Sales Outsourcing in Europe: Choose the Right Partner from the Top 7

Introduction

Sales outsourcing in Europe has become a strategic lever for B2B companies aiming to accelerate growth across diverse markets. Instead of building an in-house sales development team from scratch, more businesses are partnering with external “sales-as-a-service” providers to expand their reach. 

This trend is on the rise – the global B2B sales outsourcing market was valued at $96 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach nearly $180 billion by 2031 (9.78% CAGR) (2), with Europe alone accounting for roughly 30% of global B2B sales outsourcing revenue (1). Such figures underscore a fundamental shift in how companies approach revenue growth and market expansion.

For marketing and sales leaders in Europe – whether a CMO planning a pan-European campaign or a VP of Sales at a tech scale-up – the question isn’t should you leverage sales outsourcing, but rather how and with whom. 

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the in-house vs. outsourced sales debate in a European context. 

We will highlight the benefits and challenges of outsourcing (from multi-lingual outreach to GDPR compliance), and provide an actionable list of the top 7 sales outsourcing partners (including a deep dive on Martal Group) to boost your B2B growth. Let’s dive in.

In-House vs. Outsourced Sales Teams: Which Suits Your European Strategy?

Choosing between building an in-house sales team versus outsourcing sales is a crucial strategic decision – one that can shape your success in Europe’s complex B2B landscape. 

Both approaches have merits, but their differences become pronounced in the European context of diverse languages, cultures, and regulations. Below is a quick comparison of key factors:

【】In-House vs. Outsourced Sales: Quick Comparison

Key Takeaway: In-house sales teams offer control and cultural immersion in your company, but they come with higher costs and slower scalability – especially challenging when covering Europe’s multilingual markets. 

By contrast, outsourcing sales in Europe provides instant expertise, multi-country coverage, and faster results, albeit with less direct oversight. The best choice depends on your goals, budget, and timeline. 

Many firms actually blend both: maintain a core in-house team (for closing sales deals and strategic accounts) and outsource top-of-funnel prospecting to fill their pipeline.

Did you know? 42% of salespeople say prospecting is the hardest part of their job (4), ranking above closing or qualifying leads. It’s no surprise many companies outsource this challenging activity – freeing up their in-house reps to focus on engaging hot prospects and closing deals, rather than grinding through cold call lists.

Benefits of Outsourcing Sales in Europe – Why Companies Are Embracing “Sales-as-a-Service”

Outsourcing certain sales functions isn’t just a cost-cutting tactic – it’s increasingly seen as a competitive advantage. Europe’s business environment, with its high labor costs and fragmented markets, makes the case even stronger. 

Here are some core benefits and trends driving the sales outsourcing services market:

• Accelerated Market Entry & European Expansion: If you’re eyeing new European markets, an outsourcing partner can deploy native-speaking sales reps in-region quickly.

For example, a North American tech firm can start reaching German or French prospects via an agency that provides local reps, without waiting to hire a multilingual team from scratch. This outsourced sales management in Europe means entering multiple countries at once is feasible, a key reason companies choose to outsource for European growth.

• Cost Efficiency and ROI: Building a sales operation in-house in Europe is expensive – think €60K+ salaries per rep in Western Europe, plus overhead. Outsourcing converts much of that fixed cost into a variable cost. You pay for a service (often less than the cost of one full-time hire) and can scale it as needed. 

One report noted companies often outsource sales “to cut expenses, as maintaining an internal sales force can be more costly” (2). You avoid expenses like office space, office refurbishment, and maintenance in multiple countries, payroll taxes, and employee churn costs. And because agencies specialize in efficient lead generation, they often deliver a lower cost-per-appointment through optimized targeting.

• Instant Access to Expertise and Technology: Outsourced sales providers bring deep expertise in sales tactics, processes, and technology (2). They have teams who have honed outreach for specific industries (e.g. IT, manufacturing, finance) and know what messaging resonates in those sectors. They also come equipped with advanced sales tech. 

For instance, Martal Group uses a proprietary AI sales platform to enhance prospect targeting. Many top firms leverage AI-driven prospecting, intent data, and automation tools that a typical company might not invest in on its own. By outsourcing, you tap into these capabilities immediately. (Over 70% of sales teams now use AI or automation to improve lead qualification and outreach personalization (1) – odds are your outsourcing partner will, too.)

• Omnichannel & Multi-Touch Outreach at Scale: Effective B2B selling today demands persistence and multi-channel communication. Research shows it takes ~8 touches on average to generate a B2B sales conversion (5). An internal team might struggle to execute a coordinated cadence of emails, LinkedIn messages, calls, and content touches – especially across time zones. 

Outsourced sales agencies excel here. They have dedicated processes to ensure prospects receive a sequence of touches across channels (while respecting local preferences). 

For example, an outsourced SDR might send a personalized email, then a LinkedIn InMail, then make a call at the right time, followed by a targeted case study – all timed over a few weeks. They won’t “forget” to follow up on that lead who went quiet. Consistency and cadence are built into their service, translating to more conversions. 

