So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you’ve seen the beautiful reviews. Read about the all-in-one magic. Review exactly how it could replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (kind of) GoHighLevel Real Estate Agent Playbook.
I get it. The assurance is appealing: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the concept of enhancing everything under one roof seems like a performance dream. But let me stop you right there … because I succumbed to the hype. And I wish a person had grabbed me by the shoulders and claimed: “Do not do it.”
In this short article, I’m strolling you via my rollercoaster of an adventure with GoHighLevel– from hopeful beginnings to a complete 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the switch, read this first. It’ll save you time, money, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Considered GoHighLevel
You ever get that crave something brand-new? Like when your favored set of shoes suddenly feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you might remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– five, to be exact. And truthfully, it functioned excellent.
I imply, Keap took care of every little thing: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the means I ran my organization. Certain, it wasn’t excellent, however it was reputable. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, but it obtains you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin looking at the fancy new Tesla parked next door?
Because of glossy things syndrome. Yep. It’s genuine. And if you’re a business owner like me, you recognize specifically what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming about a “game-changer,” you begin questioning if you’re missing out. And before I understood it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel demonstrations and reasoning, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Rate of Changing: What It Truly Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your firm’s entire technology pile is ruthless. I wish I could inform you I simply clicked a switch and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Here’s a glimpse of what I really experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (manually).
- Restore a dozen automations from scratch– things like onboarding, email series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, job status, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near to 40 hours fiddling with setups and testing workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the psychological power it sucked out of me. You recognize that exhausted, brain-fried sensation after looking at your screen for too long? That was my life for 2 weeks straight.
I told myself, “This pain will be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When It All Began Crumbling
At first, it appeared like things were working. Automations were firing. Emails were heading out. Funnels were online. I breathed out a little.
Then– disorder.
One early morning I woke up to a headache: 171 e-mails had actually been sent out to the incorrect group of calls. Entirely unnecessary web content. Three days in a row. And not the exact same people either– different batches each time. I was horrified.
I tore via the automation setups, erased and restored series, even connected to sustain. Their action? “Web server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No liability. And the emails just maintained going out like a rogue robotic on autopilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything important. My audience mattered too much to take the chance of another screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Death by Disappointment
Let me repaint you an image. You’re trying to fine-tune a workflow. Basic task, right? Other than now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in places no person would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even get me started. You need to access three various configuration panels– scattered across the user interface– to upgrade a single funnel.
It felt like setting up IKEA furniture without directions. I wished to like the adaptability, yet everything concerning the individual experience made me seem like I needed a developer sitting alongside me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who had actually been running automations and constructing funnels for many years. If I was struggling, I can’t envision what it’s like for someone just beginning.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they don’t market clearly: GoHighLevel fees per email you send with their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little costs that start accumulating. I noticed arbitrary $10 fees popping up– after that $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was racking up shipment costs with Mailgun, their e-mail supplier.
So what looked like a cost effective, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and obtaining way much less integrity in return.
That felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Real Estate Agent Playbook.
Email Efficiency Tanked– Which Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of kind of e-mail marketing, you recognize exactly how vital deliverability is. You spend years nurturing your list, constructing count on, make improvements subject lines. So when your open rates hand over a cliff, it resembles watching your hard work obtain flushed away.
That’s exactly what took place when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open prices fell from around 35% to barely scuffing 10%. I modified subject lines, validated domain names, heated up IPs– you call it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And since GoHighLevel relies upon 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 returned to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not suggest it. Not if you’re searching for something stable, instinctive, and trustworthy. There’s too much at stake– your track record, your client experience, your bottom line.
However if you’re still interested, at the very least go in with your eyes wide open. Test everything. Don’t thoughtlessly rely on the buzz.
Lessons Learned (So You Don’t Repeat My Errors).
Here’s the reality no person tells you when you’re chasing the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick to what works– unless there’s a great factor to switch over.
Keap wasn’t flashy, but it was solid. That deserves more than any new feature.
2. Simplicity beats intricacy– each time.
An user-friendly tool that does 80% well is far better than a Monster platform that does 100% badly.
3. Do not fall for low prices– look at the actual cost.
Read the small print. Ask about deliverability costs. Know what “endless” actually implies.
4. Watch out for biased evaluations.
A great deal of the radiant reviews out there? They’re from affiliates attempting to rack up a commission. Discover people with nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your digestive tract.
If something feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– do not ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re searching for a system that really functions the means it assures, check these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Remarkable automation, strong deliverability, and great assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with terrific task management devices for little groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a sleek UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— Even more project-focused, yet fantastic for client partnership and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Built for freelancers and creatives. Super clean, incredibly streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to every little thing. And if it worked perfectly, I ‘d possibly be their most significant supporter. However it didn’t. And I can not act otherwise.
So before you dive into a major migration– or worse, encourage your clients to do the very same– take a breath. Ask the difficult questions. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world trade-offs.
You’ve functioned too tough to construct something excellent. Don’t risk it on a system that still seems like a beta test.
If you desire my two cents? Stick to devices that simply work.