You know that feeling when you’re 99% sure something’s a great idea, just to understand later … it was an overall dumpster fire? That’s precisely what took place when I determined to switch my entire company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It sounded revolutionary. But actually? It developed into one of one of the most unpleasant software choices I’ve made in over a decade of running my organization.
So prior to you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you via specifically what decreased– since if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly looking for smarter, a lot more reliable means to expand your service. Simply … not similar to this.
The Seductive All-in-One Guarantee
Right here’s things. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it sounded like a desire happened. A solitary platform to handle your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, visit bookings, automation, payments– you call it.
If you have actually ever juggled a Monster pile of devices simply to run your daily, you recognize exactly how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I would certainly been utilizing Keap for several years (and liking it, honestly), however still– I got tempted in by the promise of streamlining everything under one roof covering.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a negative case of shiny item disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Device That Really Worked)
Let me be actual with you: Keap wasn’t broken. It did whatever I needed. It handled my e-mail automations, sales funnels, consultation organizing, invoicing– you call it. Sure, the user interface felt a little outdated in places, and in some cases points took a few even more clicks than I liked, however hey, it worked.
So why modification?
Honestly, I simply began wondering if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was less costly (externally), provided more features, and all the trendy marketing professionals online appeared to be raving about it. FOMO is a heck of a drug.
That curiosity price me more than simply money– it cost me time, energy, and assurance.
What It Expense Me to Switch
I went all in. Registered for the $297/month agency plan. Spent a strong 30 to 40 hours migrating data, restoring workflows, and basically trying to duplicate my whole Keap configuration inside GoHighLevel.
Here’s what I needed to move:
- 20,000+ email clients
- Loads of automations
- All customer profiles and notes
- Stripe invoicing integration
- Entire funnel infrastructure
- Custom types, landing pages, causes … whatever
Let’s not even talk about the lost efficiency throughout those few weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, enjoying tutorials, and attempting to find out where the heck standard setups were.
And simply when I thought things were working … they weren’t.
The Vermin Began Sneaking In
At first, whatever looked fine. Yet then, out of no place, individuals on my list started obtaining e-mails they weren’t expected to get. I’m chatting totally unimportant messages– sent in batches of 171 individuals at a time. Three days straight.
Total chaos.
I rebuilt the automations from square one. Still occurred. I contacted support. They condemned “web server problems.” Yet absolutely nothing made good sense, and the trouble didn’t disappear. Visualize waking up every early morning wondering who your system may’ve spammed over night.
That’s not simply aggravating– it’s dangerous. When your whole brand is improved trust fund, you can’t pay for to appear like a clueless amateur blowing up the wrong emails to the incorrect individuals.
Assistance? Yeah, Good Luck
Currently, I don’t expect perfection from any platform. Pests occur. However when they do? I expect the support team to step up quickly.
That really did not occur below.
Feedbacks were vague. Tickets went unanswered. I felt like I was screaming into the void while my organization melted. On the other hand, every minute I invested repairing was a min I had not been serving customers or growing my company.
For a device that markets itself to major business owners, GoHighLevel sure didn’t treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever before use a tool and simply really feel … shed? That was me inside Can You Sell Courses on GoHighLevel.
The UX was confusing. Things were hidden in weird locations. Even straightforward tasks like modifying a funnel or tweaking an email flow turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me began. Wish to transform item setups, page designs, and overall circulation? Awesome– you’ll require to quest through 3 different areas that make absolutely no rational feeling. Half the moment, I could not also keep in mind where I would certainly clicked something 10 seconds previously.
It felt like utilizing software application developed by designers, for designers– not day-to-day business owners.
The “Budget friendly” Plan That Got Genuine Expensive, Actual Quick
Let’s chat money.
One of GoHighLevel’s big selling points is the cost. I suggest, $97/month for all those features? Seems impressive, appropriate?
However right here’s what they don’t tell you:.
You pay additional per email if you utilize their SMTP.
You have to connect services like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their invoicing independently.
You’ll get random microcharges that aren’t described plainly.
Desire better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you as well.
By the time I included everything up, I was paying more than I had been with Keap. And getting worse results.
That’s not a bargain– it’s just poor math.
My Email Metrics Tanked Can You Sell Courses on GoHighLevel
The final straw? Seeing my e-mail open rates go down like a rock.
I ‘d been obtaining a strong 35% open price with Keap. My target market was involved, my automations were dialed in, and things just worked.
After switching over to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped below 15%. Clicks were almost nonexistent. Something was plainly off.
Perhaps it was a deliverability problem. Perhaps the system was just sending at bad times or otherwise customizing messages appropriately. Whatever the reason, I had not been sticking around to play investigator while my checklist deteriorated.
Lessons I Learned by hand
If you’re thinking of changing to GoHighLevel– or any kind of brand-new system– right here’s what I desire somebody had actually told me prior to I made the leap:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s very easy to obtain hyped about the most up to date “advanced” tool. Yet just because everyone’s talking about something doesn’t mean it’s right for you. If your current system is working, hesitate before blowing it up.
2. Worth Simpleness Over Features
Extra isn’t constantly far better. A system with a clean, instinctive user interface will conserve you time and migraines in the long run– even if it doesn’t have every feature imaginable.
3. Need Transparency
Hidden prices are the worst. Select devices that are in advance concerning pricing, integrations, and restrictions. You shouldn’t need a calculator and a synonym replacement tool to comprehend your month-to-month bill.
4. Pay Attention to Genuine Users (Not Just Marketers)
Inspect honest reviews, individual forums, and Reddit strings. Pay attention to actual customer experience– not simply slick sales pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Right Here Are Better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trusted, user-friendly platform to run your business, I’ve checked a bunch. Below are a few I ‘d actually advise:.
Keap— My existing go-to. Powerful automations, solid assistance, and it just functions. Worth every penny.
HubSpot— Great for companies that require scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one remedy for small to mid-sized organizations with strong coverage tools.
Monday.com— Wonderful for project administration, team cooperation, and sales pipeline tracking.
Bonsai— Specifically wonderful for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Verdict
GoHighLevel may benefit some. But for me? It was a discouraging, pricey experiment that I could not wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the side, asking yourself whether to make the jump– concentrate. Ask yourself what’s really not operating in your current arrangement. Do not burn your systems down just because something more recent and shinier showed up.
Stick to what jobs. Your peace of mind (and your clients) will certainly thanks.