So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you have actually seen the radiant evaluations. Found out about the all-in-one magic. Check out exactly how it can change your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (kind of) GoHighLevel Upsell.
I get it. The promise is alluring: one powerful dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the idea of enhancing whatever under one roofing system sounds like an efficiency dream. Yet let me stop you right there … because I fell for the buzz. And I desire somebody had actually grabbed me by the shoulders and claimed: “Don’t do it.”
In this short article, I’m walking you via my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from confident starts to a total 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the button, read this very first. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Checked Out GoHighLevel
You ever get that itch for something new? Like when your preferred pair of footwear unexpectedly feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been using Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– five, to be precise. And truthfully, it functioned excellent.
I imply, Keap handled everything: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the means I ran my business. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, yet it was dependable. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, but it gets you where you require to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin looking at the showy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Because of glossy item disorder. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you know specifically what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS blog writers are buzzing regarding a “game-changer,” you begin questioning if you’re losing out. And prior to I understood it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demos and reasoning, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Rate of Switching: What It Really Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your firm’s whole tech stack is harsh. I want I could inform you I simply clicked a switch and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Below’s a look of what I in fact experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (manually).
- Rebuilt a dozen automations from the ground up– things like onboarding, email sequences, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, task condition, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected repayment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near 40 hours fiddling with settings and testing workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the psychological energy it sucked out of me. You understand that worn down, brain-fried feeling after looking at your screen for also long? That was my life for 2 weeks right.
I told myself, “This discomfort will deserve it.” It wasn’t.
When All Of It Began Falling Apart
Initially, it appeared like points were working. Automations were firing. Emails were going out. Funnels were live. I breathed out a little.
After that– mayhem.
One morning I woke up to a problem: 171 e-mails had been sent out to the wrong team of calls. Totally irrelevant material. Three days in a row. And not the exact same individuals either– various batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore with the automation setups, removed and restored sequences, also reached out to sustain. Their action? “Server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No accountability. And the emails simply maintained going out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything essential. My target market mattered excessive to risk another screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Fatality by Irritation
Let me paint you an image. You’re attempting to tweak a workflow. Easy job, right? Except currently you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that do not make sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in position no person would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even obtain me began. You need to gain access to three different arrangement panels– spread throughout the user interface– to update a single funnel.
It seemed like constructing IKEA furnishings without guidelines. I intended to like the adaptability, yet every little thing concerning the user experience made me seem like I needed a developer resting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who had actually been running automations and developing funnels for many years. If I was having a hard time, I can’t envision what it resembles for a person simply beginning.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they do not promote clearly: GoHighLevel fees per e-mail you send out through their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little charges that begin accumulating. I discovered random $10 charges turning up– after that $20 … then $50. Turns out, I was racking up shipment fees via Mailgun, their email carrier.
So what resembled a budget friendly, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing more than I did on Keap– and obtaining method less integrity in return.
That really felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Upsell.
Email Performance Tanked– And That Was the Final stroke
If you do any kind of e-mail marketing, you understand exactly how important deliverability is. You invest years supporting your list, developing depend on, make improvements subject lines. So when your open rates drop off a cliff, it’s like watching your hard work get purged down the drain.
That’s exactly what happened when I switched over to GoHighLevel.
My open rates dropped from around 35% to barely scuffing 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, validated domain names, heated up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promos folders. And considering that GoHighLevel counts on third-party deliverability devices (without much guidance), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
Then, I could not justify staying. I ended and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t suggest it. Not if you’re searching for something steady, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s way too much at stake– your track record, your consumer experience, your bottom line.
But if you’re still curious, a minimum of share your eyes wide open. Test everything. Don’t blindly rely on the hype.
Lessons Learned (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Right here’s the fact no person tells you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick with what works– unless there’s a very good reason to change.
Keap had not been fancy, yet it was strong. That’s worth more than any brand-new feature.
2. Simplicity defeats intricacy– whenever.
An instinctive tool that does 80% well is much better than a Frankenstein platform that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not fall for small cost– look at the actual expense.
Read the small print. Inquire about deliverability fees. Know what “limitless” really indicates.
4. Look out for biased evaluations.
A great deal of the beautiful testimonials around? They’re from affiliates attempting to rack up a commission. Discover people 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 Consider
If you’re looking for a system that really functions the way it assures, check these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Outstanding automation, solid deliverability, and great assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with wonderful project management tools for little teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a sleek UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— Even more project-focused, however excellent for customer partnership and task tracking.
Bonsai— Developed for freelancers and creatives. Super clean, super streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the solution to whatever. And if it worked faultlessly, I ‘d possibly be their most significant supporter. However it didn’t. And I can not pretend or else.
So before you dive into a full-scale movement– or worse, encourage your clients to do the very same– breathe. Ask the difficult questions. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire deserves the real-world trade-offs.
You’ve worked also tough to develop something fantastic. Do not risk it on a platform that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick to devices that simply function.