Why Your Existing US GTM Strategy Won’t Work in EMEA

Written By Oakstone International

Home to over 6000 SaaS companies, Europe is a key player in the global SaaS market (source).

According to MarketGrowthReports, Europe accounts for roughly one-quarter of global SaaS demand, trailing North America (45%) but surpassing Asia-Pacific (20%), making a potentially lucrative region to expand into for US headquartered companies.

SaaS adoption continues to rise across EMEA, driven by cloud maturity, enterprise demand, and government-backed digital initiatives and not being present in the region puts growing companies at a huge disadvantage.

Competitive pressure and investor expectations push growth-stage SaaS businesses to internationalise early, making EMEA a strategic priority for long-term success.

Assuming the same successful strategies companies used in the US are going to translate to success in EMEA can be a costly mistake.

While the US is a single market with shared language, culture, and regulatory frameworks, EMEA is a highly fragmented region made up of dozens of countries, each with its own languages, business customs, compliance requirements, and levels of digital maturity. A one-size-fits-all GTM approach that drives results in North America often falls flat in regions like DACH, the Nordics, or the Middle East. To gain real traction in EMEA, SaaS companies must localise everything from messaging and pricing to sales models and team structures. What resonates in New York won’t necessarily land in Munich, Stockholm, or Dubai.

Language & Cultural Differences

The US: One language, with relatively consistent culture and expectations.

EMEA: Multilingual region where messaging, branding and even sales tactics must be adapted. What works in the UK is unlikely to work in Saudi Arabia or Germany.

How to overcome this

To overcome language and cultural differences in EMEA, US SaaS companies need to commit to true localisation, not just translation. This starts with hiring local talent in sales, marketing and customer success who truly know the regional differences and who can build trust with local buyers.

Linguistic and cultural messaging should also be adapted. What’s persuasive or appropriate in one country may be ineffective or even off-putting in another. For example, direct US-style sales tactics may clash with the relationship-first approach valued in Germany or the Gulf states.

Building regional GTM playbooks and empowering teams to tailor their approach, rather than enforcing a tried and tested US template, gives local teams the flexibility to succeed.

 

Sales Cycles & Buying Behaviour

  • US: Typically, faster sales cycles and a greater willingness to adopt new technologies.

  • EMEA: Sales cycles are often longer, especially in continental Europe. Buyers tend to be more risk-averse and consensus-driven.


How to overcome this

To overcome differences in sales cycles and buying behaviour in EMEA, companies need to refine their approach to relationship-building and trust. In regions like Germany, France, or the Nordics, sales cycles are typically longer because buyers are more methodical, risk-averse, and require broader internal consensus before making purchasing decisions. To succeed, SaaS companies must invest in educational, value-led selling, providing in-depth content, ROI analysis, case studies, and security/compliance documentation early in the process to build confidence.

It's also crucial to engage multiple stakeholders and tailor messaging for technical buyers, legal teams, procurement, and end users, rather than relying on a single message. Building credibility through local partnerships, customer references, and region-specific success stories also helps reduce perceived risk. EMEA buyers may take longer to commit, but once trust is earned, they tend to be loyal, long-term customers.

 

Regulatory & Compliance Considerations

  • US: Unified legal and data privacy landscape (e.g., CCPA).

  • EMEA: Diverse compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR in the EU, country-specific laws in places like Switzerland, UAE, etc.).


How to overcome this

To overcome regulatory and compliance hurdles in EMEA, SaaS companies must adopt a proactive, region-specific approach to legal and data governance. Unlike the US, which operates under a more unified framework, EMEA is fragmented, with each country enforcing its own regulations in addition to broader laws like GDPR. To build trust and avoid legal pitfalls, companies should prioritise compliance from the outset by consulting with local legal experts and ensuring data storage, processing, and transfer practices align with regional requirements. Treating compliance as a competitive advantage will build credibility and ease market entry across EMEA. This also applies to contracts with new hires – different regions require different benefits such as pension contributions, holiday allowance and additional benefits.