As one training group found, top sales orgs design cadences with 6–10+ touches precisely because they know it boosts meeting rates (5). Your partner will bring that discipline to your campaigns.

• Focus on Core Business and Faster Sales Cycles: Every hour your account executives spend cold calling is an hour they aren’t closing deals or nurturing key accounts. By outsourcing prospecting and appointment-setting, you let your team focus on their core strengths – demos, negotiations, and customer relationships. This division of labor can shorten your overall sales cycle.

Leads come in pre-qualified and warmed up by the outsourcing team, so your closers can engage later-stage prospects who are ready to talk specifics. In essence, outsourcing segments the sales funnel, so each part is handled by specialists: lead generators at the top, your closers at the bottom. Companies that do this report smoother pipeline flow and less salesperson burnout.

• Scalability and Flexibility: The ability to scale sales efforts up or down on demand is a huge advantage, especially in unpredictable markets. Many B2B firms face seasonality or sudden surges in interest (say a new funding round or product launch).

Outsourced sales services are inherently elastic. Need to double outreach for a big campaign next quarter? It’s often as simple as asking your provider for an extra SDR or two for a few months. 

Conversely, if budgets tighten, you can scale back without layoffs – you just adjust the service level. This flexibility is particularly useful in Europe, where labor laws make quickly hiring/firing employees difficult. As one outsourcing survey noted, companies value the flexibility and speed to market that outsourcing provides almost as much as cost savings (11). It’s like having a dial you can turn up or down to modulate lead flow in alignment with your business needs.

• Data-Driven Insights & Improved Conversion Rates: Sales outsourcing firms run multiple campaigns and have a broad benchmark of what works. They measure every email open, call connect, and conversion. As a client, you gain from data-driven optimizations. 

For instance, an outsourced team might A/B test subject lines across dozens of European audiences and discover that German prospects respond 20% better to a certain value prop – insight they can apply across your campaign. They often provide detailed reports on metrics (open rates, response rates, SQL conversion rates) and use these to continually refine targeting and messaging. 

Over time, this leads to higher quality leads and better conversion. Providers also tend to have established best practices for lead nurturing, ensuring fewer leads slip through cracks. The result: a more predictable and optimized sales pipeline for you.

• Regulatory Compliance & Local Knowledge: We’ll dive deeper into regulations next, but it bears mentioning as a benefit: a capable European sales outsourcing partner helps you navigate GDPR, local solicitation laws, and cultural norms. Europe’s strict privacy regulations can be a minefield for an uninitiated sales team – missteps in cold outreach can lead to complaints or worse, fines. 

By outsourcing to a provider that already has compliance baked into their process (e.g. they use GDPR-compliant data sources, include required opt-outs, honor “do not contact” lists, etc.), you reduce legal and reputational risks. Similarly, their knowledge of cultural nuances – like business etiquette in Scandinavia vs. Southern Europe – means your outreach is appropriately tailored, avoiding faux pas that could derail deals.

In 2025, lead generation has become one of the most commonly outsourced business functions for growth-focused companies (3). Starting at USD 2.98 billion in 2025, the global B2B Lead Generation Services Market is projected to reach USD 3.33 billion in 2026 and expand to USD 9.18 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 11.91% (6). 

In summary, outsourcing sales in Europe allows you to leverage seasoned talent, proven processes, and local expertise on-demand, without the usual overhead and ramp-up pains. It’s a way to make your sales operation more agile and data-driven. 

That said, to reap these benefits, choosing the right partner is critical – and understanding Europe-specific challenges is a must. Let’s address those next.

Challenges and Considerations in European Sales Outsourcing

While the advantages of outsource sales in Europe are compelling, success isn’t automatic. Business leaders must be mindful of certain challenges and due-diligence points when engaging an external sales agency in Europe. Here are key considerations:

• GDPR and Data Privacy Compliance: Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) fundamentally impacts how you can gather and contact leads. Unlike in some other markets, you can’t simply blast cold emails to any prospect without careful legal basis.

Non-compliance can lead to fines up to €20 million or 4% of global revenue (9) – a nightmare scenario for any company. When outsourcing, ensure your partner has rock-solid GDPR compliance practices. 

This includes using GDPR-compliant prospect data (opt-in or properly justified under “legitimate interest”), obtaining consent when required, and providing easy opt-outs in all communications. A good outsourced lead generation firm will be able to explain their data sourcing and email practices. 

They should also be up to date on other regulations (e.g. national laws in Germany’s UWG or France’s equivalent) that govern B2B outreach. Tip: During evaluation, ask how the provider stays compliant – do they have a data protection officer (DPO)? How do they handle data subject access requests or list scrubbing? Their answers will indicate their level of sophistication.

• Cultural and Language Nuances: Europe is famously diverse. Outreach tactics that work in one country may fall flat in another. For example, a very casual email approach that’s fine in the UK might be too informal for prospects in Germany who expect more courtesy and details. 

