You understand that feeling when you’re 99% certain something’s a terrific idea, only to recognize later … it was a total dumpster fire? That’s precisely what occurred when I decided to switch my entire agency over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It seemed revolutionary. But in truth? It developed into among the most uncomfortable software choices I have actually made in over a years of running my business.
So before you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you with exactly what decreased– due to the fact that if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly seeking smarter, much more reliable ways to grow your company. Simply … not like this.
The Sexy All-in-One Pledge
Here’s the important things. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it seemed like a dream come true. A solitary system to handle your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, visit bookings, automation, repayments– you name it.
If you’ve ever before juggled a Frankenstein pile of tools just to run your everyday, you understand just how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been utilizing Keap for many years (and liking it, honestly), yet still– I got lured in by the promise of streamlining every little thing under one roofing system.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I had a negative instance of glossy object disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Device That In Fact Worked)
Let me be genuine with you: Keap had not been damaged. It did whatever I needed. It handled my e-mail automations, sales funnels, visit scheduling, invoicing– you name it. Certain, the user interface really felt a little dated in places, and sometimes things took a couple of more clicks than I suched as, but hey, it worked.
So why modification?
Honestly, I simply began wondering if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was less costly (externally), offered extra features, and all the great marketing professionals on the internet appeared to be raving concerning it. FOMO is a hell of a medication.
That inquisitiveness price me greater than just cash– it cost me time, power, and assurance.
What It Price Me to Change
I went all in. Registered for the $297/month agency plan. Spent a solid 30 to 40 hours migrating information, restoring workflows, and essentially attempting to reproduce my whole Keap arrangement inside GoHighLevel.
Below’s what I had to relocate:
- 20,000+ email subscribers
- Dozens of automations
- All customer profiles and notes
- Stripe billing integration
- Entire funnel infrastructure
- Custom forms, landing pages, causes … everything
Let’s not also discuss the shed performance during those couple of weeks. I depended on my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, viewing tutorials, and trying to determine where the heck basic setups were.
And just when I thought points were working … they weren’t.
The Vermin Started Slipping In
Initially, every little thing looked all right. However after that, out of no place, people on my list began getting emails they weren’t meant to receive. I’m talking completely irrelevant messages– sent in sets of 171 users at a time. Three days in a row.
Total chaos.
I rebuilt the automations from square one. Still taken place. I called assistance. They criticized “web server issues.” However nothing made good sense, and the trouble didn’t go away. Picture awakening every early morning wondering who your system might’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not just aggravating– it threatens. When your whole brand is built on depend on, you can not manage to look like a clueless amateur blowing up the incorrect emails to the incorrect people.
Support? Yeah, Good Luck
Currently, I don’t expect perfection from any type of platform. Bugs happen. Yet when they do? I anticipate the support team to step up quick.
That didn’t occur right here.
Actions were unclear. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was yelling right into the void while my company melted. On the other hand, every min I spent repairing was a min I had not been offering clients or growing my firm.
For a tool that markets itself to severe business owners, GoHighLevel sure didn’t treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever use a tool and simply really feel … shed? That was me inside GoHighLevel For Financial Advisors.
The UX was confusing. Points were hidden in strange places. Even simple jobs like editing a funnel or tweaking an email flow became a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Do not also obtain me started. Intend to alter product setups, web page formats, and general flow? Trendy– you’ll require to search through three different locations that make no logical feeling. Half the time, I could not also bear in mind where I would certainly clicked something ten seconds earlier.
It felt like using software program built by designers, for designers– not daily company owner.
The “Economical” Plan That Got Real Pricey, Real Fast
Let’s speak money.
Among GoHighLevel’s large marketing factors is the price. I indicate, $97/month for all those features? Seems amazing, best?
Yet below’s what they don’t tell you:.
You pay additional per e-mail if you utilize their SMTP.
You need to connect services like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their payment independently.
You’ll get arbitrary microcharges that aren’t described clearly.
Want far better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I included whatever up, I was paying more than I had actually been with Keap. And getting worse results.
That’s not a good deal– it’s simply negative mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel For Financial Advisors
The final straw? Watching my email open rates go down like a rock.
I would certainly been getting a strong 35% open price with Keap. My audience was involved, my automations were dialed in, and points simply functioned.
After switching to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped below 15%. Clicks were virtually missing. Something was clearly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability problem. Possibly the system was just sending at bad times or otherwise customizing messages correctly. Whatever the cause, I wasn’t staying to play detective while my list rotted.
Lessons I Learned by hand
If you’re considering switching over to GoHighLevel– or any new system– right here’s what I desire someone had told me before I made the leap:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s very easy to obtain hyped about the most recent “cutting edge” tool. Yet just because every person’s talking about something doesn’t mean it’s right for you. If your existing system is working, hesitate prior to blowing it up.
2. Value Simplicity Over Features
Extra isn’t constantly much better. A platform with a tidy, intuitive interface will certainly save you time and headaches over time– even if it doesn’t have every feature imaginable.
3. Need Transparency
Surprise prices are the worst. Select tools that are ahead of time about pricing, integrations, and limits. You shouldn’t need a calculator and a synonym replacement tool to comprehend your month-to-month expense.
4. Pay Attention to Actual Users (Not Just Marketing Experts)
Inspect unbiased testimonials, customer discussion forums, and Reddit threads. Focus on actual customer experience– not simply slick sales web pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Right Here Are Better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trustworthy, straightforward system to run your business, I’ve checked a lot. Here are a couple of I ‘d actually advise:.
Keap— My present go-to. Effective automations, solid assistance, and it just works. Well worth every dime.
HubSpot— Great for companies that require scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one remedy for small to mid-sized companies with strong reporting devices.
Monday.com— Fantastic for job monitoring, group collaboration, and sales pipeline tracking.
Bonsai— Particularly great for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel may benefit some. However, for me? It was an irritating, expensive experiment that I couldn’t wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the edge, asking yourself whether to make the leap– concentrate. Ask on your own what’s actually not operating in your existing setup. Don’t melt your systems down just because something newer and shinier turned up.
Stick with what jobs. Your peace of mind (and your customers) will thanks.