Free sales cover letter template

For sales executives, business development and account managers. A full example that puts results first, and what to mention in yours.

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A sales cover letter in the Islington design, with a made-up name and a typed signature

Sales cover letter example

Ryan Fletcher, Business Development Executive, business telecoms · four years selling office technology to small businesses

Dear Ms Morrison,

I would like to apply for the Business Development Executive role at Clearpath. For four years I have sold office technology to small and medium-sized businesses across West Yorkshire, and I have finished ahead of target in seven of the last eight quarters, mostly from new business I found myself.

My week is a mix of cold calls, LinkedIn outreach and site visits. I qualify leads carefully before I book a demo, which keeps my pipeline honest and my forecasts accurate, and I log everything in Salesforce. Last year I won 38 new accounts, the most in our team of nine, including a group of dental practices that came through a single referral.

I enjoy the long game as much as the quick win. Many of my customers have stayed with me through their contract renewals, because I check in after installation and sort out problems before they become complaints. Your advert says you want someone who builds relationships, not just closes deals, and that is how I like to sell. I also look after around 60 existing accounts, with a review each quarter for the largest of them.

I have a full UK driving licence, I am happy to travel across your northern patch, and my notice period is one month. I would welcome the chance to meet and talk about your plans for the region.

Yours sincerely,
Ryan Fletcher

Or write yours from the job advert

What to mention in a sales cover letter

Keep it to one page. Pick what the advert stresses most, and give an example for each point.

Writing the CV too? See the sales CV template and our sales executive CV example.

Invited to interview? Read our sales interview questions, with how to answer each one.

Tips for yours

  • Treat the letter like a good sales message: lead with the result, keep it short and end with a clear next step.
  • Leave out pay and commission: they belong in the conversation with the recruiter or at the offer.
  • New to sales? Use any target you beat in retail, hospitality, fundraising or customer service.

  1. Results against target

    How you did against your targets, with the period. Use accurate figures you could back up.

  2. What you sell, and to whom

    The products or services, the deal size and the customers: consumers, small businesses, large companies or the public sector.

  3. How you find and win business

    Prospecting, qualifying, demos and closing, and the CRM you use.

  4. Keeping customers

    Renewals, upsells and referrals, with one example.

  5. Practical details

    Driving licence, territory and travel, and your notice period.

Sales cover letters: your questions

What numbers should go in a sales cover letter?

One or two of your strongest results with the period, such as quarters ahead of target or new accounts won in a year. Keep the rest for your CV, and make sure you could back up every figure at interview.

How do I write a sales cover letter with no sales experience?

Show the skills selling depends on: persuading people, handling rejection, building relationships and hitting targets. Retail, hospitality, fundraising and customer service jobs all have examples.

Should I mention my commission or salary?

No. Keep pay for the recruiter or the offer, unless the application form asks for it.

Keep going

Cover letters for other jobs: Nurse Healthcare assistant Care worker Teacher Teaching assistant Retail Customer service Hospitality Administrator Receptionist Accountant Project manager Marketing Software developer Electrician Warehouse School leaver Apprenticeship Part-time job Career change

Your turn. Write yours

Paste the job advert and make the draft your own. Download it in your CV’s design, with your signature.

Write yours freeSee the example