What is the difference between outstaffing and outsourcing?

Outstaffing focuses on hiring dedicated professionals to work as part of your team, while outsourcing involves delegating entire projects to an external company.

What are the benefits of outstaffing?

Outstaffing gives you control over your team, cost efficiency, and access to a larger talent pool.

How To Calculate Event ROI + Formula

5/29/2025 | 4 min read

Measuring event ROI involves more than just subtracting expenses from earnings. You also have to consider the time, effort, and resources you invest. 🧠💼

With so many factors - venue fees, travel costs, preparation hours - it’s no wonder many find ROI calculations overwhelming, especially when done manually. 😩📊

That’s where many event organizers give up, left unsure whether their event actually paid off. ❓💸

We’ve been there too.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to assess the overall performance and impact of your events, whether you’re hosting or attending.

💡 What is Event ROI?

📈 As you may know, ROI stands for “return on investment,” which measures how much money you make back from your spending. The other part of the term - event marketing - is a way for brands to connect directly with customers at conferences, trade shows, product launches etc.

When we say “event ROI,” we focus on the financial return you get from these live marketing occasions. This metric illustrates how much money these events bring your business compared to what you spend on hosting or attending them.

With this information, you can make informed decisions about future event marketing. It helps to determine event success and identify which participations are beneficial and which aren’t.

Here’s a formula you can use to calculate event ROI.

Having this data helps you determine which events are worth your investment, guiding smarter marketing and budgeting decisions moving forward. 💡💰

Event ROI Formula

Suppose your team took part in a major conference. You spent $8,000 on travel, booth space, materials, and staff wages. ✈️🏨

At the event, you generated $20,000 in direct revenue. 💵

Formula:
Event ROI (%) = (20,000 / 8,000) × 100 = 250% ✅

This means every dollar spent brought in $2.50 in return - a clear financial win. 🏆

But not all value is immediate or measurable. Think about:
🕐 Late-night logistics calls
📆 Weekend rehearsals
🤝 Leads that convert months later

That’s why Outsource Work created a better way to calculate and understand event ROI.

💸 Event Costs

The spendings depend on the event type and whether you’re hosting it or just attending it. However, there are some common event expenses to consider:

🏢 Venue or booth space – When it comes to in-person events, renting a venue space or a booth at a trade show is usually one of the most significant expenses.
✈️ Travel and accommodation – This includes flights, gas money, taxis and hotels for your team. If many employees attend the event, the costs can add up quickly.
🍽️ Food and drink – Food catering if you’re hosting an event or the meals you cover for your staff if they’re traveling to an event.
🖨️ Marketing materials – We included brochures, business cards and promotional giveaways in our event expenses. Think of them as an investment, as they help you increase brand awareness and share your contact details with potential customers.
🎤 Event technology and equipment – Sometimes, you may need to rent audio-visual equipment, interactive displays or similar gadgets. In the case of virtual events or hybrid events, you may have to pay for the platform, security, IT support etc.
👥 Staffing and labor costs – Some of your employees will work at the event. You have to pay them for their time at the event, which is often a more considerable sum than their regular hours.
📣 Event promotion – You should invest in promotion before the event to attract visitors. This includes social media posts, online ads, email marketing campaigns or PR posts.

🎯 Event Benefits

In order to calculate event ROI, we have to distinguish between the revenue generated at an event and additional event benefits, which are a broader category.

Event revenue is all about the money you make from an event, e.g. ticket sales, product sales and sponsorships. It shows how the event was successful financially for you. However, you should consider other metrics, too.

Event benefits cover all the positive outcomes from attending or hosting an event beyond just generating money expressed. Here are some of them:

Brand recognition – When people see your booth or hear your message, they begin to recognize your name, making them more likely to think of you when they need your products.
Lead generation – Some people may not become your customers immediately, but you’ve gathered their contact information, which you can use for follow-up or lead nurturing. That’s why it’s essential to also track the leads generated.
Networking opportunities – Events are great for networking and meeting other professionals in your industry. These connections can lead to partnerships or new business opportunities in the future.
Direct sales – Direct sales include products or services that you’ve sold during an event or business deals you’ve closed because of it.
Future sales – Even if you don’t make immediate sales, the leads you collect can lead to future business and event profit. This might take a while; that’s why it’s essential to master revenue recognition properly so that you can understand your finances better.
Marketing content generation – Events are excellent opportunities for creating branded content, such as short videos that can boost your social media engagement.

🤝 How Else Can Outsource Work Help You?

At Outsource Work, we’ve built tools that make managing your finances easy and intuitive.

🌟 Features include:

📊 All-in-One Dashboard
🔮 Financial Modeling
💬 Unlimited Support
🔄 Automation
🔗 Tool Integrations – QuickBooks, Stripe, Gusto, Wise & more

Ready for Financial Peace of Mind?

Founders shouldn’t lose sleep over spreadsheets. 😴❌

Outsource Work provides tools that simplify finances - so you can focus on building and scaling your business. 📈

💬 Book a demo today and see how we can help you make sense of your event performance and overall financial health.

🙋 FAQs

What does ROI mean?

Return on Investment - how much money you earn compared to what you spend.

What’s a typical event ROI?

Average ROI ranges from 25–34%, depending on industry and event type.

How do I calculate event ROI?

Use this formula:
ROI (%) = (Net Return / Net Cost) × 100
Remember to include both financial and non-financial returns.

How do I improve event ROI?

Promote strategically, attract your target audience, capture leads, follow up - and measure everything.