Getting a certificate in Digital Marketing is certainly a very popular option in 2019.
The real question is simple:
Which school should you choose?
There are tons of different institutions out there which offer certificates in Digital Marketing.
For me, the choice was clear back in 2014 of where I should invest my time and savings to turn a profit on the internet…
Stumbling upon a Local Lead Generation Coaching Program, I found a way to garner results from Free Traffic through the algorithm of search results in order to build digital properties – things I choose to call virtual real estate – that send me cash on AutoPilot.
Sound too good to be true?
Yeah, I’ve heard that before, and my response to asking that if it’s so much fluff then how do you figure that I’m living proof that this works?
In fact, this blog is sheer evidence that the information is good and lead gen for local small businesses is a very legit method to building a profitable income online – with the option to have it so passive that you can continue to make money for years if you never touch those rented out lead gen sites ever again.
While certifications seem to make sense, I don’t have a single one from the internet, and I’m rockin’ and rollin’ – without a corporate $35k annual income gig anymore.
Oh and by the way, because of the work I did in my first year, I was able to generate around $10k in monthly revenue – all in my spare time (after work, weekends, etc.) to be able to walk away from my full-time job.
Why would someone do something like that?
The answer is actually really simple when you think about it…
When your side hustle begins to produce more than your annual salary in just a handful of months out of the year, your choices broaden, and you get to be more selective in how you spend your time.
This was the case with the lessons I had learned in our coaching program for lead gen.
For me, my rapid success level and probably (which I’m legally obligated to say isn’t typical or guaranteed) allowed me to choose to pick off each of these things I’ve wanted to change one-by-one.
Let me know if you can find it possible to relate to any of the following things that you’ve wanted to end…
• Waking up before the sun and leaving the office building after the sun has gone down in any given business day
• Winter commutes – on foot – in deep snow, wearing a thin business suit (since that’s all my salary could afford) and no hope of getting a car because I always got passed over for raises and bonuses
• Quarterly and annual reviews where I was simply told that I wasn’t getting any increase in my income when compared to my peers
• My self-worth getting questioned by a supervisor that actually did less work than I
• Living in a place that the landlord – who I officially label as a slum lord – would charge some of the lowest rent in Detroit’s downtown area but refused to turn up the heat; my guess is making tenants comfortable – or healthy – cut into her profits
• Not even having enough money to go out on weekends to be with friends
When I got started with this lead gen coaching program, which I now am one of a hand-selected few privileged (and trusted) by Dan – my mentor – to share this business opportunity with the world…
I took control of my life and ran with the opportunity to change things for the better.
Instead of working for 30 years and probably never getting to see more than $40,000 per year, I wanted more out of life and believed that I was better than the quarterly reviews claimed.
I’m very happy to have chosen the path that I have, because this lead gen site in Grand Rapids, MI is still providing a healthy and handsome monthly profit of $2,000.
Check it out for yourself (yes, I’m sharing with you one of the assets that I had personally built back less than half of a decade ago):
Prior to getting started with this coaching program, I never imagined something like this being possible…
Also, I had the notion that the only way out of my pickle was to take a pay cut and go back to school – and I really didn’t have the money, nor the means or family support to make this happen.
Now, I own well over 45 lead gen sites across North America that each compensates me for their own respective amount; to give you an idea, they range in monthly revenue from $750 to nearly $3,000.
If this is something that appeals to you, then you can do this same thing without a certification.
CLICK HERE to learn more about how I did it – and how you can learn to do the same thing.
For those of you that are still hungry to learn more about Harvard’s digital certification program, please read on…
I say that because, as you might expect, not all digital marketing certifications are created equal…
I also have a personal reservation from the wealth of internet marketing credentialing programs that I’ve explored because most of them teach you how to be an employee instead of how to take the information and build your own business and revenue streams with the information that they teach.
If those are your needs and you wish to pursue something like this, then I highly support and encourage you to go after your dreams – assuming that’s what you really want.
Just keep in mind that…
• some digital marketing courses are more expensive than others…
• some take longer to complete the training program (when compared to most others), and…
• others might be more extensive, as they could be addressing (or covering) more subject matter than their counterparts and/or competitors.
