1 min read

Tradeshow ROI: What to Expect

Tradeshow ROI: What to Expect

What ROI can you expect from a tradeshow? Exhibitor magazine uses the following as a benchmark:

what to expect tradeshow roi$189 per attendee that visits your booth

$276 per attendee that engages in conversation

Is this a good value? Compare it to other sales methods:

Cost of an initial face-to-face meeting: 

$96 for a tradeshow lead vs.   $1039 without a trade show lead ($443 to identify prospect prior to initial sales call; $596 for field sales call) 
-Exhibitor

Calls required to close sales:

54% of sales initiated from a trade show lead require 3 or fewer sales calls to close  vs.  61% of sales from other sources require 3 or MORE calls to close
-Center for Exhibition Industry Research

How does this stack up for advanced manufacturing companies? Optics and photonics companies that attended Photonics West 2013, for example, averaged 42 leads. Based on typical costs, that’s $258 per lead — that's slightly lower than benchmark.

Do you measure ROI? Looking to improve it? Download our quick-reference tip sheet for maximizing tradeshow ROI.

Navigating Competitive Landscapes in 2025

Navigating Competitive Landscapes in 2025

In today’s volatile market, understanding your competitive landscape isn’t just a strategic advantage—it’s a survival skill. Whether you're facing...

Read More
Tariffs and Other Troubles: How to Craft a Response Strategy for Tough News

Tariffs and Other Troubles: How to Craft a Response Strategy for Tough News

Editor's note: This article was originally published in 2019. This is a good reminder that everything changes, and nothing changes. There are...

Read More
Get Ahead with Grant Opportunities for Optics & Photonics

Get Ahead with Grant Opportunities for Optics & Photonics

Ways to Stretch Marketing Budgets with Grant Funding In a time of economic uncertainty, you need marketing more than ever to hit your goals, but like...

Read More