You’re in your wheelhouse with this one! You have been building your brand throughout your career. As a brand manager, the opportunity to get your message across in a cover letter is a golden one since this document gives you free-form writing space to highlight your strengths.
Brand management is your specialty, but job hunting is not. You need to make sure you stand out from all the other brand managers in the hunt. So what are the key components of a cover letter and how do you differentiate yourself?
This writing guide, along with our brand manager cover letter example, will show you how to:
- Develop the best format and framework for your paragraphs
- Make the most of every word in the short space you have
- Choose a tone and style that brings out your best and meshes with the company culture
- Sidestep common errors when writing your brand manager cover letter.
Resume.io is an expert resource for job seekers in all fields and at all stages of their careers. You can find even more cover letter writing help in our library of 125+ occupation-specific cover letter examples.
Best format for a brand manager cover letter
The first step toward a great cover letter is the framework in which to write. A brand manager cover letter should contain the following elements:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting / salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
The comprehensive cover letter guide gives you a high-level view of the important job of writing cover letters, but below you will find specific advice on how to maximize each paragraph and section.
This brand manager cover letter sample is a good foundation to develop your own professional application:
Dear Mr. Marshington,
Having worked for 50+ consumer goods brands during my consultancy career, I am now looking to work in-house for a leader in the beauty and wellness category. I believe that by consistently and organically managing a brand, exponential value can be added in the long-term.
I have led countless rebranding projects during my career, growing sales by 45% LFL for a skincare brand, increasing market share by 15% points for a supplement brand and contributing to $45m of sales growth for all clients across my 8-year career. I have primarily worked with challenger brands, and I know what it takes to take share from both the volume end of the market and nationally recognized brand leaders.
In terms of the marketing and design side of my work, I have won over 15 industry awards for my packaging designs and am passionate about sustainable design. I know that this is a big focus for the role, and I have been a regular speaker at sustainability conferences. My work with one of your competitors led to a 35% reduction in packaging and a 15% cost saving – expertise that I would bring to your position.
I enclose a portfolio of previous work to highlight that sort of direction that I would take your stable of brands. I would certainly value the opportunity of an interview to discuss in more detail.
Sincerely,
Casey Williams
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Cover letter header
Think of the header as your eye-catcher. As a brand manager, you know that if you don’t get the customer’s attention, you’re wasting your efforts.
Of course, the most important aspect of your cover letter header is to impart key contact details: your name, email and the best phone number to reach you quickly. Choose a design that enhances your personal brand, but remains legible and professional looking.
Consistency is king in branding and image creation, so apply that to your job application package. Consider using the same cover letter template for your resume and cover letter or ones that are complementary.
The goal of the cover letter header: Get your contact info out there with a little style.
Cover letter greeting
Tone is key in branding and it’s no different in the greeting of your brand manager application letter. Your first task is understanding the organization you’re targeting. That way, you can adopt the appropriate tone beginning with your greeting.
Our cover letter examples typically use “Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. [surname here],” but if you know the company’s style, you can ad lib a more casual greeting such as “Hey there” or “Hello!” Use your instincts to guide you.
Names make a difference
One of the most important aspects of your cover letter is one that many applicants may not take a lot of time considering: The name of the person to whom you are writing. Consider these factors when you construct your greeting:
- The spelling of the person’s name
- The proper honorific (Ms.? Mr.? Dr.? Mx.?)
- The correct title
Do your research. If you absolutely cannot find the name of a person, take the company culture into account and go for something like “Hello People Department” or “Dear Marketing Department.”
The goal of the cover letter greeting: Set the correct tone for your letter from the start.
Dear Mr. Marshington,
Cover letter introduction
Who are you? What will you bring to your prospective employer? These are the questions you need to answer in the introduction. This cover letter is not about patting yourself on the back (although you should not be too modest either). The theme here should be “Here’s how I can help you.”