Likewise, the preferred communication channels can differ – in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland many professionals historically used Xing (a local business network) over LinkedIn (10), while in France, Viadeo had some popularity. 

An experienced European sales partner will know these nuances: when to use LinkedIn vs. phone vs. email in each country, how to localize messaging, and when it’s essential to have a native speaker involved. Hiring an outsourced sales agency effectively gives you on-the-ground cultural expertise. 

They act as a bridge, adapting your value proposition to each market’s norms. One provider noted that using locals who understand how to “do business” in their culture – even simple things like whether to address someone by first name or how formal the tone should be – can dramatically improve engagement rates (10). 

Make sure your partner has truly multilingual capabilities and isn’t just running Google Translate on email templates (ask if they have native speakers for your key target languages).

• Market Fragmentation & Strategy Alignment: “Europe” as a sales territory actually means managing multiple sales campaigns in parallel – one for each major region or country cluster, ideally. This complexity means you and your outsourcing partner must align on a clear European sales strategy. 

Segmentation is crucial: which countries or regions are top priority? Does your ideal customer profile differ in France vs. the Nordics? Will the messaging or value prop change based on local pain points? These are strategic questions to iron out. A challenge can arise if a partner uses a one-size-fits-all approach for Europe. 

Pushing the exact same campaign EU-wide may be better than nothing, but it will underperform a tailored approach. Work with your provider to develop a plan per region. You might start with English-speaking markets and then localize stepwise. 

Or run separate tracks (e.g. a DACH-specialized SDR focusing on Germany, Austria, Switzerland, while another team hits UK & Nordics in English). Ensure the outsourcing firm has the capacity to handle this multi-country coordination. Regular check-ins are key to make sure leads from each region are flowing as expected and that messaging resonates.

• Integration with Your Brand and Team: When you outsource sales development, you’re essentially putting the early stages of customer interaction in someone else’s hands. It’s vital that they represent your brand accurately and professionally. 

A common concern is losing control over brand voice or quality of interactions. Mitigate this by investing time upfront to train the outsourced team on your value proposition, product, and messaging. The best agencies will have a thorough onboarding process where they learn your business, ideal customer profile, and unique selling points. Treat them as an extension of your team – involve your marketing or sales enablement folks to provide playbooks, case studies, and FAQ answers. 

Establish clear protocols: for instance, if a lead asks a detailed technical question, should the SDR attempt an answer or immediately pass it to your experts? Define the touchpoints between the outsourced SDRs and your internal sales reps (e.g. how and when sales leads will be handed over, what qualifies as an SQL). 

Also, maintain open communication: weekly or biweekly sync meetings with the outsourced team can ensure alignment, allow feedback, and maintain that sense of control through transparency.

• Quality Assurance and KPIs: To avoid any disappointment, set measurable sales KPIs with your outsourcing partner from the get-go. Typical metrics include number of meetings booked per month, qualified leads delivered, or even pipeline generated. 

Make sure both sides agree on the definitions (what constitutes a “qualified” lead for you?). Ask about their quality assurance steps – do they record calls for review? Will they share email copy for approval at the start? You may want to pilot the relationship by starting with a smaller campaign or a trial period. 

Monitor the results closely. If the lead quality isn’t meeting expectations, have a candid conversation. It could be a targeting tweak is needed or more product training for the reps. A good partner will collaborate to adjust; a mediocre one might just shove more unvetted leads your way. Remember, outsourcing inside sales is not “set and forget” – it’s collaborate and refine. Invest some time in the partnership and you’ll get much better ROI.

• Local Regulations Beyond GDPR: While GDPR gets the spotlight, note that Europe has other laws that might affect outbound sales. For instance, cold calling regulations can vary (some countries require checking against “Do Not Call” lists or have strict hours). 

Email laws fall under ePrivacy directives which may have country-specific implementations – e.g. some places might require an easy opt-out in the first email itself (best practice everywhere, frankly). If you plan to do business in sectors like finance or healthcare, there may be industry-specific compliance (like needing to use approved scripts or record keeping). 

Ensure your outsourcing partner is aware of any such nuances. The Verified Market Research report pointed out that regulatory compliance know-how is actually a value-add of many outsourcing companies (2), meaning they keep up with relevant rules so you don’t have to. Confirm this is true for the partner you choose.

• GDPR & Data Security Considerations: It’s worth double-emphasizing data security. Ask where the provider stores prospect and customer data – do they have a secure CRM? Is data hosted in Europe (for GDPR compliance)? 

Many companies now require vendors to fill out security questionnaires or abide by certain standards if they’ll handle personal data. Don’t hesitate to perform this due diligence on a sales outsourcing firm too. They will be processing potentially thousands of contact records on your behalf. You want to be sure they won’t, say, accidentally email blast the wrong list or expose your data in a breach. The reputational damage of a misstep is not something you want to deal with. Reputable agencies will have clear answers on data handling and may even be ISO certified or have other security credentials.

