To write an eye-catching sales manager cover letter, you need to feature accomplishments that demonstrate your leadership capabilities and sales expertise. Emphasize your ability to manage personnel, define high-impact sales strategies, and drive revenue growth. This guide provides cover letter examples and expert tips to help capture the nuances of your sales experience and land that next big job opportunity.
Sales Manager Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
How To Write a Sales Manager Cover Letter
A great sales manager cover letter has five main elements:
1. Heading. Use a professional template to enhance the style and presentation of your cover letter. Be sure your heading includes:
- Your name, title, and contact info
- The current date
- The addressee’s details
2. Salutation. Greet the hiring manager by name — Mr. or Ms. [Last Name]. If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager.”
3. Introduction. Craft an eye-catching opening paragraph to introduce yourself and convey your interest in the job. Emphasize your years of experience in sales and anchor your introduction with a powerful achievement backed by a strong metric or monetary figure. This will draw the hiring manager in and entice them to explore your sales background more thoroughly.
Example
I’m interested in applying for the sales manager role with Excelsior Technologies. During my time with Armin IT Solutions, I implemented new sales strategies to expand market penetration and facilitate revenue growth across two territories, resulting in a 30% increase in sales revenue for 2023. I believe my expertise as a sales leader within the technology industry would be an asset to your team in this position.
4. Body paragraphs. Include up to two body paragraphs describing your most compelling career achievements and qualifications. Start by mentioning something specific about the company’s reputation, products, or culture and why you’re interested in joining their team. Emphasize your ability to manage sales teams, develop strategies, and drive revenue growth. Consider including a list of bullet points to break up the paragraphs and improve the reading experience for the hiring manager.
Example
Wyndham Hotel & Resorts’ reputation as a top-five luxury hotel brand is what draws me to apply for this position. As a sales manager with Hotel Indigo, I drove a large-scale rebranding initiative to revitalize the brand’s image and drive new bookings by over 20%. I am confident I can create value for your team based on my previous successes:
- Developed and implemented a new account-based sales and marketing strategy for a premiere hotel with over 400 rooms, resulting in over $2 million in new business over three years
- Oversaw a team of more than 30 hotel representatives, delivered training on guest relations and upselling techniques, and improved sales revenue for add-on services by 25%
- Coordinated with marketing teams and executive leadership to support a large-scale rebranding initiative, contributing to a 20% increase in bookings in 2022
5. Closing section. Think of your conclusion as a call to action. Ask the hiring manager to contact you so you can learn more about the position. Be sure to thank them for their time and consideration.
Example
I would like to schedule an interview to tell you more about how my expertise in sales strategy can help Excelsior Technologies continue to improve its position within the global market. You may contact me via phone or email for any questions you may have about my background. I appreciate your time and consideration.
Best regards,
Kevin Morrison
Sales Manager Cover Letter Tips
1. Quantify your sales experience
Incorporating hard numbers, metrics, and monetary figures is essential for any sales-related cover letter. Quantifying your achievements sends a clear message to potential employers that you have a proven track record of success as a sales professional. That said, it’s important to be tactical in terms of how you feature numbers and data. For example, at a larger company, you might emphasize revenue growth using a monetary figure. If you have experience in a smaller organization where the figure might not look as impressive, it might be better to focus on quota attainment instead.
2. Feature your leadership and people management skills
As a sales manager, you’ll often be tasked with managing, leading, and developing personnel. Hiring managers want to see you can communicate effectively with sales staff, cross-functional teams, and client stakeholders. In the example below, the candidate makes a point to highlight these different facets of their leadership background using tangible achievements from their career:
- Managed a team of more than 15 sales representatives and account executives, provided support during high-level consultations, and identified opportunities to improve performance, resulting in a 40% increase in sales revenue in 2022 and an average close rate of 35%
- Served as the point of contact for escalated client issues, managed stakeholder relationships with multi-million dollar accounts, and improved client retention from 75% to 90%
- Coordinated with the sales director to implement new sales strategies, expand market penetration, and facilitate revenue growth across two territories
3. Highlight your industry knowledge
Having a comprehensive understanding of both the product and market is essential for driving sales conversions. A broad industry knowledge allows you to make a much stronger case for why customers should adopt your products or services. In the example below, the candidate makes a point to emphasize their strong background in hospitality. This may differentiate them from other applicants when pursuing sales manager roles in this industry:
I’m interested in applying for the sales manager position with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. With over 12 years of sales experience, I’ve successfully developed new account-based sales and marketing strategies for a premiere hotel with more than 400 rooms. This resulted in over $2 million in new business over three years. I am confident my knowledge of the hospitality industry will allow me to excel in this role.
Sales Manager Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
Jennifer Greene
Sales Manager | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | Philadelphia, PA 12345 | LinkedIn
January 1, 2024
Celia Alvarez
Senior Hiring Manager
Northeast HVAC Solutions
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]
Dear Ms. Alvarez:
I’m reaching out in regards to the sales manager position with Northeast HVAC Solutions found on LinkedIn. As you can see from my attached resume, I have a proven track record of managing, coaching, and developing high-performance sales teams to exceed revenue goals. I am confident I can achieve similar results for your organization in the sales manager role.
Northeast HVAC Solutions’ reputation for customer success is what interests me in joining your team. During my time with Cadence HVAC Co., I led continuous improvement initiatives and successfully increased client satisfaction from 80% to 93%. I believe I’m the ideal fit for this opportunity based on my career achievements:
- Managed and built a team of over 40 sales representatives and account executives, coordinated the sales process for commercial HVAC equipment, and implemented new sales incentives
- Coordinated cross-functionally with the marketing department to align quarterly sales campaigns with overarching marketing strategy, resulting in a 10% increase in sales conversions
- Achieved 130% of annual sales quota and generated over $25 million in annual revenue
I hope to speak with you further regarding how my sales management experience within the HVAC industry could be an asset to your team. Feel free to contact me via phone or email at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
Jennifer Greene
Sales Manager Cover Letter FAQs
Why should I include a sales manager cover letter?-
Although a cover letter won’t be required for every job you apply for, submitting one can help bolster the strength of your application. Going the extra mile to craft a custom cover letter for each company speaks to both your professionalism and genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity. This small personal touch is sometimes all it takes to make a lasting impression on the hiring manager.
How do I make my cover letter stand out?-
To grab the attention of potential employers with your cover letter, make a point to emphasize your unique sales approach coupled with powerful metrics and strong numbers. Highlight your ability to interface effectively with clients, communicate value propositions, and enhance the performance of sales teams. Demonstrate the value you can bring to their organizations.
How long should my cover letter be?-
It’s generally advised to keep your cover letter concise and focused, limited to no more than three or four paragraphs. This ensures the hiring manager’s attention is fixed on your most notable contributions and achievements from your sales career. If you include too much information and vague details, the reader may become disinterested before they’ve engaged with your content.
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