Sales Performance Review Examples & Template for 2025

You probably had at least one sales rep who hit their quota but still left you wondering: Could they be performing even better? Maybe they were closing deals but missing upsell opportunities. Maybe their activity levels were high, but their conversion rates lagged behind. Or perhaps they were great at building customer relationships but struggled to forecast accurately.

That’s where a sales performance review process changes the game.

When done right, it’s more than a yearly formality; it’s a tool to help your team grow. A good review gives you and your reps a clear view of what’s working, what’s not, and the specific steps to bridge that gap.

The mistake many managers make? Treating it like either a numbers-only scorecard or a feel-good conversation without direction. The best approach blends both. You’ll look at hard data quota attainment, revenue, lead conversion, client retention, but also dig into the behaviors, skills, and strategies behind those numbers.

In this guide, you’ll see real-world sales performance review examples you can adapt instantly, a ready-to-use PDF template to make your process smoother, and actionable steps on how to evaluate sales performance in a way that motivates your team, aligns them with company goals, and builds long-term success.

What Is a Sales Performance Review?

A sales performance review is your structured way of evaluating a sales rep’s results, skills, and behaviours over a set period, usually quarterly or annually. It’s where you measure their achievements against agreed goals and uncover where they can grow next.

At its core, a review blends quantitative metrics and qualitative insights. You’re not just asking “Did they hit their number?” You’re also assessing how they worked toward it and whether their approach aligns with your company’s sales strategy.

Key components of a sales performance evaluation include:

• KPIs and results: Quota attainment, revenue generated, number of deals closed, conversion rates.
  
  
• Sales behaviours: Prospecting methods, pipeline management, relationship-building skills.
  
  
• Soft skills: Communication skills, collaboration, problem-solving, adaptability, and time management.
  
  
• Customer impact: Retention rates, upsell/cross-sell success, client satisfaction.

By having this structure in place, you’ll make reviews fairer, more consistent, and more actionable, giving your team members a clear roadmap for growth instead of a vague pat on the back.

Why Sales Performance Reviews Matter

If you’ve ever walked out of a review meeting feeling like nothing will change, you already know why a strong sales performance evaluation is essential. Here are some reasons why.

1. They improve productivity and morale

When sales reps have a clear picture of their performance and expectations, they naturally stay more engaged and focused. Gallup research shows that 80% of employees who receive meaningful feedback each week report being fully engaged in their work.

2. They align sales efforts with company goals

Your team’s day-to-day activities should ladder up to broader business objectives. A well-structured sales performance appraisal links individual targets to revenue growth, market expansion, or strategic priorities, so every call, meeting, and email has purpose.

3. They identify coaching and training needs

Reviews reveal patterns: who’s struggling with closing, who needs better product knowledge, and who might benefit from shadowing a top performer as part of their career development plan. This means your training budget is spent where it will have the biggest impact.

4. They guide compensation and promotion decisions

Clear, documented employee performance evaluation examples help you justify salary increases, bonuses, and promotions based on evidence, reducing bias and improving trust in the process.

7 Sales Performance Review Examples 

A strong review should feel like a personalized performance snapshot, clear, specific, and actionable. Here are seven sales performance evaluation examples you can adapt for different roles, performance levels, and situations. 

Example 1: Exceeding Targets & Driving Innovation (Sales Development Representative)

John exceeded his outbound outreach targets by 15% for three consecutive months, averaging 280 calls and 120 emails per week. His decision to A/B test personalised subject lines and tailored messaging led to a 9% lift in open rates and a 5% higher reply rate compared to the team average. 

He also designed a pilot LinkedIn outreach sequence targeting mid-market accounts, which resulted in a 12% increase in booked demos without additional marketing spend.

Why this matters:

This example shows how an SDR can go beyond activity metrics to drive quality improvements. John’s approach reflects initiative, adaptability, and the ability to generate incremental gains without increasing cost or headcount.

Next steps for growth:

• Refine qualification skills: His demo-to-opportunity conversion rate is currently 32%, just below the 35% team target. Focused training on discovery questions could close that gap.
  
