Small Business Setup Playbook
Your complete guide to implementing GoHighLevel in your small business. Follow this 30-day plan to automate marketing, manage customers, and grow without a big team.
What You'll Accomplish
Week 1: Foundation Setup
Day 1-2: Account Setup
Start by creating your GoHighLevel account and completing the initial setup. If you haven't signed up yet, review the pricing options and choose the right plan for your business (most small businesses start with the Starter Plan).
Checklist:
- Create your GoHighLevel account with 30-day free trial
- Complete your business profile (name, logo, contact info)
- Set up your first sub-account (this is your business)
- Configure your business hours and timezone
- Connect your business email address
- Add team members if applicable
Time Required: 1-2 hours
Resources: General Getting Started Guide
Day 3-4: Import Contacts & Setup CRM
Import your existing customer database and set up your CRM pipelines. This is the foundation for all your marketing automation.
Checklist:
- Export contacts from your current system (Excel, Google Sheets, or current CRM)
- Clean your contact list (remove duplicates, fix phone numbers)
- Import contacts via CSV upload
- Create custom fields for your business (service type, last visit date, etc.)
- Set up tags for customer segmentation
- Create a basic sales pipeline (Lead → Qualified → Closed)
Pro Tip: Start with a small batch of contacts (50-100) to test your import process before uploading your entire database.
Time Required: 2-3 hours
Day 5-7: Set Up Communication Channels
Configure your email and SMS capabilities so you can communicate with customers across multiple channels.
Checklist:
- Connect your business email (Gmail or custom domain)
- Set up email templates for common messages
- Purchase a phone number for SMS (typically $2-3/month)
- Test sending emails and SMS to yourself
- Create your email signature
- Set up voicemail greeting if using phone features
Time Required: 2 hours
Resources: Email Marketing Guide and SMS Marketing Guide
Week 2: Appointment Scheduling
Day 8-10: Calendar Setup
Set up automated appointment booking to let customers schedule 24/7 and reduce no-shows with automated reminders.
Checklist:
- Create your calendar and connect to Google Calendar
- Set your availability hours and days
- Configure buffer time between appointments
- Set appointment types and durations
- Customize booking confirmation message
- Add calendar widget to your website
Time Required: 3 hours
Resources: Calendar Features Guide and Appointment System Playbook
Day 11-14: Appointment Reminder Automation
Create automated reminder sequences to dramatically reduce no-shows. Most businesses see 40-60% reduction in no-shows with proper reminders.
Checklist:
- Create workflow triggered by new appointment
- Add immediate confirmation email
- Add confirmation SMS within 5 minutes
- Set up 24-hour reminder email
- Set up 24-hour reminder SMS
- Add 2-hour reminder SMS on day of appointment
- Test the entire workflow with a test appointment
Pro Tip: Include a one-click "Confirm Appointment" link in your SMS reminders. This increases confirmation rates and gives you peace of mind.
Time Required: 2-3 hours
Resources: Workflow Automation Guide
Week 3: Lead Generation
Day 15-18: Build Your First Funnel
Create a simple lead capture funnel to collect contact information from website visitors, social media, and advertising.
Checklist:
- Choose a landing page template from the marketplace
- Customize with your branding, colors, and images
- Create a compelling offer (free quote, consultation, discount)
- Add a simple contact form (name, email, phone)
- Create a thank you page with next steps
- Connect your custom domain (optional but recommended)
- Test the form submission process
Time Required: 4-5 hours
Resources: Funnel Builder Guide and Lead Generation Playbook
Day 19-21: Lead Follow-Up Automation
Create an automated sequence to follow up with new leads immediately. The fortune is in the follow-up!
Checklist:
- Create workflow triggered by form submission
- Send immediate welcome email with what to expect
- Send welcome SMS with your contact info
- Add 1-hour follow-up email if no response
- Add 1-day follow-up SMS
- Add 3-day follow-up email
- Add 7-day "last chance" email
- Test the entire sequence
Pro Tip: Personalize your messages using custom fields like first name, service requested, and location. Personal touches significantly improve response rates.
Time Required: 3-4 hours
Week 4: Launch & Optimize
Day 22-25: Review Campaign
Set up an automated campaign to collect reviews from happy customers. Positive reviews are crucial for local business growth.
Checklist:
- Create a "Review Request" workflow
- Trigger it 24 hours after service completion
- Send a thank you email with review link
- Follow up with SMS if no review after 3 days
- Link to your Google Business, Yelp, or Facebook
- Create thank you automation for reviewers
- Test the workflow
Time Required: 2 hours
Day 26-30: Go Live & Monitor
Launch your marketing automation and monitor the results. Make adjustments based on what you learn.
Checklist:
- Enable all workflows and automation
- Share your booking link on social media
- Add booking widget to your website
- Start running ads to your new landing page
- Monitor your dashboard daily
- Check open rates and click rates for emails
- Review appointment show rates
- Make adjustments based on data
Pro Tip: Set aside 30 minutes each week to review your analytics and make small improvements. Continuous optimization is the key to success.
Time Required: 1-2 hours initial setup, then 30 min/week ongoing
Next Steps
You've Built the Foundation. Now Scale!
Congratulations! You now have a working marketing automation system. Here's how to take it to the next level:
- Add more funnels: Create specific funnels for each service you offer
- Build email nurture sequences: Keep in touch with leads over weeks and months
- Implement customer retention: Set up win-back campaigns for inactive customers
- Add social media integration: Respond to Facebook and Instagram messages in one place
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the setup process take?
Most small businesses can complete the basic setup in 2-3 hours. Full implementation with automation takes about 30 days working 1-2 hours per week.
Do I need technical skills?
No technical skills required. Our playbook uses drag-and-drop tools and pre-built templates that anyone can use.
What if I get stuck?
GoHighLevel has extensive documentation and video tutorials. You can also hire a certified GoHighLevel agency to help with setup.
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