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When I was a kid, I had stacks of Batman and Superman comics in my room. While I enjoyed their stories immensely, I liked Batman the best. He was a person under that cape…not so much a superhero but a real guy - with a lot of cool gadgets.

With the huge release of The Dark Knight, and its themes of duality (Two Face is really two-faced!) it got me to thinking about how that same wrestling with duality shows up when we sell. It’s the dark and the light of selling - the positive aggressive focused energy needed to create action versus the selfless empathy who tunes into client needs. The one that wants to land the deal and the one that wants to help the client. How do you reconcile and integrate the two sides of yourself in one meeting?

While Batman’s “shadow” is more intense than most of us will ever experience, we do need to learn - like Batman and Bruce Wayne - how to wear one “hat” at a time. I say “hat” not “mask” because we don’t want to hide ourselves from clients, the way that Batman clearly feels safer doing. Because we’re not so intensely shadow-centric, we can be more balanced, more open with the differing roles we play with clients.

However, to successfully allow those different roles to emerge without sinking the deal, we need to know who we are “being” at any given moment during our meetings and interactions with clients.

• Are we being the empathic listener whose focus is to listen first and foremost to understand the clients problems and look for the best solutions, regardless of our self-interest?
• Are we being the specialized knowledge expert who provides value through applying that information for our clients’ benefit and elucidation?
• Are we being the action-oriented “progresser”of the sales relationship, leading our clients to how they might use our services to solve the problems they have?

It’s fine to wear all of these “hats” in one meeting. The trick is to know which hat to wear when and to be conscious yourself of doing so, so the “good” listener doesn’t suddenly morph into the “dark” enforcer at the wrong moment, who is suddenly perceived by the client as forcing the sale.

The first step is in knowing that we play all these multiple roles within our client relationships, so we can be responsible for each “hat”.

The second step is wearing the right “hat” at the right moment. Often sales professionals charge in ready to “progress” or download knowledge, before they’ve tuned into the client by listening to what’s up for them first.

The third is to read the subtle shifts of when the client is ready for the next “hat” - and which hat is required. That may be a bit trickier, which is why it’s nice to have a well-thought out Agenda in front of you (and the client!) that ensures you are asking the questions that create the listening space, but also hold space for the next stages as well.

Give a try in your next meeting. Observe yourself interacting with your client. Do you rush quickly through the client talking, proving you know your stuff without allowing them to fully express their issues? Do you allow time for an exploration or discovery of needs or changing needs? Or do you linger so long in listening to your client issues that you walk away realizing that no firm next steps were outlined?

Let me know what came of your experiment. What did you see about the way you wear your “hats”? How comfortable are you having two or more faces and how do you integrate them?

To those who read “Stop Selling & Do Something Valuable” you know that the book is full of practical stories of professionals being more powerful through using tools. Know what else?  The most powerful tools are invisible… Many people in my circle are tired of my comic book and cartoon obsessions. I did get some great dialogue after “The Dark Knight”… including some email pinging between my wife, my friends and my kids in Australia and China… group effort to indulge my Batman fetish!) there’s another angle to behaving like a superhero with your clients.

No… don’t get yourself a rubber suit or a utility belt. The things I refer to are Invisible… qualities rather than anything you can slip on in a Bat Cave.

1. What are your values and your commitment to serve?  How do you demonstrate them in day-to-day behavior and process?

2. How do you demonstrate your mindset of personal accountability, integrity and care of others.

3. Be present.  Be in more than one place at one time.

4. Trust is in the small stuff.  Sweat the follow through and consistency.

5. Leave while you are still valuable.

Don’t outstay your welcome…exit (gracefully) when you’ve delivered what’s needed. Your focused intention to support your client in all ways, and then exit smoothly will create a feeling of trust that will zoom your relationship from transactional to trusted member of the inner circle.

P.S. If you’re wondering how to accomplish the third one without getting a cloning machine, it’s all in your added communication… your utility belt of tools… okay, yes I said these were invisible tools but sometimes you need back up.  An Agenda will make you present AND engage a client before you get there, and often - if not always - solve problems, clarify important issues and make the client feel cared for, even when you’re not in the room.

You will be moving the ball forward even when you are not there.