Client Advisory Services (CAS) Pricing: How to Charge What You're Worth
You've decided to add Client Advisory Services (CAS) to your practice. The next question: how do you price it? Get pricing right, and CAS becomes your most profitable service line. Get it wrong, and you'll end up overworked and undercompensated.
The 3 CAS Pricing Models
1. Fixed Monthly Retainer (Recommended)
How it works: Client pays a flat monthly fee for a defined scope of advisory services.
- Pros: Predictable revenue, clients budget easily, no time-tracking friction
- Cons: Risk of scope creep if not well-defined
- Best for: Ongoing advisory relationships
2. Value-Based Pricing
How it works: Price based on the measurable value you deliver (e.g., % of cash recovered, improvement in margins).
- Pros: Highest potential revenue, aligns incentives
- Cons: Harder to implement, requires confidence in your impact
- Best for: Project work (e.g., "I'll help you cut costs by $100K; my fee is $25K")
3. Hourly (Avoid If Possible)
How it works: Bill by the hour.
- Pros: Simple to implement
- Cons: Penalizes efficiency, creates client hesitancy, caps your earning potential
- Best for: One-off engagements only
CAS Pricing Tiers (Template)
| Tier | Includes | Monthly Price | Ideal Client |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | Monthly P&L review, basic cash flow tracking, quarterly planning call | $1,000-$2,000 | $250K-$1M revenue |
| Growth | Essentials + 13-week cash flow forecast, KPI dashboard, monthly advisory meeting | $2,500-$4,000 | $1M-$5M revenue |
| Strategic | Growth + annual budget, variance analysis, bi-weekly calls, unlimited email/Slack access | $4,000-$7,000 | $5M-$20M revenue |
| Enterprise | Strategic + weekly calls, board reporting, fundraising/M&A support | $7,000-$12,000 | $20M+ revenue |
Pricing Strategies That Work
Anchor High
Always present your premium tier first. When clients see the $7,000/month option, the $2,500 option feels affordable.
Bundle Bookkeeping + Advisory
Offer a combined package where bookkeeping is included with advisory. This increases the total contract value and makes it harder for clients to unbundle and price-shop.
Annual Contracts with Monthly Billing
Offer a 10% discount for annual commitments. This reduces churn and gives you revenue predictability.
Discovery Period Pricing
Offer the first 90 days at a reduced rate ("discovery period") while you assess the full scope. After 90 days, adjust to full pricing based on actual needs.
How to Raise Existing Client Prices
- Start offering advisory to NEW clients at the new rates first
- For existing clients, add advisory as an upgrade conversation: "I'd like to start providing X, Y, Z. Here's what that looks like."
- Grandfather existing pricing for 3-6 months, then transition
- Lead with value: "This cash flow forecast will help you avoid surprises and make better decisions."
Get a CAS Pricing Calculator
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