The ROI of an NADA Booth Model

[Jeff Kershner]

Should vendors have booth models? I VOTE YES!!

But, how does a vendor measure the ROI of a booth model?

I have an answer! Wanna hear it?..Here it is!!

First, figure out your total cost for each booth model's attendance. Room, food, transportation, hairspray, makeup, etc.

Find out the total number of registered NADA dealer attendees for 2008. Each dealer attendees would be compared as an impression, like a banner ad on a website.

Every time your booth model makes eye contact, speaks or flirts with a dealer and gets them to approach the booth, this could be compared as a click on your banner ad. Evey time a booth model swipes a dealers pass card or T.O.'s over to a sales agent, this would be considered a lead conversion or the BMCR or "booth model conversion ratio".

Divide the total number of leads each booth model has acquired by the total cost of her attendance and this will give you the CPLPBM or "Cost per lead per booth model".

From here, you want to track your leads to signed contracts. Next, take your yearly net profit from each signed contract and subtract the total cost associated with each booth model.

There you have it!

This simple calculation will give you an exact ROI for each of your booth models.

Now of course this doesn't take into account the long term effect of a highly effective booth model. Example: Last year I almost fell in love with the stunning Andrea over at the vAuto booth and this year I was not going to miss the opportunity to get a photo with her. She's HOT!! Case in point for the long term effect here; I remembered Andrea from last year (though didn't catch her name) and made sure I stopped by the vAuto booth this year just to see Andrea. And of course ended up sitting through a demo for vAuto.

With that being said..your booth model is "like" a landing page. The more effective the landing page the better your lead conversion. The better looking and friendly your booth model, again the better your chances of a lead conversion.

Be sure your booth model has all the right elements for conversion and you can be guaranteed a successful return from your exhibit in NADA!

Andrea, if you read this..I know there was a connection between us during the short moment we had together, but I'm sorry, I just don't think it's going to work out between us. The long distance, one sided relationships are just too difficult, I'm sorry

 

[Brian in Etown]

What about ROI on balloons? Do you have a formula for that?
Maybe I should put that under "some dealers just don't get it" thread?

 

[Eric Miltsch (blog)]

Nice post Jeff.

I'm certain there's a direct correlation between the amount of 'clicks' on a booth model & their 'design.'

 

[Tim Morris]

Hey Jeff!

I think you are onto something! I have to wonder though: How do you calculate the ROI on your trip to San Fran??? All those pictures are beginning to make me wonder how you had any time to get anything done (business-wise, of course...)!!!

 

[Lao Shi]

Hmmmm I wonder about having the "Booth Babe" as a "chat host" on the dealer website. Give the visitor a choice, "Booth Babe" "Booth Dude" as we have many female clients in the market now. Hmmmm.

Great idea Jeff, as always, you never know what ideas you pick up at these trade shows.

 

[Shaun Raines]

Dude, you make me laugh! Great post. I'd like to see your giant gorilla ROI report next.

 

[Alex Snyder (blog)]

Ha Ha Ha! Jeff, that's hilarious!

Screw Checkered Flag - I'm hanging out with you next NADA.

 

[Mitch]

Funny as it sounds it's quite true. I ran a booth last year at the SXSW conference, and even during slow traffic periods, I could generate more interest by having the models walk around the event than by waiting for passers-by to arrive.

Of course the booth next to us was being promo'd by a guy in a gorilla custome brandishing a large hypodermic needle... so I guess that might have driven people our way as well.

 

[Scottym34]

Which one is Andrea?

 

[Brian in Etown]

I bet she is the second one from the bottom