The basic and crucial factor you need for preparation is the study of the website of your client. These days, the websites are very detailed and a lot of messaging is conveyed by them.

Studying a website helps you understand the nature of the business, the products/services the client sells, and the geographies in which it is present. Go through all the sections of the website in detail. The vision and mission statements will give you an idea of what the company is wanting to be. Make notes, and this will help you ask relevant questions in the requirement gathering phase.

Look at the preceding quote. How can you achieve this? Preparation is the key again. As you go through the website, look at the management team. Go through the profile of each of them. Some of them would be the stake holders and it's critical to know what their thought process is. Try to search which organizations they have worked with before and how they helped their earlier companies grow. These points can be used to break the ice when you meet these key people.

Social media can be an effective way to know about them. You can look at their Twitter handle to understand their goals. Go through the interviews which are published. You are sure to find some key points about what they want to do and what matters to them the most.