The 10 Prompts You Should Be Asking ChatGPT When Starting a Business (Plus a Fill-in-the-Blanks Checklist)

If you’re starting a business in 2026, there’s a good chance your first “business partner” isn’t a human — it’s AI.

You open ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude and start typing:

• “Help me come up with a business name.”

• “Write a business plan.”

• “Create a marketing strategy.”

• 
  

But most founders use AI in a random way — a name here, a logo idea there — without a structured path that actually moves them from “idea” to “launch.”

This guide gives you exactly that:

10 strategic prompts you should be asking ChatGPT when starting a business — plus a fill-in-the-blanks checklist so you can clarify your idea, your audience, your offer, and your next steps.

Use this as a workbook.

Open ChatGPT in one tab, this blog in another, and start filling it out.

Prompt 1: Clarify Your Business Idea

Copy + paste this into ChatGPT:

“Act as a startup strategist. Help me clarify my business idea. Ask me 10 questions about what I want to build, who it’s for, and why it matters. Then, summarize my idea in one clear paragraph and one sentence. My initial idea is: [describe your idea].”

What this does:Most founders start with a vague idea. This prompt forces clarity.

Your checklist:

• One-sentence description of my business:→ We help ______________________ by ______________________ so they can ______________________.

• One-paragraph description of my business:→ ______________________________________________________________

Prompt 2: Define Your Target Audience

Prompt:

“Based on this idea: [paste your one-sentence description], describe my ideal target audience in detail. Include demographics, psychographics, behaviors, and what they care about most. Then summarize my ‘dream customer’ in 3–5 bullet points.”

What this does:You stop trying to talk to “everyone” and start talking to someone.

Your checklist:

• My primary customer is:→ ______________________________________________________________

• Top 3 characteristics of this customer:

  1. _________________________

  2. _________________________

  3. _________________________

• Their biggest priorities right now:→ ______________________________________________________________

Prompt 3: Clarify the Problem You’re Solving

Prompt:

“Using my business idea and target audience, list the top 10 specific problems or frustrations my ideal customer faces. Then, rank them from most painful to least painful. Idea: [paste your one-sentence description]. Audience: [paste your audience summary].”

What this does:You stop guessing and start solving real pain.

Your checklist:

• The #1 problem my business solves:→ ______________________________________________________________

• Two secondary problems we also help with:

  1. _________________________

  2. _________________________

Prompt 4: Define Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

Prompt:

“Act as a brand strategist. Based on this idea, audience, and main problem: [paste from above], help me write 5 different versions of a Unique Value Proposition. Each should be one sentence, clear, and benefit-driven.”

What this does:You find language that explains why someone should choose you over anyone else.

Your checklist:

• My chosen UVP (one sentence):→ We help ______________________ to ______________________ without ______________________.

Prompt 5: Shape Your Core Offer

Prompt:

“Using my business idea, audience, and UVP: [paste], help me design a clear offer. Describe: what’s included, what problem it solves, the main benefits, and 2–3 package options (e.g. basic, standard, premium) for my type of business.”

What this does:Instead of “I do everything,” you have something specific to sell.

Your checklist:

• Main offer:→ I offer ______________________ that helps people ______________________.

• What’s included:→ ______________________________________________________________

• Optional second / third package:→ ______________________________________________________________

Prompt 6: Get a First Draft of Your Brand Positioning

Prompt:

“Act as a brand strategist. Give me a simple brand positioning summary based on my idea, ideal audience, main problem, and core offer. Include: positioning statement, 3 brand adjectives, and 3–5 differentiators. Here is everything so far: [paste idea, audience, problem, UVP, and offer].”

What this does:This creates a rough “brand backbone” you can refine later with designers/strategists.

Your checklist:

• Brand positioning statement:→ For ______________________ who ______________________, we provide ______________________ so they can ______________________.

• 3 brand adjectives:

  1. _________________________

  2. _________________________

  3. _________________________

• 3 things that make us different:

  1. _________________________

  2. _________________________

  3. _________________________

Prompt 7: Map Out Your First Marketing Channels

Prompt:

“Act as a marketing strategist for early-stage startups. Based on my audience and offer: [paste], suggest the 3–5 best marketing channels to start with. For each channel, explain why it’s a good fit, what type of content or activity I should focus on, and what NOT to waste time on at the beginning.”

What this does:You don’t need every platform. You need the right ones.

Your checklist:

• Priority marketing channels:

  1. _________________________

  2. _________________________

  3. _________________________

• Main content/action focus per channel:→ ______________________________________________________________

Prompt 8: Get a 30–60 Day Launch Plan

Prompt:

“Create a simple 30–60 day launch plan for my new business based on everything so far: [paste idea, audience, offer, channels]. Break it down week by week with specific actions under: brand assets, website or sales page, content, outreach, and testing.”

What this does:You move from “thinking about a business” to doing the things that launch it.

Your checklist (edit as needed):

• Week 1 focus:→ ______________________________________________________________

• Week 2 focus:→ ______________________________________________________________

• Week 3 focus:→ ______________________________________________________________

• Week 4 focus:→ ______________________________________________________________

(You can extend the same format for weeks 5–8.)

Prompt 9: Outline Your First Website or Landing Page

Prompt:

“Act as a UX and copy strategist. Based on my business idea and offer: [paste], outline the structure of a high-converting landing page or simple website. Include the sections, what each section should say, and a call to action. Then, write rough headline options for each main section.”

What this does:Even if you’re not ready to design it, you at least know what your site should say.

Your checklist:

• Must-have sections on my site/landing page:

  1. _________________________

  2. _________________________

  3. _________________________

  4. _________________________

• Main call to action (CTA):→ ______________________________________________________________

Prompt 10: Clarify Your Metrics for “Success” in the First 90 Days

Prompt:

“Act as a startup advisor. For a business like mine: [paste idea + offer], what are realistic success metrics for the first 90 days? Suggest 3–5 core KPIs I should track (e.g. leads, sales, email signups, booked calls, etc.), and what ‘good’ might look like for an early-stage business.”

What this does:You stop chasing vague feelings and start measuring progress.

Your checklist:

• My top 3 metrics for the first 90 days:

  1. _________________________

  2. _________________________

  3. _________________________

• If I hit these numbers, I’ll consider the first 90 days a success:→ ______________________________________________________________

What This Checklist Gives You (And Where You’ll Still Need Help)

If you go through these 10 prompts and fill in the blanks, you’ll walk away with:

• A clear business idea

• A defined audience

• A sharp problem/solution

• A unique value proposition

• A shaped offer

• Early brand positioning

• Priority marketing channels

• A launch plan

• A website outline

• Early success metrics

That’s an amazing starting point — and AI is perfect for this kind of structured thinking.

But just like we say inside Drøm:

AI can help you think through your business. Experts help you bring it into the real world.

At some point, you’ll still need:

• A real brand identity

• Professional packaging

• A functional website

• Cohesive visuals

• Content that feels like you

• Strategy that evolves with your brand

That’s where an agency that understands both AI and creative execution becomes your growth partner — not just your brainstorming tool.