Lessons We Learned from Launching SaaS in European Countries
- September 29, 2025
- 7 Mins Read
Introduction
Internationalising into several European markets with a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product is a thrilling venture and a complicated task to undertake. The experience in the five different countries of Europe, such as Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, and the Netherlands, has been priceless, with all the lessons that can help other SaaS firms wishing to go international.
Localization Is Not Simple Translation. Although it is necessary to translate your product and marketing materials, localization is more than that. It refers to the need to adjust your SaaS product to the cultural, legal, and business specifics of every nation.
- Language and Tone: A formal tone is used in German, whereas a more relaxed and convivial style of approach is found to be more effective in Spain.
- User Interface (UI) Personalizations: Date formats, number separators, and currency symbols are different in various countries, and they should be localized accordingly.
- Legal Compliance: It is essential to learn and comply with the local laws and regulations, including the GDPR of the EU, to avoid legal traps.
According to a study by the European Commission, 90% of consumers prefer to purchase information in their own language, which is presented on websites.
Privacy of the data may be a competitive advantage.
To most businesses, compliance with privacy is a regulatory challenge, and in our case at iQud, it was a differentiator. Europeans attach importance to information safety, and by taking the privacy issues at hand, we formed an image of a reliable partner.
- Transparency: Our privacy policies on how we use customer data were made clear and easy to understand.
- Certifications: The acquisition of such certifications as ISO 27001 enhanced our credibility.
- Trust-building: The customer support teams were trained to respond with confidence to the data-related questions, which saw the customer satisfaction score increase significantly.
According to a study by Salesforce, customers tend to trust brands that facilitate being responsible more than data handling and privacy.
Pricing Needs to Reflect Local Market Realities
A price flat model is not applicable in different areas. As it turned out in the experience with iQud, European customers were sensitive to pricing in terms of it being adjusted to their economic conditions and not being a direct derivation of the prices in their native country.
- Market Research: iQud surveyed potential customers and existing users of the company in order to know what they were ready to spend on premium features.
- Flexible Plans: iQud also created tiered plans that were differentiated according to small businesses and enterprises separately, which expanded our customer base by 40%.
- Currency and Taxes: Allowing VAT, local taxation, and varying exchange rates allowed us to provide competitive and fair prices.
The report by GP Bullhound postulated that the organizational growth in new markets was faster in companies that adjusted their pricing to reflect local realities.
Local Presence Enhances Market Penetration
Remote support will not be sufficient to understand the local culture, business etiquette, and customer expectations. This is why iQud had invested in local team building and alliances.
- Hiring Locally: Onboarding country-specific teams with an understanding of language peculiarities and local business legislation was conducted by us.
- Partnerships: We have been able to reach networks that were formerly inaccessible by collaborating with local consultancies.
- Customer Support: Provision of support in native languages and working hours was of great help in responsiveness as well as customer satisfaction of customers.
Salesforce emphasizes the fact that partnering with local teams and establishing new associations may help to increase the customer acquisition speed and build the level of trust in new markets.
Regional Marketing and Sales Must Be Tailored
Among our greatest experiences at iQud was the fact that every market has a favorite mode of channel and decision-making.
- Sales Approach: The German customers reacted most to the information-based presentations, and the French customers reacted to the relationship-building communication.
- Marketing Channels: LinkedIn had been successful in the Netherlands and Sweden, but WhatsApp was much more successful in reaching out to people in Spain.
- Content Strategy: Local and case studies, and success stories performed better than generic content.
The G2 Reach Europe panel attests that one of the most important things to do when expanding internationally is to make sure that your sales and marketing activities are in line with the locals’ preferences.
It is never a direct path to evade expanding to Europe; however, it is a path worth undertaking. At iQud, the localization approach, data privacy, adaptive pricing, local presence, and tailored marketing strategies have enabled us to establish enduring relations and develop sustainably in five countries in Europe.
When thinking about growing your SaaS business, this is what we would recommend: Invest in knowing your customers on a granular level. Regulation: Treat as an opportunity. Prioritize trust. The outcomes will be self-explanatory.
