Find clients and sell your products in France

Finding clients abroad is always a challenge, and business development in France is not different. You need the right contacts and once you reach the decision maker, you need the right sales pitch.

A lot of companies that want to enter the market in France do this with their general sales pitch. However, if you don’t know the local regulations, pricing levels and your competition’s product, sales meetings may be difficult to conclude successfully.

How to sell your product or service in France?

France and the United Kingdom have been alternating each other as the second economy of Europe. France is a highly centralized country where mostly in Paris the decisions are made. Other major cities include Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, and Nice.

As of 2024, France’s population is projected to be around 64.88 million. The country experiences a modest population growth, with a growth rate of approximately 0.15%.

France has one of the world’s largest economies, known for its diverse industrial sectors, including aerospace, automotive, and luxury goods. It is also a leading agricultural producer within Europe.

France’s intelligent economical framework sees diversification across all sectors with the government either partly or entirely privatising larger conglomerates. These include companies such as Renault, Air France, France Telecom and Thales among others. The government’s strong hold however is predominantly found in the power, defence and public transport industries.

Everything starts in Paris

Paris as the capital of France is also the center for commerce. Most major organisations have their headquarters in or around Paris. For services and industrial products this can be a good place to start with quite some coverage. From there you can approach second tier and smaller cities.

Finding clients in France requires good knowledge of the French language and a good understanding of the culture. If you are not French yourself (and preferably living in Paris with the right educational background) it will be difficult to get access to the market.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FRENCH BUSINESS CULTURE?

Courtesy is an important aspect of French business culture. Formalities affect the way French people do business, their greetings, manners, as well as the language they use. Calling by first name is only acceptable when you are told to do so. However, it should be noted that business in France takes place on two levels. On the surface, it is polite, professional and can be considered as cold and stuffy at times. On the second level, it involves a lot of strong ties and personal relationships. It is also necessary to be well-dressed as this is a reflection of status and success.

WHAT ARE NEGOTIATION TACTICS IN FRANCE?

Meetings should be arranged in advance through writing or calling.
You should avoid holiday period in France, which usually falls in July or August, and Christmas period.
The French are not very strict about punctuality. Being 15 minutes late is acceptable. Particularly, the further South you go, the more casual people are regarding punctuality.
It is not advisable to ask personal questions.
Arguments are rational and focus on problem-solving.

Who actually decides?

Business development abroad fails more often on the wrong contact than on the wrong product. Decide first whether you sell to end users, to a procurement department or through a partner: each asks for a different pitch and a different price level.

Expect to adapt three things per market. The language of your materials, your proof — local references count for more than global ones — and your price positioning against the local alternatives.

Do you need help in France?

Our service providers are local specialists. They know the market, the regulations and the parties that matter, and they can support you with the steps on this page.

Ask a professional

Finding your first clients in France in three steps

Step 1

Define the target group

Describe the companies or consumers you want to reach, the budget they have and the problem you solve for them. Skip this and every later step costs more time.

Step 2

Build a list and approach

Collect 50 to 100 relevant companies, find the person who decides, and reach out in the local language by email, LinkedIn or telephone.

Step 3

Follow up and localise

Track what you hear back and sharpen the pitch on it. Add local proof: translated pages, references from the region and a local number or partner.

Find clients and sell your products in France