Video: The #1 Cold Outreach Mistake That’s Killing Your Export Sales

I recently had a great conversation with Martin Flugt Sørensen, Sales Manager at Nordic Sales Force, an outbound sales agency in Denmark.

We talked about how foreign companies can start selling in Denmark and other Nordic countries.

I want to share the most important things I learned.

I have helped companies to set up exports to new markets, especially in Scandinavia. But even great companies with amazing products sometimes fail when they try to enter Denmark. Why?

Because they use the same sales strategy that worked in their own country - and that’s a big mistake.

Guest Introduction

• Martin is co-owner and sales manager at Nordic Sales Force.

• Background in the military and enterprise sales, transitioned into sales naturally, and discovered a passion for it.

• Started at Nordic Salesforce in 2021 as a sales rep, now oversees strategy, client acquisition, and team development.

What Nordic Sales Force Does

• Not just sales reps - they offer a full sales department as a service.

• Each client gets:

  • A sales rep to generate and follow up on leads.

  • A team leader to coach and train.

  • A sales manager (like Martin) to guide strategy and adjust direction.

     

     

    They support more than 70 companies, ranging from SaaS, consulting, retail chains, to complex manufacturing solutions.

Market Focus

• Clients come from both Denmark and outside (e.g., Germany, UK, Spain, Poland).

• Help foreign companies enter the Nordic markets: Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland.

• Emphasize the importance of language, cultural insight, and native trust.

How They Help Foreign Companies

• They start with a workshop: review previous sales efforts, define ideal customer profiles (ICP), and align on strategy.

• Provide local market knowledge, test messaging, and iterate based on feedback.

• Offer ongoing strategic updates every 3 months.

Cultural and Market Differences

• Denmark: Open to new solutions, value department-level impact, quick to test and iterate.

• Germany: More rigid, slower decision-making, preferring face-to-face and fully mapped-out plans.

• Sweden and Norway: Similar to Denmark, but Sweden has longer internal processes; the Norwegian market is closely aligned with Danish practices.

The Danish market is different

Martin explained it very clearly: for any expanding company, what worked in Germany, Spain, or Poland may not work in Denmark.

The way people buy is different. The culture is different. The expectations are different. You can’t just copy-paste your strategy.

In Denmark, people prefer honest and direct communication. They like testing new things, but only if you explain the value clearly.

And most importantly - they want to build trust first.

Best practices for sales in Denmark

• Start with market testing: reach out to ICPs and gather feedback.

• Don’t assume the same sales strategies will work across borders.

• Be flexible and ready to pivot if the initial strategy doesn’t resonate.

• Danish buyers value innovation, local presence, and practical value at the departmental level.

Don’t start with outreach in English 

This is a huge problem for many of my clients, too.

Even though Danish people speak great English, many don’t like cold emails or calls in English. Martin said that when foreign companies contact Danish buyers in English, it often sounds too formal, robotic, or nervous.

Especially if the caller is not a native English speaker. That’s why starting your sales process in Danish (or with a native speaker) works much better.

You can switch to English later, but that first local touch matters a lot.

What Nordic Sales Force does differently

Martin’s company, Nordic Sales Force, gives you a whole sales team.

• A sales rep who contacts your potential clients.
• A team leader who trains and supports the rep.
• A sales manager (like Martin) who works on strategy and helps fix problems quickly.

They also help foreign companies understand the local market before starting.

For example, they organize workshops to find the best customer segments, improve their sales pitch, and learn from past experiences.

Cold outreach: why it often fails

One thing Martin pointed out really stayed with me: many companies fail with cold outreach because they hire salespeople who don’t love sales.

Cold calling or reaching out to strangers is not easy. If your rep doesn’t enjoy it, it won’t work - even with a great product.

Sales reps must enjoy making the call and they need to speak confidently.

If they don’t, it won’t work.

Common mistakes for expanding companies to avoid

• Starting with the same sales strategy from the home market.

• Underestimating cultural and language barriers.

• Expecting results in 3 months - real market entry takes longer.

What should you do first?

So, what’s the first step if you want to sell in Denmark?

1) Do a market test. Talk to ideal customers. Ask for feedback. Don’t guess.

2) Get local support. Either hire someone in Denmark or work with companies like Nordic Sales Force.

3) Be patient. Don’t expect results in 1–3 months. Martin said, even 3 months is usually not enough to know if your product will succeed.

4) Be flexible. Your strategy will probably need to change. And that’s okay.

Top advice for foreign companies

• Don’t skimp on local insights—language and cultural fluency matter.

• Invest in a solid sales process, not just one perfect salesperson.

• Test each Nordic market briefly, then focus on the one with the best early traction.

My final thought

I’ve worked with many companies entering the Danish market, and I’ve seen the same mistakes again and again.

That’s why I loved this talk with Martin – he confirmed everything I’ve learned in real life. If you’re serious about selling in Denmark or the Nordics, listen to local voices, test your message, and give it time.

And please – don’t assume that the English language is enough.

Want help entering the Danish or Nordic market?

I’m happy to connect you with local experts, create prospect lists, or help you test your product with real buyers.

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