If you’ve ever flipped through cable TV late at night, you might recognize this scene: the day’s regular programming has ended, and suddenly, telemarketers start peddling a miracle massage belt that allegedly sheds weight in just 15 days. Right. If losing weight were that simple, obesity would be extinct — and perhaps, my self-esteem issues would have been, too. These laughable claims taught me an invaluable lesson — you can literally sell anything, no matter how ridiculous, if you package it right and tap into people’s hopes and dreams.

(Side note, I couldn’t disagree more with Andy Dufresne’s idea that “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things…” but that’s a story for another time.)

Fast forward to today. The medium has changed, but the same bullshit, now digitally bubble-wrapped, invades our screens. There you are, scrolling through social media at midnight, and bam! On your screen comes a pop-up for an online “masterclass” promising to turn you into a success story in just 10 hours for a mere $19.99. Seems like a great deal, until you peel open the layers of marketing and look at the core. It is no different from being in a casino, filled with promises of easy wins and big bucks. Just like the glitzy facade of a casino, online courses often showcase flashy success stories and guarantees of transforming your career overnight for a small fee.

Here’s the brutal truth — much like casino goers, 95% of those who enroll in these courses see little to no return on their investment. The house always wins, and in the world of online courses, the ‘house’ is the charismatic course marketer who knows how to sell dreams. Before you ‘place your bets’ by enrolling in the next advertised masterclass, pause and acknowledge the low odds of success. Consider this: if a course genuinely held the secret to making a fortune, or transforming you into an industry titan, it wouldn’t be up for sale at $19.99, $199.99, or even $1,999.99. The truth is, the game is rigged: the flashy ads and glowing testimonials are just the jackpot bells, designed to draw you in, while the real winners are always those running the show. They profit regardless of whether you make a cent from the skills taught.

So, how do we strip away the glossy packaging and really evaluate whether a course will be a golden ticket or just a costly side show? Here’s a guide to slicing through the bubble wrap of some beautifully packaged BS.

The Mastery-Comprehension Disparity

No, this is not the title of an episode of the Big Bang Theory. It is, however, an important distinction to make when evaluating online courses. I think back to something I struggled with mightily in school. My teacher asked me to draw a straight line. Simple enough, right? Yet, if you have never held a pencil, or if you lack basic dexterity like I do, your line will be anything but straight. The instruction and the process itself are deceptively simple: Draw. A. Straight. Line. However, mastering the process is a different beast entirely. Most online course marketers will conveniently, focus only on the process, omitting the effort required to attain mastery.

They slice skills down into deceptively straightforward steps that you will comprehend perfectly, making you feel like a prodigy after a mere 7 hour masterclass. Sure, you could learn everything there is to learn about the particular skills, but grasping a concept is worlds apart from actually mastering it through practice. It takes 10 seconds for an instructor to explain how to draw a straight line, but it may take you an hour and a 100 reps before you can get it right. Think 700 hours of practice perhaps, for mastering skills taught in the 7 hour masterclass. If you believe you are ready to achieve the outcomes promised by the instructor in the duration of the course, you are not buying the course — you are buying into a fantasy where complex competencies are acquired effortlessly.

Let’s face it: nobody would eagerly sign up for a course titled “How to Get High-Value Clients for Your Freelancing Role with 500 Hours of Practice.” But repackage that with a shiny bow as “Land High-Value Clients in Just 5 Hours with Our Masterclass,” and suddenly, you have a bestseller. This is the seductive allure of marketing — promise the world, deliver an atlas. The reality is that acquiring skills and achieving meaningful outcomes take time and practice, something these snazzy, misleading course titles conveniently omit.

The summit of a mountain is further from the bottom than from the middle

Duh. Of course it is. So why am I bringing it up? Another major tactic used by online course marketers is showcasing success stories. You might be thinking, “What about the 10,000 success stories featured on the course creator’s website?” Good question. For simplicity, let’s assume all these testimonials are genuine. Yet, we are still facing a mountain of imperfect information.

Who are these success stories? What were their starting points? Did they already have extensive experience or relevant skills that gave them a head start? How do your skills and experience stack up against these peoples’? These are crucial questions to which we cannot know the answers. Imperfect information. What you are shown are ‘summit selfies’ — glorious achievements that look accessible. Sure, these people reached the peak of the mountain, but how? The course may have given them a map and some tools, but could they have begun their journey halfway up the mountain?

For example, climbing Mt. Fuji from the 5th station, which is already halfway up, can take just five hours. Starting from the base, however, is a significantly tougher and longer endeavor, potentially taking two full days, and requires extensively more supplies. But the selfies at the summit won’t tell you that. They make it look easy and doable for anyone. This deceptive presentation begs the question: if you’re starting from the very bottom, are the course materials alone enough to help you reach the top?

Good Players <> Good Coaches

We’ve known for years now that playing success does not translate to coaching success. Numerous legendary players have attempted coaching careers, only to find that their prowess on the field doesn’t necessarily mean they can impart wisdom or inspire skill in others. This could be because dazzling personal success doesn’t always equip one with the patience, the ability to articulate complex concepts simply, or the empathy required to teach diverse learners.

It’s a fallacy that companies use in making managerial decisions to this day, often with disastrous results. Promoting your best analyst to a managerial role is a gamble, unless you evaluate their managerial capabilities, and / or train them to be effective. Management requires a completely different skill set from the day-to-day responsibilities.

This principle applies squarely to online course marketers. Course marketers will often use their accomplishments and victories as bonafides for establishing their credentials as effective teachers. You might be tempted by a course led by a so-called industry ‘guru’ who promises to teach you their ‘secrets to success.’ But here’s the kicker: just because they can do, doesn’t mean they can teach. They might have mastered the skills required to succeed in their industry, but that is a far cry from effectively teaching those skills to someone else who might be starting from scratch. So, when evaluating an online course, don’t be swayed by the flash of the creator’s credentials. Instead, look for evidence of their teaching efficacy. Are there reviews that speak to their ability to explain and to guide? Do students report real learning and skill acquisition, or just parrot back the creator’s advertised successes?

Conclusion

I’ve peeled back the glossy veneer to expose the three core strategies online course creators use to package their offerings. The aim here isn’t to demonize all creators; it’s to arm you, the buyer, with the insights needed to make an informed decision. However, here’s the ultimate kicker — even if a course checks all your boxes and seems perfectly tailored to your needs, managing your expectations remains crucial.

Even with the best instruction, success isn’t guaranteed. Imagine spending your childhood training under Nick Bollettieri, one of tennis’ most famed coaches. Many students receive identical training but most don’t achieve professional stardom — this is a stark reminder of the unpredictable role talent and individual capability play. Likewise, even the most well-reviewed course led by the most reputable instructor can’t promise certain success.

So, vet your courses carefully. Look beyond the promotional fluff to the actual content and instructor capability. Get sold on products and courses, not dreams and outcomes.