Built by momencio for event marketers who need to make the financial case for events before the budget is committed — not after.
💡 How to use this: Work through the four inputs to build your projection, use the benchmark tables to pressure-test your assumptions, then use the three outputs section to frame the conversation with leadership. The objections section at the end is for the room.
These are the only four numbers you need to build a credible pre-event ROI projection. Use your own CRM data wherever possible. Use the benchmark tables in Section 3 where you don’t have your own.
| Input | What it measures | Where to find it | Benchmark fallback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified conversations | Estimated number of real, ICP-fit conversations you expect to have at the event — not badge scans, not booth visitors | Past event CRM data for this show or comparable shows | 2–5% of total event attendance for mid-market B2B shows |
| Lead-to-opportunity conversion rate | The percentage of event conversations that become qualified sales opportunities | Your CRM: filter closed opportunities by event source over the last 12–24 months | 5–20% depending on qualification rigor and follow-up speed (see Section 3) |
| Average deal size | Your average closed-won deal value for the buyer profile attending this event | CRM: average of closed-won deals from event-sourced pipeline in the last 12 months | Use your overall average as a starting point; adjust for enterprise vs. mid-market mix |
| Total all-in event cost | Every dollar the event will cost — not just the booth fee | Add: booth space + build/rental + shipping + travel + accommodation + staffing time + materials + pre-event outreach | Booth fee is typically 30–40% of total event cost; multiply by 2.5–3x for a realistic all-in estimate |
⚠️ The most common mistake: Projecting from booth cost alone. If you spend $15,000 on floor space and your total all-in cost is actually $45,000, your ROI calculation will be off by a factor of three before you have even started.
Run these three calculations from your projection inputs. These are the numbers that land in a CFO or VP of Sales conversation — because they are the same metrics used to evaluate every other investment the business makes.