Salesperson [9:51 AM]: i hate this sales self assessment s^!#. Can’t I just say “same as last year” in every box?
Sales Coach [9:51 AM]: NO
Salesperson [9:51 AM]: how am i supposed to dial AND do this. annoying.
Sales Coach [9:51 AM]: well… do you really want me to answer that?
Salesperson [9:52 AM]: no. i’m done. i just think it’s stupid, and it doesn’t matter.
Sales Coach [9:52 AM]: like forecasting if you do it because you’re told – it is stupid & doesn’t matter
Salesperson [9:52 AM]: FINE. why ya always gotta be right.
Sales Coach [9:52 AM]: but if you do it for yourself it is smart & matters, wishing for a “blow kisses” emotocon
Salesperson [9:53 AM]: thank you. xox

Yes that is an actual instant message exchange I had last week with an inside salesperson. Which, I have obviously modified to protect the guilty.

distorted-perception Self-Reviews
When I was a manager, I saw two different distorted fun house mirror images that salespeople had of themselves:
* the I’m so ugly, fun house mirror: where the salesperson couldn’t come up with anything they liked about themselves.
* the equally distorted, I look perfect mirror: where the salesperson thought they were perfection

Please take a realistic look at not only your sales performance over the past year, but also your achievement vs. the objectives you set for yourself. Make an honest and positive assessment (ie: if you set a target monthly number and hit it 9 out of 12 times; no you weren’t perfect, but that is pretty darn good!).

Here are three tips for making self-reviews easier or at least less annoying (that will NOT help you this year…):
1. every time you have a break through – using a technique, in a particular account, etc – send yourself an email and put it in a folder marked “self-review” in your email system so you don’t have to think of them later.
2. think about what you want to accomplish THIS year in your inside sales career, now figure out how you want to not only share it with your boss BUT what specifically your boss can do to help you achieve it.
3. by doing a self-review you know where you are in relationship to where you want to be; allowing you to figure out the logical next step to keep moving forward.

Oh while you’re at it, why not update your resume every year with all the accomplishments, awards, changes, that have happened so it is current.