The principle. The first number a prospect hears becomes the reference point. Everything else is "cheap" or "expensive" relative to it.
Two ways to set the anchor.
- Drop a market range, not your price. "Most of our clients were paying anywhere from $40k to $80k for the patchwork they had before us." Now your $25k feels like a steal.
- Compare to the cost of the problem. "What's it costing you right now? … Roughly $200k a year? OK. Our fee is 8% of that bleed. So you're either paying $200k forever or $16k once."
Never let them anchor you. "What's your budget?" → don't answer with a number. Answer with: "Honest answer — depends what we find. Most people in your situation invest $X to $Y. Where in that range can you operate?"
For discount requests. "Can you do better on price?" → never drop straight to a number. Re-anchor on value first, then offer a trade (longer term, more seats, faster decision) before any concession.