As an Internet entrepreneur, I’ve been in the online marketing game for over a decade now. I’ve seen my fair share of online courses, from the truly transformative to the downright disappointing. Recently, I decided to give Douglas James Training a try, hoping to add some new skills to my arsenal and maybe even boost my income.
Douglas James, often dubbed the “High-Ticket Client Guy,” promises a lot with his training programs—everything from landing high-paying clients to mastering Facebook ads for lead generation.
Intrigued by these bold claims and the glowing testimonials plastered all over the internet, I took the plunge and invested a significant amount of money into his courses.
However, after going through the material and applying the strategies, I found myself questioning whether it was all worth it. In this review, I’ll share my personal experience with Douglas James Training, highlighting what worked, what didn’t, and why I ultimately decided that this course isn’t the best investment for aspiring digital marketers.
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How Does Douglas James Marketing Training Help You Make Money?
Douglas James’s marketing training is designed to teach you how to make money through digital marketing, with a particular focus on lead generation using social media platforms like Facebook.
The program is founded by Douglas James, a digital marketing expert known as the “High-Ticket Client Guy.” His courses aim to help entrepreneurs attract high-paying clients and grow their online businesses by leveraging paid advertising and online marketing strategies.
Who’s Douglas James?
Douglas James Training is spearheaded by Douglas James, a former Navy Corpsman turned successful digital marketing entrepreneur. Known as the “High-Ticket Client Guy,” Douglas James has built a reputation for helping entrepreneurs and business owners attract high-paying clients through effective online marketing strategies, particularly using Facebook ads.
Douglas James began his journey in digital marketing after his deployment on a humanitarian mission in 2015, where he realized his passion for helping others achieve success. Upon returning to the United States, he immersed himself in learning digital marketing techniques and quickly became proficient in running paid traffic ads on platforms like Facebook and YouTube. His expertise and success in this field led him to establish his own agency, Amped Local Inc., which has helped numerous businesses increase their revenue significantly.
Douglas James has been featured in major publications such as FOX, Entrepreneur, Yahoo, NBC, and ABC, and his company is recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States. He has trained over 5,000 entrepreneurs, sharing his proven sales and marketing strategies to help them achieve financial success.
Recommendation: Make Passive Income Online
Review of Douglas James’s Courses
Let’s delve into some of the courses offered by Douglas James to gain a better understanding of their content and value:
The High-Ticket Experience ($3000-$25,000)
The High-Ticket Experience is a comprehensive system designed to help individuals book sales calls for high-ticket coaching, courses, and consulting services. The course covers various aspects of the sales process, including:
- Closing deals over the phone
- Scheduling sales call appointments
- Providing high-ticket coaching and advisory services
- Choosing a profitable niche
The High-Ticket Experience aims to equip students with the skills and strategies necessary to attract and convert high-paying clients effectively. While the exact cost of this program is not publicly disclosed, it is considered one of Douglas James’ higher-priced offerings, typically ranging from $3,000 to $25,000, depending on the package.
Local Business Funnels and Ads ($3000)
Local Business Funnels and Ads is a course that focuses on teaching students how to generate leads for local businesses through effective advertising and marketing funnels. The program covers the following key areas:
- Creating custom advertisements
- Optimizing ad views and engagement
- Implementing market funnels for lead generation
- Setting up automated systems for local businesses
- Accessing Facebook support and pre-made ad templates
The course is designed to help entrepreneurs establish their own local marketing agencies, providing lead generation services to small businesses in their area. The cost of this program is typically around $3,000, with additional expenses for ad spend and other necessary tools.
The Industry Marketing Academy ($3000)
The Industry Marketing Academy is a comprehensive training program that focuses on dominating Facebook advertising and lead generation for various industries. The academy includes the following components:
- 50 plug-and-play industry funnels
- Advanced training on Facebook advertising and marketing techniques
- Access to automated systems for Facebook, ClickFunnels, and ActiveCampaign
- Weekly coaching calls and a private Facebook group
- Lifetime access to the course content
The Industry Marketing Academy aims to provide students with a turnkey solution for launching and scaling their own marketing agencies. According to the sales page, previous and current members have reported generating significant revenue within weeks of joining the academy, with some earning five figures in their first month.
The cost of this program is around $3,000.
1-Hour Activation Call ($3,500)
A one-time consultation call priced at $3,500, aimed at providing personalized advice and strategies.
6-Month Group Program
The cost for this program is not explicitly listed, but it includes mastermind calls, live online training, and access to a private Facebook group, limited to 25 participants.
VIP Day
The cost for a VIP Day is not specified, but it is part of the high-ticket offerings and is likely to be on the higher end of the pricing spectrum.
Recommendation: Make Passive Income Online
Are Students Getting Results?
While Douglas James claims to have helped many students achieved financial freedom, I have found a lot of customer complaints online.
In fact, apart from the testimonials on his sales page, I couldn’t find any success stories on third party platforms.
Here’re some notable complaints:
One student who paid $25,000 for the VIP program said that the promised one-on-one coaching sessions were never delivered. Instead, they attended group Zoom calls with other students.
