So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you have actually seen the beautiful testimonials. Read about the all-in-one magic. Check out exactly how it could change your CRM, your email marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (sort of) GoHighLevel For Coaches.
I get it. The pledge is appealing: one powerful dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a firm, the idea of simplifying everything under one roofing sounds like a performance desire. However let me quit you right there … due to the fact that I succumbed to the buzz. And I want somebody had actually ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Don’t do it.”
In this post, I’m strolling you with my rollercoaster of an adventure with GoHighLevel– from enthusiastic beginnings to a total 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this very first. It’ll save you time, cash, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Looked at GoHighLevel
You ever get that crave something new? Like when your preferred set of footwear suddenly feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I would certainly been using Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– 5, to be exact. And truthfully, it functioned great.
I indicate, Keap handled every little thing: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the means I ran my business. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but it was reliable. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, but it obtains you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin considering the showy new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of glossy item syndrome. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you recognize exactly what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming about a “game-changer,” you begin questioning if you’re losing out. And before I knew it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel trials and reasoning, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Rate of Changing: What It Truly Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– moving your company’s whole tech stack is ruthless. I want I can tell you I just clicked a switch and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Right here’s a glimpse of what I actually underwent:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (manually).
- Rebuilt a dozen automations from square one– points like onboarding, e-mail sequences, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every client note, job standing, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Used close to 40 hours adjusting settings and testing workflows.
And allow’s not neglect the mental power it drew out of me. You know that worn down, brain-fried feeling after looking at your display for as well long? That was my life for 2 weeks right.
I informed myself, “This discomfort will be worth it.” It had not been.
When Everything Began Crumbling
At first, it resembled things were functioning. Automations were firing. Emails were heading out. Funnels were online. I exhaled a little.
Then– mayhem.
One morning I woke up to a headache: 171 e-mails had actually been sent to the wrong group of calls. Entirely pointless content. Three days in a row. And not the very same people either– different batches each time. I was horrified.
I tore with the automation setups, erased and reconstructed series, even reached out to support. Their action? “Server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No responsibility. And the e-mails just kept heading out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything vital. My audience mattered excessive to run the risk of another screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Death by Disappointment
Let me repaint you a picture. You’re trying to fine-tune a workflow. Easy task, right? Other than now you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that do not make sense. Labels aren’t clear. Setups are concealed in places no person would rationally look.
Their funnel builder? Do not also obtain me started. You need to accessibility 3 various arrangement panels– scattered throughout the user interface– to upgrade a single funnel.
It felt like constructing IKEA furniture without instructions. I wanted to like the flexibility, however everything about the individual experience made me seem like I needed a designer resting next to me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who ‘d been running automations and constructing funnels for years. If I was having a hard time, I can’t imagine what it resembles for somebody just getting going.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they don’t advertise clearly: GoHighLevel costs per e-mail you send out via their platform.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are stealthy little charges that begin piling up. I observed arbitrary $10 fees turning up– then $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was acquiring shipment fees through Mailgun, their e-mail carrier.
So what looked like a budget-friendly, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and obtaining means less integrity in return.
That really felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel For Coaches.
Email Efficiency Tanked– Which Was the Final stroke
If you do any kind of sort of email marketing, you recognize just how important deliverability is. You spend years nurturing your checklist, constructing depend on, adjust subject lines. So when your open prices leave a high cliff, it resembles seeing your hard work get purged down the drain.
That’s specifically what happened when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open rates fell from around 35% to hardly scraping 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, confirmed domain names, warmed up IPs– you name it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And because GoHighLevel relies on third-party deliverability devices (without much guidance), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
Then, I couldn’t validate staying. I ended and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not suggest it. Not if you’re searching for something stable, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your track record, your customer experience, your profits.
Yet if you’re still curious, at least share your eyes wide open. Examination whatever. Do not thoughtlessly trust the hype.
Lessons Discovered (So You Do Not Repeat My Mistakes).
Here’s the truth no person informs you when you’re chasing after the following “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s an excellent factor to change.
Keap had not been flashy, yet it was solid. That’s worth more than any new feature.
2. Simpleness beats intricacy– every time.
An intuitive device that does 80% well is much better than a Frankenstein platform that does 100% badly.
3. Do not succumb to small cost– check out the genuine expense.
Read the small print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “unrestricted” truly suggests.
4. Look out for biased evaluations.
A lot of the beautiful testimonials out there? They’re from associates attempting to rack up a payment. Find individuals with absolutely nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your gut.
If something feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re seeking a system that in fact works the method it promises, examine these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Fantastic automation, solid deliverability, and terrific support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with great task management tools for small teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— Even more project-focused, but wonderful for customer collaboration and task tracking.
Bonsai— Developed for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, extremely streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the solution to every little thing. And if it functioned perfectly, I ‘d probably be their largest cheerleader. But it didn’t. And I can not make believe or else.
So prior to you study a full-scale movement– or worse, convince your clients to do the exact same– take a breath. Ask the difficult concerns. And consider whether the “all-in-one” dream is worth the real-world trade-offs.
You’ve worked also hard to construct something fantastic. Do not risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick to tools that just work.