If you haven’t heard of Harvard, then I seriously don’t know where you’ve been because they carry a prestigious name.
That said, keep in mind that some universities are just more prestigious than others and a lot of them are getting on the bandwagon of teaching a digital marketing course.
Such is the case with Harvard.
Why Getting a Certificate Matters
But does a certificate even mean much on your resume?
Let’s be honest; it’ll never be as respectable as a degree.
A degree takes more time, money, and a higher commitment level.
It shows that you’ve put tons of time and energy into your education.
But a certificate is still respected. While it might not be as extensive or as recognized as a degree, it’s definitely better than nothing.
In fact, it’s a lot better than nothing.
Today, some of the most well-respected universities are putting tons of effort into creating world-class certification programs.
Employers and brands are taking notice, and they know that these certificates are the real deal.
It’s not just about reputation.
The most important thing about getting a certificate is not what it does for your resume. It’s all about the education that it provides you with.
You don’t need to get the attention of an employer to put that knowledge to good use.
A certificate in Digital Marketing can give you all the tools you need to make it on your own.
That being said, you might be worried about what a certificate really “means.”
Will anyone care?
Is a certificate something that people just dismiss when they see it?
Is it considered a “real” education?
If you’re worried about these things, then you should probably think about getting your Digital Marketing Certificate from Harvard.
As soon as an employer (or anyone else) sees the word “Harvard” on your resume, a little light bulb goes off in their heads.
Yes, it’s “just” a certificate.
But it’s a certificate from Harvard, which makes it more reputable than pretty much any other certificate out there.
Is Harvard’s Digital Marketing Certificate Worth It?
Reputation aside, is this certificate actually worth it?
It might look good on your resume, but that doesn’t really matter if you don’t learn anything useful.
Let’s break down what this course is all about.
First of all, it’s important to note that this course takes place over the course of just five days.
That’s definitely a big departure from most universities which offer similar certificates. The standard, normal certification program is usually a course that takes a few months.
Harvard’s program is five days long because this is actually a physical course that you attend in person.
It’s not an online self-guided program like so many others out there.
This program will demand many hours of work and study each day.
Self-guided programs usually demand just 3-5 hours per week.
The benefits of such a system are pretty obvious.
You’ll get it over with pretty quickly.
It’ll be easy to take 5 days off work, especially if you’re getting an education that’ll serve your company or career in the long run.
In this way, the program is still great for working professionals, even though it’s essentially an intensive 5-day course.
It’s just a different system when compared to other universities offering similar certificates.
From the course description, it’s clear that one big focus of the program is to keep working professionals up-to-date on the newest developments in the industry.
Because of this, you can expect to see some very new and modern ideas and systems being discussed.
Even though it’s only a five-day course, the program still strives to equip you with all the basics you need to develop a Digital Marketing Strategy.
The tactics you’ll learn focus mostly on collecting and analyzing customer data, as well as fostering customer loyalty and market share.
One of the biggest benefits of this course is the fact that you’ll actually be able to interact with the people around you, whether they’re teachers, guest speakers, or other students.
This is huge.
With an online course, you just don’t get that ability to ask questions and receive an immediate response.
If you’re someone who learns best through discussion and communication, then you might get a lot more out of a course like this.
This course involves a wide range of learning tools.
Over the five days, you’ll learn from a number of video and in-person lectures. You’ll also analyze case studies and articles as a class.
Team activities are also a big focus in this course.
By the end of those five days, you’ll have crafted a digital marketing strategy to fit your unique business goals.
You’ll have the opportunity to examine successful companies and figure out why their digital marketing strategies work so well.
Another huge benefit of learning in a classroom setting is the ability to network with other like-minded students.
You never know where this will lead you, and it’s a massive opportunity that can’t be understated.
That’s just an overview of the topics that this course focuses on, and the subjects mostly revolve around the basics of Digital Marketing.
The core curriculum is actually divided into four sections.
The first is Social Media.
