I want to echo point #2 about listening rather than talking. When I first pitched my work to radiation therapy vendors at big conferences, I was expecting a kind of adversarial exchange to take place where I'd have to defend my software against cynical people trying to find its flaws, shark-tank style.
Instead I found that vendors were dying to tell me what they need and what's important for them. I quickly realised that the most important part after giving my pitch was to basically ask tons of questions about what they think is important and why. The vendors' answers were invaluable in honing my pitch for other vendors, but also to steer the direction of my project.
Instead I found that vendors were dying to tell me what they need and what's important for them. I quickly realised that the most important part after giving my pitch was to basically ask tons of questions about what they think is important and why. The vendors' answers were invaluable in honing my pitch for other vendors, but also to steer the direction of my project.