So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you have actually seen the beautiful reviews. Become aware of the all-in-one magic. Read exactly how it might replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (sort of) GoHighLevel For Sales Teams.
I get it. The assurance is appealing: one powerful dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of streamlining every little thing under one roof covering sounds like an efficiency dream. However let me stop you right there … because I succumbed to the buzz. And I desire somebody had ordered me by the shoulders and said: “Do not do it.”
In this short article, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from hopeful starts to a full 180. If you’re seriously considering making the button, read this initial. It’ll conserve you time, cash, and a truckload of headaches.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Checked Out GoHighLevel
You ever obtain that crave something new? Like when your preferred pair of shoes unexpectedly really feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I would certainly been making use of Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– five, to be precise. And honestly, it functioned wonderful.
I imply, Keap handled every little thing: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the means I ran my organization. Certain, it wasn’t ideal, yet it was dependable. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, however it gets you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin eyeing the flashy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of shiny object disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re a business owner like me, you know specifically what I’m talking about. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS blog writers are buzzing about a “game-changer,” you begin asking yourself if you’re losing out. And before I knew it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel demonstrations and reasoning, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Price of Changing: What It Actually Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your company’s entire technology stack is brutal. I desire I might inform you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Right here’s a glance of what I actually went through:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (manually).
- Reconstruct a dozen automations from the ground up– things like onboarding, e-mail sequences, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every customer note, task status, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near 40 hours fiddling with setups and screening workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the psychological energy it sucked out of me. You know that tired, brain-fried feeling after looking at your screen for also long? That was my life for two weeks right.
I informed myself, “This pain will certainly deserve it.” It wasn’t.
When Everything Began Falling Apart
In the beginning, it looked like things were functioning. Automations were shooting. E-mails were going out. Funnels were real-time. I breathed out a little.
Then– turmoil.
One morning I awakened to a nightmare: 171 e-mails had been sent out to the incorrect team of contacts. Entirely unnecessary material. Three days straight. And not the exact same people either– various sets each time. I was alarmed.
I tore with the automation settings, removed and restored series, also reached out to support. Their response? “Server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No accountability. And the e-mails just maintained heading out like a rogue robot on autopilot.
Then, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything essential. My audience mattered way too much to take the chance of another screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Death by Disappointment
Let me paint you a picture. You’re attempting to modify a workflow. Easy task, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that do not make sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in places nobody would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even get me began. You need to gain access to 3 different configuration panels– spread throughout the user interface– to update a single funnel.
It seemed like constructing IKEA furnishings without directions. I wished to love the versatility, yet everything about the customer experience made me seem like I needed a developer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from someone who had actually been running automations and building funnels for years. If I was struggling, I can’t imagine what it resembles for somebody simply getting started.
Surprise Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they do not market clearly: GoHighLevel charges per email you send via their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little costs that start piling up. I discovered random $10 costs popping up– after that $20 … after that $50. Turns out, I was racking up shipment fees with Mailgun, their email company.
So what resembled a cost effective, flat-rate system? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and getting method much less integrity in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel For Sales Teams.
Email Performance Tanked– And That Was the Last lick
If you do any kind of sort of email marketing, you recognize how essential deliverability is. You invest years supporting your list, constructing count on, tweak subject lines. So when your open prices hand over a cliff, it resembles watching your hard work get flushed down the tubes.
That’s precisely what occurred when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open rates dropped from around 35% to barely scratching 10%. I tweaked subject lines, confirmed domains, heated up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And since GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability devices (without much support), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
At that point, I could not justify staying. I pulled the plug and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Use GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not advise it. Not if you’re searching for something secure, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s too much at stake– your credibility, your customer experience, your profits.
But if you’re still interested, a minimum of share your eyes wide open. Examination whatever. Do not thoughtlessly rely on the buzz.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Below’s the truth nobody tells you when you’re going after the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s a very good reason to switch over.
Keap had not been fancy, but it was solid. That’s worth more than any type of brand-new feature.
2. Simpleness defeats complexity– every single time.
An instinctive device that does 80% well is far better than a Monster system that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not fall for low prices– look at the genuine expense.
Check out the fine print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “unrestricted” truly indicates.
4. Keep an eye out for prejudiced evaluations.
A great deal of the glowing endorsements around? They’re from associates trying to rack up a compensation. Find people with absolutely nothing to acquire.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something really feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding phase– do not ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re looking for a platform that in fact works the means it assures, examine these out:.
Keap– My leading pick. Remarkable automation, solid deliverability, and fantastic assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with wonderful project monitoring devices for tiny groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a refined UX. Perfect if you’re scaling fast.
Monday— Even more project-focused, yet great for client partnership and task monitoring.
Bonsai— Built for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, very structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to everything. And if it worked flawlessly, I ‘d probably be their largest supporter. But it really did not. And I can’t act otherwise.
So prior to you study a full-blown movement– or worse, convince your clients to do the same– breathe. Ask the hard inquiries. And consider whether the “all-in-one” dream is worth the real-world compromises.
You have actually worked also difficult to construct something great. Do not risk it on a platform that still feels like a beta test.
If you desire my 2 cents? Stick to devices that simply function.