Jarek Ruminski
Business Culture
The meeting went well. Nobody objected. Several people nodded. Someone said, “Let’s stay in touch.” Now comes the dangerous part: the follow-up.
In Nordic business, a good follow-up is useful, specific and pleasantly free from emotional theatre. Your customer does not need three paragraphs explaining how “truly excited” you are about “this amazing journey together.”
Send a short message within one business day. Thank them, confirm the main points and state what happens next. If you promised a price, reference, technical document or revised proposal, include it. Reliability is more persuasive than enthusiasm with six exclamation marks.
Avoid the famous sales email: “Just checking in.” Checking what, exactly? Instead, give the recipient a reason to reply. Mention the decision, question or next action: “You asked about implementation time; attached is the proposed eight-week plan.”
Timing matters. Swedish and Finnish organisations may need internal consultation. Norwegian buyers may want operational reassurance. Danish counterparts can appreciate faster momentum. Silence for several days does not automatically mean rejection, but endless silence should not become your strategy.
If there is no response, follow up again with new value: a relevant case, clarified pricing or a concrete meeting suggestion. The principle is simple: never create extra work for the buyer. Make the next step easier than doing nothing. That is good follow-up almost everywhere. In the Nordics, it is close to a competitive advantage.
Aurixon’s practical business-culture guides provide country-specific phrases, scenarios and decision-making insights for exactly these moments.
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