You understand that feeling when you’re 99% certain something’s a wonderful concept, only to recognize later on … it was a complete dumpster fire? That’s precisely what occurred when I determined to switch my whole company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It sounded revolutionary. But in truth? It turned into among the most agonizing software decisions I have actually made in over a years of running my organization.
So prior to you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you via exactly what decreased– since if you’re anything like me, you’re always trying to find smarter, much more effective methods to expand your business. Just … not such as this.
The Seductive All-in-One Pledge
Here’s the important things. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it seemed like a dream come true. A single platform to manage your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, consultation bookings, automation, payments– you name it.
If you have actually ever managed a Frankenstein pile of devices simply to run your daily, you understand how appealing the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been making use of Keap for many years (and enjoying it, truthfully), but still– I got tempted in by the promise of streamlining every little thing under one roofing system.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a negative 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 every little thing I required. It managed my e-mail automations, sales funnels, appointment organizing, invoicing– you name it. Certain, the interface really felt a little dated in position, and sometimes points took a few more clicks than I suched as, yet hey, it functioned.
So why modification?
Honestly, I just started questioning if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was more affordable (on the surface), offered much more features, and all the trendy marketing experts on-line seemed to be raving regarding it. FOMO is a hell of a medication.
That curiosity expense me greater than just money– it cost me time, energy, and peace of mind.
What It Price Me to Switch over
I went done in. Enrolled in the $297/month agency plan. Invest a solid 30 to 40 hours moving data, restoring workflows, and generally attempting to reproduce my entire Keap configuration inside GoHighLevel.
Right here’s what I had to relocate:
- 20,000+ e-mail customers
- Dozens of automations
- All customer accounts and notes
- Stripe invoicing integration
- Entire funnel infrastructure
- Customized kinds, landing pages, activates … whatever
Allow’s not also speak about the lost productivity throughout those couple of weeks. I depended on my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, enjoying tutorials, and trying to figure out where the heck standard settings were.
And just when I thought points were functioning … they weren’t.
The Vermin Started Creeping In
Initially, every little thing looked okay. However after that, out of nowhere, individuals on my checklist started getting emails they weren’t meant to receive. I’m chatting entirely pointless messages– sent out in batches of 171 customers at a time. 3 days straight.
Total disorder.
I rebuilt the automations from square one. Still happened. I called assistance. They criticized “server issues.” Yet nothing made sense, and the issue really did not go away. Visualize waking up every early morning wondering who your system may’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not simply bothersome– it threatens. When your entire brand name is built on depend on, you can’t afford to look like a clueless amateur blowing up the wrong e-mails to the incorrect people.
Assistance? Yeah, Best Of Luck
Now, I do not expect perfection from any type of system. Insects take place. But when they do? I anticipate the assistance team to step up quickly.
That really did not occur below.
Responses were vague. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was screaming into deep space while my service melted. Meanwhile, every min I spent fixing was a min I wasn’t serving customers or growing my company.
For a tool that markets itself to major entrepreneurs, GoHighLevel certain really did not treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever before utilize a device and simply really feel … lost? That was me inside GoHighLevel Pricing.
The UX was confusing. Points were buried in odd places. Even basic tasks like editing and enhancing a funnel or tweaking an e-mail circulation developed into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Do not even get me started. Intend to change item setups, web page designs, and general circulation? Awesome– you’ll need to hunt through 3 various areas that make zero rational sense. Half the time, I couldn’t even keep in mind where I would certainly clicked something ten seconds earlier.
It seemed like utilizing software constructed by engineers, for designers– not daily company owner.
The “Budget-friendly” Plan That Got Actual Costly, Real Fast
Let’s talk cash.
One of GoHighLevel’s large marketing points is the rate. I suggest, $97/month for all those features? Sounds impressive, appropriate?
Yet here’s what they don’t inform you:.
You pay added per e-mail if you utilize their SMTP.
You need to attach solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their invoicing separately.
You’ll get arbitrary microcharges that aren’t discussed plainly.
Want much better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I included whatever up, I was paying greater than I had actually been with Keap. And becoming worse results.
That’s not a good deal– it’s just bad mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Pricing
The last straw? Enjoying my e-mail open prices go down like a rock.
I would certainly been obtaining a strong 35% open price with Keap. My target market was involved, my automations were called in, and points just worked.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped listed below 15%. Clicks were almost nonexistent. Something was clearly off.
Possibly it was a deliverability problem. Perhaps the system was simply sending out at bad times or otherwise personalizing messages appropriately. Whatever the cause, I wasn’t remaining to play detective while my checklist decayed.
Lessons I Discovered by hand
If you’re thinking of changing to GoHighLevel– or any kind of new platform– right here’s what I desire somebody had actually told me before I made the leap:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Plaything
It’s easy to obtain hyped concerning the most recent “advanced” device. However just because every person’s talking about something doesn’t indicate it’s right for you. If your existing system is working, reconsider prior to blowing it up.
2. Worth Simpleness Over Features
A lot more isn’t constantly better. A platform with a clean, intuitive user interface will certainly save you time and migraines in the future– even if it doesn’t have every feature imaginable.
3. Need Openness
Concealed prices are the worst. Choose tools that are upfront regarding pricing, integrations, and limitations. You shouldn’t need a calculator and a thesaurus to recognize your regular monthly costs.
4. Listen to Actual Users (Not Just Marketers)
Inspect honest evaluations, customer forums, and Reddit threads. Focus on actual user experience– not simply glossy sales pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Below Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a reliable, easy to use system to run your organization, I’ve examined a lot. Right here are a couple of I ‘d actually recommend:.
Keap— My existing go-to. Effective automations, solid assistance, and it just functions. Well worth every penny.
HubSpot— Great for companies that need scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A strong all-in-one remedy for little to mid-sized services with solid coverage tools.
Monday.com— Amazing for project management, team partnership, and sales pipeline monitoring.
Bonsai— Particularly fantastic for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Final Thought
GoHighLevel may work for some. But for me? It was an aggravating, costly experiment that I couldn’t wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the edge, wondering whether to make the leap– think hard. Ask on your own what’s actually not working in your existing setup. Don’t melt your systems down even if something more recent and shinier showed up.
Stick with what jobs. Your sanity (and your clients) will thank you.