Trying to get fish into the boat before catching them sounds crazy; it wouldn't make...

You could be better off by acquiring a sales superstar than buying another agency.

Every year the numbers seem to get more outrageous. Pay levels for “impact player” athletes such as LeBron James and Tiger Woods continue to climb into the stratosphere. And it isn’t just athletes. You name the endeavor, whether it’s in the business, entertainment, or even the academic world, and there’s a near-universal phenomenon occurring: Impact player inflation. Despite the fact that it drives a lot of people crazy to hear that some people are making so much money, there’s a simple reason for the inflation: The impact players are worth it.

If more salespeople were as good at making sales as they are at losing them, they could write their own ticket just about anywhere. Unfortunately, just the opposite holds true.
It happens so frequently that it almost seems as if someone out there is training salespeople to fail. For example, the woman calling launches into her sales spiel. “Our station is a perfect fit for your client. When can we set up a time to get together so I can show you what we can do?”

f you were managing a start-up band, would you depend solely on Lady Luck? Would you rely on Fortune dumping a great songwriter/arranger in your lap, great musicians who can actually get along, and a strong, powerful record company backing you? Would you just wait without searching for talent, obtaining signed contracts, securing studio time, or acquiring any backing? Of course not. Chris Burand wonders why so many agency principals take this approach to getting good producers.