  
• Document winning outreach sequences: Systematically share these with the SDR team so others can replicate his results.
  
  
• Expand experiment scope: Test additional LinkedIn messaging angles or video prospecting to push booked demos up another 5–7%.
  

Example 2: Strong Closer With Pipeline Accuracy Gaps (Account Executive)

Sophia achieved 105% of her quarterly quota, closing $420K in new business across 14 deals. She reduced her average sales cycle from 42 days to 32 days by prioritising high-probability opportunities and tailoring proposals to decision-maker needs earlier in the cycle. Her win rate sits at 28%, above the team average of 24%. She also consistently scores high in post-sale client satisfaction surveys, particularly for her ability to handle competitive objections.

However, her forecast accuracy is 70%, below the team's goal of 90%. This means leadership can’t fully rely on her projections for resource allocation and revenue planning, a common gap in high-closing reps who focus heavily on deals in motion rather than top-of-funnel accuracy.

Why this matters:

Accurate forecasting drives better hiring decisions, budget planning, and inventory management. Sophia’s strength in closing makes her an asset, but without improving forecast reliability, her value to the business isn’t fully realised.

Next steps for growth:

• Monthly pipeline reviews: Analyse deal stages and remove stalled opportunities to maintain clean data.
  
  
• Adopt weighted forecasting: Assign probabilities based on historical conversion rates per stage.
  
  
• Integrate sales operations feedback: Collaborate with RevOps to identify common factors in forecast misses and adjust qualification criteria.

Example 3 – Retention Champion With Process Opportunities (Account Manager)

Peter maintained a 95% renewal rate this quarter, well above the industry average of 82% for SaaS account managers. He also successfully upsold three enterprise clients, generating an additional $250K in annual recurring revenue (ARR). His quarterly client satisfaction (CSAT) average sits at 9.4/10, driven by strong relationship management and proactive communication during renewal cycles.

While his client relationships are a clear strength, there’s room to improve operational efficiency. Peter’s CRM follow-up notes are often entered 48–72 hours after client meetings. This delay impacts visibility for cross-functional teams such as customer success, support, and product, especially when action items or technical requests need rapid follow-up.

Why this matters:

Strong retention rates directly protect revenue and reduce acquisition costs. According to Forrester, customer-obsessed organizations see 41% faster revenue growth, 49% faster profit growth, and 51% better customer retention. Peter’s results show what’s possible when client relationships are prioritized, but in high-value accounts, even a short delay in sharing client needs can mean missed upsell or cross-sell opportunities.

Next steps for growth:

• Adopt a 24-hour CRM update standard: Enter notes and action items immediately after calls to maintain real-time visibility.
  
  
• Leverage voice-to-CRM tools: Use tools like Gong or Chorus for instant meeting transcription and auto-sync.
  
  
• Create client account playbooks: Document patterns from high-retention accounts to replicate success across the team.

Example 4: High Activity, Low Conversion (Inside Sales)

Michael exceeded his outbound activity target by 20% this quarter, averaging 300 calls and 150 personalised emails per week. His email engagement rates are strong: 27% email open rate (above the team’s 22% average) and a 12% call-to-conversation rate. However, his lead-to-opportunity conversion rate is 10%, falling short of the team benchmark of 15%.

A closer look at call recordings shows that while Michael builds rapport quickly, his discovery calls sometimes lack depth in uncovering decision-making processes and budget readiness. This often results in low-quality leads advancing to the proposal stage, where they stall.

Why this matters:

High activity is only valuable when it leads to qualified opportunities. Without improving discovery, Michael risks burnout from high-volume prospecting without proportional revenue impact.

Next steps for growth:

• Shadow top performers: Join 2–3 live discovery calls per week with peers who have conversion rates above 18%.
  
  
• Adopt a qualification framework: Use MEDDIC or BANT consistently to qualify leads.
  
  
• Role-play objection handling: Focus on budget and timeline questions to avoid advancing unready leads.
  
  
• Track conversion improvement: Aim for a 2–3% lift in conversion over the next quarter while maintaining current activity levels.

