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The GHL Setup Checklist

27 steps from empty account to booked appointments. This is the exact list we run for paying setup clients — in this order, because later steps silently fail when earlier ones are skipped (looking at you, A2P registration). Bookmark this page; we update it when GoHighLevel changes.

Foundation (do this first — everything else depends on it)

  1. Create the account on the plan you actually need: Starter ($97) unless you need multiple client sub-accounts (Unlimited, $297).
  2. Connect your domain and set up the dedicated sending subdomain (e.g. mail.yourdomain.com) — never send from the naked domain.
  3. Add SPF, DKIM and DMARC DNS records, then verify them before sending a single email.
  4. Buy or port your phone number; forward the tracking number to your real line and test a live call.
  5. Register A2P 10DLC (business texting compliance): legal business name, EIN, use case and sample messages. Texts silently stop delivering without it.
  6. Fill Business Profile completely — name, address, logo, timezone. It feeds every template and compliance footer.
  7. Set user accounts and roles for staff — nobody shares logins, everybody gets call/SMS notifications routed right.

CRM & pipeline (make it match how you actually sell)

  1. Import contacts with tags for source and status — clean the list first; a dirty import haunts you for years.
  2. Build ONE pipeline whose stages mirror your real sales conversation (Lead in → Contacted → Booked → Quoted → Won/Lost). Delete the demo stages.
  3. Define the 5–8 tags you will actually use and document what each means. More than that and nobody applies them.
  4. Set up custom fields only for data you will act on (job type, budget range) — not everything you could collect.
  5. Configure lead source attribution so every contact records where it came from.

Calendars & booking

  1. Create the booking calendar with real availability, buffers between slots, and minimum scheduling notice.
  2. Connect your Google/Outlook calendar two-way so double-bookings are impossible.
  3. Write the confirmation email + SMS pair that fires on booking (who, when, where, what to bring).
  4. Build the reminder sequence: 24h email, 2h SMS, with a reschedule link in both.
  5. Test a real booking end-to-end on your phone, including the reschedule flow.

Automations (the ones with fastest payback, in order)

  1. Missed call text-back: "Sorry we missed you — how can we help?" fires on any unanswered call.
  2. Speed-to-lead: new form/funnel lead gets an SMS + email within 5 minutes, and a task is created if no reply in 1 hour.
  3. Review request: job marked Won triggers a Google review ask with the direct review link, 1 gentle follow-up max.
  4. Database reactivation: quarterly "still need help with X?" campaign to cold leads — the cheapest revenue you will ever generate.
  5. Set Do-Not-Disturb windows and opt-out handling (STOP) so automations respect quiet hours and the law.

Funnels, tracking & launch QA

  1. Build (or migrate) the one landing page that matters most, with the booking calendar embedded.
  2. Install GA4 (or your analytics) and test that form fills and bookings register as events.
  3. Connect payment processor if you take deposits or sell online — test a real $1 transaction.
  4. Full QA pass as a fake customer: call and hang up, fill every form, book, reschedule, reply STOP. Fix what breaks.
  5. Record a 10-minute Loom of how everything works and where to find replies — future-you (and staff) will thank you.

Rather not do all 27 yourself?

Fair. This checklist is literally our job: we run it on your account, test it with real calls and bookings, and hand over a recorded walkthrough — see the done-for-you setup. Or start with the GoHighLevel review if you're still deciding whether the platform fits you at all.