In short, sales and marketing outsourcing in Europe requires a balance of trust and verification. Choose a partner with a track record in Europe, bake compliance and quality checks into the agreement, and maintain active collaboration. Do this, and you’ll sidestep pitfalls while enjoying the many benefits we discussed.

Example – Outsourcing in Germany: Germany often comes up in conversations about European sales strategy, and for good reason. It’s the largest EU economy but also one of the most sensitive about business outreach. German prospects value formality, privacy, and precision. 

Any sales partner representing you in Germany should ideally conduct outreach in German (for most industries, an English-only approach will have lower yield). They must also be acutely aware of privacy expectations – for instance, cold emailing in Germany operates under the GDPR “legitimate interest” clause but cultural tolerance for unsolicited contact is low. 

Phone outreach is sometimes more accepted if done professionally, yet aggressive telemarketing would backfire. Companies that outsource sales in Germany should ensure their partner either has native German SDRs or significant experience localizing campaigns for Germany.

It can be a worthwhile investment: a skilled German outreach team can unlock opportunities in a market that outsiders often struggle to penetrate. The same principle applies to other key markets (France, Southern Europe, Nordics) – local language and context are king. 

The outsourcing services Europe offers are not one-size-fits-all; they must be tailored by region.

Aligning Marketing and Sales Outsourcing for a Unified European Strategy

An important consideration for sales leaders is how outsourced sales efforts will integrate with your overall marketing strategy. Some companies wonder: should we use a marketing agency or an outsourced sales agency – or both? 

The answer often is both, working in tandem. Your European sales strategy will be strongest when your marketing and outsourced sales teams are aligned, feeding each other insights.

Consider the role of B2B marketing agencies versus sales outsourcing providers:

• B2B Marketing Agencies in Europe – These firms specialize in generating brand awareness, content marketing, digital campaigns, and sometimes inbound leads. If you partner with one of the best B2B marketing agencies in Europe, they might run LinkedIn ad campaigns, produce whitepapers in different languages, or optimize your website for EU SEO, all to drive inquiries. The output is often Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) or engaged website visitors.
  
• Sales Outsourcing (Sales Development Agencies) – These focus on outbound prospecting, one-to-one outreach, and direct lead generation. They provide Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs) or booked meetings by proactively contacting target accounts via email, calls, and social touches. They might also follow up on the warm leads your marketing generates (turning an eBook downloader into an appointment through a call).

These two types of partners can work hand-in-hand. In fact, aligning outsourced SDR efforts with your marketing and lead generation campaigns greatly boosts results. For example, if your marketing agency runs an email newsletter in multiple languages, your outsourced sales team can use those engagements to prioritize who to call. 

Conversely, if your outsourced SDRs find that a particular pain point is resonating a lot in, say, the fintech sector in Benelux, that insight could inform your marketing content or ads for that region.

Key integration strategies:

• Shared Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): Ensure both your marketing folks (in-house or agency) and the outsourced sales team agree on the target audience definitions. Who are the priority industries, company sizes, buyer personas in each region? 

A unified ICP means marketing generates relevant content and sales reps target the same kind of prospects, leading to higher conversion. If your marketing agency is focusing on attracting manufacturing contacts in France (perhaps via a special report or event), you don’t want your outsourced SDRs calling completely unrelated leads at SaaS companies in France at the same time. Coordination is key.

• Lead Handoff Process: Define how marketing leads will be handled by the outsourced team. Perhaps your website form fills from Europe go directly to the SDRs to call within 24 hours. 

Or if you’re doing a webinar (via your marketing agency) and 100 people sign up, plan for the outsourced reps to follow up with all attendees promptly. Having a process ensures no potential opportunities slip through. Many companies set up a shared CRM or at least shared spreadsheets where marketing lists get passed to sales development regularly.

• Consistent Messaging: Work to present a unified message to prospects. Your marketing content and outbound sales scripts should sing from the same songbook. For instance, if your marketing campaign in the UK emphasizes how your product helps with new ESG regulations, the outsourced SDRs reaching out to UK prospects should reference that value proposition too. 

This consistency makes your outreach more credible – prospects often encounter your brand in multiple ways (ads, social media, emails, calls), and if all those touchpoints reinforce each other, you’ll build trust faster. Consider creating a messaging guide or sharing your marketing personas and value prop docs with the outsourced team. Treat them as part of the overall go-to-market team.

• Regular Joint Debriefs: Schedule periodic meetings that include both marketing and outsourced sales stakeholders. Review results together – what campaigns did marketing run and what response was seen? What feedback are SDRs hearing from prospects and how can marketing adjust?

For example, if the SDRs find that German CTOs keep asking for a specific case study, maybe your marketing team can create a localized case study to support the sales cycle. Conversely, if a LinkedIn ad got lots of clicks from fintech CEOs in Spain, the SDRs could prioritize reaching out to similar profiles while interest is high. This feedback loop can significantly improve performance on both sides.

