I’ve now sat through two “consultation calls” for courses that looked incredible.
The first? “How to Land High-Ticket Clients in Your Social Media Management Company.”
The second? A course on how to create your own course.
Both sounded promising, both claimed to be the missing piece to my business success, and both turned out to be modern-day pyramid schemes wrapped in a bow.
Here’s how I figured it out—and what to do instead.
Red Flag #1: The “We Took a $20,000 Course to Learn This” Sales Pitch
🚩 The moment my red flag radar went off was when one of the “mentors” said:
“We took a $20,000 course on how to land high-ticket clients, and that’s exactly what we’re going to teach you.”
Wait… so you paid $20K to learn how to convince other people to pay thousands for a course?
And now I’m supposed to pay you $6,000 to learn the same thing?
If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the definition of a pyramid scheme.
Red Flag #2: The Sketchy ROI Guarantee
🚩 Next came the 100% return on investment (ROI) guarantee.
“You’ll make your money back, no matter what!” they said.
But then I read the fine print.
- The contract was vague AF—nothing actually guaranteed a refund.
- One clause literally stated: “If you become disruptive or difficult to work with, the refund is void.”
Excuse me? So if I complete the course, follow the steps, and still don’t see results, you can just say I’m ‘difficult to work with’ and keep my money?
Absolutely not.
Red Flag #3: The “Act Fast Before We Sell Out” Scarcity Tactic
🚩 Both courses used the same pressure-based sales tactic:
“Spots are filling up fast! You only have 48 hours to decide!”
Yet somehow, there were always openings.
This is one of the oldest tricks in the book—making you believe you have to make a decision under pressure so you don’t have time to think logically.
A legit business course will NEVER force you into a rushed decision.
Red Flag #4: The “Just Open a No-Interest Credit Card” Advice
🚩 The biggest WTF moment?
Both times, when I said $6,000 was too expensive, they told me to:
“Just open a no-interest credit card! You’ll make the money back before the first payment is due!”
Uhh… NO.
A real business coach helps you grow sustainably—not drown in debt for their personal gain.
At this point, it was clear:
They weren’t supporting small businesses. They were preying on them.
Red Flag #5: The Carefully Selected “Success Stories”
🚩 They only recommended I speak to people who had already “made it” through their course.
The ones at the top of the pyramid.
But where were the hundreds of people who didn’t see success?
If you’re only being shown the 5% of people who ‘made it’ while ignoring the 95% who didn’t… 🚨 That’s a problem.
So… What Should You Do Instead?
If you’re considering a business course, here’s how to protect yourself:
✅ Get the contract upfront. If they hesitate, it’s a red flag.
✅ Ask for a syllabus. A reputable course will have a clear outline.
✅ Demand pricing transparency. If they hide the price until the sales call, it’s a setup.
But the best way to learn?
Study their marketing strategies.
How I Spotted Their Marketing Formula (And How You Can Use It Yourself—For Free)
One thing I noticed? Both of these “coaches” relied heavily on meme reels.
Why? Because meme reels are:
- Fun – People actually enjoy watching them.
- Relatable – They make your audience think, “That’s so me.”
- Easy to Create – No fancy editing required.
And let’s be real—people LOVE a good meme.
But here’s the bigger lesson: These coaches weren’t just selling courses. They were using the exact same marketing strategies that we, as marketers, use every day.
How to Learn From Them (Without Paying a Dime)
Most of these high-ticket courses follow a pattern. They’re built around the same marketing techniques that successful business owners already use.
Instead of signing up for a course to be taught these strategies, you can observe them in real time.
Here’s how:
1. Find the Students Who Are Actually Succeeding
Most of these courses LOVE to highlight their success stories. They’ll showcase students who made back their investment (and more), the ones who skyrocketed their business, the ones who prove that the course “works.”
And that’s exactly who you should be studying.
- Check out their website testimonials and highlight reels on Instagram.
- Find the students they keep showing off—because those are the ones who implemented their strategies correctly.
These students are your blueprint.
2. Follow Their Every Move
Once you’ve found the most successful students, follow them on the platform the course was designed for (Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.).
Take note of everything they’re doing.
- Are they running masterclasses?
- Are they going live every week?
- Are they posting reels daily?
- Are they using memes?
- Are they using specific language that seems directly pulled from the course?
Essentially, reverse-engineer their marketing strategy.
Because here’s the thing: If they’re succeeding, it means they followed the exact roadmap the course provided.
3. Check Out Their Website & Backend Systems
Marketing doesn’t stop at social media. Now, take a deeper look at their business backend.
- What platform is their website built on? Are they using WordPress, Showit, or an all-in-one system like Kartra?
- What email platform are they using? If they have a lead magnet or freebie, sign up for it. Watch their email sequence.
- What tech stack are they using? Are they automating things? Using specific sales funnels?
Every single one of these details was likely taught inside the course.
And you just figured it all out for FREE.
Yes, This is More Work—But You Just Saved Thousands of Dollars
I’m not saying courses don’t provide value. Some do. But most of them are just teaching you the same marketing strategies you can observe in real time if you know where to look.
Yes, this method takes more effort—but in the end, you:
✅ Avoid wasting money on overpriced information
✅ Learn the strategies by watching them in action
✅ Implement them on your own timeline (without the high-pressure sales tactics)
If you take the time to study, track, and replicate what the successful students are doing, you don’t need to spend $6,000 on a program—you just need to pay attention.
What to Do Next
If you’ve made it this far, you now know that the real value in these high-ticket courses isn’t in the curriculum—it’s in watching their most successful students implement the strategies in real-time.
But what if you had a step-by-step guide to make this process even easier?
That’s why I created The Course Hacking Blueprint—a simple, powerful checklist that walks you through exactly how to:
- Find the students who actually succeeded (so you’re not wasting time)
- Analyze their content, offers, and marketing strategies
- Reverse-engineer their success without ever paying for the course
- Implement their techniques in your own business—on your terms
This method takes effort—but it’s free, and it works.
Grab your free copy below and start learning from the best—without the price tag.