In this module, you’ll learn about paid social, building digital communities, social media policy, and much more.
The second section is Storytelling.
In this module, you’ll learn all about content management, brand stories, and much more.
The third section is SEO.
You’ll learn all about this crucial aspect of digital marketing, including paid search, analytics, SEM, and much more.
The final section is Influencer Marketing.
Learn about content creators, influencers, and the benefits and drawbacks of these marketing systems.
Who This Course Is Aimed At
Right off the bat, it’s clear that this course is aimed at a very specific group of people.
While other courses might seem more accessible to a wide range of potential students, Harvard’s Certificate program seems geared mostly towards working professionals.
Yes, the actual content of the course is pretty basic, covering the “foundations” of Digital Marketing.
But at the end of the day, the short duration and the subject matter of this course make it attractive to only a few different types of people.
The course description admits that the program is designed specifically for Executives, business owners, and professionals.
If you’re a young student or someone looking to switch careers, this course is probably not for you.
Although, I am concerned with the target audience of these academic universities and research institutions of higher learning…
A vast number of them appear to struggle with making courses available for the working professional and allowing for accessibility to these certification programs after business hours.
As young, full-time college students seem to traditionally attend classes during the working hours of the day, the field of digital marketing is growing but just happens to be so new that colleges and universities are trying to catch up with the craze.
That’s probably because there are coaching programs – like the one I’ve learned lead gen for small businesses with, and had major success in – who seem to accelerate the timeline of acquiring such knowledge with the goal of getting their students into successful, testimonial-worthy positions.
It sounds like an elite class of people that you could be ranked among if you can commit to – and complete – certification programs in digital marketing, such as what Harvard offers (as an example) but what will you do once you have that piece of paper?
If you’re not already being compensated by your current employer with the promise that you’ll be given a promotion or additional, compensated duties associated with marketing, you’ll most likely be among the other graduates competing for a marketing position with an already well-established company.
Then the panic sets in that experience seems to be the most key ingredient to being considered for digital marketing positions.
Needless to say, students in our coaching program learn – by taking action, following along, and implementing – by taking action as they follow along with the lessons…
Then they can repeat the simple process – which I’ll share with you right now:
1. Build your lead gen empire by starting with one lead gen site and ranking it online
2. Get Free Web Traffic generating and connect them with the ideal service provider
3. Get Paid
4. Repeat
It’s really that simple; so simple, in fact, that a vast number of our students have already quit jobs similar to mine to pursue this business model full-time.
That said, a lot of us still indulge in our free time because of how “hands-on” that local lead generation really isn’t.
If I can get paid monthly for a project that I haven’t done any maintenance to for nearly 5 years, imagine how many other lead gen sites are delivering those same results – again, with little to no maintenance.
Now that you’ve heard a little more about our coaching program in relation to certification for digital marketing let’s get you started on learning more about how you can be in profit mode relatively faster than the many weeks required to obtain an academic credential by CLICKING HERE NOW!
Pricing
This course will cost you $5,995.
What Will I Get from This Course?
After completing this course, you will receive a “Certificate Of Completion” from The Harvard University Division Of Continuing Education.
You’ll also get the opportunity to learn from Nicole Ames, who is the instructor for this course.
She’s a known expert in the digital marketing world, and she has worked with big brands such as Ikea and Keurig.
The Bottom Line
So is this course really worth your time?
First of all, we need to consider the value of the course.
Money might not be an issue for you, but it’s still important to figure out what you’re actually getting for your money.
It’s a five-day intensive course.
This means that realistically speaking, you’re probably only getting about 40 hours of education in total.
This equates to 8 hours per day.
Compare this with similar courses, such as the one offered by Duke.
This is a self-driven, online course which takes 350 hours to complete over the course of a year.
This equates to about 8 hours per week.
You’re obviously getting a much more extensive education… and for basically half the price, too.
But there’s definitely value in learning from a classroom setting.
Sometimes, you can learn in ways that just aren’t possible with an online course.
For people who learn more effectively in a classroom setting, the extra cost and the shorter duration might actually be worth it.
