How to write an excellent cover letter as a salesman

Salesmen go door-to-door and phone-to-phone, working diligently to find new prospects and land sales. If you are applying for positions as a salesman, you will need a well-written cover letter that conveys your professionalism, skills, and other qualifications.

In this guide, we teach you exactly how to write an excellent cover letter as a salesman. Keep reading to learn all about:

How to create a salesman cover letter header and headline
The importance of including a personalized greeting on your cover letter
What to say to hook employers’ attention in your cover letter introduction
Ways to highlight your professional value as a salesman in a cover letter
How to effectively conclude your salesman cover letter

1. How to create a salesman cover letter header and headline

Writing an effective cover letter as a salesman starts with creating a good-looking header and headline.

A header and headline serve two key purposes on your cover letter:

To give the letter visual structure
To provide the employer with all the necessary introductory information

You will craft your cover letter header first, including key details such as your name, your professional title, your professional contact information, and the name of the company you are applying to.

Here is an example of a well-formatted salesman header

Jonathan Star, Professional Salesman
(123) 456-7890 | jostar@email.com | linkedin.com/in/jo-star

To: Reefer Boating Supplies
Sales Department
1234 Street Address
Honolulu, HI 96795

Once your header is in place, you can then write your headline. Think of it as if your cover letter is a story and your headline is the title — what key information should you include in your title to capture the employer’s attention and compel them to continue reading?

Here is an example of a great headline from a salesman's cover letter

My 3 Best Success Stories as a Salesman & How I Can Achieve Similar Success at Your Business

2. How to include a personalized greeting on your salesman cover letter

Following your header and headline is the greeting of your cover letter.

You have one of two options when writing your greeting — to use a generalized greeting, such as “To Whom It May Concern,” or to use a personalized greeting that addresses a specific person by name. This specific person should be the staff member most likely to review your application, such as a hiring manager.

In almost every instance, your best choice is to opt for a personalized greeting. By doing so, you make your letter feel more exclusive to one employer, making it more likely that they will continue reading and remain engaged with the content.

Here are 3 examples of personalized salesman cover letter greetings

Dear Hiring Manager Sarah Smith,
Dear Mrs. Sarah Smith,
Dear Manager Sarah Smith & the Sales Team,

3. How to craft an eye-catching salesman cover letter introduction

When you are attempting to land a sale, one of the most important first steps you can take is to introduce the product you are offering to the customer in a way that hooks their attention.

The same is true when writing a cover letter — your introduction should compel the employer to want to know more. Plus, a well-written, compelling introduction can create a great first impression by demonstrating in real time how great of a salesman you are.

Your introduction should always include:

A brief overview of your professional history
A statement on why you are enthusiastic about applying to this company
Any specialized areas of expertise you possess

Here is an example of a compelling and effective salesman cover letter introduction

Dear Hiring Manager Sarah Smith,

I write to you today with great excitement about the opportunity to join your renowned sales team. As a salesman with more than 4 years of experience working in the energy drink industry, I know I have the expertise your team needs to land major deals with big-name brands. Along with a long history in sales, I also have experience as a promotional manager, which has allowed me to develop a deep understanding of the customer sales cycle as it relates to current trends.

4. How to highlight your professional value as a salesman in a cover letter

Once you have hooked the employer’s attention with your introduction, you can begin to offer more in-depth insights into what makes you a valuable employee and member of a sales team.

As you describe your top skills, accomplishments, and other qualifications, always consider how you can relate this information back to the specific needs of the employer. For instance, if you have consistently exceeded your sales targets in a previous position, explain how you can accomplish similar success for the employer’s company or brand.

Here are 6 skills to describe in a salesman cover letter

Excellent verbal communication
Product promotion tactics
Inventory management
Setting sales goals
Negotiation
Conflict management and problem-solving

Here is an example of how to describe an accomplishment in a cover letter

As a door-to-door salesman for [Former Employer], I spoke and negotiated with more than 80 customers daily. In my time in this position, I exceeded my sales goals by 15% per month on average, as well as achieved 30% higher total overall sales compared to my peers.

5. How to effectively conclude your salesman cover letter

The final step to writing a great salesman cover letter is to craft an effective conclusion.

To do so, you must include:

An enthusiastic sentence saying you are looking forward to hearing from them
Clear instructions on how and when to contact you
A statement on when you plan to follow up (letting the employer know you will follow up can often encourage them to contact you more promptly)
A formal sign-off

Here is an example of an effective conclusion from a salesman's cover letter

My deepest thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read my cover letter and review my application. As the newest member of your team, I am confident I can provide the quality service and care your customers deserve. Please contact me at your earliest convenience at (123) 456-7890 on any weekday between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. I plan to reach back out next Friday afternoon to touch base if I have not heard back!

With Appreciation,

[Applicant Name]

If you have ever wondered how a cover letter differs from a resume, this article will tell you everything about the key differences between the two.

Published on Oct. 21, 2022

Martin Poduška

Editor in Chief / Resume Writer

Martin is a resume expert and career advice writer at Kickresume. In his five years at Kickresume, he has written nearly 100 in-depth, painstakingly researched resume advice articles and, as chief editor, he has also edited and revised every single article on this website. Tens of thousands of job seekers read Martin’s resume advice every month. He holds a degree in English from the University of St Andrews and a degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Amsterdam.