There’s no one size fits all answer for how much you “get out” of attending major superyacht & trade shows (like the ones your firm attends), but from the data and from how your background positions you, we can pull out what you should expect, what you can measure, and how to maximise the return.
What you should expect (benefits)
Here are the main benefits of participating in trade shows, many of which apply directly to your work in superyachts.
- Brand awareness / credibility: Being visible at major shows signals you’re serious and credible. In one study, 76% of B2B marketers said live events were the best source of potential customers.
- Lead generation & meetings with decision makers: At many shows 80%+ of attendees are decision-makers or have buying authority. For a superyacht context, this is especially relevant when dealing with high value, complex projects.
- Product / innovation showcase & networking: Shows give you a chance to show your new innovations and meet suppliers, partners, refit business, charter owners, brokers etc.
- Market intelligence: You can see competitor offerings, new technologies, eco/hybrid advances (which you’re already tracking), and pick up trends in yacht-design, interior trends, charter requirements etc.
- Pipeline building + strategic relationships: Not every contact will translate to immediate revenue, but for you in building trust and relationships is critical for high value deals over time.
What you can measure (and how to calculate)
To justify the spend, you’ll want to build metrics and measure ROI (or ROO: Return on Objectives) specific to your company and show.
- Cost of attending / exhibiting: Include booth/exhibit cost, travel, accommodation, shipping of materials, staffing hours, pre-and post-event marketing. For major shows that can add up significantly.
- Leads captured: Number of qualified leads (e.g., yacht owners, brokers, refit programmes) from the show. Use lead-capture tools, meetings booked at the show, follow ups scheduled.
- Conversion rate / follow-up success: From leads to meetings, to proposals, to contracts. The higher your value per contract (which in your sector is very high) the more potential ROI.
- Revenue generated (or pipeline value): Ideally you can track how many projects you secured (or advanced) because of contacts or presence at the show.
Then compute: (Revenue generated Cost)÷Cost=ROI - Qualitative benefits / ROO: Brand positioning, new partnerships, supplier deals, market insights, media exposure.
These may not pay off immediately but build long term value.
