How do we charge for advisory services?
December 2, 2025
“How do we charge for advisory services?” Three CPA firm owners and a business lawyer asked me this question in the past two weeks. They
“How do we charge for advisory services?” Three CPA firm owners and a business lawyer asked me this question in the past two weeks. They
Owners and CEOs feel anxiety about many losses: “I’ll never have the revenue I thought I would have.” “This (the speed of changes)terrifies me.” “I
AVOID: Cost Plus (costs plus profit=price) Time based prices or fees Fixed prices for “Good, better, best” Why am I adamant about these pricing don’ts?
Running in the background of every professional services firm is an ecosystem. At the center of this ecosystem is a seed. If the seed is
What’s the answer to the objection “The price is too high.”? You’re so eager to onboard this prospect! You felt good chemistry during your discovery
“Our rates range from $60 to $200/hour” “I’m worth about $250/hour so I multiply that by three and charge $750.” “Our flat fees are a
“Our main competitors are lawyers, so we have to fight them with lower rates.” “I spend hours every week writing off time in order to
There is an objective standard that connects time worked with a specific output. Professional and B2B services firms cannot do this. Factories can do this.
What’s happening behind the curtain when my clients decide to drop hourly billing? Different industries, different kinds of clients, very similar struggles: How do we
Hal is an experienced CPA whose clients are business owners. During his work on their taxes (and while looking at their financials during tax return