There is something I've noticed which is common to nearly all designers and is probably the worst piece of design I know. It's hideously unwieldy, definitely not at all elegant and makes you look a bit of a plum when you carry it on the tube. It's usually out of date and what's worse, 9 times out of ten it doesn't work. What I'm talking about is your portfolio. Burn it.

Most credentials pitches follow the same old routine and people still make the same old mistakes. "You're only as good as your last job", "Let's see some case studies then", "So, who have you worked with in the past", "OK. Show me what you're capable of." If these sound familiar, you'll also recognise the temptation to reach straight for that big black folder and shove it under the potential client's nose.

You might also recognise the look of disinterest on their faces when once again you've spend too long explaining the complexities of one particularly tricky brief. Or the raised eyebrows when you fall into the trap of blaming some mediocre work on ex-clients for not being "brave enough" to go with your first recommendations. Sound familiar?

Have you ever really stepped back and thought about what you're doing at this stage? As far as I can tell, you're throwing mud at the wall and hoping some of it will stick. You're putting the cart before the horse. You're exhibiting all the elements of bad design which you hate so much.

There is another way. The idea is to build customer commitment towards your capabilities by taking control of the sales process. You can do it by following a well thought-out plan. It's not too dissimilar to the process you probably follow when you take a brief from a client; only you do it much sooner in the cycle.

Before you go anywhere near a prospect, try asking yourselves some direct questions. What's your sales policy? It might be in the file next to the Health & Safety policy. If you don't have one, it's not difficult to get one. Decide what sort of customers you really want to work with, how many, what size etc and decide what you want to sell to them. Which are likely to be the most profitable and which the most strategic? Don't leave all this to chance. It's too important for that.

Knowing the answers to these questions will give you a head start. Knowing your potential customers will create a bigger lead. A little bit of research goes a long way. By building up a profile of your target customers and monitoring their progress daily, it's more likely that you'll be able to spot the times when they will be receptive to you approaching them. Simple triggers such as new people starting, rosters coming to an end, AGMs approaching and new products under development are all too easy to let slip by if you don't do your homework on a regular basis.