When you're meeting a new prospect don't think about closing the deal straight away but use the time to build a relationship and gather intelligence. Here we'll look at the top three pieces of information you're looking to convey to the prospect:
Be able to concisely say what you're selling. Practice this! Curate every word to make one or two sentences count and resonate with the prospect.
How are you different than the competition? Again, make this brief but meaningful, impactful without putting down the competition. You should know all the differences between yourself and the competition. I once had a sports sunglass company use the term Jokely instead of Oakley. No need for that.
Now here's a juicy bit. What makes you better than the competition? Explain with energy why they should use your widget or service and not the others. If you understand their challenges and needs first then this will make it easier to sell.
All the great sales people say to do more listening than talking and it's the truth! There are many more steps and if you have any favorites feel free to leave them in the comments section. Go hunting!