Managing and Segmenting Contacts in GoHighLevel (GHL)

Effective contact management is crucial for any business, as it helps build lasting relationships with clients and improve overall business efficiency. GoHighLevel (GHL) provides a comprehensive set of tools designed to simplify the process of managing contacts, making it easier to organize, track, and communicate with customers.

This guide will take you through the essential steps of using GHL to import, organize, and manage your contacts, along with the best practices for segmenting contacts to create targeted marketing strategies. Understanding how to manage your contact database is key not only to maintaining strong communication but also to optimizing your workflow for better customer service.

By the end of this guide, you will have a clear understanding of how to:

• Import contacts into the GoHighLevel system.

• Organize and group contacts based on different categories.

• Segment your contact list for more effective communication.

• Implement strategies to keep your contact list clean and up to date.

Whether you’re new to GoHighLevel or you’re looking to improve your contact management skills, this educational guide will equip you with the tools and knowledge needed to utilize GHL’s features effectively for better contact management. These principles can help you ensure that you're not only maintaining order but also using your contact data in a way that aligns with your business goals.

Let’s explore each step in detail to ensure you get the most out of GoHighLevel’s contact management capabilities.

Mastering Contact Importing and Management in GoHighLevel (GHL)

Efficient contact management is crucial for growing your business, nurturing relationships, and executing effective marketing campaigns. GoHighLevel (GHL) offers powerful tools to help you streamline the process of importing, managing, and segmenting contacts. This guide will walk you through the steps of importing contacts, how to organize them, and tips for maximizing engagement through contact segmentation.

Step-by-Step Guide to Importing Contacts from a Spreadsheet

When you have a large contact list, importing them via a spreadsheet into GHL can save time and reduce data entry errors. Follow these means for a smooth import process:

1. Access the Contact Dashboard

   • On the left-hand side of your GHL screen, click the "Contacts" menu. This takes you to the contact dashboard, where you’ll manage all your imported contacts.

2. Begin the Import Process

• Click the import icon in the top-right corner of the dashboard. This starts the process of importing your contacts from a CSV file.

3. Review CSV Guidelines

• Before uploading your file, make sure it meets GHL's formatting guidelines. Your CSV file's column headers should match GHL’s fields, such as name, email, and phone number, and the data should be correctly formatted.

4. Upload Your File

• Click "Upload a file" and select the CSV file from your computer. After uploading, the file name will be displayed, confirming that it has been successfully attached.

5. Map Your Fields

• Once uploaded, you’ll need to map each column in your spreadsheet to the correct fields in GHL. For example, map a column labeled "Business Name" to GHL’s "Company Name" field. Use the preview feature to confirm the data is aligned correctly.

6. Handle Unmatched Fields

• If your CSV contains data that doesn’t fit into GHL’s available fields, you can check the "Do not import data for unmatched columns" option to exclude irrelevant information.

7. Complete the Import Process

• Click "Next," name your contact list, and confirm all details are correct. Click "Submit" to finalize the import, and a confirmation popup will notify you of the successful import.

Effective Contact Management and Segmentation in GHL

Once your contacts are imported, GHL provides tools to organize and segment them, making your marketing efforts more effective. Let’s explore some tips and strategies for managing contacts.

1. Contact Tags for Organization

   • Tags are labels used to categorize contacts. Consider tagging contacts based on their origin or actions (e.g., "Trade Show," "Website Signup"). This makes it easier to send targeted communication to specific groups later on.

2. Cleaning Your Contact List

   • Regularly review your contact list to remove duplicates, outdated contacts, or irrelevant information. Keeping a clean list improves deliverability and ensures your data remains useful for marketing efforts.

Managing Contacts in GHL

Here’s how you can use GHL’s features to manage your contacts efficiently:

Filtering Contacts

• GHL allows you to filter contacts by name, email, tags, or recent activity. This makes it easy to find and target specific segments for communication. For instance, you can filter out contacts who have not opened emails in the past 60 days to re-engage them.

Adding or Editing Tags

• Tags play a crucial role in organizing your contacts. To add or edit tags, select a contact, click the "Edit" icon, and apply the appropriate tags (e.g., "VIP Customer," "Newsletter Subscriber"). Tags make it easier to target specific audiences with personalized messaging.

Viewing Contact Details

• By clicking on a contact’s profile, you can view personal information, tags, and interaction history. This includes actions such as emails opened, forms submitted, or links clicked. Understanding this data allows you to tailor your communication strategy based on their behavior.

Sending Messages

• GHL allows you to send emails or SMS messages directly from a contact’s profile. This feature is especially useful for personalized outreach, such as sending promotional offers or important updates to specific segments.

