How to Do a Performance Review For Your Internet Marketing Business

We used to call them 360s, back in the day when I used to work for a corporate giant. In the days when I'd wear a suit and be in the office by 7 come rain, snow or shine. After work, I'd head to one of the many thriving bars along the Canary Wharf waterside (the financial hub of London) with my work mates. We would discuss a myriad of topics over a pint - from new regulations and what a pain they were, to Man Utd's dominance in the EPL...down to the fit new girl in HR. Things were different then - I was different. Single, somewhat over confident, and enjoying life perhaps a little too much.

Those days are long gone, but there's one thing that I learned from those days that I still apply diligently to my business. Without it, I'm quite sure there would be less sense of purpose and direction - not just for me but for everyone who works for our small company today.

I'm talking of course about a performance review. And whether you're a Fortune 500 giant, or a work from home mom motoring away in the basement, you really need to do one for yourself. And now, midway through the year, is a pretty good time.

A. Why Do A Performance Review?
Usually, sometime in January my long term readers know I publish a newsletter recommending that they set out goals for the coming year. A plan to outline what you wish to achieve, and how you aim to go about doing it.

It's proven that when you set out your ambitions, goals and aims on paper, and read them regularly...your mind has a map to actually make it happen. Take a look at most successful people, and you'll see they are big planners.

If you really want to grow. If you want your business and your income to grow - then plan. And, every few months (I would recommend 6) review those plans. Review your performance.
B. How To Do Your Performance Review
How should you go about doing your performance review? It's very simple - follow these steps...

- Print out your original plan in front of you, and give it a good read.
- For every aim that you had set out, write a comment next to it - are things on target? Have you done or are you doing the things that you had planned?
- If you had set out specific goals(for example income) - how are they going? Are you on target to meet them? Or maybe launching new products...
- Finally, you can change your plan where required. Plans are allowed to be flexible!
When I did my performance review a few days ago, some things were on target and others were not.
My plan for this year was to continue to develop products that would help my existing clients make more income, and help the newbies own an internet business. To continue to grow DRR and keep it as a key resource for marketers, resellers and budding internet entrepreneurs. And, to continue offering services that actually help my clients build their own business.

You may recall a few weeks ago, I launched the IM Membership Site Development Project... it was the biggest project that I've ever offered, and the hardest to develop. But, I managed it only because I had a plan to overcome all the obstacles.

Another major plan of mine was to use my marketing skills to actually build a list for my clients. I've noticed that despite all the videos, and resources and tools I've brought to them, the majority of my clients still struggle with list building. They still pine to have that all important list so that they can really get a foothold within the IM game. So, this is something I need to provide, as messy and difficult as it may be.

This one should have been launched this summer, but is ages away. That's because I made a mistake in gauging how long the Membersite project would take to develop and the level of resources required to complete it. That's ok, these things happen. So, I simply amended my plan, to release the list building service at a later date.

My plan looks a little different after my performance review than it did on 2nd Jan when it was completed. How does yours look?

Well, we don't call them 360s in our little company - just a plain old performance review. And I rarely get out to the clubs and the bars with my old work mates anymore - I much prefer working in my garden, or in a coffee shop. And most importantly, I no longer lust after the HR hottie - because I married the most incredible woman imaginable. In fact, the 360s are about the only thing that I've kept from my old life...they've been instrumental in helping me grow my business, and guiding everyone in our small company to bigger and better things.
And they can do the same for you. I urge you to take an hour out of your day today, and do one for yourself.

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