What Does It Take to Be in Sales?

What Does It Take to Be in Sales?

When Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple, delivered the commencement address at Stanford University in 2005, he told how he and Steve Wozniak started the now $32 billion company in a garage in 1976. Jobs said, "I was lucky – I found out what I wanted to do early in life." But life at Apple was not always so perfect. When he was 30, just one year after the launch of the Macintosh, he was fired from the company he had founded. Although he was publicly humiliated and frustrated and did not know what to do next, he realized he loved what he did. From there, he started Pixar, the company that created Toy Story, the world's first full-length computer-animated feature film.

He left the Stanford graduates with some personal words of wisdom to think about as they prepared themselves for their careers: "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you have not found it yet, keep looking. Do not settle. As with all matters of the heart, you will know when you find it."

To be successful in sales and in life, you must love what you do. If you are not passionate about your profession, you will never be the best. You will always fall short because the people who love it will naturally excel. It seems simple enough: do what you love. But what if you love many things or do not know if you have found your niche? Do not worry – there are questions you can ask yourself to help you determine whether a career in sales will excite you and make you want to leap out of bed every morning.

Are You Born to Sell?

How do you know if sales is your passion, the career of your dreams? The first step is taking this course. You  will have an opportunity to learn about sales and actually put your knowledge to work in real-life situations by role-playing with your classmates. After reading this chapter, you will better understand the selling profession and what it has to offer. This chapter includes insights about which personal characteristics and talents are best suited to sales, which industries you might work in, and how you can be successful in the profession.

Just like being a teacher requires traits such as a love of learning, an ability to communicate, and the talent to make concepts come alive for people, selling calls for certain personal characteristics as well. Some people think that successful salespeople are those who have the "gift of gab," but that is not really what makes salespeople effective. Although communication and relationship building are valuable skills, just being able to talk to people is not enough to be successful in sales. Consider the following points that make a salesperson successful and see if these are a good match to you and your skills.

Character and the Ability to Build Trust

It never goes without saying that character – the combination of your beliefs, tendencies, and actions that you take – is the single defining trait for a salesperson (or any business person, for that matter). Your character defines how you will conduct yourself, and it is the yardstick by which customers measure you. After all, your customers spend their money based on what you say you will deliver; they have to trust you. If you ever break the trust for any reason, you will likely lose not only the sale, but you will most likely lose your reputation, and, ultimately, your livelihood. According to a survey by Forrester Research, trust and believability are so important in the buying and selling processes that 71 percent of buyers based their decisions on these traits.

The Ability to Connect

The most successful salespeople know how to engage their customers in a way that helps the customers identify for themselves the way the product or service offered can deliver value.

The Xerox Company, after surveying to identify the characteristics of their peak-performing salespeople, says it best: "Your prospect will never buy because you present a pitch. She instead buys from what she convinces herself of. This means that if you sell a watch, telling your prospect you will cure his ignorance of time will not be enough. Your prospect will talk to himself to discover that this watch will indeed keep him from running late. He will not listen to you; he will only listen to himself."

A good salesperson will use his personal skills to connect with a customer, so that their conversation prompts and echoes the customer's own internal thought process. It is ultimately this ability to connect that allows the salesperson to build relationships and trust. This video highlights how a motorcycle trip, passion, and connection led to a sale with Harley-Davidson.

Listening Skills

Contrary to popular belief, speaking is not the most important aspect of selling – listening is because "salespeople are communicators, not manipulators." It is interesting to note that many of the salespeople who are constantly talking are not successful. It is those salespeople who have a genuine interest in listening and who learn precisely what the customers' needs, priorities, and opportunities are. Listening skills are the fundamental basis for forming a connection. "Listening builds relationships," according to Marjorie Brody, author of Help! Was That a Career-Limiting Move? She suggests a "silent solution" to many problems through listening. The challenge for many people is that listening with undivided attention is hard.

According to Barry J. Elms, CEO of Strategic Negotiations International, psychologists say we listen using only 25 percent of our brains. That means that the other 75 percent is thinking about a response or thinking about something else. Salespeople who take notes, refer to written material, and are intently aware of their nonverbal cues can be extremely successful because they see and hear things that people talking just cannot absorb.

The Ability to Ask the Right Questions

It was Einstein who said, "If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first fifty-five minutes to formulate the right question because as soon as I had identified the right question, I knew I could solve the problem in less than five minutes." This demonstrates the power of asking the right questions. Those questions can only be asked when you listen and can connect.

