Key Insight
A JPSC coaching institute in Ranchi used RCS messaging during admission season and generated 340% more confirmed admissions compared to their previous SMS-only campaign. Full case study with campaign structure, messaging templates, and ROI breakdown.
The Challenge
The institute ran two admission campaigns every year — April-June and October-November. Previous campaigns relied entirely on SMS bulk messaging and Facebook ads.
Results from the previous April SMS campaign:
- SMS sent: 42,000
- Open rate: Estimated 15-20% (no confirmation)
- Calls received from campaign: 380
- Confirmed admissions: 54
- SMS cost: Rs 5,040 (at Rs 0.12/msg)
- Facebook ads supplemental cost: Rs 45,000
- Total spend: Rs 50,040
- Cost per admission: Rs 927
The institute's primary complaint: "We have 42,000 leads but only 54 admissions. The rest are not converting."
The Strategy
Scalify Labs designed a 3-phase RCS campaign replacing the bulk SMS approach:
Phase 1 — Awareness (6 weeks before batch): RCS message to full database with upcoming batch details, faculty credentials, and pass percentage statistics. Rich card format with institute logo and exam-specific imagery. Phase 2 — Urgency (3 weeks before batch): Seat availability counter. "68 seats available out of 150 — July batch." One-tap "Confirm Seat" button leading to payment link. Phase 3 — Last Call (5 days before registration close): "12 seats remaining." Personalised by exam type — JPSC aspirants saw JPSC batch details, Railway aspirants saw Railway batch message.Campaign Execution
Phase 1 message:- Header: Institute banner with faculty photos
- Text: "July JPSC/JSSC Batch begins 7 July. 94% of our 2024 batch qualified in prelims. Faculty: [Names]. Weekend + Evening batches available."
- CTAs: "Download Schedule" | "Enrol Now" | "Call Counsellor"
- Sent: 42,000 contacts
- Cost: Rs 7,560 (at Rs 0.18/msg)
- Header: Batch seating graphic showing 68 available
- Text: "Hi [Name], 68 seats remain for July batch. JPSC 2025 notification expected September — start preparation now."
- CTAs: "Reserve Seat Now" | "Pay Admission Fee" | "Ask a Question"
- Sent: 42,000 contacts
- Cost: Rs 7,560
- Personalised by exam type
- "12 seats remaining. Batch closes Friday."
- Sent: 18,000 contacts (who did not convert in Phase 1 or 2)
- Cost: Rs 3,240
Free Strategy Call
Launch Your Digital Marketing Career in 3 Months
Get a custom plan for your business — free 30-min session with Arvind.
Results
| Metric | Previous SMS Campaign | RCS Campaign | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Messages sent | 42,000 | 42,000 (Phase 1+2) | Same |
| Confirmed delivery | ~38,000 (estimated) | 41,200 (tracked) | Higher |
| Read rate | 15-20% (estimated) | 88% | +340% |
| Calls to counsellor | 380 | 1,240 | +226% |
| Website visits from campaign | Not tracked | 3,800 | New metric |
| Confirmed admissions | 54 | 238 | +340% |
| Total campaign cost | Rs 50,040 | Rs 33,360 | -33% |
| Cost per admission | Rs 927 | Rs 140 | -85% |
Revenue Impact
The institute charges Rs 22,000 per student for a 6-month JPSC preparation course.
| Metric | Previous | RCS Campaign |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions | 54 | 238 |
| Revenue generated | Rs 11,88,000 | Rs 52,36,000 |
| Marketing cost | Rs 50,040 | Rs 33,360 |
| Net revenue | Rs 11,37,960 | Rs 52,02,640 |
| Revenue ROI | 24x | 156x |
What Drove the Difference
1. Open rate: 88% vs estimated 15-20% for SMS. 3.8x more leads actually saw the message. 2. Rich content: Showing faculty photos, pass percentage data, and batch seating visually built credibility that plain SMS could not. 3. One-tap conversion: The "Reserve Seat Now" button that directly linked to the payment page reduced friction dramatically. Previous SMS campaigns required the lead to save the number, call, wait, and then be guided to payment. 4. Personalisation by exam type: JPSC aspirants saw JPSC-specific content. Railway exam aspirants saw Railway batch details. Relevance improved CTR by an estimated 40%. 5. Timing: Phase messages were sent on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7 PM — peak engagement time for competitive exam aspirants in Jharkhand.Key Learnings for Coaching Institutes
Build the database first. The institute had 42,000 leads because they had been collecting form fills for 18 months. Institutes without a database should start collecting immediately — every walk-in, every website enquiry, every seminar attendee. Multi-phase beats single blast. Three targeted sends converted far better than one bulk blast. Each phase was justified by a real update (batch announced, seats reducing, last call). The counsellor call is still the close. RCS drove 1,240 calls to the counsellor. The counsellor team converted 238 of those. The call remains the closing mechanism — RCS fills the pipeline.Frequently Asked Questions
Can this work for smaller coaching institutes with fewer leads?
Yes — even a database of 5,000-10,000 leads produces significant results if the campaigns are structured correctly. The minimum order of 50,000 messages can cover multiple sends to a smaller database.
Does this work for national coaching chains too?
Yes — and at scale, the economics improve dramatically. A national chain with 5 lakh leads running 3 RCS sends per admission season spends Rs 2.7 lakh and typically generates hundreds of crores in fee revenue.
What about WhatsApp — why not use WhatsApp for this?
WhatsApp Business API would cost Rs 3,44,400 for the same 42,000 contacts across 3 sends. The RCS campaign cost Rs 18,360. WhatsApp is 19x more expensive for the same reach.
Run your coaching institute RCS campaign with Scalify Labs: Contact Us Related: RCS for Coaching Institutes · RCS Pricing India Author: Arvind Gupta, Scalify Labs — this case study is based on a campaign managed by our team. Client identity withheld for privacy. Last updated: May 2026.
Scalify Labs · Ranchi, Jharkhand
Ready to grow your business with digital marketing?
Free 30-minute strategy session with Arvind — no commitment, no pitch, just a clear growth plan.
Founder, Scalify Labs
Founder of Scalify Labs · 17+ years in digital marketing · Ranchi, Jharkhand. Has helped 100+ Indian businesses build profitable digital marketing systems.