So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you have actually seen the glowing evaluations. Become aware of the all-in-one magic. Check out exactly how it might change your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (type of) GoHighLevel Inbound Calls.
I get it. The pledge is appealing: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running a firm, the idea of simplifying every little thing under one roof sounds like a performance dream. But let me quit you right there … since I succumbed to the buzz. And I want someone had actually gotten me by the shoulders and stated: “Do not do it.”
In this short article, I’m walking you through my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from hopeful starts to a full 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this first. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever before get that crave something brand-new? Like when your preferred pair of footwear all of a sudden feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I would certainly been making use of Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– 5, to be specific. And truthfully, it functioned terrific.
I imply, Keap dealt with every little thing: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my business. Certain, it wasn’t ideal, but it was reliable. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, but it gets you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I start considering the fancy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Because of shiny things disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you know exactly what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS blog writers are buzzing regarding a “game-changer,” you start wondering if you’re losing out. And before I recognized it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel demos and reasoning, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Cost of Switching: What It Actually Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your company’s entire technology stack is brutal. I want I might tell you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Below’s a glimpse of what I in fact went through:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (by hand).
- Rebuilt a lots automations from square one– points like onboarding, email sequences, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every client note, task status, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Used near to 40 hours fiddling with setups and testing workflows.
And let’s not neglect the psychological energy it sucked out of me. You recognize that exhausted, brain-fried feeling after looking at your screen for as well lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks straight.
I told myself, “This pain will certainly be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When All Of It Started Falling Apart
Initially, it looked like points were working. Automations were shooting. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were online. I exhaled a little.
Then– mayhem.
One early morning I awakened to a nightmare: 171 emails had actually been sent out to the wrong group of contacts. Completely unnecessary web content. Three days straight. And not the very same individuals either– various batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore with the automation settings, removed and reconstructed sequences, also connected to sustain. Their action? “Server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No liability. And the e-mails simply kept heading out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything important. My target market mattered excessive to risk another screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Fatality by Disappointment
Let me paint you an image. You’re trying to tweak a workflow. Simple task, right? Other than currently you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that do not make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in places no one would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even get me started. You need to access 3 various configuration panels– scattered across the interface– to upgrade a solitary funnel.
It felt like assembling IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wished to like the flexibility, however whatever concerning the customer experience made me seem like I needed a designer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who had actually been running automations and developing funnels for many years. If I was struggling, I can not envision what it resembles for a person simply starting.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they don’t promote plainly: GoHighLevel fees per e-mail you send out with their platform.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little costs that start piling up. I discovered arbitrary $10 fees popping up– after that $20 … after that $50. Ends up, I was racking up distribution charges through Mailgun, their e-mail service provider.
So what appeared like a budget-friendly, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing greater than I did on Keap– and getting method less reliability in return.
That felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Inbound Calls.
Email Efficiency Tanked– Which Was the Last lick
If you do any type of kind of e-mail marketing, you recognize just how crucial deliverability is. You invest years supporting your listing, constructing trust fund, adjust subject lines. So when your open rates drop off a cliff, it resembles viewing 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 hardly scratching 10%. I modified subject lines, validated domains, heated up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promos folders. And considering that GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability devices (without much advice), I was left playing e-mail roulette.
Then, I could not warrant staying. I ended and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not suggest it. Not if you’re searching for something stable, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your reputation, your client experience, your profits.
Yet if you’re still interested, at least share your eyes wide open. Examination everything. Don’t blindly trust the hype.
Lessons Discovered (So You Don’t Repeat My Errors).
Right here’s the fact no one informs you when you’re chasing after the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick to what works– unless there’s an excellent reason to change.
Keap wasn’t fancy, however it was solid. That deserves more than any type of brand-new feature.
2. Simpleness beats complexity– every time.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is better than a Monster platform that does 100% severely.
3. Do not fall for low prices– look at the genuine price.
Check out the fine print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “unlimited” truly suggests.
4. Watch out for biased reviews.
A lot of the radiant endorsements around? They’re from affiliates attempting to rack up a commission. Locate people with nothing to acquire.
5. Pay attention to your intestine.
If something feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding phase– do not ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re searching for a platform that in fact works the method it promises, inspect these out:.
Keap– My leading choice. Fantastic automation, strong deliverability, and fantastic support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with fantastic task management tools for tiny groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Perfect if you’re scaling fast.
Monday— Even more project-focused, however terrific for client collaboration and job tracking.
Bonsai— Constructed for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, extremely structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to whatever. And if it functioned faultlessly, I ‘d possibly be their greatest cheerleader. However it really did not. And I can not act or else.
So before you study a major movement– or even worse, encourage your customers to do the very same– take a breath. Ask the hard questions. And consider whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world compromises.
You have actually worked as well hard to develop something terrific. Do not risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick with tools that just function.