So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you have actually seen the radiant reviews. Heard about the all-in-one magic. Check out exactly how it can replace your CRM, your email marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (kind of) GoHighLevel For Coaching.
I get it. The promise is tempting: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the idea of simplifying whatever under one roof seems like a productivity desire. However let me stop you right there … since I fell for the buzz. And I want somebody had ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Don’t do it.”
In this short article, I’m strolling you with my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from hopeful starts to a total 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the switch, read this first. It’ll save you time, money, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever obtain that itch for something new? Like when your preferred set of footwear all of a sudden really feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I would certainly been making use of Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– 5, to be specific. And truthfully, it worked fantastic.
I mean, Keap dealt with every little thing: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my organization. Sure, it had not been perfect, yet it was reliable. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, yet it gets you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I start looking at the fancy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to glossy object syndrome. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you recognize specifically what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS blog writers are humming concerning a “game-changer,” you begin asking yourself if you’re missing out. And prior to I recognized it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demos and reasoning, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Cost of Changing: What It Actually Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your company’s whole tech pile is brutal. I want I could inform you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was operating on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Here’s a look of what I actually experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (by hand).
- Rebuilt a lots automations from square one– things like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every customer note, job status, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent close to 40 hours adjusting settings and screening workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the psychological power it sucked out of me. You know that exhausted, brain-fried feeling after staring at your screen for too long? That was my life for 2 weeks right.
I told myself, “This discomfort will certainly deserve it.” It had not been.
When It All Began Crumbling
At first, it appeared like points were functioning. Automations were shooting. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were online. I breathed out a little.
Then– turmoil.
One early morning I got up to a headache: 171 e-mails had actually been sent out to the wrong group of contacts. Totally irrelevant content. 3 days in a row. And not the same people either– various sets each time. I was alarmed.
I tore via the automation settings, erased and reconstructed sequences, even reached out to sustain. Their reaction? “Server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No liability. And the emails just maintained going out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My audience mattered too much to risk one more screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Fatality by Stress
Let me repaint you an image. You’re attempting to tweak a workflow. Basic task, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Setups are concealed in position no one would logically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even get me started. You have to accessibility three various arrangement panels– spread across the interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It felt like setting up IKEA furniture without instructions. I wanted to like the flexibility, yet every little thing about the user experience made me feel like I required a developer resting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who ‘d been running automations and developing funnels for years. If I was having a hard time, I can not picture what it’s like for somebody simply beginning.
Surprise Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they do not advertise clearly: GoHighLevel charges per email you send through their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are stealthy little costs that start accumulating. I noticed random $10 fees turning up– then $20 … after that $50. Ends up, I was racking up shipment charges with Mailgun, their email provider.
So what looked like a budget-friendly, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and obtaining means much less dependability in return.
That felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel For Coaching.
Email Performance Tanked– And That Was the Last lick
If you do any kind of type of e-mail marketing, you understand just how vital deliverability is. You invest years supporting your listing, constructing count on, fine-tuning subject lines. So when your open rates hand over a cliff, it’s like enjoying your hard work obtain purged down the drain.
That’s precisely what took place when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to hardly scraping 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, verified domains, heated up IPs– you name it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promos folders. And since GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability tools (without much guidance), I was left playing email roulette.
Then, I couldn’t warrant staying. I ended and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re trying to find something stable, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s way too much at stake– your reputation, your consumer experience, your bottom line.
However if you’re still interested, at least go in with your eyes wide open. Examination whatever. Don’t blindly rely on the buzz.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Here’s the truth no one informs you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick to what jobs– unless there’s an excellent factor to change.
Keap wasn’t fancy, but it was strong. That deserves greater than any kind of brand-new feature.
2. Simplicity beats complexity– every single time.
An instinctive tool that does 80% well is better than a Monster platform that does 100% badly.
3. Do not succumb to low cost– look at the genuine cost.
Read the small print. Ask about deliverability costs. Know what “endless” truly implies.
4. Watch out for prejudiced evaluations.
A great deal of the radiant testimonies around? They’re from affiliates trying to rack up a commission. Locate individuals with nothing to get.
5. Pay attention to your intestine.
If something feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re looking for a system that in fact works the way it promises, inspect these out:.
Keap– My leading choice. Remarkable automation, strong deliverability, and fantastic support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with wonderful task monitoring devices for small teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a sleek UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, yet terrific for customer cooperation and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, incredibly structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the solution to every little thing. And if it worked faultlessly, I ‘d possibly be their largest supporter. However it didn’t. And I can’t act otherwise.
So prior to you study a full-blown migration– or worse, convince your clients to do the same– take a breath. Ask the tough concerns. And consider whether the “all-in-one” dream is worth the real-world trade-offs.
You have actually worked as well difficult to construct something great. Don’t risk it on a system that still seems like a beta test.
If you desire my two cents? Stick to tools that simply work.