How to Use an Anchor in Your Sales Pitch

Good Morning! It's National Plan for Vacation Day, which feels perfectly timed considering we're only 28 days into 2025 and already need a break from hearing ‘Let's circle back in Q2’. Though let's be honest - we all know "vacation" for salespeople usually means checking Slack poolside and jumping on "quick calls" from the hotel room. But nothing beats the feeling of closing a deal while “OOO”. 🤑 

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The Power of the Anchor

Here’s something to think about… nothing is actually ‘expensive’ or ‘cheap’.

The only thing that makes a product feel expensive or cheap is its relative value compared to something similar.

Example: If you saw a banana at the store for $100, you'd think it was incredibly expensive. But if that same $100 banana could guarantee that you never got sick again, you might think it was the deal of the century.

The only difference? The value we put on what that banana can do for us.

Ok… enough talk about magical bananas.

Today, we're breaking down the psychology of price anchoring (and how to use it to close more deals).

What Is Price Anchoring? 

Price anchoring is setting a reference point that customers use to make decisions.

Every time you see a price crossed out like: $1000 $50, that original $1000 is the anchor. It makes $50 feel like a steal.

But in B2B sales? It's a bit more sophisticated than retail discount tactics.

The Three Rules of Price Anchoring

1. Don't Fear The First Move

Traditional negotiation advice says never give the first number. That's outdated.

When you give your pricing first and anchor it high, every number after that gets compared to your anchor.

Think of it like this: If you anchor at $45,000, suddenly $19,000 feels reasonable.

But if you start at $19,000... anything above that feels expensive.

2. Master The Price Pause

Here's where most reps mess up: They rush to fill the silence after stating a price.

Instead, try this: State your price. Shut up. And wait.

This forces your prospect to break the silence, and usually, they'll tell you exactly what they think about the price.

Pro tip: Sometimes they think your high price is still cheap. But you'll never know if you don't let them speak.

3. Start Premium, Then Drop

Always start with your highest-tier offering first.

Why? Because it:

• Sets a high anchor point

• Makes lower tiers feel more reasonable

• Gives you room to remove features

• Creates negotiation flexibility

What This Sounds Like…

Bad Example: "Our basic package starts at $19,000..."
Good Example: "Our enterprise solution is $45,000... [pause]"

Prospect: "That's a bit out of our range..."
You: "I understand. If we remove some features you might not need right now, we could get started at $19,000..."

See the difference? Same final price, totally different perception.

Remember: Your price isn't high or low until it's compared to something else.

Control that comparison, and you control the perception of value.

Now go forth and anchor away. ⚓️ 

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