• Account-Based Marketing (ABM) synergy: In ABM (targeting specific high-value accounts), coordination is everything. If you pursue ABM in Europe, you might have your marketing agency serve targeted display ads or send direct mail gifts to a list of 50 big accounts, while your outsourced sales team concurrently works on contacting the buying committee at those accounts. Make sure the timing and messaging align. 

Perhaps an SDR calls a prospect referencing a recent executive brief the prospect likely saw from the marketing side. When done right, the prospect feels like your company is everywhere, speaking directly to their needs – a very effective approach. Some sales agencies (like Martal) explicitly offer omnichannel ABM outreach as part of their service, which bridges marketing and sales outreach. Leverage those capabilities.

Marketing Agency vs Sales Outsourcing – Do You Need Both? If budget is a concern, note that many outsourcing partners also cover some marketing-esque activities (and vice versa). For example, some sales outsourcing firms will help with content or landing pages for outbound campaigns, and some marketing agencies offer SDR services. 

However, the core strengths differ: marketing agencies excel at one-to-many communications (branding, inbound generation), whereas outsourced sales teams excel at one-to-one, personalized engagement (outbound, direct follow-up). 

For a robust strategy, especially in a large territory like Europe, it often makes sense to use both in tandem. In fact, the majority of B2B companies outsource some part of their functions, with 62% of contact centers in consumer-facing sectors managed by third parties (8), and the prevalence of outsourcing in sales is similarly high. Outsourcing is not an either/or proposition – it’s about finding the right mix.

If you already work with one of the best B2B marketing agencies in Europe, consider adding an outsourced sales agency to capitalize on the demand your marketing is creating. 

On the flip side, if you start with outsourced sales and see success, you might later bring in a marketing agency to amplify brand awareness and feed even more prospects into that outbound engine. The ultimate goal is a smooth funnel: marketing attracts and nurtures interest, while sales outreach converts that interest into conversations and revenue.

How to Choose the Right Sales Outsourcing Partner in Europe

Once you’ve decided to go the outsourcing route, the next big question is whom to partner with. Not all sales agencies are created equal, and choosing a provider experienced in European B2B sales is crucial. Below are key factors and tips for selecting the right sales agency in Europe to meet your needs:

• Industry Expertise: Start by evaluating whether the provider has experience in your industry or vertical. A sales partner familiar with your market will ramp up faster and speak the language of your prospects. 

For instance, if you sell enterprise cybersecurity solutions, an agency that has run campaigns for other cybersecurity firms will understand common pain points (like compliance or threat prevention) and know how to approach CISOs. Many top outsourcing firms list their industry specializations – look for case studies or client examples in your field. 

European markets can have unique industry dynamics (e.g. public sector buying cycles, or manufacturing industry clusters), so industry know-how is a plus. Ideal fit: Choose a partner who can demonstrate results in similar industries or use-cases, ensuring they won’t be learning at your expense.

• Service Scope (Outbound SDR, Full-Cycle, etc.): Clarify what services you actually need and what each prospective partner offers. Some companies specialize purely in lead generation and appointment setting (top-of-funnel SDR work).

Others provide full-cycle sales outsourcing, where they might carry opportunities further down the pipeline or even close deals on your behalf. There are also those that focus on channel sales development or partner recruitment (useful if your strategy is to build distributor networks in Europe). 

Determine your requirements: do you only need more sales meetings set, with your in-house team closing? Or are you looking for a team that can manage the entire sales process until final sale? In Europe, language coverage might also shape service scope – perhaps you need an outsourced team to handle inside sales for Southern Europe while your own team covers UK/Northern Europe, for example. 

Ideal fit: A provider whose offerings align with your sales funnel gaps. If you have no internal European sales presence, a full-service outsourcing might be needed. If you have country managers who can close deals, a lead generation/SDR service might suffice.

• Geographical and Language Coverage: Since we’re talking Europe, this is a big one. Ask potential partners: Which markets do you cover? Do you have native speakers for [German, French, Spanish, etc.]? Where are your reps based? 

If you require outreach in multiple languages, ensure the agency can handle that without resorting to awkward translations or non-native callers. Some agencies have a distributed team across Europe (and even Americas/APAC for time zone coverage). 

Others might be centralized but hire multilingual reps in one location. For example, an agency might operate out of Ireland or Poland but have native German, French, Italian SDRs on staff. 

Also consider time zones – if you want calls made during local business hours in Europe, an agency with at least some European or UK presence is preferable (calling from California at 3am won’t cut it!). 

Ideal fit: A partner that can confidently engage your target regions. If one provider can’t cover all your priority countries, you might combine two (but managing one is easier). Martal Group, for instance, emphasizes having onshore reps in North America, Europe, and LATAM to cover multiple time zones natively – a model worth considering.

• Reputation and Track Record: Do your homework on the agency’s reputation. Look for client testimonials or case studies, especially from European campaigns. If they claim big results, is there data or a named client to back it up? 

Check independent reviews on platforms like Clutch or G2 if available. Ask the agency for references – a credible partner will happily connect you with a past or current client to speak about their experience. 

