Overview
You're one of Glean's first SDRs targeting Dutch-speaking markets (Netherlands and Flemish Belgium), prospecting into companies to sell AI-powered enterprise search. You'll cold call and email IT directors in Dutch, trying to book discovery meetings while helping build the playbook for Dutch markets.
Role Snapshot
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Role Type | Multilingual Outbound SDR (Dutch) |
| Sales Motion | Outbound-heavy (75-85% cold outbound) |
| Deal Complexity | Consultative to Enterprise (setting discovery) |
| Sales Cycle | N/A - measured on meetings booked |
| Deal Size | N/A - AEs close €50K-500K+ deals |
| Quota (est.) | 10-15 qualified meetings per month |
Company Context
Stage: Growth stage (1,531 employees)
Size: ~1,500 employees, launching EMEA
Growth: First expansion into Benelux - you're building the Dutch motion from scratch
Market Position: No brand presence in Netherlands/Belgium - you're introducing Glean to these markets
GTM Reality
Pipeline Sources:
- 10-20% Inbound - Very limited initially
- 80-90% Outbound - Cold outreach to Dutch/Flemish accounts
- No established partner channels yet
SDR/AE Structure: Passing meetings to AEs (likely remote initially); unclear how many Dutch-speaking AEs exist
SE Support: SEs join for technical demos later
Competitive Landscape
Main Competitors: Microsoft Search, Google Workspace, local Dutch IT services companies, legacy enterprise search tools
How They Differentiate: AI-powered semantic search vs. legacy keyword search; unified search across all tools
Common Objections:
- "We've never heard of Glean" (true in Dutch market)
- "How does this handle Dutch language nuances?" (Language-specific search quality)
- "Is this GDPR compliant?" (European privacy focus)
- "We already have search in our tools"
- "Why not a European vendor?"
Win Themes: Innovation, productivity, AI capabilities, modern vs. legacy
What You'll Actually Do
Time Breakdown
Cold Calling (45%) | Email/LinkedIn (25%) | Market Research (20%) | Internal Coordination (10%)
Key Activities
- Cold Calling in Dutch: 50-60 dials per day to Dutch IT leaders. Dutch business culture is direct and informal (first names from the start), but also pragmatic and cost-conscious. They'll tell you straight if they're not interested
- Dutch Email Outreach: Writing Dutch email sequences. Dutch is more direct and less flowery than English - get to the point quickly
- Benelux Territory Planning: Building lists across Netherlands and Flemish Belgium (note: you're NOT targeting French-speaking Wallonia). Understanding key industries (tech, logistics, finance in NL; manufacturing in Belgium)
- Localization Work: Figuring out what messaging works. Dutch buyers are skeptical of hype and want practical ROI. You're testing and refining the approach
The Honest Reality
What's Hard
- Small Market: Netherlands is only 17M people, Flanders another 6M. Your total addressable market is smaller than France or Germany, so you need to be precise about targeting
- Dutch Directness: Dutch people will tell you bluntly when they're not interested. No polite brush-offs - you get straight "no" responses. It's efficient but can feel harsh coming from other cultures
- Price Sensitivity: Dutch buyers are famously cost-conscious. "Is this really worth the money?" comes up constantly. They want clear ROI
- Unknown Brand: Zero Glean brand awareness in Benelux. Every conversation starts with education
- Language Nuances: Some Dutch companies operate in English internally (especially tech companies in Amsterdam). You need to figure out when to speak Dutch vs. English, which varies by company and person
- Based in London: You're working from London office 3-4 days/week but selling to Netherlands/Belgium. Not on the ground in market
What Success Looks Like
- Book 10-15 qualified meetings per month from Dutch/Flemish accounts
- 25%+ convert to opportunities
- Help establish what works in Dutch market (messaging, ICP, channels)
- Navigate Dutch pragmatism and price sensitivity effectively
Who You're Selling To
Primary Buyers:
- IT Managers, IT Directors, CIOs
- CTOs at tech companies
- Operations leaders focused on efficiency
- Sometimes CEO/founders at smaller Dutch companies (they're accessible)
What They Care About:
- ROI: Dutch buyers want clear business case and cost justification
- Practicality: How does this actually work? What's the implementation like?
- Efficiency: Does it save time and money?
- GDPR/Privacy: European data protection requirements
- Proof: Case studies, references, proof points (Dutch are skeptical of claims)
Requirements
- Native or fluent Dutch - you'll speak Dutch 70-80% of the time
- Business-level English for internal team communication
- Understanding of Dutch business culture (directness, informality, pragmatism)
- Comfortable with smaller market size and precise targeting
- Can handle blunt rejection without taking it personally
- Resilient to building from zero with no established playbook
- Willing to work hybrid 3-4 days/week in London office