When you and your prospect are about to talk price, just drop the grenade —and shut up. The one who breaks the silence is the one who will give more concessions. Let them struggle with the price and give them space to ask for guidance.

First, willful ignorance. It's the avoidance of the facts and what's the situation. It's choosing to ignore all the red flags and moving away from making a decision. Why? Because it might feel uncomfortable. Or hard to make. Or the consequences are not the desired ones. Choosing not to see and know will not make the problem go away. It'll make the next phase of the situation inevitable. Choosing not to know so that it doesn't exist is magical thinking. It's wanting to have a sense of control...

"From a cost center to a profit center" What a nonsense. That implies that your profit is based on your costs control. That, magically, when you know your costs (or audit or improve them or whatever), you'll turn into profit. It implies that costs is the basis for profit per default. It also implies that to get to that profit, you need to be the most cost efficient and cost effective. That you rip off anything that is a cost. It implies that you follow best-practices. Bull.Shit. That also...