So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you have actually seen the glowing evaluations. Read about the all-in-one magic. Review exactly how it could change your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (sort of) GoHighLevel Academy.
I get it. The pledge is tempting: one powerful dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of enhancing whatever under one roof covering seems like an efficiency desire. Yet let me stop you right there … since I succumbed to the buzz. And I wish someone had ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Do not do it.”
In this post, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from hopeful beginnings to a complete 180. If you’re seriously considering making the switch, read this first. It’ll save you time, cash, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever before obtain that itch for something new? Like when your favored pair of footwear suddenly really feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you could remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– 5, to be precise. And truthfully, it worked wonderful.
I mean, Keap handled everything: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the means I ran my company. Sure, it wasn’t excellent, but it was trustworthy. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, yet it gets you where you require to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin looking at the showy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Because of glossy object disorder. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you recognize precisely what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming regarding a “game-changer,” you start asking yourself if you’re losing out. And prior to I understood it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel demonstrations and thinking, “Maybe it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Price of Changing: What It Actually Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your company’s entire tech pile is harsh. I desire I could tell you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Right here’s a peek of what I really went through:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (manually).
- Reconstruct a dozen automations from square one– things like onboarding, e-mail sequences, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, project status, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Used close to 40 hours fiddling with settings and testing workflows.
And let’s not fail to remember the mental energy it drew out of me. You understand that tired, brain-fried sensation after staring at your display for also lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks directly.
I informed myself, “This pain will be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When It All Started Falling Apart
In the beginning, it appeared like things were working. Automations were firing. Emails were going out. Funnels were online. I exhaled a little.
After that– disorder.
One morning I awakened to a problem: 171 emails had been sent out to the wrong group of get in touches with. Entirely irrelevant material. Three days straight. And not the same individuals either– various batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore through the automation settings, removed and rebuilt series, also connected to sustain. Their action? “Web server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No responsibility. And the emails just kept heading out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My target market mattered too much to run the risk of one more screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Fatality by Irritation
Let me repaint you a picture. You’re attempting to modify a workflow. Simple task, right? Except currently you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that do not make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Settings are hidden in places no one would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even get me started. You need to access 3 various setup panels– spread throughout the user interface– to update a single funnel.
It seemed like constructing IKEA furniture without directions. I wished to enjoy the adaptability, however everything about the customer experience made me feel like I needed a designer resting alongside me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who ‘d been running automations and constructing funnels for years. If I was battling, I can not picture what it’s like for someone just beginning.
Surprise Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they don’t market plainly: GoHighLevel fees per e-mail you send out via their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are tricky little fees that begin accumulating. I noticed random $10 costs appearing– then $20 … then $50. Turns out, I was acquiring shipment costs through Mailgun, their e-mail supplier.
So what looked like an affordable, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and obtaining way less reliability in return.
That felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Academy.
Email Performance Tanked– Which Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of kind of email marketing, you recognize how essential deliverability is. You invest years supporting your list, building trust fund, adjust subject lines. So when your open prices hand over a high cliff, it’s like enjoying your hard work obtain purged down the drain.
That’s exactly what took place when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to barely scraping 10%. I modified subject lines, validated domain names, warmed up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promotions folders. And considering that GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability tools (without much support), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
Then, I could not warrant staying. I ended and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I wouldn’t suggest it. Not if you’re searching for something secure, instinctive, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at stake– your reputation, your customer experience, your bottom line.
However if you’re still interested, at least share your eyes wide open. Examination everything. Do not blindly trust the hype.
Lessons Discovered (So You Do Not Repeat My Errors).
Below’s the reality no one tells you when you’re chasing the next “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick to what jobs– unless there’s an excellent factor to switch.
Keap had not been fancy, yet it was solid. That’s worth greater than any type of brand-new feature.
2. Simplicity defeats intricacy– every time.
An instinctive device that does 80% well is far better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% severely.
3. Do not fall for low cost– consider the genuine expense.
Read the fine print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “endless” really means.
4. Look out for prejudiced testimonials.
A great deal of the beautiful testimonies available? They’re from associates trying to score a compensation. Discover individuals with absolutely nothing to gain.
5. Listen to your digestive tract.
If something really feels off during your free trial or onboarding phase– do not ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Consider
If you’re trying to find a platform that actually works the means it promises, examine these out:.
Keap– My leading pick. Fantastic automation, solid deliverability, and fantastic assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with excellent job administration devices for little groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a refined UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, however excellent for customer collaboration and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for freelancers and creatives. Super clean, incredibly streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the answer to every little thing. And if it functioned faultlessly, I ‘d possibly be their largest cheerleader. However it really did not. And I can not make believe otherwise.
So before you study a full-scale movement– or worse, persuade your customers to do the same– take a breath. Ask the difficult questions. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” desire deserves the real-world compromises.
You have actually functioned too difficult to construct something excellent. Don’t risk it on a platform that still feels like a beta test.
If you desire my 2 cents? Stick with tools that simply function.