But what really makes this course worth your time is the esteemed reputation of Harvard itself.
And it’s clear that Harvard knows this.
This is probably why the price is so high compared to other similar programs offered by other universities.
They know that their reputation is valuable, and the price of the course reflects that.
If you want to get a certification that looks great on your resume, you can’t really do much better than Harvard.
It’s as simple as that.
Does it justify the high cost?
Maybe.
Just the experience of getting to attend Harvard is something you have to take into account.
As part of the course, they’ll even throw in a free tour of the legendary campus.
You will get a rock-solid education, and you will leave with a very respectable certification under your belt.
For some people, this might be exactly what they’re looking for.
Local Lead Generation is the Most Profitable Education and Business Model in 2019
While not an academic institution, I still take in $45,000.00+ each and every month – whether I’m building more lead gen sites or relaxing and sleeping.
I get to have lazy days now because I’m getting paid for the hard work I had put into building a lead gen site 5 years ago.
By hard work, I mean that I put these digital assets in place for a limo lead gen site in under 6 hours of dedicated, focused effort – and it’s still sending me upwards of $750 every month.
Look at it for yourself, it’s still in existence in the capital city of Michigan (it’s called Lansing) – see it below:
The reason that this is such a big deal – and why I’m so excited to share this – is not only because it’s been a good business model to me…
A large number of my readership seem to stumble upon my blog because…
• they are already successful and want to add another stream of income to their currently profitable entrepreneurship portfolio
• they are newbies and wanting to step into the world of entrepreneurship but don’t quite have enough information to make a decision about where they should go and what they should spend their minimal life savings on
That last point isn’t a poke or prod on your financial circumstance; remember, I was there too before I found our lead gen coaching program.
The reason that it changed my life for the better is that I took the information seriously and took instant action to make things better for myself.
The mentoring and coaching aren’t cheap, so we’re extremely selective on who we bring in to learn the step-by-step methods that I had personally used to make $10k per month within my first year, and – fast forward to 2019 – nearly $50k in Passive Income.
We like to speak with people before they join, so if this is something that appeals to you, then CLICK HERE to connect with me and we can go over whether you’re ready to make a change and whether this might be a great fit for you!
For those that are still skeptical, I want you to know that I can relate – I was the same way when I first met Dan (who is the founder of our coaching program and was profitably making a living in this space before piecing together a way to help others do exactly what he was doing).
Now for the glaring question:
If this is such a profitable business model, why would someone make a coaching program if there’s a possibility that competition from other students will minimize the ability to make more money in lead gen?
One of the many benefits about this business model is that you can build this business by helping any business owner in just about any industry – and thanks to search engines, you can operate this business model in essentially any city that meets the parameters that we introduce to you in the coaching program; it’s all drawn out!
Additional luxuries that students – like myself – are enjoying when they achieve success include (though are certainly not limited to)…
• Gain financial independence and entrepreneurial confidence out of the realization that local small businesses and the world wide web probably aren’t going away (or anywhere else) any time soon, thereby allowing us to run this Free Traffic
• Appreciate the simplicity of the business model: duplicating what Airbnb, Uber, and other businesses have done before – simply generate buyer leads and send them to local service providers who already have a marketing budget and should be very happy to retain your services for months and years to come
• Establishing a reputation of doing something worthwhile in the communities you serve: local business owners aren’t clear on what local lead generation really is and/or they simply don’t have the ability to learn the content that we teach in our coaching program; therefore, you have the chance to profit massively by being your market’s expert in generating revenue for the companies you service
• Looking to achieve the coveted dream of simply working from home, whenever you want – even in your pajamas, if you so wish – you truly can select what hours you are desiring to work because you’re finally in charge of your compensation and work schedule
This is just a brief snapshot of all the plentiful, profitable joys that can come from joining our coaching program and linking arms with us while you learn the ropes of a business strategy that can generate revenue to last you a lifetime!
If you’re ready for a change…
If you’re ready to make these kinds of things for yourself…
Now that you know what’s possible in generating revenue online…
CLICK HERE to learn more about how our lead gen coaching program can assist you in progressing forward.