Breaking into the Nordic Market: Insights from Martin Flugt Sørensen, Nordic Salesforce

Last Updated on July 17, 2025 by Victoria Silber

Expanding your business internationally is always challenging, especially when entering a new and complex region like the Nordics.

To shed light on the best approaches for foreign companies looking to establish a foothold in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, we spoke with Martin Flugt Sørensen, co-owner and sales manager at Nordic Salesforce.

Meet Martin: From Military to Sales Leadership

Martin’s career journey started 15 years ago, surprisingly outside of sales, in the military.

His military background gave him a solid foundation in execution and follow-up, skills he soon realized translated perfectly to sales. Since then, Martin has gained extensive experience in enterprise sales, evolving from sales rep to team leader.

In 2021, he joined Nordic Salesforce, where he now leads strategic sales execution and client acquisition.

What is Nordic Salesforce?

Founded in 2021, Nordic Salesforce is a modern sales partner focused on delivering more than just a single sales rep to clients.

Many companies struggle with hiring and retaining effective salespeople, especially in new markets. Nordic Salesforce addresses this by offering an entire sales team that includes:

• Sales reps who book and conduct meetings

• Team leaders who provide daily coaching and motivation

• Sales managers like Martin, who oversee strategy and ensure alignment

This model guarantees a comprehensive, results-driven approach tailored to each client’s product and market.

Who Does Nordic Salesforce Help?

Their clients range from SaaS providers and consulting firms to manufacturers with complex solutions.

They primarily work with companies looking to enter or expand within the Nordic region, including Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

Notably, about 30% of their clients come from outside the Nordics – countries like the UK, Germany, Spain, and Poland – seeking expert entry into this complex market.

Key Strategies for Nordic Market Success

Martin emphasizes that entering the Nordic market requires more than just language skills.

It demands cultural insight, local trends awareness, and a tailored sales process. Nordic Salesforce begins with thorough workshops and strategy sessions, collaboratively analyzing what has or hasn’t worked for the client so far.

Together, they define the ideal customer profile (ICP) and segment target lists, testing outreach approaches and refining tactics based on early results.

He advises foreign companies to:

• Start with a strong market analysis.

• Test market entry in one Nordic country first, rather than all simultaneously.

• Be flexible and ready to pivot if the initial ICP or strategy isn’t working.

• Understand that penetrating new markets requires patience—three months is often not enough time to conclude success or failure.

How Does Danish Sales Culture Differ?

Compared to larger markets like Germany, Denmark, and the Nordics, they are more open to experimentation and quicker decision-making.

Danish buyers often seek solutions that help them optimize their own roles within a company. They appreciate proactive and localized outreach, including initial contact in their native language to build trust, even though many speak excellent English.

Martin notes that foreign companies frequently underestimate the importance of cultural adaptation and make the mistake of applying home-market sales strategies unchanged.

This “copy-paste” approach is one of the biggest reasons for failure.

On Cold Outreach and Building Relationships

Cold calling remains a critical, yet challenging, part of B2B sales in the Nordics.

Martin stresses that companies must hire salespeople who genuinely love sales and cold outreach.

Furthermore, while online meetings can work, he strongly recommends face-to-face visits to build deeper relationships and faster trust.

Final Advice for Exporters

Martin’s top piece of advice for companies looking to scale in Denmark is to invest time and resources upfront to conduct solid market research and establish local partnerships or support.

He encourages businesses to test the waters carefully and adjust their approach based on real feedback.

In Summary:

Expanding into the Nordic market is an exciting opportunity, but it requires a strategic, culturally-aware sales approach.

Partnering with a local expert team like Nordic Salesforce can provide the sales muscle, insight, and agility needed to navigate this unique landscape and win long term.

Get In Touch With Martin and Nordic Salesforce

Web: nordicsalesforce.com

Phone: +45 88 63 88 00

Email: info@nordicsalesforce.com

 

Need Help Launching in the Nordics?

If you’re looking to expand into Denmark, Sweden, Norway, or Germany, reach out to local experts like Nordic Salesforce or connect with our Export Playbook team to get your customized market entry roadmap.

Or explore other vetted experts who can help you land softly and grow fast in the Nordics.