Paul Blake, whom you met at the beginning of this chapter, believes that asking the right questions is vital to the success of his sales force. That is why he leads by example and always asks one key question when interviewing candidates for sales positions: "Do you believe you have the right to change someone's opinion?" That question tells him all he needs to know about the candidate and how she would perform on his sales team.

The Willingness to Learn

You might think that just because you are in school, you are learning everything you need to know for your career. Although you are building a solid foundation, you will continue to learn new things every day when you are working. Salespeople must not only have the product knowledge and understand the buying and selling process; they must also learn skills that will make them more effective and efficient as salespeople.

For example, in one study on salespeople, executives mentioned that salespeople must be willing to learn more than what appears to be required. Financial skills, negotiating skills, and even speed-reading courses were mentioned as additional training needs. It is important to note that besides constantly learning new skills, salespeople have to be students of the business.

Skills and abilities are developed and fine-tuned over time, and experience plays a role in the learning process. So it stands to reason that salespeople are not "made" simply because they have the title. Just as it takes seven years to become a doctor, three years to become a lawyer, and a thousand hours to become a barber, a great salesperson develops over time. If you are thinking about pursuing a career in sales, keep in mind that, like other professions, it takes time, training, and experience to be successful.

The Drive to Succeed

You cannot be successful if you do not set goals. Great salespeople set goals for themselves, achieve them, and celebrate those achievements. They visualize what they want, then put together a plan to get it. The drive to succeed is essential not only in sales but also in life. Consider Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. He set out to do something no one else had ever done: win eight Olympic gold medals. It is instructive to look at his drive to succeed and what he did to prepare for and achieve his goals. While Phelps has had some recent public relations (PR) challenges regarding his behavior out of the pool, it does not diminish his hard work, drive to succeed, and accomplishments.

Resilience and a Positive Attitude

It is important to remember that you will hear "no" more frequently than you hear "Yes, I will take it." That challenge, however, is offset by the thrill of victory when the sale is made, and a relationship with the customer based on trust is built. You can only succeed when you go the extra mile by investigating one more lead, returning for the second sales call even when the first has not been successful, and trial closing even if you are not sure you can get the sale. It is the eternal optimism that pushes you, even when others might think there is no reason to pursue the sale. If you think you can make it happen, you should be in sales.

The Willingness to Take Risks

Has anyone ever told you, "You will not know until you try"? That statement is especially true in sales. You can set yourself apart by taking smart business risks. Think about how you consider taking risks in everyday life and how they pay off. For example, let's say you are from a small town, and you choose to go to a college in a big city because you want to experience something new. That was a risk; it took you outside your comfort zone. But if you had not taken the risk, you would have never known what life in a big city was like. Great salespeople go beyond the norm to explore and test the waters.

For example, making phone calls to senior executives that you have never met, networking with people you do not know, or making a presentation to a room full of customers all involve some level of risk. But getting out of your comfort zone and taking risks is how great opportunities are found.

Taking risks in life and in selling is best summed up by Lisa McCullough, a high-profile stuntwoman: "Do not focus on your fears; focus on what you want."

The Ability to Ask for an Order

It may sound intuitive that successful salespeople should not be afraid to ask for a customer's order, but you would be surprised at how often it happens. Most customers want you to ask for their order. "Would you like fries with your hamburger?" "What can I get you for dessert?" and "Would you like to pay with credit or debit?" are all examples of salespeople asking for the order.

A large percentage of the time, these salespeople are successful and meet their customers' needs at the same time. You reduce your chances of success if you do not ask for the order. In other words, if you do not ask for the order, someone else will. See why Fred Franzia, founder of Bronco Wine Company and creator of "Two Buck Chuck" wine, thinks that asking for the order makes a great salesperson.

Independence and Discipline

Most sales positions require independence, self-motivation, and discipline. Although these traits may seem contradictory, they are complementary. Independence is especially important if you are calling on customers in person. It usually requires travel, either locally by car or by plane, which means that you have to be able to manage your time without being told what to do. It means you set your schedule and do what you must to meet your sales goals.

But having this kind of independence requires discipline. As Michael Janusz, an account manager at ACL Laboratories put it, "I went into sales because of the dynamic environment, competitive aspect, and income potential. I do think there is a shortage of good salespeople. This is because it takes a unique blend of skills and a disciplined person. Many people can talk well, manage a territory well, or work hard. However, not many can put it all together". Besides having an independent streak, salespeople must be focused and hardworking long-term, or they will not enjoy consistent success over time.

Flexibility

Along with the need for independence comes the importance of flexibility. As you can set your own schedule, you must be flexible based on your customers' needs. Most sales positions are not nine-to-five jobs.

