Pain points are great - if they relate to your solution. I’ve found that you should first brainstorm common pain points with your team, common pain points that your solution addresses, then develop open ended questions that can lead to discovery on the prospects end. Of course you have to actually listen too - so many reps quickly jump to conclusions and revert to a F&B ramble. That will instantly kill any rapport or credibility you’ve established. Listen to understand, not to be understood. Remember.Sometimes, the prospect simply isn’t experiencing the pain points you can help resolve. It’s ok to admit that and walk away…

I would be so bold than to say. FORGET A PITCH! If you are meeting a potential client then it is essential to. - prepare well, know who are coming, know their industry, their website, their linkedin presence etc. - make sure to invest time in creating a safe space in the beginning of the meeting and get them talking by asking smart, relevant questions ( DO NOT INTERROGATE) - Talk their painpoints back at them to see if you have understood correctly - at the end of the meeting tell them why you could be a solution for them and ensure you have the next steps booked. Remember to ask if there are other people we should involve in the process to make sure all relevant stakeholders are present in the next meeting

Do your homework before the meeting, study about the client. Do a SWOT of the clients's top competitors. Finally, listen with an open mind, take notes, ask questions - do not make assumptions, try to read between the lines and make a suggestion only after undertaking the root cause analysis.

Do your homework, be well prepared and verify what your research showed with the customer. Talking about risks and pain points can be effective. But more importantly, what are the growth opportunities, their strategic goals and how can you accommodate that? How can you help them grow, save costs, etc...? What are market trends, relevant insights and how can you accommodate that.