Show rate
In short
Show rate is the share of scheduled meetings or demos that the prospect actually attends. It is calculated as meetings held divided by meetings booked, usually expressed as a percentage.
A booked meeting is not a conversation until someone shows up. Tracking show rate reveals how many of your SDR's bookings become real opportunities for account executives.
How to calculate show rate
Divide meetings held by meetings scheduled in the same period. If a team books 50 meetings and 35 take place, the show rate is 70 percent. This number is an example only. Decide up front how reschedules and cancellations are counted, and keep it consistent.
Why show rate drops
- Long gap between booking and meeting, which lets interest fade.
- Weak commitment, such as a meeting accepted just to end a call.
- No reminders or no calendar invite.
- Unclear value: the prospect does not know why the meeting matters.
- Wrong attendee, so the person invited has no authority or interest.
How to improve it
Book sooner
Offer the earliest reasonable slot instead of one far out.
State the purpose
Put the agenda and expected outcome in the invite.
Send reminders
Use a confirmation immediately, then a reminder the day before and shortly before the meeting.
Confirm the attendee
Make sure the decision maker or a real influencer is invited.
Add something of value
Share a short resource or relevant example before the call.
Follow up on no-shows fast
Reach out the same day with an easy way to reschedule.
Show rate vs meeting booked rate
Meeting booked rate measures how often outreach leads to a scheduled meeting. Show rate measures how many of those meetings happen. A team can have strong bookings and a weak show rate.
Common mistakes
- Celebrating bookings and ignoring attendance.
- Treating all no-shows as lost instead of rebooking.
- Not tracking by source, so you cannot tell which channels produce flaky meetings.
- Skipping reminders.
Show rate FAQs
What is show rate in sales?
Show rate is the percentage of scheduled sales meetings or demos that the prospect attends. You calculate it by dividing meetings held by meetings booked. It shows how many booked meetings become actual conversations.
How do you calculate show rate?
Divide the number of meetings that took place by the number scheduled in the same period, then multiply by 100. Decide in advance how you count reschedules and cancellations, and apply the same rule every time.
How can you improve your show rate?
Book meetings sooner, state the agenda in the invite, send confirmations and reminders, invite the right attendee, share something useful beforehand, and follow up with no-shows the same day to rebook. Small steps compound.
What is the difference between show rate and meeting booked rate?
Meeting booked rate measures how often outreach results in a scheduled meeting. Show rate measures how many of those scheduled meetings are actually attended. Both are needed to judge whether outreach produces real conversations.
