Market entry strategy for exports to Europe

If Europe is a relatively unknown market for you, you need a clear market entry strategy. This may be different from the strategies you have used so far, as the market structure and the competition is different.

Key in your market entry strategy is some market research. Of course there are reports on market size and market growth, but often these are general. Specific knowledge on how your product is perceived and what your competitions is, is harder to get but more valuable.

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Our consultants typically charge between 3.000 and 15.000 Euro on fees for market research or a partner search, depending on the complexity and country.

Oppportunities for international business in Europe

With over 700 million inhabitants who are relatively affluent Europe offers a huge potential to sell your goods or services. But Europe is not one market, it consists of 44 countries, ranging from huge territories like Germany to small islands like Malta.

Europe is not one market

When considering market entry strategies for Europe, it’s essential to recognize the diversity and complexity of the region’s markets. Do start with conducting thorough market research to understand the unique preferences, regulations, and cultural nuances of individual countries within Europe.

Europe market penetration strategies

A good strategy is partnering with local distributors or agents who have existing networks and market knowledge can provide valuable insights and facilitate market penetration.

Another viable strategy for entering the European market is to establish a physical presence through direct investment or setting up subsidiaries or branches in key markets. This approach offers greater control over operations and allows for closer engagement with customers and stakeholders. However, it requires careful planning and investment, as well as a deep understanding of local regulations, labor laws, and business practices.

E-commerce as first step into the European market

Furthermore, leveraging e-commerce and digital marketing channels can be an effective way to enter the European market, particularly for companies with innovative products or services. However, it’s crucial to invest in localized digital marketing strategies, including website localization, search engine optimization (SEO), and targeted advertising, to effectively engage with European consumers in their native languages and cultural contexts.

Travel to Europe for a better impression

The best preparation for doing business in any country is visiting it. This way you can experience the culture, check the shops and build your network.

With Trip.com you can compare flights and also book your hotel.

Hotellook compares different hotel sites so you always have the best rate.

Localrent connects you to national rental car providers per country.

Consumer products in Europe: Distributors, retailers or online

If you have a consumer product that you can’t sell directly from your home country to your end customer, you need at least one step in between. This can be a distributor (who also acts as wholesaler or importer), a big retailer directly, or it can be a large web shop. Let’s look at the pro’s and con’s of each option.

Distributors

Distributors are used to import, store and physically distribute a product.
They normally don’t invest in promoting your product to consumers.
They are the best chance to get your product in the market so that you can gather sales data.

Large retailers

Retailers are very risk averse, may ask for a listing fee before they put your product on the shelves.
They can help you promote your product in their stores and in their magazines, but will also ask a fee for this.
They are the quickest route to the mass market, if you can convince them.

Online

Specialised web shops may have a greater interest in your product than general web shops.
They can experiment more easily with pricing and ways of promoting.
Volumes may be lower, but working with web shops is still a good way to collect reviews and get brand awareness.

B2b or customized products for Europe

For a B2B product that is not a commodity or for customized solutions the story is different. Here sales needs to be done in alignment with the department that actually delivers the service or that determines the price case by case. Also then you have three different options.

Agents

Agents represent you in the country and have a limited negotiation room.
They often sell not only for you, but also for other parties.
A good agent already has a network in your target market and can start selling directly.

Local offices

Local offices are a costly option, but give you full control on your sales.
You have to send someone over and hire local staff and office facilities.
This gives the opportunity to do local marketing and business development from within the country.

Distance selling

If you product can easily be delivered and serviced from abroad (like software) this may be a good option.
Video conferencing is more accepted now and can limit travel.
Lead generation may be done with SEO, advertising and email marketing.

Where it all starts: select a target group

As counts for any country: you first have to define the target group that you want to sell to. If these are businesses, then you can reach out directly through emails and targeted advertisements, e.g. on LinkedIn. If this arouses interest and gives a sufficient response rate, then you may have found an easy way to get the market’s attention.

If your target group is more diffuse, or is a consumer group, then you have to rely more on advertising such as on Facebook or Instagram.

Do your first approach with instantly.ai

If you target people in Europe in a specific industry or with a certain role in the company (like HR directors) you can do an easy first trial yourself.

With the tooling of our partner Instantly.ai you can define your target group, whether it’s 50 or 50.000 people. Send them a sequence of emails, directly in their inbox, for typically under 10 dollarcents per persoon.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good market entry strategy for Europe?

First determine who are the end-users of your product or service. And where do they buy it now? The best way to determine the right entry strategy is to approach these parties. Would they consider your product or service as an alternative? Do they agree with the positioning that you have in mind? And what competitors are they buying from now? These data will help you determine the right strategy.

Is market entry in Europe difficult?

This al depends on the product or service that you want to sell and the competition. Typically, if you already sell in comparable countries as Europe, also here it should be possible, unless there is strong local competition. This is something that you only discover if you dive into the market.

Can I use my brand to sell in Europe?

Yes, if you have registered your brand for Europe or you trust it will not be used by others, you can use your brand there. You only need to recognize that in every new country you need to build brand recognition and brand standing separately. Therefore you need a good positioning, the right distribution structure and a marketing plan.

Is marketing in Europe different?

Although your product or service often can remain te same, the marketing that you need in Europe may be different from other countries. You may have to translate your materials and advertisements, adjusting it to the local ‘tone of voice’. Also marketing communication channels may be different.