Automating Contact Management

GHL also offers automation features that simplify contact management. For example:

• Automatic Tagging: You can set up workflows to automatically tag contacts when they fill out a form (e.g., tagging them as "New Customer").

• Triggered Messages: You can automate sending an email or SMS based on specific actions, such as when a contact clicks a link or makes a purchase.

Deleting or Editing Contacts

• GHL allows easy removal or editing of contact information. Select a contact to delete them or click on their profile to update any details.

Best Practices for Managing Contacts

Effective contact management isn’t just about adding names to a list—it’s about ensuring the data remains useful and actionable. Follow these best practices to get the most out of your GHL contact list:

1. Keep Data Clean

• It’s important to review regularly and clean your contact list. Eliminate duplicates, update incorrect information, and remove irrelevant contacts. A clean list leads to higher engagement and better campaign performance.

2. Use Tags and Custom Fields

• Tags and custom fields help you organize and segment contacts effectively. Customizing these fields allows for better segmentation, which leads to more personalized and impactful messaging.

3. Segment for Targeted Campaigns

• By segmenting your audience (e.g., VIP customers, inactive subscribers), you can create personalized campaigns that resonate with specific groups. This can significantly improve open rates and engagement.

4. Monitor Engagement

• Track how contacts interact with your campaigns by reviewing metrics such as email open rates, link clicks, and form submissions. Understanding these patterns helps you optimize future campaigns to better meet your audience’s needs.

Creating and Managing Contact Segments and Lists

Contact segmentation is vital for personalizing communication and improving marketing effectiveness. GHL offers Smart Lists, which allow you to filter contacts based on specific criteria and organize them into meaningful groups. This feature ensures that your messages are delivered to the right audience, increasing engagement and campaign success.

How to Search and Manage Contacts Using a Smart List

Smart Lists dynamically group contacts based on filters you set, making it easy to organize and reach specific audiences. Here's how to use them:

1. Access the Contact Dashboard

   • Navigate to the left-hand side of your GHL dashboard and click on the "Contact" menu to open your contact dashboard.

2. Select a Smart List

   • If you’ve already created a Smart List (e.g., "Jewelers in BC"), click on it to display all the contacts in that list.

3. Select Contacts

   • To manage specific contacts, check the boxes next to the contacts' names. You can then perform actions like sending messages or updating details.

4. Search for Contacts

   • Use the search bar at the top of the contact dashboard to search for specific contacts by name, email, or other details.

5. Manage Smart Lists

   • Above the list of contacts, you can choose to duplicate, share, or delete the Smart List:

• Duplicate: Create a copy for different uses.

• Share: Share the list with teammates.

• Delete: Remove the Smart List when it's no longer needed.

How to Export a Contact List

Exporting contacts lets you use the data outside of GHL, for backups or integration with other systems. Here’s how you can export your contact list:

1. Navigate to the Contact Dashboard

   • Open the "Contact" menu and select the Smart List you want to export (e.g., "Jewelers in BC").

2. Select Contacts

   • Check the boxes next to the names of the contacts you wish to export.

3. Initiate the Export

   • Click on the export icon (typically at the top of the contact list). A confirmation screen will appear, and you can click "Export Contacts" to start the process.

4. Download the CSV File

   • Once exported, a CSV file will download to your computer, containing all the selected contacts for future use.

Manually Adding a Contact

Adding contacts manually is a straightforward process in GHL. Follow these steps to input new contacts:

1. Select Your Sub-Account

   • Begin by selecting the appropriate sub-account.

2. Access the Contact Menu

   • Click on "Contacts" in the left-side menu to enter the Contacts Dashboard.

3. Add a New Contact

   • Click the plus (+) sign to open the new contact form.

4. Fill Out the Contact Form

   • Enter the contact's details, including the phone number (selecting the type, such as "Work" or "Mobile"). You can add multiple numbers if needed.

5. Select Contact Type

   • Choose whether the contact is a Lead or Customer. You can also select their time zone.

6. Save the Contact

   • After entering all the required details, click Save to store the information.

Editing a Contact

Sometimes, contact information may need updating. Here’s how to edit a contact’s details:

1. Access the Contact List

   • Open the "Contacts" menu to view your contacts.

2. Double-click the Contact

   • Locate and double-click the contact you want to edit.

3. Update Contact Information

   • Once the contact’s profile opens, update the necessary details, such as correcting a name, adding a business address, or updating the phone number.

4. Save the Changes

   • After making your updates, click Save to confirm the changes.

Deleting Contacts

GHL allows you to delete individual or multiple contacts. Here's how to delete contacts in bulk or individually:

1. Select the Sub-Account

   • Choose the sub-account containing the contacts you want to delete.

