Measuring ROI from Event Sponsorship
Eventlift Team ·
Sponsorship can feel like a black box. Here’s how to measure what you’re actually getting back.
Set goals before you sign
Define what “success” means for each deal:
- Awareness – Impressions, social reach, share of voice
- Leads – Sign-ups, scans, qualified contacts
- Revenue – Pipeline or sales tied to the event (when trackable)
If you can’t name 1–2 concrete outcomes, it’s hard to justify the spend later.
Track the right metrics
Reach & exposure
- Estimated impressions (attendees × possible touchpoints)
- Social mentions, hashtag usage, logo placements
- Media or PR clips
Engagement
- Booth visits, scans, demos, samples
- Session attendance (if you have speaking or workshops)
- Email or list growth from the event
Leads & pipeline
- New contacts by source (e.g. “TechConf 2024”)
- Lead quality (MQLs, SQLs, or similar)
- Opportunities and closed revenue attributed to the event
Use benchmarks where you can
Compare:
- Cost per lead vs. other channels (paid, webinars, etc.)
- Cost per impression vs. digital or OOH
- Brand lift or recall (if you run pre/post surveys)
This turns “it felt good” into “it performed.”
Report simply
For each sponsorship, summarize:
- Spend (fees + activation + labor)
- Key numbers (reach, leads, pipeline)
- Cost per lead or cost per impression
- 2–3 takeaways and one clear recommendation: repeat, tweak, or stop
Tip: When you’re browsing events on Eventlift, note audience size and format. Those inputs are the base for your reach and engagement forecasts.