How to test business demand before forecasting revenue
Startup Costs | Blank working worksheet | September 6, 2026
https://startup-costs.com/guides/validate-demand/

Result to produce: A measured customer funnel, contribution after test acquisition costs and a decision about the next test.

Business and format:
Address or service area:
Prepared by:
Date:

BEFORE YOU START
Choose one offer, one acquisition channel, an observation period and a feasible delivery method. Confirm that the test itself can be carried out under the requirements that apply to your activity and location.

CALCULATION INPUTS
Unique people reached (count):
Qualified enquiries (count):
Bookings from those enquiries (count):
Completed paid sales from those bookings (count):
Collected price per completed sale (USD):
Delivery cost per completed sale (USD):
Cost of this acquisition test (USD):

Use the guide calculator for formulas and results. Enter your own values and retain the evidence for each assumption.

DECISION RECORD
1. Test question
Customer, offer, price, channel and decision threshold
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

2. Observation period
Start, end, cohort and time allowed for completion
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

3. Funnel counts
Reach, qualified enquiries, bookings and paid completions
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

4. Test economics
Collected price, delivery cost, refunds and acquisition spend
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

5. Delivery findings
Time, capacity, complaints, cancellations and reasons
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

6. Next test
Repeat, revise or stop; what changes and why
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

DECISION RULES
If: Enquiries are high but paid completions are low
Action: Investigate fit, price, scheduling and cancellation causes before increasing reach.

If: Acquisition consumes the available contribution
Action: Test the offer or channel economics before assuming profitable scale.

If: The sample or conditions are unrepresentative
Action: Run another bounded test and retain the limits on the forecast.

YOUR DECISION
Next commitment:
Conditions still to resolve:
Decision and reason:
Next review date:

Sources and background:
SBA: planning a business: https://www.sba.gov/counseling/plan-your-business/

This is a blank personal planning worksheet. Its completion is not an approval, a market estimate or a completed state research record.
The examples and calculator defaults on the guide are authored illustrations. Keep your own evidence and limitations with any result.
Financial information supports planning and education and is not personalized financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Results do not guarantee costs, revenue, profit or financing.