Survey: Sales leads from expos are cost-effective

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CEIR’s study, “The Cost Effectiveness of Exhibition Participation: Part I,” showed that companies spend an average of $215 to make an initial face-to-face visit with a potential customer at a trade show, taking into account booth construction, storage, transportation, staffing, salaries and other expo costs. This compared with an average of $1,039 per lead in identifying and contacting a prospect in the field.

In addition, two-thirds of respondents said fewer sales calls are needed to close a sale with an exhibition lead, because of the prospect’s direct contact with sales or technical staff and first-hand experience with products at the show.

CEIR’s telephone survey gauged feedback from 214 respondent companies with annual sales of more than $50 million that exhibit at about seven shows a year.