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Your sales manager cover letter has to work like Joe Girard. Why? Because your resume—while great—can’t show that winning personality of yours. To get upper management to read your application, your cover letter has to prove you know their needs, you care about them, and you can help.
Sound like a tall order? You’ve got this. Sales is in your blood. I’ll help you convert your native sales manager skills to cover letter form.
This guide will show you a sales manager cover letter sample and the best tips on how to write a cover letter for sales manager jobs step-by-step.
Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. Choose from 20+ professional cover letter templates that match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.
Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter examples and create your cover letter here.
Sample Sales Manager Cover Letter
Clara Scofield
Sales Manager
2075 Elliott Street
Kansas City, MO 64101
816-401-1892
linkedin.com/in/clarazscofield
4/8/20
Oscar Harris
General Manager
Canton & Litman
907 Better Street
Kansas City, MO 66101
Dear Mr. Harris,
Let me tell you why I’m so excited to apply for the sales manager position at Canton & Litman. When my supervisor at Poulin International challenged me to raise revenue by 10% in my first 60 days, I didn’t think we’d make it. In the midst of a down market and with supply-chain issues, I thought staying level would be hard enough. However, through a mix of behavior-based coaching and other tools, I drove my team of 18 to grow revenue by 15% in 50 days. From there, we went on to set new sales records in at least 3 quarters per year for the next 5 years.
Your ad states that you’re looking for a sales manager with 5 years of experience and skills in building teams, driving marketing campaigns, and creating sales strategies for new products. In my 5 years as sales manager at Poulin International, I developed our entire multinational sales team from the ground up. I also conducted marketing campaigns with budgets of over $1M, and developed strategies to bring 15 new products to market in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry.
Canton & Litman is well-known as a leader in the CPG field. I believe working in the sales manager role there would give me the resources to extend my previous successes. Could we set up a meeting next week to discuss how my skills in financial forecasting, database management, and leadership can help grow your revenue by 20% per year over the coming decade?
Best regards,
Clara Scofield
816-401-1892
That’s a Carnegie-level sales manager cover letter sample.
But—you’ll need a great resume too. See our guide: Sales Manager Resume Sample
Looking for a different sales or marketing job? See these guides:
Sales Manager Cover Letter Template
Here’s how to write a cover letter for a sales manager job application:
1. Use the perfect sales manager cover letter format and layout
- The layout of your cover letter: 3-4 paragraphs.
- Cover letter line spacing: 1 to 1.15.
- Cover letter font: professional selections (Book Antiqua, Verdana, Noto, Garamond).
- Margins: 1 inch on every edge.
- Cover letter design: use a modern cover letter template, but don't go too fancy.
Read more: Cover Letter Structure
2. Make a professional sales manager cover letter header
- Put your address at the top.
- List your name, job title, address, phone, email, address, and LinkedIn.
- Add a blank space, the date, then the hiring manager’s address.
- Create identical resume and cover letter headers in case the sheets get separated.
Read more: How and to Whom Should I Address a Cover Letter?
3. Create a personal greeting and add a sales manager accomplishment
- Start with “Dear [Hiring Manager Name],” avoid the old-fashioned “To Whom It May Concern”.
- Identify the role you’re applying for.
- Include a Zig-Ziglar-worthy sales manager accomplishment.
Read more: How to Start a Cover Letter
4. Show you care about their needs
- Mention their needs and job duties throughout your cover letter for sales manager jobs.
- Show a few standout moments from your past that fit those needs.
- Do this in your second paragraph, in regular text or bullet points.
Should you skip the cover letter? See our guide: Are Cover Letters Still Necessary?
5. Prove this sales manager job matters to you
- In at least one place in your letter, explain why you want this particular job.
- Doing this reassures the hiring team you’ll stick around.
- Tie your reason for wanting the job to an outcome they want.
There are 405,700 sales manager jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. To target the best ones, customize your sales manager cover letter like a pitch from Erica Feidner.
6. End your sales manager cover letter with a call to action
- Mention a few more of your skills that match their job ad. As you're applying for a managerial position, show off your leadership skills.
- Ask for the interview.
- Promise to discuss a goal they’d like to reach.
Read more: The Best Cover Letter Closings
7. Add a formal sign-off to the end
- End with, “Best regards,” and a digital signature.
- Add your name, email, and phone number to the bottom.
Read more: Cover Letter Title: How to Name Your File?
And that's how you write a killer cover letter!
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Questions? Concerns? We’re here for you. If you’re still unsure how to write an Ogilvy-level cover letter for sales manager jobs, drop me a line in the comments.
