Value-based Selling

How to build an initial team in DACH

Hiring the right person is about trust, not just skills. In the next five points, you'll discover how to build a strong team that reflects your core culture, avoiding costly trial and error.

xx
Get in touch

5 insight how to hire and build a team culture in new markets

Successfully entering the DACH market requires aligning your company’s core values with local expectations. Hiring the right person goes beyond just matching a skill set – you need to trust them to run your business in a new market. In the next five points, you’ll learn how to avoid trial and error and, without wasting time or money, build a strong team that embodies your core company culture.

Table of content

1: Initial set-up of resources and investments
2: Whom and how to hire firstign messaging with the buyer’s journey
3: How to structure and motivate
4: How to maintain a strong culture across borders
5: How to measure team success over expansion rollout

Challenge: Entering a new market without a clear understanding of local dynamics can lead to costly mistakes.
Benefit: By investing in market research and local talent, you'll build a solid foundation, avoiding trial and error while positioning your business for success in the DACH region.

Focus on:

Market Research: Understand the competitive landscape, customer needs, and regulatory environment in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Sales & Marketing: Allocate budget for localized sales efforts, marketing campaigns, and brand positioning in DACH. Local partnerships and hiring a local marketing manager can ensure your campaigns resonate with regional audiences.
Talent Acquisition: Invest in recruiting local talent or in outsourcing key roles that can help build your presence and navigate the new market effectively.

Calculate Growth Potential

Challenge: Hiring the wrong talent can set back your market expansion and impact your credibility.
Benefit: With the right key hires—such as a local Country Manager and sales team—you'll accelerate your market entry and ensure the team can effectively drive growth and customer satisfaction.

Focus on:
Sales Team: Hire local sales reps who have established relationships and experience in the region. Focus on B2B sales professionals with experience in SaaS or technology solutions.
Customer Success: Ensure a smooth onboarding and support experience for new clients in the region by hiring local customer success managers.
Marketing Lead: A person experienced in local B2B tech marketing, familiar with language nuances and regional channels.
Country Manager: A local leader who understands the DACH market's intricacies and can lead the team.

Key Insight:
Find top talent in DACH by using local platforms like LinkedIn and partnering with specialized B2B tech recruiters.

Challenge: Lack of clarity and motivation can lead to disengagement and low productivity, especially in a new market.
Benefit: Clear roles, KPIs, and performance incentives will motivate your team and align them with your market goals, ensuring they deliver results.

Focus on:
Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Define clear goals and KPIs for each team member. This clarity will motivate employees and ensure alignment across teams.
Incentivize Performance: Offer performance-based incentives, such as bonuses tied to market entry goals or sales performance.
Continuous Learning: Invest in team training programs and access to local conferences, workshops, and online learning platforms.

Key Insight:
Ensure team members are integrated into both the company’s global culture and the local DACH work culture.

Challenge: Remote teams in different cultures can struggle with alignment, potentially weakening your brand’s culture.
Benefit: By fostering open communication and regular check-ins, you ensure your team embraces both your global company culture and the local DACH market values.

Focus on:
Cultural Integration: Ensure the team in DACH understands and embraces both your global company culture and the local market’s customs. This can be achieved through regular communication about the company’s mission, vision, and values, along with virtual team-building activities that foster connection.
Meeting Frequency: Establish a rhythm of consistent check-ins, such as weekly team meetings and bi-weekly one-on-ones, to ensure alignment with objectives, address any roadblocks, and provide feedback and support.
Open Communication: Encourage transparent communication and feedback, making sure everyone, even remotely, feels comfortable sharing ideas, challenges, and successes. Regular surveys or feedback sessions can help gauge how connected and motivated the team feels.

Key Insight:
Aim for at least weekly one-on-one check-ins with local leaders and key team members.

Challenge: Without clear metrics, measuring success and making data-driven decisions in a new market can be difficult.Benefit: Track revenue, customer retention, and market penetration to ensure your team’s performance aligns with your long-term expansion goals, driving sustainable growth.

Focus on:
Revenue Growth: Track revenue from new customers (new MRR) in the DACH region, with specific quarterly and yearly targets.
Employee Performance Metrics: Measure productivity using key performance indicators (KPIs) for sales, marketing, and customer support teams. Such as Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Customer Retention, etc.
Market Penetration: Set goals for the number of customers, partnerships, or contracts acquired in the DACH region within a specific timeframe.

CTA Expansion program