Business Plan Structure – Business Plan Template

For better understanding how to work with business plan templates, use the information in this blog article about the questions we ask our clients to come up with the business plan content. Also, check out our know-how base for business plan examples and financial plan templates with all explanations that you might want, for example how to conduct market analysis or create the marketing plan for your business plan.

Since we know that many founders have difficulty to work with business plan templates easily, it makes sense in the context of using a business plan template to first study the BrainHive Business Plan Questionnaire and answer the questions for yourself. Below therefore please find our questionnaire, we have refined and improved it in over 8 years of business planning experience. Hopefully it will help you to work better with business plan templates!

Here you can download the BrainHive business plan questionnaire as an easy-to-edit MS Word file: Business Plan Questionnaire-BrainHive-1

PS: Save yourself time and energy writing your business plan with our professional business plan writing service. BrainHive is your #1 expert. And all this comes less expensive than you might think: See this article to understand more about business plan writing costs.

Business Plan Template / Business Plan Structure: The BrainHive Business Plan Questionnaire

Please complete this questionnaire to your best knowledge. The better the questionnaire is filled out, the better the business plan will become. If you can’t answer a question, simply leave the question blank.

1. Did you already establish a company or are/were you owner of a company? If yes, please specify information on this company (location, website, founding date, registered capital amount of the current staff, products and annual sales volume, etc.). If you never founded or owned a business, leave out this question.

2. What will the company be doing? What is the business idea? How did you get the idea and why are you qualified to realize it?

3. What are the company’s vision and strategic goals? Where will the company stand in 5-10 years?

4. Does your company have certain advantages not available to competitors (unique selling propositions)?

5. Where do you see the biggest risks for your company (eg market, politics/law, currency, operational risks, etc.)?

6. If you operate in international trade: In which country do you buy your goods and in which country do you sell them? Are you familiar with the relevant duty tariffs and possible quality certification requirements? If so, please specify.

7. Do you have any idea how you will set up the operational procedures for your company (software, logistics/form of transport, insurance, communication with clients/ suppliers, etc.)?

8. If you have several items of business which is the most important key business objective?

9. Please give relevant details about all your products/services (eg for trade: product features, sales/purchase prices, necessity for special certifications; for services: Pricing models, service process). Be sure to emphasize the main products/services.

10. Do you already have a website? Will you market your products via eCommerce platforms such as Ebay? What online sales and marketing tools will you use? What forms of online payment have you considered? Please specify in detail (webdesign software/firm to be used, hosting, names of additional service providers, etc.).

11. Who are your suppliers? Where are these located? How are they positioned (turnover, age, size, products, etc.)? Name the existing contacts with their website and any additional information. If you have already signed agreements or contracts, be sure to mention it.

12. Who are your customers/who is your target audience? Name existing customer contacts or groups of customers if possible with website and any additional information. If you have already signed agreements or contracts, be sure to mention it.

Business Plan Template / Business Plan Structure: Target group specifications

List below client companies and/or companies identified as potential clients:

13. Do you have other contacts (eg active relationships to industry associations, media contacts, logistics companies, etc.)? Name the existing contacts with website and any additional information. If you have already signed agreements or contracts, be sure to mention it.

14. Do you have a specific idea of how to organize your marketing/sales? If yes, please specify. What sales channels and marketing strategies are to be used? Do you already know trade shows, magazines or internet platforms that you could use for your marketing? Will you register a brand name or logo?

Business Plan Template / Business Plan Structure: Marketing Strategy Specifications

Enter details about trade shows, magazines or internet platforms here:

15. Do you know your competitors? If yes, please specify. If possible with an accurate name and website. You can mention their strengths and/or weaknesses in the comments column.

16. Have you analyzed your market? If you have relevant specific figures (such as market volume growth, market survey data, average customer spending, etc.), please specify. Also insert any available diagrams.

17. What is the approximate turnover in the first three years? When do you expect to break even?

Break even expected in the ___ quarter of year ___.

18. Apart from the registered capital, do you have any additional capital or assets available to the company? Will you need outside financing and if so, how much and from what sources? Please specify.

19. What infrastructure (office, warehouse, dropshipper, IT-Equipment, Software, tools/machinery, automobiles, etc.) will you need for your business and in what quantity? Do you know the amount of investment needed and have you estimated your monthly fix costs? Please specify.

20. How many employees will be employed in each year (in total)?

21. What activities exactly are employees to carry out?

22. If you have particular skills or qualifications that you have not indicated on your CV, please specify them here (eg computer skills, soft skills, etc.).

23. The better and the more comprehensive the basis of information from which we start out, the better the business plan will become. If there are any other pieces of information you think relevant for the business plan, please specify them here.