Also consider how long they’ve been in business and their client retention rate. An outsourcing partner will ideally be a long-term relationship, so you want a firm that’s stable and consistently delivering. 

Ideal fit: A provider with a proven track record of success, preferably with companies similar in profile to yours (industry, size, or market focus). Longevity (5, 10, 15+ years) can indicate they know how to adapt over time.

• Technology and Reporting: One benefit of outsourcing is leveraging the partner’s technology – but make sure it aligns with your needs. Inquire about what tools they use: 

Do they use a CRM? Which one, and can it integrate or sync with yours? Do they employ sales engagement platforms (for automated sequences)? Any proprietary tech (like Martal’s AI-driven platform) that gives them an edge? 

A modern sales outsourcing firm should mention things like using multi-channel sequencing tools, analytics dashboards, real-time reporting, etc. Reporting is crucial – ensure they will provide you with regular, detailed reports on activity and results. This might be weekly email summaries, a live dashboard, or monthly review calls (ideally, all of the above).

Ideal fit: A tech-enabled partner who can give you transparent visibility. If you’re a data-driven leader, you might even want raw data or access to the platform to see progress. Also, check their data sources – do they have subscriptions to quality contact databases or intent data providers? (This influences lead quality.)

• Customization and Flexibility: Avoid cookie-cutter providers. The best agencies will tailor their approach to your business, not just plug you into a generic script. 

During sales discussions, note if they ask detailed questions about your value prop, target clients, past experiments, etc. That’s a sign they are thinking of a custom strategy. 

Flexibility also matters in the engagement model – can they adjust quickly if you need to change direction or add a new country campaign? Will they accommodate feedback and refine messaging? 

Some big outsourcing vendors might be too rigid (treating you as just one of many clients using the same playbook).

Ideal fit: A partner who demonstrates a consultative approach and willingness to adapt. This might also include contract flexibility – e.g. a pilot period or break clause if things don’t work out, or the ability to scale up/down month-to-month. European markets can be dynamic (e.g. sudden regulation changes or economic swings), so a nimble partner is valuable.

• Communication and Cultural Fit: You want an outsourcing team that practically feels in-house. That means communication should be seamless. 

Consider how responsive and clear the agency is during the evaluation stage – that’s often indicative of how they operate. Do they communicate in a style you appreciate (formal vs informal, detailed vs high-level)? 

Also consider cultural fit: if your company values a certain ethos (say, very customer-centric or very analytical), does the agency seem to mirror that? Because the outsourced SDRs will essentially represent you, it helps if their company culture aligns somewhat with yours. 

For example, a very aggressive boiler-room style agency might not be a fit for a refined consultative brand, and vice versa. 

Ideal fit: A partner who is easy to communicate with, provides a dedicated account manager, and is willing to schedule calls in your time zone. Language fluency in English (for your interaction) is important even if they’ll be using other languages for prospects. Basically, you are entering a partnership – make sure it feels like a good one.

• KPIs, Pricing and Performance Model: Finally, discuss the pricing model and how performance is measured. Outsourcing pricing can vary – some charge per appointment or per lead, others have a flat monthly retainer, some use a base fee plus commission for closed deals. Each model has pros and cons. 

Per-appointment sounds great (pay for performance) but be careful of how quality is ensured (you don’t want 20 low-quality meetings just so they hit a number). Monthly retainer gives stability but ensure you have agreed KPIs so there’s incentive to perform. Clarify if there are extra costs (e.g. buying contact lists, software fees, translations) or if all-inclusive. 

Also, what happens if they don’t meet the targets? Is there any guarantee or make-good arrangement (like they’ll add extra efforts until goals are met)? Aligning on expectations will prevent disputes later. 

Ideal fit: A transparent pricing model that fits your budget and a partner who is accountable to results. They should be just as interested in ROI as you are. If an agency promises unrealistically cheap pricing, be wary – quality and experience come at a cost, and you often “get what you pay for” in sales outsourcing.

Taking the time to vet and choose the right partner will significantly impact your success. Many companies issue an RFP or at least speak to 2–3 providers before making a decision. 

That’s wise – you can compare approaches and get a feel for who “gets” your needs. To make your research easier, in the next section we present 7 top sales outsourcing partners in Europe. These examples will give you a sense of the landscape and help you identify what might be a good fit.

Top 7 Sales Outsourcing Partners in Europe to Boost Your Growth

When it comes to choosing a partner for your sales outsourcing initiative, it helps to know the leading players in the market. Below we’ve compiled seven top sales outsourcing companies that operate in Europe. 

This list includes a mix of global and Europe-specialist firms, each with a solid track record in B2B sales development. We’ll provide an overview of each, highlight their key features/services, suggest what types of businesses they’re ideal for, and note one subtle shortcoming to consider.

1. Martal Group – AI-Powered Global Sales-as-a-Service Partner

Overview: Martal Group is a premium sales outsourcing and B2B lead generation agency with over 16 years of experience driving sales growth for tech companies and B2B service providers worldwide. 

