Today's buyers are more informed than ever, thanks to AI. Yet, they remain wary of sellers who rely on it too heavily, creating a unique challenge: How can you leverage technology to enhance your sales process without losing the authentic, personal connection that closes deals?
To answer that question, I'm joined by Daren Fields, a sales expert and author of the Apex 8 framework. He shares his sales methodology to help you start winning enterprise deals in the AI era.
Meet Daren Fields
Darren Fields is an experienced sales leader, author, and innovator in the world of enterprise and edge software sales.
Drawing from years of hands-on selling and sales leadership, Darren has developed practical frameworks to help sales professionals stand out in today’s AI-driven landscape.
He is the creator of the Apex8 Framework, a methodology designed to help sellers build trust quickly, leverage AI effectively, and guide buyers through today’s complex decision-making processes.
Current Challenge in Modern Sales
AI has transformed the buying landscape, making prospects more informed about their product decisions. This has made it harder for sellers to move deals forward, as AI technology can now deliver basic information.
Daren wants sellers to think of buyers like a media interviewer who’s filled with fast information. This allows them to match the buyer’s pace and depth by using the Apex8 sales framework and prevent losing deals.
The Apex 8 Framework: The Eight Steps
The framework has a core idea of using conscious competence to help sellers remain deliberately skillful and self-aware. The goal of sellers is to help guide buyers' thinking into a mutual success by actively discovering their true problem and validating solutions in real time. Sellers follow these eight steps:
o Discovery – Go beyond basic questioning. Research the prospect thoroughly using AI before the call so you can dive straight into real business problems.
o Prototyping – Collaborate live (e.g., whiteboarding with AI tools), showing problem-solving skills and flexibility, turning the call into a collaborative session rather than a static demo.
o Validation – Actively check if you’re on the right track with the buyer; confirm you’re addressing the real problem and adjust as needed.
o Rehearsal – Practice and refine presentations/demos; this is emphasized as an “art form.”
o Presentation/Demo – Deliver tailored solutions based on previous steps, not generic pitches.
o Finalization – If prior steps were done right, closing the deal becomes more natural and less adversarial.
o Debrief – Analyze every outcome (win or lose) in a safe, blame-free environment to identify improvements and share insights across teams.
o Handoff – Ensure smooth transition to delivery/customer experience teams with thorough context so clients never feel lost after the sale.
Embrace the Human-AI Partnership
AI is a leveler—it helps both you and your competition.
Don’t try to replace human interaction with AI; find a balance where technology enables you to be a more innovative, trusted advisor.
“Everybody wants to skip through the loss and move on to the next thing. The best teacher in life is failure. The losses teach you way more than the wins.” - Daren Fields.
Resources
To learn more about Daren or get his book, go to apex8book.com
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