Episode #10 – Jens Bossaert
Meet
Jens Bossaert
Jens Bossaert is the Service Manager for Central Europe within Motion Services. With over 14 years of experience at ABB, he began his career in service sales, focusing on service agreements. He holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Science and Management and is passionate about making industrial and commercial operations more reliable and energy-efficient. He’s also committed to sales excellence, continuous improvement, and empowering teams to excel, bringing strategic insight and hands-on support to every challenge.
Our Mission Is To Change The Negative Perception Of Sales People
Our Vision Is A World Where Selling Is A Profession To Be Proud Of
An effective sales presentation should never be generic; it must be tailored for both the customer and the unique audience in front of you. Gone are the days when a one-size-fits-all deck sufficed; today’s buying landscape involves more stakeholders, more complexity, and more need for personalization than ever before.
My guest, Jens Bossaert, shares why your message has to resonate not just with one person but with all key players involved. Tailoring shows respect for the client’s business and communicates a deep understanding of their industry, current challenges, and goals. This preparation paves the way for presentations that foster engagement, rather than simply push information. Jens shares practical strategies, common pitfalls to avoid, and engaging storytelling techniques that help sales professionals turn presentations into powerful conversations.
Outline of This Episode
- [00:00] The need for personalized, tailored presentations over generic decks.
- [03:45] Making interactive, tailored customer presentations.
- [08:30] Tailored your pitch for all stakeholders.
- [11:08] Effective presentation requires practice.
- [16:23] Personalizing sales for service agreements.
- [18:21] “Outquestioning Over Outselling”
From Monologue to Dialogue
One of the most frequent mistakes salespeople make is delivering a standard, marketing-driven presentation that quickly becomes a monologue. Presentations must be interactive, turning the event into a two-way conversation.
Engagement begins by linking your pitch to the customer’s specific needs, information obtained through prior conversations, and leveraging questions to pull the audience in. By moving from “presentation mode” to authentic dialogue, salespeople can involve everyone, build rapport, and make their solution feel truly relevant.
Speaking the Customer’s Language
Speaking the customer’s language is critical to building trust and connection. Large organizations like ABB may be loaded with internal jargon and acronyms, but effective sales professionals must translate those terms into clear, customer-centric messaging.
The best sales presentations revolve around the customer: their challenges, problems, goals, and success metrics. Show your understanding by referencing industry-relevant case studies and using terminology familiar to the client. This allows for deeper emotional resonance and ensures your solution is perceived as the answer to their real-world issues.
The Power of Preparation and Storytelling
Knowing the audience, their KPIs, and business drivers enables you to craft presentations that multiple stakeholders can use internally. Jens recommends interviewing stakeholders beforehand to understand the criteria behind their decisions, allowing each portion of your presentation to address specific concerns (timeline, budget, safety, etc.).
Storytelling can make your presentation dramatically more engaging. Sharing relevant anecdotes and your own experiences related to the topic adds credibility and memorability. Jens notes that stories should be concise, relatable, and rooted in real outcomes.
Live presentations are unpredictable. Jens advises salespeople to handle tough questions or objections honestly, never pretend to know what they don’t. If you’re unsure, promise a timely follow-up and involve experts as needed. Crucially, strive to understand the “why” behind objections for deeper insight and better problem-solving.
Jens’ Real-World Impactful Presentation
Jens shares how, in his early ABB career, a focus on tailored, challenge-driven presentations made service agreement sales more efficient and fruitful, leading to a high conversion rate and lasting customer relationships.
Speak the customer’s language, deeply understand their challenges, and prepare thoroughly. It’s not about outselling the competition; it’s about out-questioning them, uncovering deeper needs, and presenting solutions that fit like a glove.
Connect with Jens Bossaert
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Learn More About Jens Bossaert
1. What was the pivotal moment in your career when you realized the power of a great sales presentation?
I realized the true power of a presentation when I started in service sales and began presenting our OneCare offering in Motion Services, a modular concept for service agreements. These presentations helped identify customer challenges, describe their context, and structure a solution based on partnership. The method made a clear impact on sales efficiency and customer engagement.
2. Can you share an example where a strong presentation helped you win a critical deal or opportunity?
As mentioned earlier, the OneCare sales presentation became a powerful tool for me. It allowed me to tailor the message, address specific customer needs, and significantly improve sales efficiency when selling service agreements.
3.What has been your biggest challenge when creating or delivering presentations, and how did you overcome it?
Transitioning from a generic slide deck to a customer-specific one was a challenge. Initially, it seemed more time-consuming, but with a solid structure in place, adapting and tailoring content to the audience became much easier and far more impactful.
4. What are your top three tips, tools, or techniques for building sales presentations that stand out?
- Tailor the presentation to the customer.
- Ask for confirmation and engagement throughout.
- Summarize clearly at the end to reinforce key points.
5. With attention spans shrinking and virtual selling becoming the norm, how do you see sales presentations evolving in the next few years?
These moments are becoming even more precious. That’s why it’s critical to be on point, original, and clear. Presentations must resonate with the audience, reflect their challenges, and offer solutions that truly help. Precision and relevance will be key.
6. What are some simple but often overlooked practices that can transform a good presentation into a great one?
Be creative. Use storytelling if you have relevant experience, or refer to industry cases. Add humor or any personal touch that suits your style. Prepare thoroughly – study, rehearse, and enjoy sharing your story. Most importantly, interact with your audience to avoid a one-way message.
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