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ChatGPT prompts for business plan: end‑to‑end guide

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Table of Contents

Startup founder creating a business plan with ChatGPT prompts and AI-powered holographic blocks.

In today’s fast‑moving startup landscape you don’t have weeks to stare at a blank page. This practical guide shows founders exactly how to use ChatGPT prompts for business plan creation, with copy‑paste prompts for every section from the executive summary to the investor pitch.

Introduction

Writing a business plan is hard work: you must balance strategy, market research, financial forecasting and storytelling. Recent guides note that tailored AI prompts can streamline the process and help you produce a well‑structured plan. However, ChatGPT isn’t a magical oracle—it excels at drafting sections and brainstorming ideas but cannot replace human judgment or generate verified financial data. In this article you’ll find the chatgpt prompts for business plan that founders can use to generate each section of a comprehensive plan. Every prompt is ready to copy, paste and customize, and follow‑up prompts help you refine the output.

Executive summary prompts

The executive summary distills the essence of your business plan. Sources emphasize writing it last, once the rest of the plan is complete, to present a concise case for why the venture deserves attention. Use these prompts after you have drafted other sections.

Initial summary draft

You are an experienced founder who has launched and scaled multiple ventures. Based on the information I provide – mission, product/service, target market, competitive edge, financial outlook and traction – write a clear, compelling executive summary for my business plan. Convey the core concept, define the problem being addressed and articulate the strategic advantage. If any critical detail seems vague or missing, identify the gap and ask clarifying questions.

Refine the tone

Rewrite the executive summary in a more persuasive tone that appeals to potential investors. Emphasize the market gap and our unique solution, and include a concise overview of financial projections and growth milestones.

Investor‑ready summary

Distill the summary into three short paragraphs: concept and mission; market opportunity and competitive edge; and key financial or operational highlights. Keep it under 300 words and ensure it can stand alone as a pitch to investors.

Company description prompts

The company description (sometimes called the business overview) explains who you are, what you do and why you exist. A well‑structured description improves credibility.

Business overview

Act as a professional business plan writer. Draft the company description for my [business type] business plan. Our company, [name], is a [business type] based in [location] and registered as a [legal structure]. Include our mission statement, the founding story, the responsibilities of each co‑founder and our long‑term goals. Add any information that would strengthen the narrative.

Vision and values

Expand the company description to include our vision statement and core values. Explain how these values influence our product decisions and customer relationships. Use an engaging tone that fits our brand personality (e.g., friendly, authoritative, innovative).

Milestones and metrics

Update the company description with key milestones achieved (e.g., product launches, user growth, revenue targets met) and the metrics we use to measure success. Highlight any awards, partnerships or intellectual property that demonstrate traction.

Market research & competitor analysis prompts

Investors expect a clear explanation of your target market, industry trends and competitive landscape. ChatGPT can structure these sections but cannot fetch real market numbers, so you should verify data independently.

Market overview

Act as a market analyst. Create a market analysis section for my [industry] business plan. Break down the total addressable market (TAM), serviceable available market (SAM) and serviceable obtainable market (SOM) based on publicly available data. Describe current industry trends, growth drivers, customer segments and potential barriers to entry. Ask clarifying questions if you need more context.

Customer segments

Identify and describe the key customer segments for our [product/service]. For each segment, provide demographics, psychographics and buying behaviors. Explain their primary pain points and how our solution addresses them.

Competitor analysis

Act as a competitive strategist and create a competitor analysis section. List our main direct and indirect competitors, summarize their strengths, weaknesses, pricing models and brand positioning. Identify our competitive advantages and any barriers to entry that protect our business model. Present the findings in a SWOT framework and suggest opportunities where we can outperform.

Verify market data

Review the market analysis and competitor sections. Identify any data points or claims that require external verification (market size, growth rates, revenue estimates). List questions or sources we should consult to confirm these numbers.

Customer persona prompts

Accurate personas help tailor product development and marketing. Use prompts to build detailed buyer personas and refine them over time.

Create personas

Act as a customer research specialist. Generate three distinct customer personas for our [product/service]. For each persona include name, age, occupation, goals, challenges, preferred channels, purchasing triggers and objections. Base the personas on [target market information you have].

Refine persona with data

Using the persona [name] created earlier, ask me a series of questions to fill gaps in their profile (e.g., budget, buying process, decision‑influencers). Then update the persona with richer details and quote actual statements or phrases they might use.

Pain points & solutions

For each persona, list their top three pain points and match them with specific features or benefits of our solution. Explain how our product helps them overcome these problems.

Marketing & sales strategy prompts

Your marketing and sales plan outlines how you will attract, convert and retain customers. Clear prompts help ChatGPT craft strategies that fit your budget and positioning.

