partnership with established company

[walrus]

T Pat, I agree with everything you said...except "Seems like a No Brainer to me". I think there is a lot of value in understanding how to market your site before you join in with an established affiliate program. Otherwise how can you really evaluate if that program can best promote your program the way you want it to be promoted.

Second, if you do know the marketing aspect of the game and things do go wrong with the established program and you decide to take control back, you will have a loyal base of affiliates to help deflect the negative publicity that always accompanies such breakups.

I know it's a lot of damn work, but in the long run I think your much better off understanding the ins and outs of the business before turning marketing control over to somebody else.