In sales, it can be hard to think long term. When our day-to-day activities dictate our commission checks, we find ourselves focused obsessively on the next deal, not necessarily the epic client down the road. But while we’re out there grinding, there are prospects out there that can take our careers to the next level.

That’s where the whale list comes in, a list of clients that you want to land. When you have them condensed in the form of tangible goals, you can always keep the pursuit in the back of your mind. Over time you can lay the groundwork and make the right moves to make the sale.

When David Ogilvy, the father of modern advertising, started his modest agency in 1948, he made a list of his five whales. General-Foods, Bristol-Myers, Campbell Soup Company, Lever Brothers, and Shell. These accounts were enormous. To this day they are still among the biggest corporations in the world. Ogilvy had two employees when he made his whale list. By 1962, all five had become clients. He worked many other accounts during those years, but he never lost sight of the goals he set from day one. As a result, he achieved every single one.

You don’t have to be an ad executive or a part of a global corporation to find your whales. All you have to do is ask yourself: if I could land any client, any account, who would it be? Make it a short list of the most significant prospects. There is no such thing as “out of your league.”

Grand acquisitions don’t always require grand actions. Instead they require consistent exposure over a long period of time. Salespeople have to stay top-of-mind and they also have to prove their value. If a prospect is a whale, that usually means they’ll be discerning about how they spend their money.

Try to do a small job, even if it means not taking any commission. If you can get money flowing between parties that will bode well for you in the down the line. Even if the job isn’t very lucrative, make sure to do an exceptional job, since it is a proving ground. If you crush it, then you will likely get more business. Make every effort you can to stay in front of your whales and distinguish yourself from the competition.