….And Why It’s Helped Me in Affiliate Marketing Too
I still remember the match.
Our senior school team were away at Barry Grammar School, playing on a slow, sticky wicket. I was captain that day—confident, quietly optimistic – we were on a good run of victories. But by the end of our innings, we’d been bowled out for 47. I think I made 6.
The changing room was unusually quiet. We’d all done our best. But we’d been outplayed, outpaced, and frankly out-thought. During the break between innings the sun came out and the batting surface dried out, and Barry knocked off the runs with ease, inflicting on us our first defeat of the season.
And yet, looking back now, that match taught me more than any comfortable win ever did. Not just about cricket—but about life, business, and even this odd online world I now spend so much time in.
🏏 What Cricket Taught Me (Beyond Batting and Bowling)
In cricket—as in affiliate marketing—things often don’t go to plan.
Your best shot gets caught on the boundary. Your reliable opener gets a golden duck.
Likewise, in affiliate marketing:
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Your landing page doesn’t convert
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The “done-for-you” funnel doesn’t do anything
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You spend £40 on traffic and make… 37p
Cricket taught me that you can’t control outcomes. Only preparation. Mindset. Effort. And attitude in defeat.
🧠 Staying Calm When the Runs Aren’t Coming
There’s something deeply humbling about standing at the crease while the opposition appeals wildly around you. Or fielding fine leg while your bowler leaks runs and your shirt clings with sweat.
You learn to stay composed. To breathe. To keep showing up for the next ball.
- That mindset helped me tremendously when I first launched websites that no one visited…
- When I wrote blog posts that sank without a click…
- And when my “launch” generated exactly zero subscribers.
The lesson? Play the long game.
🤝 Building a Team (Even When You Work Alone)
One of the great joys of cricket was the camaraderie. You played for the team. You took a knock for the team. You celebrated and suffered together.
It’s easy to feel isolated in online marketing. But the truth is: there’s a whole dressing room out there.
Forums. Mentors. Writers. Designers. Readers. Tools.
It’s not just your match—it’s a league.
And the more you support and connect with others, the more chances you create to win.
💡 Learn, Adjust, Play On
Every innings is a chance to learn. You don’t analyse your 94 not out nearly as much as your duck.
And every campaign, funnel, or email that fails is a chance to improve.
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Did I pitch it wrong?
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Was the offer off?
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Was the audience even interested?
Ask. Review. Adapt. Try again.
🏆 Affiliate Marketing is More Like a Series Than a Single Match
Some of the best cricketers I’ve played with had terrible first seasons. But they kept showing up. They trained. They tried new techniques. And eventually, they flourished.
Affiliate marketing is no different. You don’t win in a weekend.
You win by:
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Turning up
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Swinging the bat
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Learning from the loss
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And playing again
Final Thought: Honour in the Game
One thing I’ve always loved about cricket is the sense of honour. You walk when you’re out. You applaud a good catch—even if it’s against you.
I try to carry that into my work now. Be honest. Help others. Don’t promise six-figure income in six days.
Be the kind of player others want on their team.
Because that’s how you win—even when you don’t.
