You’ve got the gift of a gab. Yes, you can charm your way into just about anybody’s wallet in zero-point-five seconds. If you’re gifted in the art of salesmanship, there are plenty of jobs out there for you. So, how can you make sure that you land your next position?
The answer lies in creating a captivating cover letter. While your CV will tell an employer all about your work history and your qualifications, your cover letter tells them why they should hire you. With that in mind, you need to grab their attention with the right words.
Here at Resume.io, we have everything you need to make your next application stand out from the crowd. We have a library of free cover letter examples and writing guides for you to check out. In the following writing guide, along with the sales cover letter sample, we cover:
- How to choose the right format for your application letter
- What sections you need to include in your letter
- Tricks you can use to charm the hiring manager
- How to write a cover letter with zero experience.
Looking for some more advice on writing your application? Check out our comprehensive guide on how to write a cover letter for a deep dive now.
If you need some more inspiration, take a look at our related cover letter examples below:
Best format for a sales cover letter
First things first, you need to know how to structure your application letter. The best format of a sales cover letter contains the following elements:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting/salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
While you want to wow the hiring manager with your cover letter, using a solid structure is important. Rambling on about how you’re an excellent salesperson with a great track record for seven paragraphs is hardly going to land you the job. Much like any compelling story, a well-written cover letter has a beginning, middle, and end.
Don’t panic if you don’t know what to write in each section yet. Next up, we will be taking a look at each of these parts of your cover letter, and what you can include in them. You may also find that it’s handy to take a sneaky peek at our sales assistant cover letter sample.
Dear Mr. Smith,
I am writing to express my interest in the advertised sales position at Aspen Medical Technology. I am a sales associate with years of experience selling equipment directly to private hospitals. I believe that my skills in making contacts and building relationships in the medical industry would make me an excellent candidate for this position.
Throughout my career so far I have honed a deep understanding of how important impeccable customer service is in the medical industry. I’ve learnt to anticipate the unique challenges that hospitals and hospices face and resolve them. For instance, while working at MedTech Solutions, I proactively identified a solution to streamline our customers’ procurement process when they were considering a medical equipment purchase. This resulted in a 25% reduction in acquisition time for both new and returning customers.
Aspen Medical Technology’s expansion into Scotland came as a pleasant surprise to me. I have successfully cultivated an extensive network across the country. Through my roles at MedTech and In-Visionary Tech I have nurtured relationships with key industry stakeholders, including importers, exporters, and medical professionals. By speaking at renowned medical conferences and implementing strategic initiatives, I led my last team to double market share from 2% to 4% during my time there. I have a deep understanding of the healthcare landscape and enjoy helping my team to influence decisions and drive growth.
I would like to bring my skills in customer service, problem-solving, and relationship-building to your organisation and help increase your sales in the sector. I am confident that my track record speaks for itself, having exceeded annual sales quotas by 45% over the last two years and grown our portfolio of returning customers by 60%.
I hope that you’ll agree I would be an excellent fit for the team. I would be delighted to discuss my candidacy further with you in an interview.
Sincerely,
Clara Forbes
Cover letter header
The cover letter header is important as it tells the hiring manager how to contact you. This section includes your basic information: your name, location, and contact details. Nothing more, nothing less. Resist the temptation to do anything too flashy here.
You might think that you can turn the hiring manager’s head with a colourful design or wild font. However, these gimmicks are likely to work against you. Instead, make sure that your header is clear and easy to read. That way, the hiring manager won’t have a problem reaching out to you for an interview.
See our cover letter sample:
Cover letter greeting
Next, it’s time to say hello to your potential new employer. While you may consider yourself a friendly, approachable person, you need to keep things professional.
Don’t go in there with anything too casual, such as a “Hey,” or “Hello”. No, you need to show the reader that you are a professional who can talk the talk. If you know the name of the hiring manager, you should use it. Keep things simple by saying “Dear Mr. Grande,” for example.
Of course, you may not know who will be reading your cover letter. Should that be the case, you should use a more general greeting. Something like “Dear Sales Team,” will fit the bill. It shows that you know which department you’re applying to work within. The more research you do on who you are writing to, the more likely you are to land an interview.