Marketing channels & positioning

Act as a marketing strategist. Draft the marketing and sales strategy section of my [business type] plan. Cover brand positioning (luxury, budget, etc.), key marketing channels (social media, content marketing, events), and the sales funnel from lead generation to conversion. Include suggestions for pricing strategy and retention tactics. Tailor recommendations to my target customers and budget.

Campaign planning

Based on our marketing strategy, design a 90‑day marketing campaign plan. Outline weekly activities for content, advertising, partnerships and community engagement. Specify metrics to track (e.g., conversion rate, CAC, LTV). Provide ideas for A/B tests.

Sales script & objection handling

Write a sales script for our [product/service] addressing common customer objections. Include an opening statement, qualifying questions, key benefits, social proof and closing techniques. Afterwards, suggest follow‑up prompts to improve the script based on customer feedback.

Financial projections prompts

Financial forecasts demonstrate viability, but ChatGPT cannot provide precise numbers without your inputs. Use AI to structure the projections and identify which figures you need to supply. Always cross‑check with real data or a financial advisor.

Revenue & cost forecast

Act as a financial analyst and draft a revenue and cost forecast for my [business type]. Create a 12‑month table projecting revenue streams, variable costs, fixed costs and gross profit margins. List assumptions (e.g., pricing, conversion rates, churn). Highlight areas where I must provide data or adjust assumptions.

Cash‑flow statement

Generate a cash‑flow statement for the next 12 months. Include cash inflows from sales, financing and other sources, as well as outflows for expenses, inventory, taxes and capital expenditures. Identify months where cash flow may be negative and suggest actions (e.g., cost reductions, fundraising) to mitigate shortfalls.

CAC & LTV analysis

Calculate customer acquisition cost (CAC) and customer lifetime value (LTV) based on the following inputs: marketing spend, number of new customers acquired, average revenue per user, gross margin and churn rate. Explain the formula, compute the values and interpret whether our LTV:CAC ratio is sustainable. If any input is missing, ask clarifying questions.

Break‑even analysis

Perform a break‑even analysis for our business. List fixed and variable costs, compute the break‑even point in units and revenue, and show how changes in price or cost structure affect the break‑even point. Explain the implications for our pricing strategy.

SWOT analysis prompts

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) summarises your internal capabilities and external environment. Use ChatGPT to compile this matrix based on earlier sections.

Create SWOT matrix

Create a SWOT analysis for our company based on the market research, competitor analysis and company description provided earlier. List at least three strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. For each item, explain its significance and suggest actions to leverage or mitigate it.

Prioritise issues

Prioritise the SWOT elements by impact and urgency. Recommend which strengths to amplify, which weaknesses to address first, which opportunities to pursue, and how to prepare for the most critical threats.

Risk & mitigation prompts

Business plans must address operational, financial and market risks. ChatGPT can help you list potential risks and brainstorm mitigation strategies.

Risk identification

Identify potential risks facing our [business type]. Include market risks (e.g., demand changes, new competitors), operational risks (supply chain disruptions, staffing issues), regulatory risks, financial risks and technology risks. Briefly describe each risk and its likelihood.

Mitigation strategies

For each identified risk, propose mitigation strategies. Explain preventive measures (e.g., diversifying suppliers, building cash reserves) and contingency plans (e.g., alternative revenue streams, pivot scenarios). Rank the risks by impact and align mitigation strategies accordingly.

Monitoring & triggers

Suggest a risk‑monitoring framework. List key indicators or trigger events that would signal rising risk levels and recommend how we should respond (e.g., adjusting budgets, activating contingency plans).

Investor pitch / pitch deck outline prompts

An investor pitch condenses the business plan into a narrative that sparks interest. Use ChatGPT to structure your deck and craft talking points.

Pitch deck outline

Create a pitch deck outline for our [business type]. Include slide titles and bullet‑point content for: problem statement, solution and product demo, market opportunity, business model, traction and metrics, go‑to‑market strategy, competitive landscape, financial projections, team, and funding ask. Ensure the narrative flows logically and highlights why we’re uniquely positioned to succeed.

Storytelling refinement

Review the pitch deck outline and suggest ways to strengthen the story arc. Identify slides where a customer anecdote, data visualisation or testimonial could enhance the narrative. Recommend concise phrasing for slide headings.

Tailored investor Q&A

Draft a list of potential investor questions based on our business model, finances and industry. For each question, outline a strong, evidence‑based response. Suggest follow‑up prompts to refine answers as new information emerges.

Industry prompt packs

Different industries require nuanced prompts. Use the packs below to customise your business plan prompts.