The student felt that the company was understaffed and did not execute on their promises, leading to a lack of return on investment.
Another Reddit user who paid $2,900 for a digital marketing course described the course as consisting of about 30 poorly edited videos of the CEO recording his desktop or PowerPoint presentations.
The user felt that the course was slow, unprofessional, and repetitive, and he was concerned about the lack of practical guidance on finding clients.
On Better Business Bureau, there are also lots of complaints.
For example, one student reported financial stress and anxiety after borrowing money to pay for the training. He mentioned that only one coach followed up with him, and he struggled to get a refund despite being dissatisfied with the program.
Pros and Cons of Douglas James Training
Pros
- Comprehensive Training: Douglas James Training offers a variety of courses that cover different aspects of digital marketing, including lead generation, Facebook advertising, and high-ticket sales. This makes it a versatile option for entrepreneurs looking to enhance their marketing skills.
- Proven Strategies: The courses are based on Douglas James’ own successful experiences in digital marketing. He shares proven scripts, funnels, and templates that have helped many businesses grow their revenue.
- Support and Community: Participants have access to a private Facebook group and weekly coaching calls, providing ongoing support and networking opportunities. This community aspect can be beneficial for motivation and troubleshooting.
- High Earning Potential: Some students have reported significant financial success after implementing the strategies taught in the courses. Testimonials include individuals who have matched or exceeded their full-time income within a few months.
- Automated Systems: The training includes automated systems and plug-and-play resources, which can simplify the process of setting up and running marketing campaigns.
Cons
- High Cost: The courses are expensive, with prices ranging from $3,000 to $25,000. This high cost can be a barrier for many potential students, especially those just starting out.
- Lack of Detailed Information: There is limited visibility into the specific curriculum and strategies taught in the courses. This lack of transparency can make it difficult for potential students to assess the value of the training before committing.
- Heavy Reliance on Facebook Ads: The training heavily focuses on Facebook advertising, which may not be suitable for all businesses or marketing strategies. Additionally, the cost of running ads can add up quickly, making it an expensive endeavor.
- Mixed Reviews: While there are positive testimonials, there are also negative reviews and complaints about the quality of the training, lack of one-on-one coaching, and unfulfilled refund promises.
Not Suitable for Everyone: The training may not be ideal for introverts or those who do not want to deal with clients directly. It also requires a significant amount of upfront work and active income generation, which may not align with everyone’s goals for passive income.
Recommendation: Make Passive Income Online
Is Douglas James A Scam? My Experience with His Training…
Douglas James isn’t a scam. However, I won’t recommend taking his marketing courses.
When I came across Douglas James’s Industry Marketing Academy, I was intrigued by the promises of high-ticket clients and rapid business growth through Facebook advertising and ClickFunnels. However, my experience with the course left me feeling disappointed and convinced that it is overpriced, especially for beginners.
One of the main issues I encountered with the Industry Marketing Academy is its heavy reliance on Facebook advertising and ClickFunnels. While these tools can be powerful when used correctly, the course seemed to focus almost exclusively on them, neglecting other essential aspects of digital marketing.
As someone who has been in the industry for years, I understand the importance of a diversified marketing strategy. Relying solely on paid traffic from Facebook ads can be risky and expensive, especially for beginners who may not have the budget to sustain long-term ad campaigns.
The course barely touched on SEO, leaving students without the knowledge needed to optimize their websites for search engines and attract free, sustainable traffic. This omission is particularly concerning for.
The cost of the Industry Marketing Academy is substantial, with the course itself setting me back a few thousand dollars. On top of that, there are additional expenses for ad spend and subscriptions to tools like ClickFunnels and ActiveCampaign. These costs can quickly add up, making the course an expensive investment.
For beginners, this financial burden can be overwhelming and may not yield the expected return on investment, especially if they struggle to land clients or generate consistent leads.
At the end of the day, his strategies didn’t help me make a profit.
Since he refused to give me a refund, I contacted my credit card company to get back my money.
Is There A Better Alternative?
If you want to learn affiliate marketing in the right way, I’d recommend you to get started with the best training platform Wealthy Affiliate.
It offers you a free account (including a free website) with comprehensive training on SEO (free traffic methods) which enables you to get started with affiliate marketing right away without paying a penny.
But How Much Can You Earn with Wealthy Affiliate?
A 21-year old student from Wealthy Affiliate was able to earn $7,395 in just 1 week, which means he made more than $1k a day…all while using free traffic methods.
Where to Join Wealthy Affiliate?
Wealthy Affiliate has a very simple pricing scheme. It has free and premium membership.
If you want to feel about Wealthy Affiliate, you can sign up for the free starter membership here (no credit card required). You can select to be a free member with no time limit.
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Anthony Smith is an internet entrepreneur. He created the Side Hustle Ideas Database to help people find side hustles for making extra money, with the potential of turning into a full-time income.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with a business degree, he gained business experience at a consulting firm. At the same time, he tried various side hustles including freelance writing, blogging, and eCommerce. He managed to turn his side hustles into a full-time business, earning over $3 million. Now, he enjoys financial freedom and travels around the world as a digital nomad.