That means you might be working nights or weekends, or you might be traveling out of town during the week or even for long periods of time, especially if you are selling internationally. You have to be available when your customers want to buy. Before you cringe at the prospect of grueling hours and long flights, remember that this schedule may also work to your advantage. You may have some weekdays off, which allow you to enjoy family, sports, or other outings that you might not otherwise have an opportunity to enjoy.

Passion

If you are not passionate about what you are selling, how do you expect your customers to believe in you and your product? You must love what you do, believe in it, and feel passionate about it. Passion encompasses all the traits mentioned above; it is how they all come together. Passion is the element that sets you apart from other salespeople and makes your prospects and customers believe in you and your product or service. See why Selena Cuff, head of Heritage Link Brands, thinks passion makes a great salesperson.

Bringing It All Together

If this seems like many traits, consider the traits required to be a doctor, lawyer, or college professor. Every profession requires a lot of those who pursue it. To make it easier, you may want to think about how these traits come together. Mahan Khalsa, the founder of Franklin, sums up the traits of a successful salesperson this way: "There are three traits that define a successful salesperson: business intelligence (IQ or intelligence quotient), the ability to create rapport and build trust (EQ or emotional intelligence), and a good way to approach and to follow up sales (XQ or executional intelligence; the ability to execute the sale)."

Creating Value Is the Name of the Game

The role of a salesperson can be summed up in one sentence: "Salespeople are value creators." To further describe what this means, think about a recent visit to the Apple Store. If you go to the store at virtually any hour, it is filled with customers. The salespeople are not just those pushing a product, hoping that you buy so that they make their sales quota. They are experts who know everything about the products in the store, whether they be MacBooks, iPods, or iPhones.

The salespeople engage you in dialogue, listen, and learn about what you seek. They ask, "What do you do with the photos you take? Do you like to make videos? Do you want to easily access the Web from your phone?" No techno-talk, no slick sales pitches. They just want to know what is important to you so that they can let you try the product that not only fits your basic computing needs but blows you away.

Apple and its sales team know computers are complicated and can baffle even savvy users. To build trust and confidence with their customers, they developed the "Genius Bar" so that Apple users know that they can always talk to an individual and find help with any problem or question they may have. Apple dedicates a section of their Web site to the Genius Bar and invites customers to make an appointment online to come to a store to talk to one of the "resident Geniuses."

Talk about creating value. As a result, Apple can charge a premium for its product and generate such demand that, in some cases, people are lined up to buy their products, as was the case for the launch of the iPhone 3GS in June 2009.

WII-FM

While a job in sales can be demanding, it can also be very rewarding in many ways. Even in these days of iPods and Pandora, WII-FM (What is In It For Me) is a radio station everyone listens to. It is not a bad thing to think about what is in it for you. After all, if you are considering investing your career in the selling profession, you should know what is in it for you.

What Will You Be Doing?

The life of a salesperson is never dull. You could be working with a single customer or with multiple customers. You might work in a corporate office, or you might work from your home. You might talk to customers via phone, live chat, instant message, and text, or you might meet with them in their office in your neighborhood, your region, or anywhere around the world.

You might be working on research to identify new customers, preparing a presentation for a new or existing customer, meeting with customers face-to-face, following up to get contracts signed, or communicating inside your organization to be sure all goes well to deliver the product or service to the customer on time and on budget. On any given day, you might be working on activities to support an existing customer or to approach, present, or close a new customer.

What Can You Achieve?

A job in selling can be a gateway to wherever you want to go. Stanley Marcus, the ninety-three-year-old chairman emeritus of Neiman Marcus, started as a messenger boy, then as a junior salesperson in his father's store before working his way to the top. Michael Dell started by selling computers from his dorm room. Selling could eventually give you fame and fortune, but more immediately, it can also give you the satisfaction of providing solutions to people, financial opportunities, and financial independence. Even in today's challenging economy, these goals are possible.

Sales drive every company's growth. When you are in sales, you are responsible for the company's future. That is why many sales positions offer unlimited income potential. Sales is considered a pay-for-performance profession.

That means that you are paid based on your performance, which is sales. Your income is commensurate with the number of sales you generate; simply put, you can make as much money as you want. This is a major difference between sales and most other disciplines. In most sales positions, you earn a salary and perhaps some other compensation elements, such as a bonus. In sales, you can determine your income because it is usually not limited to a specific number; it is based on the amount you sell.

If you want to check out base salaries for sales positions in your area or the area in which you would like to work, go to Salary.com and use the Salary Wizard. You wll be able to see the average salary, bonuses, benefits, and more.

