SALESDays to result

Anchor Upsell Method

Show the really expensive option first, get 'The Gasp,' then present your main offer as a relief.

Problem it solves

low close rates

Best for

Any business that can create a premium version priced at 5-10x the main offer

Not ideal for

Businesses where premium versions are not credible or where customers have fixed, transparent budgets

Overview

Why this framework exists

Present a really expensive premium option first (5-10x the main offer price). The customer has a mini panic attack — 'The Gasp.' Then come to the rescue by asking if they care about what makes it premium. When they say no, present your main offer. The customer feels relieved and sees a dramatically better deal. The anchor must be a real product you actually want to sell. Some customers WILL buy the premium, which is pure profit. You never lose customers by showing expensive options first, but you WILL lose money by not showing them.

Core principles

5 total
  1. Do not treat the anchor as fake — you must actually want to sell it
  2. Make a premium offer you would be happy delivering
  3. The Gasp is a good sign — bigger gasps correlate with bigger purchases
  4. Same primary features, different secondary features between premium and main
  5. You will never lose customers by offering expensive things first

Steps

3 steps
  1. Create the Premium Anchor
    Build a premium version at 5-10x your main offer price. Give it genuinely premium features — designer materials, VIP access, personal attention, exclusive guarantees. Make it something you would be excited to deliver.
    Pro tipSome customers WILL buy the premium. Always have it ready. You will never lose customers by offering expensive options first, but you WILL lose money by not offering them.
    WarningDon't treat the anchor as fake. Going through the motions without genuinely selling it doesn't work — customers can sense inauthenticity.
  2. Present the Premium First and Get The Gasp
    Show the premium option first with enthusiasm. Expect the customer to have a mini panic attack at the cost. The Gasp is a good sign — it means the anchor is working.
    Pro tipBigger gasps correlate with bigger purchases on the main offer.
  3. Come to the Rescue
    Ask if they care about the specific premium features. When they say no (most will), present your main offer as the alternative. The customer feels relieved and sees a much better deal than they would have without the anchor.
    Pro tipAsk 'Which card do you prefer?' as the closing question — assume the sale.

Checklist

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Examples

2 cases
Lawn Care Business

Premium: $1,000/week with owner's personal cell, fancy mulch, and natural pest control. Main: $200/week with team's number, generic mulch, and standard pest control. Both do the same core job — the lawn gets mowed and maintained.

OutcomeMost customers choose the $200 option and feel great about it. Some choose the $1,000 option, which is extremely profitable.
Newsletter Subscription

Premium: $199/month for all previous issues plus new issues 24 hours early. Main: $19/month for new issues only on the regular schedule.

OutcomeThe $199 anchor makes $19 feel like a no-brainer. Some subscribers choose premium, accessing the full archive and getting early access.

Common mistakes

5 traps
Creating a fake premium that you never intend to sell
Skipping straight to the main offer without properly presenting the anchor
Making the premium differ in primary features instead of secondary ones
Not being prepared to actually deliver the premium when someone says yes
Anchoring too low — the premium needs to be at least 5x the main offer to create sufficient contrast

Origin story

How this framework came to be

Hormozi experienced this firsthand at a suit shop. After being shown a $16,000 designer suit first, a $2,200 non-designer suit felt like a steal. He spent 5x his $500 budget and felt fine about it because of the anchoring effect.

Source

Traced to primary
Source · BOOK
$100M Money Models
Alex Hormozi · 2025
Open source →

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