Paid Leads or 10% Commission: Which Model to Choose for Your Venue?

Introduction

When a venue decides to open its doors to corporate events, one question systematically arises: should you pay to receive enquiries (paid leads), or only pay when a sale is actually concluded (commission on quotes)? The two models operate on very different economic principles. We compare them here with three detailed simulations.

The two models in a sentence

Paid leads: You pay a fixed amount for each enquiry received, whether it results in a booking or not.
10% commission on signed quotes: You pay nothing until a booking is confirmed; the platform only earns revenue from events that actually take place.

A third model, still rare in the market, is worth mentioning: 0% commission on bookings, where the platform only charges the client company, leaving the venue with 100% of the invoiced amount.

Simulation 1: Bar for 40 people

Estimated average spend: 35 €/person → Event revenue: 1,400 €

Paid leads (15 € per lead, 1 in 4 conversion): Actual cost to secure the booking ≈ 60 €, or about 4.3% of the generated revenue — but this cost is incurred even for leads that don't convert.
10% commission on signed quotes: 140 € deducted, only if the event materialises.
0% commission: 0 € deducted, the venue retains the full 1,400 €.

For a small volume of events and a venue with a good conversion rate, paid leads can be cheaper in absolute terms. But as soon as the conversion rate drops, the cost per booking obtained quickly increases.

Simulation 2: Castle for a seminar, 100 people, full day

Estimated average spend: 150 €/person → Event revenue: 15,000 €

Paid leads: Even at 30-50 € per high-quality lead, the cost remains marginal (less than 1% of revenue) if the enquiry converts.
10% commission on signed quotes: 1,500 € deducted from the event.
0% commission: 0 €, the full 15,000 € goes to the venue.

For events with a very high average spend, the proportional commission quickly becomes the most expensive model in absolute terms, even if it remains painless in the event of no booking.

Simulation 3: Meeting room, 15 people, half-day

Estimated average spend: 40 €/person → Event revenue: 600 €

Paid leads: 15 € per lead, 1 in 5 conversion → actual cost ≈ 75 €, or 12.5% of the generated revenue — a significant relative burden for a small event.
10% commission on signed quotes: 60 € deducted, only if a booking is confirmed.
0% commission: 0 €.

For small events with a low average spend, the commission-on-quote model (or 0% commission) better protects profitability than paid leads, whose fixed cost weighs proportionally more heavily.

Summary table

Model	Cost if no conversion	Cost if conversion (high spend)	Cost if conversion (low spend)	Risk for the venue
Paid leads	Dead cost, non-recoverable	Low in %	High in %	High (payment without guarantee of result)
10% commission on quotes	0 €	High in absolute value	Moderate	None if no booking
0% commission	0 €	0 €	0 €	None

Which model to choose based on your venue's profile

High conversion rate and high average spend: Paid leads can be attractive in absolute terms, provided you manage your conversion rate.
High average spend and desire to eliminate all risk: Opt for a commission-free booking model, which guarantees you retain 100% of the invoiced amount.
New to B2B events: A 0% commission or commission-on-signed-quote model eliminates any risk of spending without return.

FAQ

Is the commission-on-quote model always more advantageous than paid leads?

Not systematically: for high-spend events and a good conversion rate, paid leads can be cheaper in absolute terms, but they carry a risk of spending without results.

What is a 0% commission on booking model?

This is a model where the venue pays no fees on bookings made through the platform, which generates its revenue elsewhere (fees charged to the client company).

How do you calculate the true cost of a paid lead?

By dividing the amount paid per lead by your actual conversion rate (number of bookings obtained from the number of leads received).

BookAfterWork offers venues a 0% commission on booking model: you receive qualified enquiries from companies and retain 100% of the invoiced amount. To learn more, discover how much a corporate after-work event really brings in and how to build a B2B dossier that converts.