Return on a robot at a trade show: how to calculate it
Is a robot at a trade-show stand worth it? A simple way to compare the cost of your stand with what the robot brings.
What the stand costs
Add up the cost of exhibiting: floor space, stand build, transport, accommodation and your sales team’s time. That gives you the cost per day and per quality contact – the number the robot should improve.
What the robot brings
The robot sells nothing on its own. Its job is to stop people in the aisle and give your team a chance to talk. Track conversations, scanned badges or QR codes and enquiries after the show.
A simple calculation
- Calculate the stand cost per day
- Count contacts per day without a robot (from last year)
- Cost per contact = cost ÷ contacts
- With the robot, add its price to the costs and count contacts again
- If the cost per contact falls, the robot paid off
When it pays off
Mainly where the stand is expensive and many people walk past but few stop – typically large trade shows with hundreds of exhibitors.
When it probably won’t
At small specialist meetings with low attendance a robot may not bring enough new contacts. More on the trade shows page.
