UK → France · B2B and SaaS

French market entry: marketing and go-to-market support for UK companies

Your business works in the UK. In France, buyers may need a different reason to choose it.

I help UK B2B and SaaS companies entering or growing in France understand local buyers, clarify their positioning and messaging, and turn those decisions into a practical go-to-market plan.

I’m Leslie Berton, founder of French Coffee Marketing and an international go-to-market and localisation partner. My work connects market understanding with the marketing activity and sales materials your team needs to move forward.

Discuss your France plans

Already in France and unsure what is holding you back? Start with the GTM Risk Check.

When France needs a closer look

You may be preparing your first launch, supporting a country team, or reviewing a market that has not developed as expected.

This work is relevant when:

French prospects engage less than expected, despite a strong offer elsewhere.
Your value proposition is clear internally but buyers struggle to see its local relevance.
Opportunities enter the pipeline but stall when prospects compare options or ask for proof.
Campaigns generate activity without creating the conversations your team needs.
Your references and evidence do not yet answer French buyers’ questions.
A distributor or partner is underperforming, and you need to understand whether the issue is market focus, positioning, enablement or the route to market.
You are about to invest in campaigns, partners or local hires and need a firmer basis for that decision.

The starting point is the commercial situation. We look at where buyers hesitate, what your team is assuming and which evidence would help you decide what to change.

Understand the market before deciding what to build

Local buyers and competitive context

I investigate the buyers, buying groups and alternatives relevant to your offer. That can include market and competitor research, internal interviews, review of sales feedback and, where agreed, customer or prospect interviews.

We distinguish what the evidence shows from what still needs testing. An interview programme is one option; focused market tests may be more appropriate when access or timing is limited.

Positioning and messaging

I clarify which audience to prioritise, how your offer compares with local alternatives and what makes it credible in France.

The work turns that direction into a local value proposition, message hierarchy and proof requirements. It also identifies what should stay consistent with your wider brand and what needs adapting for this market.

Marketing strategy and go-to-market planning

We use those findings to decide which channels, campaigns, partnerships and early actions deserve attention. The plan sets priorities, owners and ways to learn before further investment.

It can support a first launch, a relaunch or growth from an existing French presence. The scope follows the decision you need to make.

Activation and sales enablement

Where implementation is part of the agreed engagement, I help turn the strategy into usable assets and activity. This may include website messaging, campaign briefs, local content, sales presentations, objection handling or partner materials.

Sales enablement gives your commercial team a clearer way to explain the offer and answer buyer concerns. Your team or appointed partners remain responsible for prospecting, opportunity management and closing sales. Any specialist delivery or additional implementation is agreed explicitly.

What you can expect from the work

Depending on the scope, you may receive:

A focused view of the French market and competitive landscape.
Priority buyer groups and the assumptions that need validating.
A positioning recommendation and local value proposition.
A messaging and proof framework for marketing and sales.
Recommendations for the website, campaigns, sales journey or partner approach.
A practical sequence of next actions, with responsibilities and measures agreed with your team.

The purpose is to give your team decisions it can use. We agree the deliverables before work begins, including which assets I will produce and which your team will implement.

Relevant experience

AnyVan — adapting a UK offer for France. I helped identify differences in audience expectations and potential journey friction, then proposed experiments. Jack Reynolds’ public recommendation describes greater clarity and leadership alignment around the France plan. Read the AnyVan case.

ADInstruments — reviewing an established French market. The work examined positioning, local competition and distributor-related questions. Philip Griffiths’ public recommendation describes a researched report and actionable direction. Read the ADInstruments case.

These examples show the nature of the work and the decisions it supported. They do not establish a forecast for another company’s results.

How we start

First, we discuss your France objectives, current market position and the next decision your team needs to make. Bring the materials and evidence you already have: the website, sales presentation, campaign results, prospect feedback or partner concerns.

I then recommend a scope that fits the problem. That could be a focused review, a positioning and messaging engagement, or a broader research and go-to-market programme.

Before starting, we agree the questions, evidence, deliverables, timing, fee and responsibilities. Implementation can be included or scoped as a next phase. The existing positioning and messaging strategy explains one way to work together.

Questions UK companies ask about France

Can you help if we are already selling in France?

Yes. Existing activity gives us something to investigate: buyer feedback, campaign performance, sales conversations and partner experience. We use it to understand what is working and where the market approach needs changing.

Do we need a new strategy or better French copy?

Sometimes the direction is sound and the assets need adapting. Sometimes copy exposes a bigger question about the audience, positioning or proof. Reviewing the existing material and commercial feedback helps us decide which work is needed.

Can you help our sales team?

Yes, through buyer understanding, positioning, sales narratives, objection handling and relevant materials. I work with your commercial team on how the offer is understood and supported in France. I do not provide an outsourced sales team or guarantee leads or sales.

What if our French distributor is not delivering?

We can investigate the market, audience priorities, positioning, available proof and the support your distributor receives. That helps distinguish an enablement issue from a wider route-to-market question. Any changes to the relationship remain your decision.

Do you deliver the marketing activity as well as the plan?

I can support relevant implementation within an agreed scope, working with your team and specialists where needed. We define who produces, approves and runs each activity before committing to it.

How long does an engagement take and what does it cost?

Timing and fees depend on the decision, research depth, number of audiences and implementation required. After an initial discussion, you receive a defined scope and fee. A focused asset review and a research-led market strategy require different commitments.

Can we work together in English?

Yes. We can work with your UK team in English and develop the French market understanding and messaging the project requires. We agree the language and review process for each deliverable.

Make the next France decision with better evidence

Tell me what you are trying to achieve in France, what you have already tried and where the response is falling short. We can use that conversation to decide what deserves attention first.