It was June 18, 1815. The fields near Waterloo in what is now Belgium were sodden and smoky, churned by the boots of thousands of men and the thunder of cannon. The most feared military genius of the age, Napoleon Bonaparte, faced his final battle. It was a clash of giants: the French Emperor versus the Duke of Wellington, supported by the Prussians under General Blücher. But it was also a masterclass in how not to plan ahead.
Watching a documentary recently—one of those rainy Sunday afternoons when the golf course was too wet to walk—I was struck by how much Napoleon’s final hours mirrored some of the marketing missteps I’ve made over the years. Strange, you might think, to compare an online campaign to cannonballs and cavalry charges, but bear with me.
As someone who’s dipped in and out of affiliate marketing since retiring from dentistry, I’ve had my share of Waterloo moments. Yet each has taught me something valuable—chiefly, the importance of planning ahead.Waterloo’s Lessons for the Modern Marketer
Napoleon’s failure wasn’t because he lacked genius—far from it. It was because:
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He underestimated the enemy.
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He delayed action due to rain, wasting precious time.
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He assumed his allies (Grouchy’s forces) would arrive on time.
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He had no solid contingency.
Sound familiar?
How many times have we, as digital entrepreneurs, rushed a product launch assuming “the traffic will come,” or trusted an untested email funnel to deliver conversions? Napoleon’s downfall wasn’t a lack of courage. It was a lack of realism—and a dangerous overconfidence in his systems.
My Own ‘Waterloo’ – A Launch That Flopped
Let me take you back to 2018. I was eager, freshly retired, and excited by a shiny new affiliate platform that promised riches. I’d cobbled together a few email swipes, pasted my links, and… waited.
And waited.
Crickets.
What I’d failed to do was plan. I hadn’t researched the audience. I hadn’t set up a reliable autoresponder sequence. I didn’t even check the offer’s refund rate (which turned out to be eye-watering). Like Napoleon, I’d marched into battle with enthusiasm but without adequate backup.
Planning Ahead: The Unsexy Superpower
There’s a line I read once that stuck with me: “Success is boring.” Meaning—what really works in business isn’t the flashy stuff. It’s not the jazzy landing page or the over-hyped launch. It’s the dull, quiet work of planning ahead:
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Understanding your niche.
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Mapping your funnel stages.
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Testing your lead magnets.
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Nurturing your email list.
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Anticipating what might go wrong—and having a Plan B.
It’s unromantic. It’s not headline-worthy. But it works.From Campaign to Campaign: What Golf, Cricket, and Napoleon Have in Common
I recall a cricket match I captained back in Barry Grammar School. We were defending a small total, and I had to decide when to bowl our fastest bowler. Wait too long, and we’d run out of overs. Use him too early, and the tailenders would feast later. Like any good tactician, I made a plan, adjusted it as the match unfolded, and—this time—it worked.
That’s the thing about strategy, whether on the battlefield or in marketing: the ability to pivot, based on real data, not ego.
Enter: The MAP Program – Your Battle Plan in a Box
Which brings me neatly to MAP—The Master Affiliate Profits program. If I’d had this back in 2018, my Waterloo would never have happened.
MAP gives you the tools, templates, and training to avoid marching in blind. It’s not a magic wand—but it’s a strategic plan that anyone can follow:
- Ready-made funnels
- 100 follow up email series using the built in autoresponder
- Support from seasoned marketers
- Training that meets you where you are—beginner or veteran
- All backed by a system that values execution over ego
If you’re tired of being ambushed by tech troubles or ghosted by your traffic sources, MAP is your Prussian cavalry arriving on the horizon.
Download the free book for a more detailed explanation of MAP!
👉 Click here to discover the MAP advantage before your next campaign becomes a Waterloo
Final Thoughts – Plan, Prepare, Prevail
History is a brilliant teacher, if you’re willing to listen. Napoleon’s mistake wasn’t that he fought. It’s that he assumed the day would be his without truly preparing for the uncertainties.
So next time you launch a campaign, write an email, or create a digital product—ask yourself:
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Have I planned ahead?
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What could go wrong?
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What’s my fallback?
Don’t just fight the good fight. Fight the smart one.
Until next time,
Roger Wingfield
Teacher. Fellow traveller. Always learning.