Example 5 – Rapid Ramp-Up for a New Hire (Any Sales Role)

In just four months since joining, Sophia has achieved 85% of her onboarding quota, closing two deals from self-sourced leads and contributing $78K in new revenue. She has mastered the CRM workflow, adopted sales enablement tools like Outreach and Gong with minimal supervision, and has built a healthy early-stage pipeline valued at $190K.

Her adaptability and self-sufficiency are strong indicators of long-term success. According to the Brooks Group, it typically takes around 12 months for new sales professionals to fully hit quota, so Sophia’s pace puts her well ahead of the curve. 

However, feedback from discovery call recordings shows she occasionally defers technical product questions to senior team members. While expected for a new hire, developing deeper product expertise will enable her to handle complex deals independently and shorten the sales cycle for mid-to-large opportunities.

Why this matters:

Early performance momentum is one of the strongest predictors of long-term sales success. Sophia’s rapid ramp-up not only positions her to exceed first-year expectations but also creates the foundation for consistent quota attainment in subsequent years. Addressing technical knowledge gaps early will help her sustain this advantage.

Next steps for growth:

• Complete advanced product training: Focus on technical differentiators and objection handling.
  
  
• Shadow senior reps in enterprise deals: Observe negotiation and solution positioning strategies.
  
  
• Set a milestone goal: Aim for full quota attainment within the next quarter while increasing average deal size by 10–15%.

Example 6 – Strategic Account Growth (Enterprise Account Executive)

David grew an existing enterprise account by 30% in ARR this quarter, generating an additional $400K in revenue through a targeted cross-sell campaign. 

By conducting quarterly business reviews (QBRs) with key stakeholders, he identified an unmet need for advanced analytics, leading to a successful multi-year upsell deal. His account planning documents are consistently detailed, including risk mitigation strategies and growth roadmaps for each high-value client.

However, David’s outreach to dormant accounts in his portfolio has been limited; only 18% of inactive accounts received engagement in the last six months. This leaves potential expansion opportunities untapped and increases the risk of churn if competitor outreach fills the gap.

Why this matters:

Strategic account growth maximises customer lifetime value (CLV) and stabilises revenue. Neglecting dormant accounts not only forfeits easy wins but can erode brand presence in critical market segments.

Next steps for growth:

• Implement a dormant account reactivation plan: Target 10 high-potential dormant accounts per quarter.
  
  
• Leverage marketing alignment: Work with marketing to create personalised re-engagement campaigns.
  
  
• Expand contact mapping: Identify secondary decision-makers to reduce dependency on single points of contact.

Example 7 – Consistent Performer Needing Leadership Development (Senior Sales Rep)

Elena has consistently achieved 100–110% of quota for the past six consecutive quarters, closing an average of $350K in new business per quarter. She’s frequently the first to adopt new sales tools, which has made her a resource for peers during CRM migrations and sales process updates. Clients trust her expertise, reflected in a 92% repeat business rate across her portfolio.

Her impact extends beyond individual performance; she often supports onboarding by sharing prospecting techniques and helping new hires navigate complex deals. However, these contributions remain informal and ad hoc. To prepare for a potential transition into sales management, Elena needs structured leadership and professional development, including training on coaching frameworks, performance feedback, and conflict resolution.

Why this matters:

High-performing reps like Elena often have the raw skills to lead but need formal development to shift from individual achievement to enabling team performance. According to McKinsey, organizations that invest in people-focused performance management are 4.2× more likely to outperform peers, achieving 30% higher revenue growth and 5 percentage points lower attrition. 

By formalizing Elena’s mentorship role and equipping her with leadership skills now, the business can not only safeguard her future success but also unlock measurable gains for the wider team.

Next steps for growth:

• Enroll in a sales leadership program: Focus on coaching, pipeline management, and performance reviews.
  
  
• Take on a formal mentorship role: Assign her 1–2 new reps to coach over the next quarter.
  
  
• Lead a quarterly sales workshop: Share best practices with the wider team in a structured format.

