Trade Show ROI Calculator
Calculate the ROI of attending trade shows and industry events. Factor in booth costs, travel, staff time, and leads generated to determine if your event spend is generating sufficient return.
Formula & Reference
| Variable | Formula | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Trade Show ROI Calculator | Trade Show ROI = (Revenue from Leads - Total Cost) / Cost * 100 | % |
Step-by-Step Examples
$5k booth, $3k travel, $2k staff, $1k materials, 50 leads, 10% CVR, $5k deal.
- Total cost: $11,000
- Expected deals: 5 | Revenue: $25,000
- ROI: ($25k-$11k)/$11k = 127%
- CPL: $220 | CPA: $2,200
$20k sponsorship, $5k travel, $3k materials, 200 leads, 5% CVR, $10k deal.
- Total cost: $28,000
- Expected deals: 10 | Revenue: $100,000
- ROI: 257%
$8k booth, $4k travel, $2k staff, 20 leads, 5% CVR, $2k deal.
- Total cost: $14,000
- Expected deals: 1 | Revenue: $2,000
- ROI: -85.7% - catastrophic!
- Reconsider this event or improve lead generation strategy
Real-World Applications
Common Mistakes to Avoid
While staff are at the trade show, they're not doing their regular revenue-generating work. Include the opportunity cost, not just direct travel costs.
If you don't attribute closed deals to specific events, you can't calculate ROI. Tag all trade show leads in your CRM with the event source.
Trade show leads are often warmer and higher-intent than digital leads. Compare on cost per qualified lead and cost per acquisition, accounting for lead quality differences.