SaaS & software startups

  • Product roadmap & features – Generate a product roadmap for a SaaS platform, including MVP features, future enhancements and integration with AI or third‑party APIs.

  • Recurring revenue model – Draft subscription tiers (free, standard, premium), pricing strategies and upsell opportunities. Ask ChatGPT to suggest ways to reduce churn and improve annual recurring revenue.

  • Tech stack & scalability – Describe the backend and frontend technologies, hosting choices and scalability considerations. Include prompts about cybersecurity and compliance (e.g., GDPR).

E‑commerce & DTC brands

  • Niche selection & validation – Ask ChatGPT to brainstorm profitable niches, evaluate demand and competition, and recommend supplier options.

  • Product catalogue & sourcing – Generate a product list with descriptions, sourcing options and sustainability considerations. Ask for ideas to differentiate through branding and packaging.

  • Fulfilment & logistics – Outline fulfilment strategies (in‑house vs. dropshipping, third‑party logistics) and prompts to estimate shipping costs, delivery times and return policies.

Local & brick‑and‑mortar businesses

  • Location analysis – Prompt ChatGPT to evaluate neighbourhood demographics, foot traffic and competitor proximity. Ask for zoning or permit considerations.

  • Community engagement – Generate ideas for local partnerships, community events and loyalty programs to build a loyal customer base.

  • Seasonal planning – Request prompts to adjust marketing, staffing and inventory across peak and off‑peak seasons.

Agencies & creators (consulting, marketing, creators)

  • Service packages – Create tiered service packages (e.g., bronze, silver, gold) with deliverables, pricing and turnaround times.

  • Client onboarding – Draft onboarding workflows and questionnaires to understand clients’ needs, goals and KPIs.

  • Portfolio & case studies – Ask ChatGPT to outline case studies or success stories that demonstrate expertise and results.

Pro tips for refining prompts

AI outputs improve when you iterate. Sources stress that prompts must be specific and that clarifying questions help improve results. Follow these techniques to get better answers.

  • Be specific & structured – Include context (industry, target market), required sections and desired tone. Avoid vague requests.

  • Chain your prompts – Start with an outline, then delve into each section. Ask ChatGPT to refine its previous answer rather than starting from scratch.

  • Validate & fact‑check – ChatGPT provides structure but cannot verify market or financial data. Use the prompts above to flag missing numbers and consult reliable sources for accuracy.

  • Use follow‑up questions – Ask the model to identify gaps in the information you provided and to suggest what details would strengthen the plan.

  • Experiment with tone – Prompt ChatGPT to rewrite sections in different tones (formal, conversational, persuasive) until it matches your brand.

You can explore a broader range of prompt techniques in our detailed guide on ChatGPT prompts for work and career.

FAQ

How do I get ChatGPT to ask clarifying questions?

Use a system‑role prompt such as: “Act as an experienced business consultant. Whenever I provide information that seems incomplete, ask follow‑up questions before drafting the section.” This encourages the model to identify gaps and request additional details.

Can ChatGPT generate real market or financial data?

No. Articles stress that while ChatGPT can structure market analysis and financial projections, it cannot verify market size or provide accurate numbers. Use AI to outline the calculations and then insert verified data from industry reports or your accounting system.

What should I include in a company description?

At minimum include your legal structure, location, mission, founding team and their roles, company history and long‑term goals. Prompts in the company description section above provide a template.

When should I write the executive summary?

Experts recommend writing the summary last because it should reflect the completed plan and concisely present the concept, market gap and financial highlights.

How do I tailor prompts for specific industries?

Use the “industry prompt packs” section of this article. Customize each prompt by replacing the placeholders with details relevant to your product category, audience and regulatory environment.

Can ChatGPT help with investor Q&A?

Yes. You can ask ChatGPT to generate a list of potential investor questions and draft clear answers. Use follow‑up prompts to refine answers based on investor feedback or new metrics.

Is ChatGPT suitable for sensitive or regulated industries?

You should exercise caution. ChatGPT can draft frameworks and suggest compliance considerations, but always consult legal or industry experts for regulated sectors (healthcare, finance, education) to ensure compliance.

What if the output feels generic?

Add more context—customer insights, data points, company culture—and prompt the model to incorporate your unique differentiators. Iteratively refine the draft using the pro‑tip guidelines.

Conclusion

Business plans remain the cornerstone of entrepreneurship: they provide the structure to secure funding and clarify your strategy. With the right chatgpt prompts for business plan, founders can accelerate the drafting process and explore scenarios quickly. Nevertheless, AI should augment—not replace—your own research, expertise and creativity. Use the prompts above as a starting point, refine them through iteration and fact‑check all data. A thoughtful combination of human insight and AI assistance will yield a plan that resonates with investors and guides your company toward success.

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