Move over traditional marketers. Events continue to gain ground as a strategic tool for corporate America, with event marketing budgets expected to rise 15 percent to 20 percent this year, according to PROMO magazine's 2004 Event Marketing Study.

Last year's event-marketing budgets averaged $827,911, and 36 percent of the survey's 305 respondents plan an increase this year, compared to 45 percent who expect budgets to stay about the same and 8 percent who project a decrease.

As budgets grow, so too does executives' interest in events' return on investment. PROMO's survey found that counting heads (67 percent) was the preferred method of determining ROI, followed by sales (49 percent), the number of samples or coupons distributed (35 percent), and Internet activity (28 percent). Other methods used by respondents to assess ROI: feedback from attendees, new clients, number of leads, and retailer satisfaction.

PROMO, a sister publication of CMI, reports much more on its survey at www.promomagazine.com/ar/marketing_promo_exclusive_numbers.