3. Direct value on show investment.

The real profit from an exhibit can be defined as value. Value can be looked at in both the short and long term. a. Short term value In the short term the best you can hope for is based on the actual counts you made at the show - the number of leads, inquiries or sales. Here you calculate your ROSI as a cost per lead or inquiry. b. Long term value There is more to a show than immediate results. Much will happen in the weeks, months and years following your show appearance. Calculating long term value starts with the premise that no matter how seriously you were taken on the show floor, the chance of getting 100% of the people you meet to actually commit to your products and services is slim. Your closing rate is the number of leads to the number of actual sales or contracts received. Therefore if you gathered 100 qualified leads and you are likely to develop three customers out of every 10 leads and if the average opening order is $1,000, your show investment of $10,000 will give a ROSI of $ 30,000 (30 new customers with an average opening order of $1,000).

Tracking information

ROSI information can be gathered at the show as well as after. The method you choose will be the one that best suits your objectives.

Sales figures, lead information or customer inquiries are easily tracked on the show floor. Where your objectives involve such things as image or awareness, you will need to take some post show action such as show survey. A random sample will suffice. Reach these people within two weeks of the show and ask them questions that relate to your exhibiting objectives.

Calculating your ROSI

When calculating your ROSI, ensure that the following four steps are included.

1. Complete the show budget. Your budget was based on estimates from past show experiences or by talking to your suppliers. Now complete the budget with the actual costs of exhibiting.

2. Add up your results and compare. By looking at your short term results (number of leads, responses to the telemarketing surveys, etc., and comparing these to your actual costs, you are armed with some good information to begin to evaluate the value of the show and your future plans.

3. Conduct a post-show debriefing. To get the biggest bang for your buck invite all those who helped you with the show including staff, suppliers, show management etc, to the briefing. Gather anecdotal and empirical feedback. Don’t get defensive, just listen and record everything.

4. Take all the information gathered from steps 1,2 & 3 to decide your future exhibiting direction.

Creating the right method of determining your ROSI is worth the effort. The number of show options has increased and the cost of exhibiting is skyrocketing. You need to make the right choices the first time. Knowing what works and what doesn’t is crucial. ROSI is not magic. It just boils down to good business practices.

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