 

Channel & Partner Strategy

  • US: Easier to scale direct sales due to market size and structure.

  • EMEA: Heavier reliance on local partners, VARs, or channel resellers in certain countries, especially where trust in foreign vendors is lower or language is a barrier.


How to overcome this

To succeed in EMEA, SaaS companies should view channel and partner strategy as a core part of their GTM model, not an afterthought. Unlike the US, where direct sales are often more scalable due to a large, relatively uniform market, EMEA’s diversity makes local partnerships essential. In many countries, especially in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa, trusted local resellers, VARs (Value-Added Resellers), or system integrators play a crucial role in influencing buying decisions. These partners bring not only market access and language fluency but also established relationships and cultural credibility.  When done well, a strong partner ecosystem can accelerate growth, extend reach, and build trust in regions where foreign vendors might otherwise struggle to gain traction.

Pricing & Packaging

  • US: Can often standardise pricing with limited variation.

  • EMEA: Requires regional pricing strategies due to different economic conditions, purchasing power, and competition.


How to overcome this

To overcome pricing and packaging challenges in EMEA, SaaS companies need to move away from a one-size-fits-all model and adopt a regional pricing strategy. Unlike the US, where standard pricing can often be applied broadly, EMEA markets vary significantly in terms of economic conditions, purchasing power, and competitive landscapes. What seems affordable in the UK or DACH may be out of reach for customers in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, or parts of Africa. Companies should consider tiered regional pricing, localised currency options, and flexible billing terms (e.g., annual vs. monthly, upfront vs. usage-based) to align with local expectations. It's also important to assess the competitive landscape in each region, local or regional SaaS alternatives may offer different price points or value propositions. Clear communication around pricing, transparency on what's included, and region-specific packaging (e.g., feature bundles tailored to verticals or company size) can help increase adoption and reduce friction during the buying process.

Talent & Hiring

  • US: More mature SaaS GTM talent pool in one location.

  • EMEA: Talent is distributed, and experience with SaaS/tech GTM roles can vary widely by region.


How to overcome this

To overcome talent and hiring challenges in EMEA, SaaS companies need to adopt a flexible, region-specific hiring strategy. Unlike the US where GTM talent is often concentrated in major tech hubs, EMEA talent is spread across multiple countries, each with different levels of SaaS maturity and experience. In some regions like the UK, Germany or the Netherlands, SaaS GTM talent is relatively mature; in others, experience may be limited, requiring more training, enablement, and cultural onboarding. Companies should focus on hiring local market experts who understand regional buying behaviours, speak the language, and have strong networks. Leveraging recruiters or executive search partners with deep regional knowledge can help identify and present top candidates quickly and efficiently.

How can Oakstone help you with your GTM talent and hiring?

At Oakstone International, we specialise in helping SaaS companies expand and scale across EMEA by delivering high-impact GTM talent that aligns with local market needs. With over 30 years of executive search experience, we understand how to build successful sales, marketing, and customer success teams across EMEA, and beyond.

 

Here’s how we help SaaS companies win in EMEA:

  • We identify and place proven leaders and the GTM team to support them in sales, marketing, and customer success, who understand specific regional landscapes, speak the language, and have the relationships needed to hit the ground running.

  • We help you build region-specific teams that reflect local buyer behaviour, cultural expectations, and GTM maturity.

  • We combine speed and quality by offering targeted, consultative hiring that surfaces the best candidates in-market, not just the most visible ones.

  • From market entry insights to compensation benchmarking, we act as a strategic partner, not just a recruitment firm.

  • Explore our case studies on how we have helped US companies expand into EMEA.

Our talent is building your business.

Oakstone International

Oakstone International is a SaaS and Fintech specialist executive search firm.

https://www.oakstone.co.uk/
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