Trade Show ROI Calculator
Find out if your next trade show is worth the investment. Enter your costs and targets — we'll crunch the numbers.
How the ROI Calculator Works
Answer a few questions about your trade show investment — we'll calculate your expected return instantly.
Enter Your Investment
Input booth costs, staffing, marketing spend, shipping, and other expenses.
Set Your Goals
Tell us your lead targets, deal values, and expected close rates for an accurate projection.
Unlock Your Results
Enter your name and email to see full results — and get a shareable link to send to your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything exhibitors ask us about calculating trade show return.
How do I calculate trade show ROI?+
Trade show ROI is (revenue generated from show leads − total cost of attending) ÷ total cost, expressed as a percentage. Costs include booth fees, travel, staffing, shipping, giveaways, and pre/post-show marketing. Revenue is the closed-won value from leads sourced at the show, typically tracked over a 6-12 month attribution window.
What counts as a "good" trade show ROI?+
Benchmarks vary by industry, but most B2B exhibitors target a 4:1 to 5:1 return — meaning $4-$5 in closed revenue for every $1 spent. A first-year attendance commonly runs 1:1 to 2:1 while sales cycles complete; returning shows with refined targeting often hit 6:1 or higher.
Should I include staff salaries in my trade show cost?+
Yes, if you want a realistic picture. Factor in the fully-loaded cost of each staffer (salary + benefits, pro-rated over show days), their travel and hotel, and the opportunity cost of their time away from other revenue-generating work. Leaving this out makes the ROI look artificially high.
How many leads do I need to break even?+
Break-even leads = total cost ÷ (average deal size × close rate). Example: $30,000 show cost, $20,000 average deal, 15% close rate → 10 qualified leads to break even. The calculator walks through this math with your numbers.
How long should I track leads after a trade show?+
Attribute leads for the length of your typical sales cycle plus 30 days, usually 3-12 months. Tag every lead with the show name in your CRM at capture so multi-touch conversions don't get misattributed to later marketing channels.
Is the TradeShowBuzz ROI calculator free?+
Yes — the calculator is free, no login required. We ask for your name and email to unlock the full results breakdown and send you a shareable link you can forward to your team or budget approver.