> Thinking back, purely by accident, the longest-lasting and most successful business relationships I've gained have been the ones where the client and I discussed their business first (and upcoming business needs!) more than the ins-and-outs of the technology itself.

Yup.

If you bring up the technology, the conversation becomes a matter of the client figuring out whether or not you're good enough at the technology to do the job.

That's the wrong conversation. The right one is about what value you can provide to the client, and you simply exude the competence necessary to make your own technology choice.

It's a little different if you are a representative for that technology, because you're selling the tech rather than yourself.