How to Measure the ROI of Your Trade Show Marketing

by | Feb 2, 2015 | Trade Show Tips

How to Measure the ROI of Your Trade Show Marketing

​These days, there are all kinds of helpful software programs that make it easy for business owners to measure the ROI of their online marketing campaigns, such as web ads and social media campaigns. Unfortunately, however, tracking a company’s ROI can be a little more of a challenge when it comes to offline advertising.

For example, if your company attends trade shows regularly as a means of finding new clients, it could take months or even years to get an idea as to your success. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can follow to better track your trade show marketing ROI.

Define Goals and Metrics Ahead of Time

At least a few weeks before the trade show, take the time to sit down with the employees who will be working the trade show and establish goals. What would be considered a “successful” trade show? Maybe you’d like to gain a few new clients, or perhaps you just want to better establish your business as an industry-leader. Either way, you’ll want to set these goals with your employees and come up with the specific metrics needed to measure them accurately.

Use Your Existing CRM Software

Just as you use your CRM software to track the success of your online marketing campaigns, you can do the same with the events you attend. This is a great way to ultimately measure the success of your event appearances versus the ROI of your online marketing.

A good way to “track” your trade show is to enter it as a lead on your CRM software; from there, as you enter your metrics, you can see in real-time how your convention appearance is doing in terms of ROI.

Use Calculation After the Trade Show

Finally, if you’ve attended multiple conventions in the past, your previous metrics can be a good way to make predictions about your trade show ROI in the future. Yes, they may not be 100% accurate because it may take months or years to truly determine what the outcome of your leads will be, but this can at least give you an idea of your success in the meantime.

Measuring the ROI of your trade show marketing can be a challenge, but by following these tips, you’ll be on your way to doing so in no time. From there, you can determine what changes need to be made to create a more successful convention for your business whether it be updating your displays or taking a different approach altogether.

Infinity Exhibits provides clients with stunning trade show display systems that are budget-conscious, yet don’t compromise on presence or style. Call us when you’re ready to plan out your next display!

Carlos A. Espitia
Latest posts by Carlos A. Espitia (see all)
Live Chat Software