Select High-Impact Events

Choosing the right trade shows is foundational. This section helps you identify events that align with your ideal customer profiles and business priorities to maximize ROI.

Why it's Important

Ensures you invest in events that generate real value
Helps avoid wasted budget on low-fit audiences
Supports more tailored messaging and positioning
Aligns field marketing efforts with business objectives
Builds a predictable pipeline from high-fit engagements

How to Implement

Identify ICPs and match them to trade show attendee profiles
Gather past performance data on trade show ROI
Use event databases (e.g., 10Times, TSNN) for research
Rank events by cost, reach, target audience alignment, and timing
Interview customers about which events they attend
Coordinate with sales to identify events that produce high-value conversations
Establish a trade show scoring framework
Create a ranked list of top 10 events to focus on

Available Workshops

Ideal Customer Profile Refinement
Event Fit Scoring Matrix Exercise
Budget Allocation Simulation
Customer Event Journey Mapping
Sales/Marketing Alignment Session
Post-Mortem on Last Year's Event Performance

Deliverables

Trade Show Fit Scorecard
Event Prioritization List
Event Budget Allocation Plan
Ideal Event Persona Alignment Chart
Top 10 Strategic Event List

How to Measure

ROI by event (revenue / total event cost)
Number of SQLs or opportunities sourced
Attendee to MQL conversion rate
Sales accepted lead (SAL) ratio from events
Historical conversion rate per event
Cost per lead (CPL) and cost per opportunity
Total pipeline generated per event

Real-World Examples

Drift

Chose SaaStr over broader events to reach B2B SaaS decision-makers.

Gong

Invested in small, targeted regional events over large trade shows based on buyer feedback.

Asana

Prioritized industry-specific conferences with high IT leadership presence.

Get It Right

Start with ICP, not event brand
Use data, not opinions, to drive selections
Align sales and marketing on event value
Review performance annually
Double down on events that work—drop the rest

Don't Make These Mistakes

Attending trade shows based on “brand name” or tradition
Ignoring audience composition
Skipping post-event analysis when choosing next year’s shows
Overextending your team with too many low-impact events
Underestimating smaller, niche events that convert well

Provided courtesy of Dawn Mallyon, Exhibitor Growth Strategies