Questionnaire for business plan discussion

As a business plan writer, one of the most common questions I come across when a client contacts me for a business plan enquiry is, “What information do you need from me to write a business plan?” Here are some questions that will help you delve deeper into your business idea. Please note that some of these questions may not be applicable to your business, but please try to answer as many questions as possible. These questions will help me understand your business. 

1. What is the business idea?
2. What market gap have you identified and how does your product/service address the market gap?
3. What is the business model, and what are the unique selling features of your product/service?
4. Are there any competitors for your product/service?
5. Who will be involved in the business? Do you have any partners? Please provide their roles. Titles of everyone involved in the business and company ownership structure.
6. Location of business and type of business (Inc., Partnership, etc.)
7. Target customers for your product/service?
8. How much capital (money) are you seeking from external sources? Where will it be used? Rough breakup of costs?
9. Are you investing anything from your savings on top of the external funding? If yes, how much? Where was it used? Rough breakup of costs?
10. Name of the business/product/service?
11. Pricing Strategy?
12. Sales and promotion process?
13. Brief explanation of how the product/service works? Technical information (if any), technology used, future upgrades required, etc.
14. Information on suppliers for raw materials (if applicable). Where would you get raw materials if any? Preferred suppliers? Local and Internationally?
15. Would you hire any people for your business? New positions to be created in the company? What would be the salaries hourly/yearly?
16. Distribution Process- how would you receive orders for the products/services? Such as online- website/offline- drop in? How orders will be fulfilled, where will the assembly happen, how they will be shipped? – (If applicable)
17. List of revenue sources from product/service? How much would it cost? Are there any product-pricing packages? Any discount strategy?
18. Any previous year’s income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements?
19. How many products/services do you plan to sell per month? Have you planned any sales projections for coming 2 years? E.g.: 10% growth, 30% growth month over month or year over year, etc.
20. List of your monthly business expenses that will help me with the income statement and balance sheet.
21. Resume(s) of client(s)/ business owners and people involved. A brief bio about background and experience and how it will add value to the business?