You understand that feeling when you’re 99% certain something’s a great concept, just to recognize later on … it was a total dumpster fire? That’s precisely what happened when I decided to switch my whole firm over to GoHighLevel.
It looked glossy. It seemed revolutionary. Yet in truth? It developed into among one of the most painful software program choices I have actually made in over a decade of running my company.
So prior to you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me walk you via exactly what decreased– because if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly trying to find smarter, much more reliable means to expand your organization. Simply … not similar to this.
The Seductive All-in-One Promise
Right here’s the important things. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it sounded like a desire happened. A solitary system to manage your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, appointment bookings, automation, payments– you name it.
If you’ve ever managed a Monster stack of tools simply to run your day-to-day, you recognize exactly how alluring the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been using Keap for many years (and liking it, honestly), yet still– I got enticed in by the promise of streamlining whatever under one roof.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a poor case of glossy object disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That Actually Worked)
Let me be real with you: Keap had not been damaged. It did whatever I needed. It managed my e-mail automations, sales funnels, appointment organizing, invoicing– you name it. Sure, the user interface felt a little dated in places, and sometimes things took a couple of more clicks than I liked, yet hey, it worked.
So why change?
Honestly, I simply began questioning if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was more affordable (externally), supplied more features, and all the trendy marketing experts on the internet seemed to be going crazy regarding it. FOMO is a hell of a medication.
That interest cost me more than just cash– it cost me time, energy, and comfort.
What It Cost Me to Switch over
I went done in. Signed up for the $297/month agency plan. Invest a strong 30 to 40 hours moving information, rebuilding workflows, and essentially attempting to duplicate my entire Keap setup inside GoHighLevel.
Below’s what I needed to move:
- 20,000+ email subscribers
- Loads of automations
- All client accounts and notes
- Stripe payment integration
- Whole funnel framework
- Customized forms, landing pages, activates … everything
Let’s not even discuss the shed productivity during those couple of weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, viewing tutorials, and attempting to find out where the heck basic setups were.
And simply when I thought things were working … they weren’t.
The Bugs Started Slipping In
In the beginning, everything looked all right. But after that, out of no place, individuals on my list started obtaining e-mails they weren’t intended to receive. I’m chatting totally pointless messages– sent out in batches of 171 customers at a time. 3 days straight.
Total chaos.
I rebuilt the automations from scratch. Still happened. I called assistance. They criticized “web server issues.” However absolutely nothing made sense, and the trouble didn’t disappear. Imagine awakening every early morning questioning who your system might’ve spammed over night.
That’s not just annoying– it threatens. When your whole brand name is improved count on, you can’t manage to resemble a clueless amateur blasting the wrong emails to the wrong individuals.
Support? Yeah, Best Of Luck
Currently, I do not expect perfection from any system. Pests take place. But when they do? I expect the assistance team to step up quickly.
That really did not happen right here.
Actions were vague. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was yelling right into deep space while my organization melted. At the same time, every min I spent fixing was a min I wasn’t offering clients or growing my agency.
For a device that markets itself to major business owners, GoHighLevel certain really did not treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Hot Mess
You ever before make use of a device and just feel … shed? That was me inside GoHighLevel Freelancer Plan.
The UX was clunky. Points were hidden in odd areas. Even basic jobs like modifying a funnel or tweaking an email circulation became a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t also obtain me began. Intend to transform product settings, page layouts, and general circulation? Trendy– you’ll need to hunt through three various locations that make zero rational feeling. Fifty percent the moment, I couldn’t even bear in mind where I ‘d clicked something 10 seconds earlier.
It felt like utilizing software application built by engineers, for engineers– not day-to-day entrepreneur.
The “Budget friendly” Plan That Got Real Pricey, Actual Rapid
Let’s talk money.
Among GoHighLevel’s large selling points is the cost. I indicate, $97/month for all those features? Seems incredible, right?
However here’s what they do not inform you:.
You pay added per email if you utilize their SMTP.
You need to connect services like Mailgun or Twilio and handle their billing separately.
You’ll obtain random microcharges that aren’t discussed plainly.
Desire better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you as well.
By the time I added whatever up, I was paying greater than I had actually been with Keap. And becoming worse outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s just negative mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Freelancer Plan
The last straw? Enjoying my email open prices go down like a rock.
I ‘d been obtaining a solid 35% open rate with Keap. My audience was involved, my automations were called in, and points simply worked.
After switching over to GoHighLevel? Opens went down below 15%. Clicks were almost nonexistent. Something was clearly off.
Maybe it was a deliverability problem. Possibly the system was simply sending at hard times or otherwise personalizing messages properly. Whatever the reason, I had not been sticking around to play investigator while my list decayed.
Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
If you’re thinking of switching over to GoHighLevel– or any kind of new platform– here’s what I want someone had actually told me before I made the jump:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Plaything
It’s easy to obtain hyped about the most recent “revolutionary” tool. However just because every person’s talking about something does not indicate it’s right for you. If your current system is functioning, think twice before blowing it up.
2. Value Simplicity Over Features
Much more isn’t constantly much better. A platform with a clean, user-friendly user interface will certainly conserve you time and frustrations in the long run– even if it doesn’t have every feature imaginable.
3. Demand Transparency
Covert costs are the worst. Select devices that are upfront concerning pricing, integrations, and limitations. You shouldn’t need a calculator and a thesaurus to understand your regular monthly costs.
4. Listen to Real Users (Not Simply Marketing Professionals)
Inspect unbiased evaluations, customer discussion forums, and Reddit strings. Focus on actual individual experience– not simply glossy sales web pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Right Here Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a dependable, easy to use system to run your organization, I’ve examined a number. Below are a few I ‘d really suggest:.
Keap— My current go-to. Powerful automations, strong assistance, and it just works. Well worth every cent.
HubSpot— Great for organizations that require scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A strong all-in-one option for small to mid-sized organizations with solid coverage devices.
Monday.com— Amazing for project management, group collaboration, and sales pipe tracking.
Bonsai— Specifically great for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Verdict
GoHighLevel may help some. But also for me? It was an aggravating, pricey experiment that I could not wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the edge, wondering whether to make the leap– concentrate. Ask yourself what’s actually not working in your existing arrangement. Don’t melt your systems down even if something more recent and shinier turned up.
Stick to what jobs. Your sanity (and your customers) will thank you.