Measuring SMS campaign ROI
SMS marketing at KES 0.50 per message is cheap. But cheap does not matter if you cannot tell which campaigns actually bring in customers. Here is how to measure what works.
Metrics That Matter
Delivery rate. How many of your messages actually reached a phone. If your delivery rate is below 90 %, you have old or wrong numbers in your list. Clean your list before your next send. The SokoWise delivery report shows exactly how many messages were delivered and how many failed.
Response rate. How many people replied, visited your shop, or used your offer code. For a flash sale SMS sent to 1,000 customers, if 50 people show up, that is a 5 % response rate. Track this for every campaign so you know which offers work.
Conversion rate. Of the people who responded, how many actually bought something. If 50 people showed up and 30 bought, your conversion is 60 %. This is the number that tells you if your offer is right.
Calculating Cost Per Conversion
At KES 0.50 per SMS, a campaign to 1,000 customers costs KES 500.
- 1,000 SMS x KES 0.50 = KES 500 total cost
- 30 customers buy = 30 conversions
- Cost per conversion = KES 500 ÷ 30 = KES 16.67
If each customer spends an average of KES 500, you made KES 15,000 on a KES 500 spend. That is a 30x return.
Compare this to other channels:
- A flyer run costs KES 5,000+ for printing and distribution.
- A radio ad costs KES 50,000+ for one slot.
- SMS at KES 0.50 each is your cheapest option.
Using SokoWise Analytics
The SokoWise dashboard stores every campaign you send. You can:
- View delivery reports side by side.
- Compare response rates across different days and times.
- See which Sender ID gets better open rates.
- Export data to track trends month over month.
Run one campaign now, check the delivery report, and adjust your next one. That is all it takes to improve.
Log in to your SokoWise dashboard and check your last campaign's delivery report.