If you are thinking about creating a business plan, it is important to know what qualifies as a successful one. There are many different aspects of a business plan that can qualify it as successful. These aspects include the competition, the market, the financials, and more. The best way to know whether or not you have created an effective business plan is to assess it at periodic intervals. At each benchmark, decide if you are where you want to be or not. If you are meeting or exceeding benchmarks, consider your plan successful. If you are not meeting your goals, you may need to reevaluate your business plan.