3+ vendors in 2 years

Your time is valuable. A deal that takes 6 months to close and churns in 3 months is worse than no deal. Qualify hard, close the right clients.

Pipeline Stages

Stage	Criteria to Move Forward	Exit Criteria
Meeting Booked	SDR handoff complete, call scheduled	Call completed
Discovery Complete	Pain identified, budget confirmed, decision maker engaged	Proposal requested or disqualified
Proposal Sent	Proposal delivered, pricing discussed	Decision timeline set
Negotiation	Active discussion on terms, timeline to close	Verbal yes or clear no
Closed Won	Contract signed, payment arranged	Handoff to CS
Closed Lost	Clear no, documented reason	Add to nurture or remove

Proposal Follow-Up Cadence

Day	Action	Channel
Day 0	Send proposal with summary email	Email
Day 2	"Did you get a chance to review? Any questions?"	Email
Day 5	"Checking in—happy to jump on a quick call to discuss"	Phone + Email
Day 7	"Want to make sure this doesn't fall through the cracks"	Phone
Day 14	"Last check—should I close this out or is there still interest?"	Email

When to Involve Joe

Situation	Why
Direct-to-Partner deals ($48K+)	CEO-to-CEO adds credibility for large deals
Complex technical requirements	Joe can speak to custom solutions
Stalled deal with engaged prospect	Fresh voice can break logjam
Unusual contract terms requested	Joe approves non-standard terms

Language to Use vs. Avoid

✓ Say This

"Investment" (not "cost")
"Partnership" (not "vendor")
"We handle everything" (not "we provide services")
"Your team" (not "your employees")
"When you're ready" (not "if")

✗ Avoid This

"Honestly..." (implies you weren't before)
"Does that make sense?" (condescending)
"Just checking in" (no value)
"I think..." (weak—be confident)
"Cheap" or "affordable" (commodity language)

Handoff to Customer Success

When a deal closes, CS needs everything to hit the ground running:

Provide to CS	Details
Signed Contract	Terms, pricing, start date
Contact Information	Primary contact, any other stakeholders
Discovery Notes	Pain points, goals, what they're expecting
Services Purchased	Automation, IT, bundle—specifics
Promises Made	Anything specific you committed to
Red Flags	Any concerns CS should watch for

Clean Handoff = Happy Client

A bad handoff creates a bad first impression. Take 15 minutes to document everything. CS will thank you, and the client will stay longer.

"Your time is valuable. Disqualifying fast = more time for real opportunities."