2. Access the Contacts Dashboard

   • Click on "Contacts" to view your full contact list.

3. Select Contacts

   • Click the checkbox next to the contact(s) you wish to delete.

4. Delete Contacts

   • Click the trash bin icon above the contact list. A dialog box will appear, prompting you to type "DELETE" to confirm the deletion.

5. Confirm Deletion

   • Once you type "DELETE," click the delete button. A success message will confirm that the contact(s) have been removed.

How to Use Custom Fields

Custom fields in GHL allow you to capture unique data about your contacts that aren't covered by the default fields. These can be incredibly useful when managing complex customer profiles or tracking additional information about leads.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Custom Fields

1. Navigate to Settings

   • To create or manage custom fields, go to the settings menu from the dashboard.

2. Access the Custom Field Section

   • Inside the settings menu, click on "Custom Field." Here, you’ll see a list of all existing custom fields and the folders or groups they belong to. You can also view and restore any deleted custom fields.

3. Add a New Custom Field

   • To add a new custom field, click the "Add Field" button. You'll be prompted to choose the type of field you want to create (e.g., dropdown, text input, number). For example, if you're adding a dropdown field, select that option.

4. Name Your Field

   • Set the name of the field to something descriptive, like "Customer Type" or "Preferred Contact Time."

5. Associate the Field with an Object

   • Under the "Object" section, select which type of object the custom field will apply to. For example, if you want this field to be used in opportunities, select "Opportunity."

6. Save the Custom Field

   • Once you've configured the custom field to your liking, click "Save" to add it to your account.

Best Practices for Custom Fields

• Consistency: Make sure your custom fields are standardized across your organization. This avoids confusion and ensures uniformity in data collection.

• Organization: Group similar fields into folders or categories for easier access.

• Review and Optimize: Periodically review your custom fields to make sure they are still relevant. Remove or update fields that are no longer useful.

Advanced Contact Segmentation Strategies

Once you have imported your contacts and created custom fields, you can use advanced segmentation techniques to target specific groups with tailored marketing messages. Segmentation helps you engage customers with relevant information, improving open rates and conversion rates.

Using Filters to Segment Contacts

Filters allow you to create more specific groups of contacts based on a variety of criteria, such as contact activity, custom field data, or tag assignments.

1. Apply Filters
   Within the contact dashboard, you can filter contacts by various attributes. For example, filter by:

   • Lead Score: Segment contacts based on how they’ve interacted with your campaigns.

   • Custom Fields: Use your custom fields to filter contacts based on special data, like “Preferred Product” or “Membership Status.”

   • Tags: If you’ve tagged contacts by interest or source, you can easily pull lists of people with similar tags.

2. Save Filtered Lists
   After applying filters, you can save this group of contacts as a Smart List for future use. This way, you don’t have to apply the same filters every time you need this segment.

3. Targeted Communication
   Use segmented lists to send personalized marketing emails, texts, or other communications. By ensuring your messaging is relevant to the specific needs or behaviors of each group, you’re more likely to see positive engagement.

Making the Most of GHL's Contact Management Features

Managing and segmenting contacts in GoHighLevel can significantly improve your ability to nurture leads, enhance customer engagement, and drive conversions. From importing contacts with ease to creating custom fields and advanced segments, GHL offers a robust tool set designed to streamline your workflows.

Here’s a summary of the key takeaways:

• Contact Importing: GHL makes it easy to import contacts in bulk, and mapping fields ensures that your data is organized correctly.

• Smart Lists: Use Smart Lists to segment your contacts dynamically, making it easier to personalize your communications.

• Custom Fields: Capture unique data about your leads with custom fields, and use this data to create more specific customer segments.

• Advanced Segmentation: Filters allow you to target specific groups with highly personalized messages, leading to better engagement.

By leveraging these features, you can optimize your contact management and marketing strategies, helping your business grow faster and more efficiently.

Conclusion

Effectively managing contacts in GoHighLevel (GHL) can significantly enhance your marketing efforts and overall business performance. By utilizing features such as tags, filters, and automation, you can keep your contact list organized, making it easier to deliver personalized messages that resonate with your audience. Regularly cleaning your contact list and using segmentation tools, like Smart Lists, ensures that your campaigns are targeted and relevant. Additionally, exporting contact data for backups and manually adding or editing contacts allows you to maintain a clean, organized, and efficient contact management system.

By following these best practices, you can build stronger relationships with your customers, drive more personalized and effective communication, and ultimately increase conversions. Efficient contact management in GHL not only streamlines your workflow but also empowers you to make the most of your marketing strategies.