Return on investment / Marketing Terms Return on investment Return on investment (ROI) is a core financial metric that measures the profitability of an investment by comparing the net gain to the cost. It helps businesses and organisations evaluate the effectiveness of campaigns, projects or resource allocations by showing how much return was generated relative to the amount invested. ROI is widely used in both marketing and operational decision-making. ROI is calculated by subtracting the cost of an investment from the revenue it generated, then dividing that result by the cost. The formula is: ROI = (Net Profit ÷ Investment Cost) × 100 For example, if a nonprofit spends $5,000 on a campaign that generates $20,000 in donations, the ROI would be 300 percent. In marketing, ROI can apply to email campaigns, ad spend, software tools, training programs or infrastructure upgrades. While high ROI is desirable, context matters. A campaign may deliver lower immediate ROI but provide long-term value through brand growth or customer retention. For B2B and SaaS companies, ROI supports smarter decision-making about lead generation channels, sales enablement tools or automation systems. For nonprofits, it helps assess the impact of fundraising efforts, partnerships or outreach initiatives. To ensure accurate ROI measurement, teams should track not only direct revenue but also indirect outcomes, including customer lifetime value, volunteer engagement or operational savings. Using analytics platforms, CRM systems and dashboards makes it easier to attribute results to specific efforts and improve future planning.