So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you’ve seen the beautiful reviews. Found out about the all-in-one magic. Read just how it might replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (type of) GoHighLevel WhatsApp Integration.
I get it. The assurance is alluring: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the idea of enhancing whatever under one roof seems like an efficiency dream. But let me stop you right there … because I succumbed to the hype. And I wish somebody had ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Don’t do it.”
In this post, I’m walking you through my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from hopeful beginnings to a full 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this initial. It’ll save you time, money, and a truckload of headaches.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Considered GoHighLevel
You ever get that itch for something brand-new? Like when your preferred pair of footwear suddenly feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I would certainly been using Keap (you could remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– five, to be exact. And honestly, it worked wonderful.
I suggest, Keap took care of whatever: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the means I ran my organization. Sure, it wasn’t excellent, yet it was trusted. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, however it gets you where you need to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin looking at the showy new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of shiny things syndrome. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re an entrepreneur 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 start wondering if you’re losing out. And before I understood it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel trials and thinking, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Rate of Changing: What It Truly Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your firm’s entire technology stack is ruthless. I desire I could tell you I just clicked a button and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Here’s a peek of what I really underwent:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (by hand).
- Reconstruct a loads automations from the ground up– points like onboarding, e-mail sequences, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every customer note, job condition, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near 40 hours adjusting settings and screening workflows.
And allow’s not forget the mental energy it drew out of me. You understand that exhausted, brain-fried feeling after staring at your screen for too lengthy? That was my life for two weeks right.
I told myself, “This pain will certainly be worth it.” It had not been.
When Everything Started Breaking Down
In the beginning, it resembled things were working. Automations were firing. E-mails were going out. Funnels were real-time. I exhaled a little.
After that– turmoil.
One early morning I woke up to a headache: 171 e-mails had actually been sent out to the wrong team of calls. Entirely pointless material. Three days in a row. And not the very same individuals either– different batches each time. I was horrified.
I tore with the automation setups, removed and rebuilt sequences, also connected to sustain. Their response? “Web server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No responsibility. And the e-mails just maintained heading out like a rogue robot on autopilot.
Then, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My audience mattered excessive to risk one more error.
Bad UX = Slow Fatality by Irritation
Let me paint you a picture. You’re attempting to modify a workflow. Easy job, right? Other than currently you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that don’t make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in position no one would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me started. You need to accessibility 3 different configuration panels– scattered across the user interface– to update a single funnel.
It seemed like putting together IKEA furnishings without guidelines. I intended to like the versatility, however whatever about the customer experience made me seem like I needed a designer resting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who ‘d been running automations and building funnels for years. If I was having a hard time, I can not envision what it resembles for somebody just beginning.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they do not market clearly: GoHighLevel fees per e-mail you send out through their platform.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sneaky little fees that start accumulating. I noticed arbitrary $10 charges turning up– then $20 … then $50. Turns out, I was racking up shipment fees via Mailgun, their e-mail supplier.
So what resembled a budget-friendly, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and obtaining way much less reliability in return.
That really felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel WhatsApp Integration.
Email Performance Tanked– Which Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of sort of e-mail marketing, you recognize just how vital deliverability is. You spend years nurturing your checklist, building count on, fine-tuning subject lines. So when your open prices hand over a cliff, it resembles viewing your hard work get purged down the drain.
That’s precisely what occurred when I switched over to GoHighLevel.
My open rates fell from around 35% to hardly scraping 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, validated domains, heated up IPs– you name it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And given that GoHighLevel relies on third-party deliverability devices (without much assistance), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
Then, I couldn’t warrant staying. I disengaged and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re trying to find something secure, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your track record, your consumer experience, your profits.
Yet if you’re still curious, at least share your eyes wide open. Test everything. Don’t blindly rely on the hype.
Lessons Found Out (So You Do Not Repeat My Errors).
Right here’s the truth no one tells you when you’re chasing after the following “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick to what jobs– unless there’s a very good reason to switch.
Keap wasn’t flashy, however it was strong. That deserves greater than any kind of brand-new feature.
2. Simpleness defeats intricacy– whenever.
An instinctive tool that does 80% well is much better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% badly.
3. Do not fall for low cost– look at the actual price.
Read the fine print. Ask about deliverability fees. Know what “limitless” really implies.
4. Watch out for prejudiced testimonials.
A great deal of the glowing testimonies around? They’re from affiliates trying to score a commission. Discover individuals with nothing to gain.
5. Pay attention to your gut.
If something feels off during your free trial or onboarding phase– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Consider
If you’re looking for a platform that in fact functions the method it promises, examine these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Fantastic automation, strong deliverability, and great assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with wonderful job management devices for small groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— Even more project-focused, but fantastic for customer collaboration and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, very structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the response to everything. And if it functioned perfectly, I ‘d most likely be their biggest supporter. Yet it didn’t. And I can’t pretend or else.
So prior to you dive into a full-scale migration– or worse, convince your clients to do the same– take a breath. Ask the hard inquiries. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world compromises.
You’ve worked as well hard to develop something terrific. Don’t risk it on a platform that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick to devices that just function.