Interactive Tool

Trade Show ROI Calculator for Food Exporters

Heading to Anuga, Gulfood, or SIAL this season? Use this ROI calculator to build a complete picture of your exhibition costs, projected revenue, and payback horizon. Tailored to food exporters, it lets you model booth spend, travel, collateral, and staff hours alongside conversion assumptions so you can justify the trip with clear numbers.

Enter a few assumptions and you'll instantly see total investment, projected profit, break-even deals, and cost-per-lead benchmarks. The calculator compares your trade show budget to FoodExpoConnect's marketplace pricing, making it easy to understand when it's smarter to invest in travel versus purchasing verified buyer leads. Every scenario also feeds a personalized PDF report you can share with finance, partners, or export agencies.

Below you will find guidance on how each input affects overall ROI, a savings breakdown against our Phase 2 marketplace tiers, and an FAQ covering trade show budgeting best practices. Bookmark the page to rerun forecasts for different markets, or subscribe to FoodExpoConnect STARTER to unlock CSV exports and upcoming profitability tools for exporters, importers, and logistics teams.

Total investment

$35,100

$160 per lead

Projected ROI

953.0%

$334,500 projected profit

Break-even deals

Deals required to cover investment

Cost breakdown

Trade show vs. marketplace

ROI gauge

We highlight ROI range by color: red when you are underwater, yellow when you are breaking even, and green once projected profit exceeds 50%.

953.0%ROI

Strong ROI

Marketplace comparison

Buying 220 verified leads at $50 per lead would cost$11,000.
Compared to your current trade show budget,you would save $24,100(69% cost reduction).
Lead marketplace returns in Phase 2.Join the waitlist

How to use this calculator

Adjust the investment inputs to reflect your booth expenses, travel, marketing, and staff time for an upcoming trade show. Then refine conversion metrics to match your historical performance. The calculator instantly displays cost per lead, projected revenue, and ROI so you can understand whether the event is profitable.

We also highlight a comparison against FoodExpoConnect's verified lead marketplace. While the marketplace is paused during Phase 1, you can still collect cost benchmarks and join the waitlist. When Phase 2 launches, you'll be notified to purchase leads at bronze, silver, or gold tiers with transparent pricing.

Download the report to receive a PDF summary and a drip sequence with five practical tips on maximizing trade show ROI over the next three weeks. Upgrade to STARTER to unlock CSV exports and future interactive tools.

Frequently asked questions

What costs should I include in the trade show budget?

Add every direct expense tied to exhibiting: booth rental, travel, lodging, marketing materials, staffing, samples, and follow-up campaigns. The calculator helps you visualize their combined impact on ROI.

How do I estimate conversion rate accurately?

Start with historical close rates from similar trade shows. If you do not have data, use 3-5% for cold outbound, 6-8% for warm meetings, and update once you benchmark real outcomes.

Can I save multiple scenarios?

Download the PDF for each configuration to your CRM or shared drive. In a later release we will allow saving directly inside FoodExpoConnect. Upgrade to STARTER for CSV exports and new tools as they launch.

How soon will the marketplace reopen?

Phase 2 begins once verified email enrichment is live and we surpass $5K MRR. Join the waitlist from your dashboard and we will notify you when lead purchasing resumes.

Can I buy leads instead of attending a trade show?

Absolutely. The comparison section shows how much you would spend on FoodExpoConnect marketplace leads at $50 each. When the marketplace relaunches, you can buy bronze, silver, or gold tiers with full contact data.