So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you’ve seen the glowing testimonials. Read about the all-in-one magic. Read how it can replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (kind of) Can You Sell Physical Products on GoHighLevel.
I get it. The guarantee is appealing: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the idea of improving whatever under one roof covering seems like a productivity desire. However let me stop you right there … due to the fact that I fell for the buzz. And I wish someone had ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Do not do it.”
In this short article, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from confident starts to a total 180. If you’re seriously considering making the switch, read this first. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Considered GoHighLevel
You ever before get that crave something new? Like when your preferred set of shoes instantly feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you might remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– five, to be exact. And truthfully, it functioned fantastic.
I mean, Keap took care of whatever: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the means I ran my service. Sure, it wasn’t excellent, yet it was trustworthy. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, but it gets you where you require to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin eyeing the fancy new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of shiny things syndrome. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re a business owner like me, you understand precisely what I’m talking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming about a “game-changer,” you begin asking yourself if you’re missing out. And before I understood it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel demonstrations and thinking, “Maybe it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Cost of Changing: What It Really Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your company’s whole tech pile is brutal. I want I can inform you I just clicked a button and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Here’s a look of what I really went through:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (by hand).
- Reconstruct a dozen automations from square one– points like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, project status, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected repayment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near 40 hours fiddling with settings and screening workflows.
And let’s not fail to remember the mental power it sucked out of me. You understand that worn down, brain-fried sensation after staring at your screen for also lengthy? That was my life for two weeks right.
I informed myself, “This pain will deserve it.” It wasn’t.
When It All Began Falling Apart
Initially, it resembled points were functioning. Automations were shooting. Emails were heading out. Funnels were real-time. I exhaled a little.
After that– turmoil.
One morning I got up to a problem: 171 emails had actually been sent to the wrong team of contacts. Totally unimportant content. Three days straight. And not the very same individuals either– various sets each time. I was frightened.
I tore via the automation setups, erased and rebuilt series, also reached out to sustain. Their response? “Server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No responsibility. And the emails simply maintained going out like a rogue robotic on autopilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My audience mattered way too much to run the risk of one more screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Fatality by Irritation
Let me paint you a picture. You’re trying to fine-tune a workflow. Straightforward job, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that don’t make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in places no person would logically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even get me began. You need to gain access to three different configuration panels– spread throughout the user interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It felt like assembling IKEA furniture without instructions. I intended to like the flexibility, yet every little thing concerning the user experience made me seem like I required a designer sitting alongside me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who had actually been running automations and developing funnels for several years. If I was having a hard time, I can not visualize what it’s like for a person simply getting started.
Surprise Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they do not promote plainly: GoHighLevel fees per email you send out with their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little fees that start accumulating. I saw random $10 fees appearing– then $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was racking up shipment costs through Mailgun, their email provider.
So what resembled an inexpensive, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was investing greater than I did on Keap– and getting means much less dependability in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me Can You Sell Physical Products on GoHighLevel.
Email Efficiency Tanked– And That Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of type of email marketing, you recognize just how essential deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your listing, building trust fund, fine-tuning subject lines. So when your open prices leave a high cliff, it resembles watching your hard work get flushed down the tubes.
That’s precisely what occurred when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open prices fell from around 35% to barely scraping 10%. I modified subject lines, verified domains, warmed up IPs– you name it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And given that GoHighLevel relies on third-party deliverability tools (without much advice), I was left playing email roulette.
Then, I couldn’t validate staying. I pulled the plug and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t advise it. Not if you’re searching for something steady, instinctive, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your credibility, your client experience, your bottom line.
Yet if you’re still interested, at the very least go in with your eyes wide open. Examination everything. Do not blindly trust the hype.
Lessons Learned (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Below’s the truth no one tells you when you’re chasing after the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick to what jobs– unless there’s a very good factor to change.
Keap wasn’t flashy, yet it was solid. That deserves more than any type of new feature.
2. Simpleness beats intricacy– every single time.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is far better than a Monster system that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not succumb to small cost– check out the real price.
Read the fine print. Ask about deliverability fees. Know what “endless” actually suggests.
4. Keep an eye out for biased evaluations.
A great deal of the radiant endorsements out there? They’re from affiliates attempting to score a commission. Find individuals with absolutely nothing to get.
5. Pay attention to your gut.
If something really feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Consider
If you’re searching for a system that in fact functions the way it promises, examine these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Fantastic automation, solid deliverability, and fantastic support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with great project management tools for little groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a polished UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— Even more project-focused, however great for client cooperation and task monitoring.
Bonsai— Built for freelancers and creatives. Super clean, extremely streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to every little thing. And if it functioned faultlessly, I ‘d most likely be their biggest supporter. Yet it really did not. And I can’t make believe or else.
So prior to you study a major movement– or worse, convince your clients to do the same– take a breath. Ask the hard inquiries. And think about whether the “all-in-one” dream is worth the real-world trade-offs.
You have actually worked too hard to develop something excellent. Don’t risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you desire my 2 cents? Stick with tools that simply function.