How to Write a Cover Letter for a Sales Job

When you are writing a cover letter for a position in sales, marketing, or public relations, it's particularly important to do a stellar job of selling yourself. That's because potential employers will very likely see your ability to sell yourself in this letter as a preview for how you'd sell the company (and its products) if you should land the job.

Here are tips for how to write a strong sales, marketing, or public relations cover letter and what you should include, with examples and a template to download.

How to Write a Sales Cover Letter

Quantify Your Past Achievements

Take the time to make sure your letter includes quantifiable achievements. For instance, you can mention sales volume achieved or surpassed, responses to marketing email blasts, churn ratios optimized, or other measurable successes. Numbers are a great way to show your value.

Make Your Achievements Visually "Pop" on the Page

The best way to make your quantifiable achievements catch an employer's eye on a cover letter is to set these unique accomplishments off from the text with bullets. It is also highly effective to boldface sales numbers or percentages. For example:

• Consistently growing YOY sales by 20% each year for the last five years;
• Introducing new website SEO strategies that heightened monthly page views from 10,000 to 50,000 within one month.
• Designing and launching a dynamic referral program that increased customer referrals by 60%.

Show Employers How You Would Offer an Advantage

Make it easy for potential employers to see why you would be a good candidate for their team. What are your skills? What would you bring to the company? This is your chance to pitch yourself and make a strong argument for your candidacy.

You can discuss achievements in previous positions, as well as mentioning specific markets you would target and goals you would establish if you got the job.

Share Details on Skills

Discuss the skills and credentials that are specifically related to what the employer is seeking in a candidate. Learn what marketing skills and sales skills employers are looking for.

But aim to discuss your skills in the context of previous achievements. Rather than just saying "I'm results driven," give a specific example that demonstrates how you've triggered sales growth or increased your client base.

Make It Easy to Read

Avoid long strings of adjectives. If your paragraphs are growing lengthy, consider breaking them up with bullet points to make them easier to scan.

Personalize Your Cover Letter

You wouldn't give the same sales pitch to two different advertisers, right? And, similarly, your marketing strategy would be different if you were targeting millennials or going after baby boomers.

Make sure your pitch in the cover letter is calibrated to your audience—write a letter that targets the company and its needs.

Your objective is to write a compelling cover letter that highlights your sales achievements, qualifications, and experience.

Review Letter Examples & Templates

Review the examples of sales- and marketing-related cover letters below to get ideas for your own letters, then customize your letters for each job application, explaining how you are the best-qualified candidate.

Sample Cover Letter for a Sales Position

This is an example of a cover letter for a sales position. Download the letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

©TheBalance 2018

Sample Sales Cover Letter (Text Version)

Tina Applicant
123 Main Street
Anytown, CA 12345
555-555-5555
tina.applicant@email.com

July 20, 2020

Alcore Pharmaceuticals
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321

Dear Sales Team Leader,

I was excited to find your website posting for a new pharmaceutical sales representative. I recently graduated from Marybore University with a degree in microbiology, and I meet all of your requirements for an entry level sales position.

I believe I would be a great fit with Alcore Pharmaceuticals because, in addition to my background in chemistry and microbiology, I've acquired many skills necessary to perform as a successful sales professional. I have:

• Strong presentation skills from my minor in mass communications
• Knowledge of pharmacology and medical terminology
• Proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet software
• The ability to function independently while also being a team player
• A driver's license and flexible schedule

Thank you so much for taking the time to review this introduction. I've included my resume for your review. My cell phone number is 555-555-5555 and my email is myname@myemail.com.

Sincerely,

Tina Applicant

Sample Marketing Cover Letter

Marketing Cover Letter Email

Subject: Marketing Specialist Position - Your Name

Dear Marketing Team Leader,

I was excited to find the posting for a Marketing Specialist on the careers page of the Fairfield Credit Union website. I meet all of your requirements and I am confident I would be a valuable addition to your marketing team.

I am adept at all forms of marketing, with an expertise in digital platforms. At my current position, I'm in charge of several advertising campaigns that have increased company revenue by 25 percent in the past year alone.

With more than five years of relevant experience, I can bring to Fairfield Credit Union:

• Creativity and imagination
• Interpersonal and corporate communication skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Effective copywriting
• An ability to identify and reach out to stakeholders and influencers

I've included my resume for your review. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 555-555-5555 or by email, myname@myemail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this introduction and to review my application. I am truly excited about this opportunity.

Sincerely,

Your Name

More Cover Letter Examples for Sales, Marketing, & PR Jobs

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Sales Job

Source: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/sales-marketing-and-public-relations-cover-letters-2060166

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