Unlike traditional offshore call centers, we operate with a global onshore sales team across North America, Europe, and LATAM, comprised of SDRs and sales executives with 3–5+ years of experience.

By combining human expertise with a proprietary AI SDR platform, Martal delivers high-quality, sales-qualified leads and booked meetings, filling pipelines faster and more effectively than standard lead providers.

Trusted by 2,000+ B2B brands worldwide – from startups to Fortune 500 enterprises – Martal has built a reputation for delivering measurable pipeline growth with a consultative, personalized approach.

We become an extension of your commercial team and run the top-of-funnel engine for you, from buyer or lead research and targeted lists to multichannel outreach and appointment setting. 

Whether you need a fractional SDR, a dedicated team, or an entire outsourced sales function, we scale to your needs and keep your pipeline full.

When you partner with us you get a full, on-demand sales engine that accelerates your growth and keeps your pipeline consistently full.

Key Benefits:

• Precisely targeted lead lists and buyer personas
• A consistent flow of qualified, sales ready leads and booked meetings
• Faster market entry across North America, Europe, and LATAM
• Optimized outreach using our AI SDR platform, automating repetitive tasks and maximizing engagement
• Multichannel campaigns combining email, LinkedIn, phone, direct mail, and creative touches
• Real-time campaign analytics, deliverability management, and continuous optimization
• Sales-qualified meetings booked with decision-makers
• A “sales team in a box” that scales with your business
• Option to layer in dedicated SDRs/BDRs or a full managed sales function

If you’re selling into Germany (or are a German tech company), we specialize in helping German tech firms enter and scale in international markets. We tailor messaging to local business culture, run multilingual campaigns, and use market insights plus intent data to find the right prospects for you. 

If you want to expand beyond Germany, into the U.S. or other EU markets, we’ll run the localized playbook so you avoid costly missteps (7).

Why We Deliver Better Results: Key Differentiators

Global Onshore Team

• We run campaigns from North America, Europe, and LATAM with senior SDRs and sales executives who engage your prospects peer-to-peer.
• Our reps have 3–5+ years of experience running localized campaigns in your target markets.
• That means you get higher response rates from the decision-makers you want to meet, with outreach that resonates culturally and professionally.

AI-Powered Sales Platform

• Our proprietary AI SDR platform is trained by our top performers and 15+ years of B2B sales experience, giving you an optimized sales engine.
• We automate research, follow-ups, email deliverability, and multi-channel outreach so you save time and focus on closing deals.
• You can automate roughly 80% of repetitive tasks and launch omnichannel lead generation campaigns in under 30 minutes.
• We leverage billions of public and private data points to help you reach the right prospects with higher conversion rates.

Omnichannel Approach

• We craft personalized email sequences, LinkedIn messaging, phone outreach, and creative touches like direct mail, gifting, and Lunch & Learns.
• Our campaigns are platform-specific and persona-tuned, so you reach prospects where they’re most likely to engage.
• That means you spend less time on generic outreach and more time connecting with decision-makers who matter.

Data-Driven Targeting

• We integrate intent data to focus on prospects who are actively in-market for your solution.
• Our team crafts tailored messaging that converts, combining scale with personalization.

Flexible & Scalable

• You can start with a fractional SDR or a dedicated team and ramp up as ROI proves out.
• We grow with your business, giving you a full outsourced sales function without the overhead of hiring in-house.

Services We Provide:

• B2B Lead Generation & Appointment Setting
• Dedicated SDR/BDR Teams (fractional or full-time)
• Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Campaigns
• Sales Pipeline Management & Nurturing
• Sales Consulting & Training (Martal Academy)

Best Fit For Businesses Ready to Scale

We work best for B2B companies who value quality over quantity and want a trusted partner to drive results across multiple markets.

You’ll get the most value from us if you are a B2B company (especially in tech, SaaS, cybersecurity, manufacturing, logistics, or professional services) targeting mid-market to enterprise buyers and you prefer quality over quantity — i.e., fewer, better meetings that lead to real revenue.

Ideal Clients:

• Tech, SaaS, cybersecurity, manufacturing, logistics, and professional services firms
• Companies targeting mid-market or enterprise buyers
• Teams who prefer fewer, high-quality meetings rather than many low-value touches
• Startups and SMBs needing fractional SDR support without hiring full-time staff
• Enterprises looking to augment existing sales teams with expert outbound lead generation capabilities

With Martal, you get experienced reps, AI-powered efficiency, and personalized outreach at scale, giving you a sales engine that consistently delivers qualified leads and booked meetings. 

By partnering with us, you gain a trusted sales team that combines human expertise with advanced AI tools to maximize your outbound success. If you want to accelerate pipeline growth, enter new markets, and engage prospects with credibility and precision, Martal is the sales partner you need to achieve your sales goals.

2. memoryBlue – Outsourced SDR Services

memoryBlue provides outsourced SDRs through a train-and-deploy model. They recruit recent graduates, train them intensively in sales development, and embed them with clients to drive outbound prospecting and lead qualification. While reps are coached, they are typically early-career and may need extra guidance on industry nuance.