Sales Performance Review Template [Download]

You don’t need to start from scratch for your next review. We’ve created a ready-to-use Sales Performance Review Template in Google Docs that’s structured to capture both the hard numbers and the qualitative feedback you need.

Click here to download the free Sales Performance Review Template.

Once you open it:

1. Go to File → Make a copy to save it to your own Google Drive.
   
   
2. Edit it to fit your team’s metrics, roles, and review cycles.
   
   
3. When you’re done, you can download it as a PDF or share it directly with your sales reps.

It’s perfect for quarterly, annual, or mid-cycle performance reviews, and ensures every evaluation stays consistent, fair, and actionable.

How to Conduct a Sales Performance Review

A great sales performance review isn’t just a meeting; it’s a structured process that sets your reps up for measurable improvement. Follow these five steps to make sure your evaluations are clear, fair, and motivating.

1. Set Clear Performance Criteria

If your reps don’t know what success looks like, they can’t aim for it. Define expectations upfront, blending hard metrics like quota attainment, win rate, and pipeline value with behavioural standards like collaboration, prospecting discipline, and follow-up speed. Role-specific benchmarks make reviews more objective and reduce bias.

Actionable Steps:

• Document 4–6 KPIs for each sales role and share them with your team at the start of each review cycle.
  
  
• Benchmark targets using reliable sources (e.g., top SDRs booking 20–25 meetings/month per Gartner).
  
  
• Add a “behaviours” section to your criteria to measure how results are achieved, not just the results.

2. Gather Quantitative & Qualitative Data

Numbers tell part of the story; context completes it. CRM reports, sales dashboards, and activity trackers show the output, but call recordings, clients’ feedback, and peer observations reveal the why behind performance patterns.

Actionable Steps:

• Pull at least three months of CRM data before the review to spot performance trends.
  
  
• Collect peer or cross-functional feedback to identify behavioural strengths and gaps.
  
  
• Review 3–5 recent calls or meetings for real examples to reference in the discussion.

3. Evaluate Against KPIs & Goals

This is where you compare actual results to the sales goals you set at the start of the period. Visuals like charts, leaderboards, or pipeline stage summaries make gaps easier to understand and less confrontational.

Actionable Steps:

• Create a simple performance snapshot (metrics vs. targets) for each rep.
  
  
• Highlight both top achievements and the biggest single gap for focused improvement.
  
  
• Use a traffic-light system (green, yellow, red) to flag areas of strength, watch, or concern.

4. Provide Constructive Feedback

Feedback should be direct, specific, and balanced. The SBI (Situation–Behavior–Impact) model keeps you focused on observable facts rather than assumptions. The goal is to leave your rep motivated with a clear path forward.

Actionable Steps:

• Always share at least one specific win before discussing improvement areas.
  
  
• Use SBI format to describe behaviours and their impact without personalising criticism.
  
  
• End feedback with a “next step” that the rep can act on immediately.

5. Align on Development Plans

The review isn’t complete until you and your rep agree on a short list of measurable goals for the next period. This turns your conversation into a performance contract — and builds accountability.

Actionable Steps:

• Limit focus areas to a maximum of three goals for the next quarter.
  
  
• Define how progress will be measured and what resources will support it.
  
  
• Schedule the next check-in date (e.g., 90 days) before ending the review.

Conclusion

A sales performance review is one of your most powerful tools for driving future results. When you set clear criteria, combine data with context, and provide targeted, actionable feedback, you turn a mandatory meeting into a catalyst for growth.

The seven sales performance review examples in this guide show how recognition and constructive direction can work together to improve results. And when you follow the five-step process, you’re not just evaluating, you’re creating a roadmap for your sales rep to achieve and exceed their targets.

If you want to make this process even smoother, Everstage can help. Our platform automates performance tracking, gives you real-time visibility into sales quota attainment, and lets you set up transparent, goal-linked incentives. That means less time buried in spreadsheets and more time coaching your team to success.

Ready to turn your performance reviews into a revenue driver? Book a free Everstage demo today and see how you can align incentives, track performance effortlessly, and keep your sales team motivated year-round.

Your next review could be the one that changes the trajectory of your team’s results. Let’s make it happen.