As a business development manager, you know how to talk up your company. Now it’s time to do the same for your work skills. A business development manager cover letter that perfectly complements your resume elevates your chances of getting that coveted interview. This guide gives you hints and tips that will take the mystery out of writing a great application letter. It focuses on:
- Choosing the best cover letter format and what paragraphs the cover letter should include
- Making the most of each cover letter paragraph (header, greeting, intro, body and conclusion)
- Getting down to the writing of your cover letter
- Avoiding common errors when writing your business development manager cover letter.
Our corresponding business development manager cover letter example and our library of free cover letter examples offer inspiration for your own application letter.
Best format for a business development manager cover letter
The point of writing a business development manager cover letter is to show how you can help grow your next company. To do that, you need to know what goes into a great letter.
A business development 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)
If you’re looking for general advice on cover letters, our comprehensive cover letter guide will tell you all you need to know. Below you will find specific advice on how to develop the most effective paragraphs possible.
This business development manager cover letter example is a good foundation to develop your own professional application:
Dear Ms. Bartrum,
After a concentrated effort to build my social media presence over the past five years, I have found that 85 percent of my business development leads come from my online activities. I am well-known in the management consultancy industry and am a regular speaker on the marketing circuit.
The role at Howson would allow me to use the same approach, but with the power of your brand there is the potential to grow your business footprint far beyond the current 12,000 followers (across all platforms). Inbound leads are the lifeblood of any B2B company and I am confident of my ability to replicate the same 450 percent network growth (and +18 percent LFL attributable sales growth) that I engineered at my previous employer.
I am used to working at a high tempo, involving colleagues from every department in my work and getting buy-in from a wide range of stakeholders. Employee advocacy is vital in business development – I ran an internal advocacy project which got 67 percent of our employees engaging with our content at least once a week. This produces business development leads.
In terms of your global ambitions, I am used to working with a network for global sales associates and have been involved in efforts to expand international sales reach. My pitch decks and marketing materials were translated into 12 languages, and we increased the global sales participation from 4 percent to 7 percent over one year.
I have long admired you as a competitor, so after Kim Masters suggested that I apply I didn’t hesitate. I look forward to finding more at a potential interview.
Sincerely,
Billy Collins
How many numbers are too many in a business development manager cover letter?
I would suggest sharing three or four key projects with only the most impressive achievements (quantified by value or percentage, whichever is most impressive). Do not let numbers dominate the story of how you achieved them.
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related cover letter examples:
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Cover letter header
The main idea behind your application is to garner an interview. That makes the header of your business development manager cover letter key because it highlights your name and important contact details so you can be easily reached. This is the only design element of your cover letter, and while you want to grab attention, you also want to maintain a professional image.
You know that leads will quickly disappear if you don’t act when the opportunity presents itself, so offer the phone number and email you check frequently so that you can respond promptly when a hiring manager contacts you.
Sync with your resume
Your cover letter should complement your business development manager resume. This means aligning the styles of your documents, but it also means taking into account the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) algorithms that rank your application.
Including the words “email” and “phone / cell” next to your information so the software can easily input your data. Also remember that using desired keywords and phrases in your cover letter as well as your resume can also boost your ranking in the ATS.
Cover letter greeting
How you greet a person sets the tone for your entire encounter. Your business development manager cover letter should start off with the same caliber of greeting you use when meeting a new client.
We suggest “Dear Dr./Mr./Ms. [Surname].” Most of our cover letter samples begin this way. Why? Because it is professional but warm. As a salesperson, you know that personal greetings beat generic openings every time, but if you run into a brick wall trying to find out who to address your letter to, you may use “Dear Development (or Sales) Team.” Avoid the stuffy “To Whom It May Concern.” It sounds outdated and impersonal.
Dear Ms. Bartrum,
Cover letter introduction
Your introduction strategically positions your candidacy by offering recruiters a sentence about who you are professionally. It also previews the message you will further in the body of your business development manager cover letter.
When you develop business opportunities, you first hook the customer so that they want to hear more. Use that same skill in this paragraph to encourage the recruiter to read on. Choose a pertinent example from your career, or describe what you can do for your targeted employer.
Here are some types of hooks you can try in your introduction and examples of each:
| Interesting question | Do you want to grow your business 1,000% next year? |
| Strong statement | After researching your business, I believe you are posed for significant growth with the right business development manager. |
| Fact/statistic | About 20% of small businesses fail in their first year, I have never worked for one that has. |
| Metaphor / simile | A successful business development plan is like a bullet train; it offers a direct and quick path to success. |
The cover letter sample text for an introduction below will help you get started.
After a concentrated effort to build my social media presence over the past five years, I have found that 85 percent of my business development leads come from my online activities. I am well-known in the management consultancy industry and am a regular speaker on the marketing circuit.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The middle part of your business development manager cover letter expands upon the message you previewed in your introduction. It is fine to reiterate achievements you mentioned in your business development manager resume, but make sure to add details that explain to the hiring manager why this success makes you a great fit for their job.
You’re applying for a management position, so be sure to balance your sales successes with a description of your management style.
Remember that the goal of the letter is to answer the question: Why should I hire you? Each sentence should take that goal into consideration.
Use a bulleted list of accomplishments for one of your body paragraphs. This serves three purposes:
- Conserve space
- Highlight the successes that point to what a great fit you are for the position
- Break up large blocks of type
The cover letter sample text for the middle paragraphs below will help you get started.
The role at Howson would allow me to use the same approach, but with the power of your brand there is the potential to grow your business footprint far beyond the current 12,000 followers (across all platforms). Inbound leads are the lifeblood of any B2B company and I am confident of my ability to replicate the same 450 percent network growth (and +18 percent LFL attributable sales growth) that I engineered at my previous employer.
I am used to working at a high tempo, involving colleagues from every department in my work and getting buy-in from a wide range of stakeholders. Employee advocacy is vital in business development – I ran an internal advocacy project which got 67 percent of our employees engaging with our content at least once a week. This produces business development leads.
In terms of your global ambitions, I am used to working with a network for global sales associates and have been involved in efforts to expand international sales reach. My pitch decks and marketing materials were translated into 12 languages, and we increased the global sales participation from 4 percent to 7 percent over one year.
How to end a business development manager cover letter (conclusion & sign-off)
You’ve shown off your great successes and explained what you can do for the company. Now it’s time to seal the deal. In the conclusion of your business development manager cover letter, you should remind the recruiter of your main message.
If you have space, add a sentence with a more personal twist such as why you want to work at that particular business or why you chose the industry you did.
Don’t neglect your main purpose here, so end with a call to action, or a request for an interview. The cover letter sample text below offers one way to accomplish that.
I have long admired you as a competitor, so after Kim Masters suggested that I apply I didn’t hesitate. I look forward to finding more at a potential interview.
Sincerely,
Billy Collins
Avoiding basic mistakes in a business development manager cover letter
- Keep a consistent tone. Even if you choose to reveal a more personal anecdote at the end of your letter, maintain a professional tone, unless you know for sure that the company is very casual.
- Proofread. It’s best to get another set of eyes on your cover letter if possible. A typo may not end your candidacy, but why take the chance?
- Target each position. Employers know a generic cover letter when they read it. Make sure you punctuate yours with details that apply specifically to the job you seek.
Your cover letter layout is one of the key elements that helps you to make a great first impression. Consider using a professionally-designed cover letter template to avoid mistakes.
Key takeaways
- Don’t neglect the management side of your position as you highlight your sales successes.
- Personalize your business development cover letter with details about the company to which you are applying.
- Your layout and design make a big difference, so don’t forget to check out our business development manager cover letter sample for more ideas.