Cover letter introduction
The first couple of lines of your cover letter are crucial. Think of these as your sales pitch. You need to grab the hiring manager’s attention. Consider what your most impressive feat is. Do you have a killer track record? Have you outsold the competition? Do you have an award under your belt? Whatever it is, you can lead with this piece of information.
Dear Mr. Smith,
I am writing to express my interest in the advertised sales position at Aspen Medical Technology. I am a sales associate with years of experience selling equipment directly to private hospitals. I believe that my skills in making contacts and building relationships in the medical industry would make me an excellent candidate for this position.
Stick to one core message!
When you’re writing your cover letter introduction, it’s smart to stick to one memorable message. Trying to bring too many points into this paragraph dilutes each of them. To make a more powerful statement, pick out your top achievement and highlight it.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The middle paragraphs of cover letters are where you truly unpack things. You’re not simply listing your achievements or qualifications. You need to take the reader on a journey here. Weave a compelling narrative about your professional life so far.
What brought you to the world of sales? What have you learned along the way? What value have you brought to the businesses you’ve worked for? What is your most impressive achievement to date? You can answer all of these questions in this section.
When you have written the body of your cover letter, it’s always wise to go back and edit it. You may have written too much or failed to include important details. Try reading your cover letter aloud to see how it comes across. You can make any changes at this point.
Throughout my career so far I have honed a deep understanding of how important impeccable customer service is in the medical industry. I’ve learnt to anticipate the unique challenges that hospitals and hospices face and resolve them. For instance, while working at MedTech Solutions, I proactively identified a solution to streamline our customers’ procurement process when they were considering a medical equipment purchase. This resulted in a 25% reduction in acquisition time for both new and returning customers.
Aspen Medical Technology’s expansion into Scotland came as a pleasant surprise to me. I have successfully cultivated an extensive network across the country. Through my roles at MedTech and In-Visionary Tech I have nurtured relationships with key industry stakeholders, including importers, exporters, and medical professionals. By speaking at renowned medical conferences and implementing strategic initiatives, I led my last team to double market share from 2% to 4% during my time there. I have a deep understanding of the healthcare landscape and enjoy helping my team to influence decisions and drive growth.
I would like to bring my skills in customer service, problem-solving, and relationship-building to your organisation and help increase your sales in the sector. I am confident that my track record speaks for itself, having exceeded annual sales quotas by 45% over the last two years and grown our portfolio of returning customers by 60%.
How to close a sales cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
When you are happy with the main part of your cover letter, the next part of the job is to sign off. That means saying goodbye to the reader and urging them to get in touch. You don’t want to give them the old hard sell or beg for an interview. Instead, try using a subtle call to action (CTA) asking the reader to contact you for more details or an interview.
I hope that you’ll agree I would be an excellent fit for the team. I would be delighted to discuss my candidacy further with you in an interview.
Sincerely,
Clara Forbes
Writing psychology: How to charm the hiring manager
Sales is all about winning people over. That is exactly what you need to do when it comes to the hiring manager. Here are some writing tips that will help you do just that:
- Use powerful action verbs. When you’re writing your sales cover letter, your language matters. Include strong action verbs to show you are a go-getter.
- Include interesting anecdotes. Good salespeople know how to connect with their audience. Sharing short stories in your cover letter humanises you to the reader.
- Do your research first. When you’re selling to a customer, you research their interests and needs. The same goes for an employer. Learn about what the business needs. Use that information to demonstrate how you fit the bill.
Sales cover letter with no experience
New to the world of sales? Your cover letter will play a crucial role in helping you to land your first job. Since you have no sales experience to focus on, talk about any extracurricular activities that align with the job. While you may not have worked in sales, you have worked with or collaborated with people. You may want to include details about any clubs you are a member of, voluntary experience, or even any school projects.
Key takeaways
- As a salesperson, the hiring manager will expect you to have a way with words. Showcase your talents in your sales cover letter.
- Hook the reader’s attention with your top achievement in your introduction. If you can pique their interest at this point, you’re onto a winner.
- Use anecdotes and details to bring your cover letter to life. Be sure to show off your varied vocabulary when writing this letter!
- If you need some extra help along the way, check out our cover letter templates.
