Find clients and sell your products in Sweden

Finding clients abroad is always a challenge, and business development in Sweden 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 Sweden 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 Sweden?

With about 10.7 million people Sweden is not a very big economy in Europe, but the population is affluent and open to products from abroad. English is spoken widely as a second language.

Sweden is known for its high standard of living and well-developed welfare state. It has a diverse and competitive economy, heavily reliant on foreign trade. Major industries include telecommunications, automotive, and pharmaceuticals.

The majority of the population lives in urban areas, with Stockholm being the largest and capital city. Other notable cities include Gothenburg, Malmö, and Uppsala.

Sweden has a rich cultural heritage with a strong emphasis on equality and environmental sustainability. It’s known for its contributions to music, design, and literature. The country also has a significant immigrant population, contributing to its cultural diversity.

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 Sweden?

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 Sweden 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 Sweden