Brand Authority
Speaking at industry events positions your company as a thought leader, creating inbound interest for 6-12 months post-event.
Step 1: Event Metrics
Event Metrics
505,000
1090
20100
Event ROI
0.26x
-74% return
Pipeline Value
$67,500.00
14 SQLs generated
Cost per SQL
$962.96
Event-sourced acquisition cost
Closed Deals
0.7
From 225 attendees
Net Profit
$-9,625.00
Revenue minus costs
Cost per Attendee
$57.78
225 attended
Opportunity Identified
Maximize event follow-up with intent signals. Glimpss identifies which attendees are actively researching solutions.
Optimize with GlimpssRelated Calculators
Calculator Knowledge Base and Scientific Documentation
Quick Reference
Quick Reference
Event ROI measures the return on investment from webinars, conferences, and trade shows by comparing revenue generated against total event costs. Healthy B2B event ROI is 3-5x. Top performers achieve 6-8x through effective follow-up and lead nurturing.
The Scientific Model
The Scientific Model
Event ROI Formula
Formula
Calculates percentage return by comparing closed revenue attributed to event attendees against all event costs including venue, promotion, staff time, and follow-up.
Why this approach: Understanding true event ROI helps allocate budget between event types and optimize the registration-to-close funnel.
People Also Ask
People Also Ask
- What is a good ROI for B2B events in 2026?
- For webinars, target 4-6x ROI (lower cost, higher scalability). For trade shows, 2-4x is healthy given higher costs. In-person hosted events should achieve 3-5x. ROI under 2x typically indicates poor attendee quality or follow-up execution.
- How do I calculate event costs accurately?
- Include: venue/platform fees, speaker costs, promotion spend, staff time (registration to follow-up), travel costs, swag/materials, technology (registration, scanning, CRM), and opportunity cost of sales team time away from deals.
- How long should I track event-attributed revenue?
- Use a 12-18 month attribution window for enterprise B2B, 6-9 months for mid-market. First touches at events often convert 6+ months later. Track both first-touch and influenced revenue for complete picture.
- Webinar vs trade show ROI comparison?
- Webinars: Lower cost, higher volume, 4-6x ROI typical, 30-40% attendance rate. Trade shows: Higher cost, better lead quality, 2-4x ROI typical, stronger relationship building. Mix depends on sales motion and deal size.
Contextual ROI: The Intangibles
Contextual ROI: The Intangibles
Events create value beyond direct pipeline that compounds over time.
Competitive Intel
Events provide direct competitor observation and prospect objection insights unavailable through other channels.
Partnership Development
In-person events facilitate partner and integration discussions that accelerate ecosystem growth.
Content Repurposing
Event presentations become blog posts, social content, and sales assets extending ROI beyond direct attendee pipeline.
Assumptions & Limitations
Assumptions & Limitations
Key Assumptions
- *Revenue attribution follows first-touch or primary-touch model
- *Event costs include all associated labor valued at hourly rates
- *Attendee-to-opportunity conversion reflects historical rates
- *Deal sizes and close rates are consistent with overall sales data
Limitations
- !Multi-touch attribution may allocate revenue differently
- !Brand awareness effects are not quantified
- !Long sales cycles may extend beyond measurement window
Aggregated from 2026 industry-standard B2B performance research