A sales cover letter can seem like the most difficult to write. But, selling yourself is no different than any other product you’ve sold.

In fact, professional sales cover letters are not any more difficult to write than any other cover letter. Really.

There are some key points you should list in your sales cover letter. Stuff that’s different from those listed in the letters of other job roles. The motivation for this is in part because sales jobs are very achievement-driven roles. For sales channel managers, your attention is on building channel sales; i.e. finding and optimizing new affiliate partners, building your arsenal of resale managers, and so on.

When writing your cover letter, you absolutely must focus on accomplishments instead of tasks. 

So what’s the best way to write the best sales cover letter for you?

First, identify ideal sales accomplishments for your cover letter. These questions will help with this:
What sales territories have you opened?
How have you built sales for the company?
What optimal sales strategies do you use?
What have you done to further advance per-account sales?
What about your sales team? Have you implemented any team incentive programs?
What do you have in your sales pipeline? (Note: This is important for those who have a long sales cycle)

Second, identify any unique selling skills you have. 

I’m referring to ANY skills you have or activities you’ve performed that set you apart from other candidates!

Remember, you don’t want to “blend” with other candidates.

Third, try to determine the potential employers next business move.

I realize this can be tricky, so keep up to date with your area’s newspapers and Business Journal. Try to know what’s going on in the hiring company’s industry and what big business growth plans they’re forecasting. This way, you can connect “you to them.”

For example, let’s say the company has announced a new contract with Tri-State Tech. This is important information to have, especially if you have experience being an account manager and working with that company’s managers and executives.

Fourth, develop a template that highlights your top 10 achievements, but only use the top 5 relevant to each hiring employer. This means you’ll have a master cover letter, which will be your go-to for that next job application.

What Else You Should Know About Writing a Cover Letter For Sales Jobs

What should you keep in mind when writing a sales cover letter?

Like any cover letter, write content with the recipient in mind. Write a cover letter should always be individualized to the company that is hiring.

Did someone refer you to the company?

Mention who referred you to the company when writing your cover letter. Why? Companies use employee referral programs because they have been proven to work.

What about foreign language skills?

List it … especially if those language skills are important to the hiring company.

Today, cover letters can’t afford to be ho-hum. Nor can jobseekers be ho-hum themselves either. Job competition is growing. So, having a “leg up” on the next guy will aid you in writing an impressive sales cover letter.

Should you list salary requirements and commission requirements within your cover letter?

Possibly. Your best bet is to provide such information when the hiring company requests it. Not sooner.

Here are a few sales keywords for specific job roles:

• Retail Sales Associates—
  Customer-Facing Sales
  Sales Promotions/Management
  In-Store Service
  Customer Experience
  Service Issue Resolution

• Medical Sales Reps—
  Medical Specialization (e.g. Critical Care)
  Insurance Benefits/Coverages
  Medical Team Liaison
  Equipment Demonstrations
  Medical Terminology

• Pharmaceutical Sales Reps—
  OTR Drug Interactions
  Routine Customer Visits
  Healthcare Specialization
  Prescription Product Sales
  Balanced Sales Presentations
  Marketing & Sales Planning

Cover Letter Sample For Sales Manager & SalesPerson

Date

Contact
Company
Address
City, State Zip

Re:

Dear Mr(s)._______:

Your time is valuable, so I’ll get right to it.

Specifically, I have 12+ years of sales experience developing multimillion-dollar business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) clients. In addition to managing sales and marketing activities, I’ve also been involved with public relations and corporate communications functions as well.

Over the years, I’ve conceived, developed, and executed strategies and initiatives that drive sales and build customer loyalty. Further, I have successfully managed new business initiatives and achieved exceptional results.

For example, I grew the northwest territory by 38.5%, secured sales of approximately 182% above quotas at A. Prot, and generated a 42% increase in clients between 2003 and 2005. I’ve led the start-up of a new corporate retail products division, executed strategic company acquisition plans, managed national key accounts, and developed sales teams.

You’ll find specific experience outlined in my resume that spans …

Product Introductions — Sales Management — Product Line Revitalization — Public Speaking/Communications — National Account Management — Impact Presentations — Departmental Budgeting/Forecasting — New Business Development — Competitive Product Promotions — Product Campaign Development/Management — Sales Team Mergers — SaaS/Software Sales — Territorial Sales Growth — Pharmaceutical & Medical Sales — Lead Generation/Nurturing — Sales Job Description Writing — Staff Hiring & Human Resources — Team Motivation

Given the opportunity, I would quickly identify ideal target markets and further develop key accounts with unparalleled customer satisfaction for your company.

I look forward to having an opportunity to discuss with you how I may fit into your sales team in the near future.

Please feel free to call me on my cell phone xxx.xxx.xxxx.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Regards,

Susan M. Smith

Attachment

Cover Letter Tips For Pharmaceutical Sales Professionals

What can you list in your pharmaceutical sales cover letter?

Are you new to pharmaceutical sales? If so, write about *all* your relevant and transferable skills when writing your cover letter. Relevant skills include previous involvement in the medical field, and maybe that internship that placed you in a dentist’s office. Don’t forget about these transferable skills too:

• Customer service skills
• Marketing skills
• Accounting skills
• Business nurturing skills

Have you been exposed to medical terminology?

Maybe you greeted medical sales reps while in this role? If so, list it.

Other relevant details to include in your cover letter would be involved with any professional/non-profit group or organization, participation with those in the medical community, activity in sales/lead generation groups, or former involvement working with pharmaceuticals (pharmacy technician).

Need a cover letter for a sales job but have no sales experience?

Anytime you want to skip from one career role to another, the first step to writing anything (e.g. resume or cover letter) is to identify transferable skills. As I mentioned above, identifying what you’ve done in the past that’s important to sales will be key to helping you write a cover letter for insurance sales or maybe even something in retail.

Related Topic: This article offers some great tips for writing a sales resume when you don’t have any sales experience.