Key Features:

• Dedicated SDRs embedded with client campaigns
• Cold calling and email outreach
• Sales training via memoryBlue Academy
• CRM integration with client systems
• Performance tracking and analytics

Ideal For: Tech firms, especially in North America, that need quick outbound pipeline support and are comfortable with junior reps learning on the job.

3. Pareto – Sales Training & Outsourced SDRs

UK-founded, Pareto combines recruitment, training, and outsourced sales. They focus on identifying high-potential graduates, putting them through structured training, and either placing them with clients or deploying them as outsourced SDRs. Reps are well-trained but often early in their careers, so advanced product knowledge may take time to develop.

Key Features:

• Sales outsourcing and SDR placement
• Recruitment and candidate assessment
• Intensive sales training programs
• Workshops for SDRs and sales managers

Ideal For: Companies in the UK or Europe seeking SDRs with strong sales fundamentals, and those open to transitioning outsourced reps into permanent in-house roles.

4. South – Nearshore SDR Outsourcing from Latin America

South provides cost-effective SDR outsourcing by sourcing bilingual talent from Latin America. Their model offers savings while supporting U.S. and European campaigns, though time zone differences and cultural familiarity with certain regions may require adjustment.

Key Features:

• English/Spanish bilingual SDRs
• Lead list building
• Cold calling and email outreach
• Appointment setting
• Managed teams aligned with client time zones

Ideal For: Startups or SMEs seeking budget-friendly SDR support, especially for English- and Spanish-speaking markets.

5. Peak Sales – Recruiting & Outsourced Sales Teams

Peak Sales specializes in recruiting high-performing sales professionals, while also offering outsourced team solutions. Engagements can include SDRs, account executives, or interim sales leaders. Their strength is in senior talent, though this can be higher cost and may exceed what some companies need for basic lead gen.

Key Features:

• Sales recruiting and headhunting
• Outsourced sales teams
• Interim/fractional sales leadership
• Sales strategy and performance consulting

Ideal For: Organizations needing experienced hires or building sales teams in new markets where quality and seniority matter more than volume.

5. Aexus – European Sales Expansion

Based in the Netherlands, Aexus helps technology firms enter and scale in Europe by acting as a local sales arm. Their multilingual teams manage business development and, in some cases, full sales cycles. Engagements tend to be deep partnerships, which may be more involved than companies seeking light-touch lead generation.

Key Features:

• Outsourced field and inside sales in Europe
• Channel partner and distributor development
• Market research and validation
• Go-to-market and sales strategy support

Ideal For: Tech firms expanding into Europe that want local representation to build enterprise pipelines or distribution networks.

7. Funnl – AI-Driven Lead Generation

Funnl provides AI-enabled outbound sales support, focusing on appointment setting through data-driven campaigns across email and LinkedIn. Their model emphasizes automation and efficiency, which can produce volume but may lack the personalization needed for complex enterprise sales.

Key Features:

• AI-backed prospecting and lead scoring
• Appointment setting with performance guarantees
• Multi-channel outreach (email, LinkedIn)
• Campaign analytics and dashboard reporting
• CRM integration and automation

Ideal For: SaaS and digital companies seeking scalable, metrics-driven outbound campaigns, especially when speed and efficiency are prioritized over high-touch engagement.

Those are seven noteworthy sales outsourcing partners active in Europe (and beyond). Each offers a slightly different flavor so you can choose based on what aligns with your strategy, budget, and target market.

Remember: Whichever partner you consider, success will depend on close collaboration. Treat them as an extension of your team: share your goals, product knowledge, and feedback continuously. 

When you find the right fit, a sales outsourcing partnership can significantly accelerate your revenue growth in Europe, delivering qualified opportunities straight to your pipeline while your internal team focuses on closing deals.

Next Steps to Accelerate Sales Expansion Across Europe

Europe offers immense growth opportunities, and sales outsourcing has emerged as a powerful way to seize them quickly. By carefully selecting the right partner and aligning them with your strategy, you can accelerate lead generation, break into new regions, and scale your revenue without overburdening your internal team.

If you’re considering this approach, it pays to speak with experts who have done it before. Martal Group offers a free consultation to assess your needs and show how an omnichannel, localized outreach strategy could work for your business. 

With thousands of successful campaigns under their belt, Martal’s team can candidly evaluate whether outsourcing is right for you and what results you might expect.

Ready to boost your B2B sales across Europe? 📈 Book a free consultation with Martal Group’s European sales experts today and take the first step toward transforming your pipeline. Let us help craft a winning sales strategy tailored to your goals – and start turning European prospects into your next customers!

References

1. Activated Scale
2. Verified Market Research
3. Martal Group – Small Business Lead Generation
4. Spotio
5. Salesforce
6. Business Research Insights
7. Martal Group Lead Providers in Germany
8. Salesforce
9. Intersoft Consulting
10. Sales Force Europe
11. LLCBuddy