You understand that feeling when you’re 99% sure something’s a terrific concept, just to understand later … it was a complete dumpster fire? That’s exactly what took place when I chose to switch my entire firm over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It appeared revolutionary. Yet in reality? It turned into among one of the most uncomfortable software decisions I have actually made in over a decade of running my business.
So prior to you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me walk you with specifically what decreased– because if you’re anything like me, you’re constantly trying to find smarter, much more efficient methods to grow your service. Just … not such as this.
The Seductive All-in-One Guarantee
Right here’s the thing. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it sounded like a desire become a reality. A single system to manage your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, visit reservations, automation, payments– you name it.
If you have actually ever before managed a Monster stack of tools just to run your daily, you understand just how alluring the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I would certainly been using Keap for years (and loving it, honestly), yet still– I got tempted in by the guarantee of streamlining every little thing under one roofing.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a negative situation of shiny item disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That In Fact Worked)
Let me be genuine with you: Keap wasn’t broken. It did every little thing I required. It handled my email automations, sales funnels, visit scheduling, invoicing– you name it. Sure, the user interface really felt a little outdated in places, and in some cases things took a few even more clicks than I suched as, yet hey, it worked.
So why adjustment?
Honestly, I simply began asking yourself if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was more affordable (on the surface), offered extra features, and all the cool online marketers online appeared to be going crazy about it. FOMO is a heck of a medicine.
That interest expense me more than just cash– it cost me time, power, and satisfaction.
What It Expense Me to Change
I went all in. Signed up for the $297/month agency plan. Invest a strong 30 to 40 hours migrating data, reconstructing workflows, and generally attempting to duplicate my entire Keap configuration inside GoHighLevel.
Right here’s what I had to relocate:
- 20,000+ e-mail clients
- Loads of automations
- All client accounts and notes
- Stripe billing integration
- Entire funnel infrastructure
- Custom-made forms, landing pages, activates … whatever
Let’s not also discuss the shed productivity during those couple of weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, seeing tutorials, and attempting to determine where the heck basic setups were.
And just when I assumed points were working … they weren’t.
The Bugs Started Slipping In
At first, whatever looked alright. But after that, out of no place, individuals on my listing started getting emails they weren’t intended to obtain. I’m speaking totally irrelevant messages– sent out in sets of 171 users at once. Three days straight.
Complete chaos.
I rebuilt the automations from scratch. Still taken place. I got in touch with support. They criticized “server concerns.” However nothing made sense, and the trouble really did not vanish. Imagine waking up every morning questioning who your system may’ve spammed over night.
That’s not simply frustrating– it’s dangerous. When your whole brand name is improved depend on, you can’t afford to look like a clueless amateur blowing up the incorrect e-mails to the wrong individuals.
Assistance? Yeah, Good Luck
Currently, I do not anticipate perfection from any type of platform. Insects take place. However when they do? I expect the assistance group to step up quickly.
That didn’t happen below.
Reactions were obscure. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was yelling right into the void while my organization shed. At the same time, every min I invested troubleshooting was a minute I wasn’t serving clients or growing my firm.
For a tool 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 utilize a tool and just feel … lost? That was me inside How To Use GoHighLevel To Make Money.
The UX was confusing. Things were buried in weird locations. Even easy jobs like modifying a funnel or tweaking an email circulation turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me started. Wish to change item setups, web page designs, and overall circulation? Amazing– you’ll need to search with three various areas that make absolutely no logical sense. Fifty percent the moment, I couldn’t also keep in mind where I would certainly clicked something 10 seconds earlier.
It felt like utilizing software built by engineers, for engineers– not everyday business owners.
The “Cost effective” Plan That Obtained Genuine Costly, Real Fast
Let’s talk money.
One of GoHighLevel’s big marketing factors is the price. I suggest, $97/month for all those features? Seems remarkable, ideal?
But here’s what they don’t inform you:.
You pay additional per email if you use their SMTP.
You need to connect services like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their payment individually.
You’ll obtain arbitrary microcharges that aren’t discussed plainly.
Want far better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I included everything up, I was paying greater than I had been with Keap. And getting worse results.
That’s not a bargain– it’s just bad math.
My Email Metrics Tanked How To Use GoHighLevel To Make Money
The final straw? Enjoying my e-mail open prices drop like a rock.
I would certainly been obtaining a solid 35% open price with Keap. My target market was involved, my automations were dialed in, and points just functioned.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped below 15%. Clicks were virtually nonexistent. Something was plainly off.
Maybe it was a deliverability issue. Maybe the system was simply sending at bad times or not personalizing messages properly. Whatever the reason, I had not been remaining to play investigator while my listing decayed.
Lessons I Found Out by hand
If you’re considering changing to GoHighLevel– or any new platform– here’s what I want a person had actually informed me before I made the jump:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Plaything
It’s simple to obtain hyped concerning the most recent “innovative” device. Yet just because every person’s speaking about something doesn’t suggest it’s right for you. If your present system is functioning, reconsider prior to blowing it up.
2. Worth Simplicity Over Features
Much more isn’t constantly far better. A system with a clean, intuitive user interface will certainly save you time and frustrations in the future– even if it does not have every feature under the sun.
3. Demand Transparency
Hidden expenses are the worst. Select devices that are ahead of time regarding pricing, integrations, and restrictions. You shouldn’t need a calculator and a thesaurus to recognize your month-to-month bill.
4. Pay Attention to Real Customers (Not Simply Marketing Professionals)
Inspect unbiased reviews, customer forums, and Reddit threads. Pay attention to actual individual experience– not just slick sales web pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Here Are Better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trustworthy, straightforward system to run your service, I have actually examined a number. Here are a few I ‘d really suggest:.
Keap— My present go-to. Effective automations, solid support, and it just works. Well worth every penny.
HubSpot— Great for organizations that require scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one solution for tiny to mid-sized businesses with solid reporting devices.
Monday.com— Wonderful for job monitoring, team cooperation, and sales pipeline tracking.
Bonsai— Especially excellent for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Verdict
GoHighLevel may benefit some. But for me? It was a frustrating, pricey experiment that I could not wait to end.
So if you’re standing at the edge, wondering whether to make the jump– think hard. Ask yourself what’s really not operating in your current configuration. Don’t shed your systems down even if something newer and shinier appeared.
Stick to what jobs. Your sanity (and your clients) will certainly thank you.