Hiring managers have a problem: They have a position to fill and their boss is looking for the perfect person to fill it. They want to make the boss happy so make sure you explain how you will help them do that. What’s your “wow factor.” Get that out there in your introduction. What will make the hiring manager’s eyes light up because they recognize they have found a great candidate? If you can answer that question, you are well on your way to an interview.
Brand managers need creativity and social media savvy, hppy, an HR and employee engagement firm, says, but they also need managerial skills, adaptability under pressure and a solutions-oriented mindset. Choose one or two of these attributes to highlight in your intro, along with a concrete achievement.
Customize your cover letter!
Wouldn’t it be great if you could write one application letter and mass mail it? This is one of the biggest mistakes a job seeker can make. No two jobs are alike, so no two cover letters should be either.
As a brand manager, you don’t create one message for every market. Why? Because different demographics have different needs and wants. The same is true for companies. Carefully consider the job listing and the company culture as you craft your message.
The cover letter sample text below jumps in with the candidate’s philosophy and career overview.
The goal of the cover letter intro: Leap in with the best you have to offer to pique the hiring manager’s interest and get them to read on.
Having worked for 50+ consumer goods brands during my consultancy career, I am now looking to work in-house for a leader in the beauty and wellness category. I believe that by consistently and organically managing a brand, exponential value can be added in the long-term.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The body of your brand manager cover letter is the backbone of your strategy. You’ve gotten their interest and now you have to detail why you are the best fit for the position. That means showing off your skills, but also your work personality.
Choose two or three key successes in your career that mesh with the requirements of your targeted job and use pointed descriptors to illustrate your management style. Make sure you get as detailed as you can and explain how your past accomplishments show your value-add for your prospective employer. Check out the body section of our cover letter sample below.
Use bullets to draw attention to your successes and to break up the text blocks. Choose examples that highlight different skills making sure they illustrate the qualities your prospective employer seeks.
The goal of the cover letter body: Develop your brand by highlighting your personality and successes.
I have led countless rebranding projects during my career, growing sales by 45% LFL for a skincare brand, increasing market share by 15% points for a supplement brand and contributing to $45m of sales growth for all clients across my 8-year career. I have primarily worked with challenger brands, and I know what it takes to take share from both the volume end of the market and nationally recognized brand leaders.
In terms of the marketing and design side of my work, I have won over 15 industry awards for my packaging designs and am passionate about sustainable design. I know that this is a big focus for the role, and I have been a regular speaker at sustainability conferences. My work with one of your competitors led to a 35% reduction in packaging and a 15% cost saving – expertise that I would bring to your position.
How to close a brand manager cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
While first impressions last, last impressions may make the difference in whether or not you get the interview. Remind the hiring manager not just of what you have achieved, but what you can achieve for them.
Your conclusion should restate and amplify your message: Here is why you should hire me! Here are my fabulous achievements. I will increase brand awareness, rebrand a lagging product, or implement fresh ideas. Finally, make it clear that you want the job with a call to action or a polite request for an interview, such as the one within our cover letter sample.
The goal of the conclusion and sign-off: End with confidence and a reminder that you are eager for an interview.
I enclose a portfolio of previous work to highlight that sort of direction that I would take your stable of brands. I would certainly value the opportunity of an interview to discuss in more detail.
Sincerely,
Casey Williams
Avoiding common mistakes in a brand manager cover letter
- Make sure the product fits the need. In other words, adjust your application letter for each job.
- Don’t use too much jargon. You want your message to be clear and succinct. Industry-specific language can clutter up your prose and can also be misinterpreted.
- Proofread. Have a friend or colleague read over your letter before you send it to avoid typos and ambiguous wording.
Key takeaways
- As a brand manager, you know the importance of a targeted message – put those skills to work by tailoring your cover letter.
- Make sure your conclusion includes a call to action that confidently and politely invites the hiring manager to contact you.
- Check out our brand manager cover letter sample for more ideas on creating a great format.
