Marketing in Europe:
Best Practices & Resources

Table of Contents

What is Marketing in Europe?

The European software market is set to reach US$199.4 billion by 2027. B2B businesses can grab a chunk of this revenue through effective marketing in Europe. 

The makeup of Europe  with 44 countries and 24 languages  makes marketing in the region a challenge. For example, differences in culture and business practices aren’t exclusive to Europe and North America — they also exist between European countries themselves. 

The need for tailored marketing within the region has caused the popularity of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) to soar.

ABM in Europe

ABM uses personalized marketing and outreach to build stronger connections with potential buyers. The adoption of ABM in Europe may be on the rise, but its maturity varies across countries. 

ABM pioneers were hampered by data management limitations that made it nearly impossible to personalize outreach at scale. Advances in artificial intelligence have solved these challenges. Companies starting out with ABM in Europe can skip early adopters’ growing pains by using the right technology and processes to:

  • Capture signals that indicate which accounts are ready to buy
  • Target those accounts, and
  • Boost revenue by targeting the right accounts at the right time with the right messages

B2B Marketing in Europe

One of the most difficult tasks for B2B marketers in Europe is figuring out where to launch a new territory. Artificial intelligence can boost ABM success in this way through intent data.

Intent data uncovers the trail of “digital footprints” your buyers leave as they conduct research anonymously online. Intent data helps B2B marketers and sales teams better understand which accounts are ready to buy and what is driving their interest. It can also uncover countries with the most interest in a solution.

Beyond identifying their Total Addressable Market (TAM), B2B marketers in Europe must also consider challenges around local language support and how GDPR can impact their approach.

It’s a hot topic. While marketers in Europe want the proven results of an account-based approach, they’re often concerned (and confused) about how ABM in Europe aligns with privacy-based laws like GDPR.

The Role of GDPR in European Marketing

GDPR applies strict conditions to the way organizations collect and process personal data. It also protects that data from misuse and exploitation. But it does not prohibit the collection, use, or processing of personal data. So what does that mean for B2B marketers in Europe?

To comply with GDPR, marketers must be selective, targeted, and provide value to prospects legitimately interested in your solution. In other words, you should follow the principles of ABM (and good marketing). 

For a deeper dive into GDPR and its impact on marketing in Europe, here’s our Guide to ABM & GDPR Compliance.

Best Practices for Marketing in Europe

Choosing Software for ABM

Always check an ABM platform’s ability to help you perform the essential steps of an account-based strategy, including:

GDPR Compliance

  • Be scrupulous with Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
  • Remember that account-level data maintains privacy 
  • For third-party data, ensure your software provider is GDPR-compliant

Join Communities & Conferences in EMEA for Marketers

Join local communities and attend events to learn, network, and share best practices. Here are a few to get you started: