FIRM GROWTH · By Steve Gordon, Founder, Million Dollar Author · 6 min read · Updated 2026
Stop asking what a book costs. Ask what one client is worth.
Most firm owners ask about cost first. The better question takes two numbers you already know.
The text message
One of our clients, Charlie Moon, is a B2B sales consultant. He wrote a book called How to Turn Order Takers into Rainmakers.
The CEO of a $400 million company read it.
The next morning, he texted Charlie:
"I read your book. I'm thinking about how to use you with our team."
That text was how the CEO invited him in.
Think about how that usually goes for a consultant. You chase the meeting. You send the deck. You wait for someone to call you back.
Charlie got a text.
That's what a book does when it lands in the right hands.
So what would a text like that be worth to your firm?
The question everybody asks first
"What does it cost?"
That's a fair question. It's the first one I'd ask, too.
But the price only tells you half the story.
If a book never brings in a client, any price is too high.
If it brings in one client worth three times what you paid, you'd buy it again tomorrow.
So the math that matters has two parts. What is one new client worth to you? And how many might a book bring in?
One of our clients, Rob Ibrahim, is a financial advisor. He runs his practice with his son, Chris.
When Rob decided to do a book, Chris was the one who pushed back on the money. By the end, Chris wanted to be a co-author.
Rob settled the cost question with one comparison. Put next to a single new $2 million client, the price of the book looked small.
That's the math I want you to do. Use your own numbers.
Do the math on your firm
Two numbers. It takes about a minute.
What would a book be worth to your firm?
Total fees over the whole relationship.
Be conservative.
This is your math, with your numbers. It's not a promise of results.
If that number made you sit up a little, hold on to it.
It's also smaller than the real one.
What the calculator leaves out
A calculator can only count clients.
It can't count a text from a CEO. Or an invitation to speak. Or a referral partner who finally knows what to say about you, because he has your book to hand over.
It can't show you how fast one client can pay for the whole thing.
One of our clients, Malcolm Turner, had run his firm for 16 years when his book came out. Within three weeks, the first client it brought in had paid for the whole program more than twice.
And it can't count what happens with the clients you already have.
It also misses the money that can come in before your book is even out.
We call that Day Zero Revenue. While your book is still being written, we get you out telling people about it. Sometimes that pays for the book before launch day.
One of our clients, Jason Gates, told three of his current clients about the book he had coming. All three bought more work from him. His book had paid for itself twice before it was published.
The calculator also stops counting after one year. Deborah Reuben, a consultant and one of our clients, plans to use her book for ten:
"I view this as a 10-year asset for my business... it's time to stop being the best-kept secret in your industry. This is my multiplier."
Rob Ibrahim said it in fewer words:
"I think the book will live forever, if you know what I mean."
So treat the number above as the floor. It's one year of new clients, and nothing else.
If you haven't read how this started for me, the whole story is here.
When the math doesn't work
I'd rather tell you this now than on a call.
If one new client is worth less than $10,000 to you, a book is a harder call. It can still make sense. It just takes more clients to pay for itself.
If that's you, we'll say so on the call.
If one client is worth $10,000 or more, the math gets a lot easier. And we back it.
Sell a service at $10,000 or more. Complete 80% of the launch steps. You'll earn back your investment within 90 days of publishing. If you don't, I'll keep working with you until you do.
We've never had to.
Bring your numbers
The calculator gives you a rough number. The 20-minute call gives you a real one.
You'll talk with my team about your firm. What your clients pay. How long they stay. How many more you'd want if you could pick them. Then you'll meet with one of our book strategists.
By the end, you'll know:
- Whether a book makes sense for your firm this year
- What your book should be about
- How it sets you apart as the leader in your market
- Which clients it could bring you, and what each one is worth
- How to get it working fast, once it's out
If the numbers say wait, we'll tell you that too.
Charlie's CEO never asked what the book cost.
He read it. Then he picked up his phone.
Steve "do the math" Gordon
P.S. If the number in the calculator surprised you, write it down and bring it to the call. We'll check it against your real fees and your real clients, and you'll leave knowing whether it holds up. Book your 20-minute call