The discount reflex
When a buyer pushes and the team folds, the problem is upstream: nobody established what the price stands for, so the number stood alone. Numbers alone always negotiate badly.
“Discounts are apologies for unclear positioning.”
What price signals
Price tells the market where you sit: who you are for, what league you play in, what the alternative costs. Change it casually and you re-position the company by accident.
Holding the line
Decide the walk-away before the negotiation, in writing, with the exceptions named. Discipline at the table is just preparation made visible.