 This text was adapted by Saylor Academy under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensor.

Selling You: Résumé and Cover Letter Essentials

Think about how you first learned about the new Palm Pre smartphone or that Gatorade had changed its name to "G." How did you know that Pre had even more capabilities than the iPhone or that Gatorade was "moving to the next level"? Chances are it was some kind of advertising or public relations that made you aware of these products before you even tried them.

Now think about your personal brand. How will employers know about you and what you have to offer? A résumé and cover letter are your "advertising" campaign to prospective employers. Just like there are lots of ads about products and services, there are an overwhelming number of résumés and cover letters that employers have to review before inviting someone in for an interview. How do you make yours stand out? How do you increase your chances of being one of the people who are interviewed? How do you use your cover letter and your résumé to get the job you want?

There are a few important steps to create the résumé and cover letter that will make you different and compelling to a prospective employer. You will use both of these to apply for jobs online and to send to people with whom you are networking, and you will even send them directly to companies for whom you would like to work. You only have an instant (think nanosecond) to make a lasting impression.

If you think you only need a résumé to get a job, you should think again. Your cover letter can play an even more important role than your résumé. Here are some steps to help you create a cover letter that gets read and a résumé that gets you the interview. If you already have a résumé and cover letter, it is worth reviewing this section because you will learn some essential tips to improve them.

Five Steps for a Résumé That Stands Out

Looking for the right job to start your career is a process that includes preparing your résumé and cover letter, getting your cover letter and résumé to the right people, going on interviews, and negotiating and accepting the right offer. You are at the beginning of the process; you will learn about the rest of the process throughout the Selling You sections in this book.

This section focuses entirely on creating your résumé and cover letter. Keep in mind that the only purpose for a résumé and cover letter is to get an interview. So your résumé and cover letter need to be crafted in a way that tells what your personal brand has to offer, or your brand story, concisely and compellingly.

Step 1: Define the Three Brand Points that Make You Unique and Provide Value to a Prospective Employer

If this sounds familiar, it should be. Your brand points are the foundation of your résumé and cover letter; it is in their summary that you compose your brand story.

You might think of creating a résumé that is a chronological summary of your background. This is good, but it is not compelling enough to differentiate yourself amid the sea of résumés. There are two important things to remember when creating your résumé:

1. Tell your brand story with your brand points.
2. Your brand points should be clear at a glance (literally).

Your three brand points are leadership experience, academic excellence, and community service. Those three brand points make up your brand story, which you want to tell about yourself, so your résumé headings should highlight these areas.

To see what this means, review the two versions of the same résumé for Julianna Lanely in Figure 2.7, "Standard Résumé" and Figure 2.8, "Standard Résumé Incorporating Brand Points.” The first one was written using a standard résumé approach; the second one was built by incorporating her brand points of marketing and event planning experience, academic excellence, and creative mind-set. Can you see the difference? Which résumé do you think is more compelling? Before you create (or refine) your résumé, identify your three brand points.

Figure 2.7 Standard Résumé

Figure 2.8 Standard Résumé Incorporating Brand Points

Step 2: Choose Your Résumé Format and Font

Now that you have the foundation of your résumé message (or your three brand points), it is time to choose a résumé format. Executives in all industries encourage students and young professionals (those who have worked for five years or less) not to exceed one page for their résumé. Sometimes, it may be difficult to keep your experience and accomplishments to one page, so choose those that best tell your brand story. As one executive said, "It better be worth my while to turn to page two.”

There are several appropriate résumé templates available at your campus career center or in Microsoft Word. The downside to some templates is that they are difficult to adjust or adapt. The most important thing to consider when you are choosing your résumé format is to be sure it is easy for the reader to skim. Some formats with horizontal lines separating the categories, or those with dates that precede company and position information, are harder to skim because the reader has to work too hard to see the brand story. See the comments in Figure 2.7, "Standard Résumé" to recognize some things to avoid in your résumé.

It is easy to create a résumé that looks like Julianna Lanely's revised résumé shown in Figure 2.8, "Standard Résumé Incorporating Brand Points.” Simply watch this short video and see how you can format it.

Once you choose the format you want to use, you should choose a font that you will use for your résumé and cover letter. The font should be easy to read, like Arial or Times New Roman (Arial is a bit more contemporary; Times New Roman is more traditional). It is best to use a 12-point type (or eleven-point at the smallest) for ease of readability. If you need a little more space on your résumé, consider adjusting the margins slightly, keeping at least 0.7 for each margin. You do not want your résumé to feel crowded or that it is an effort to read.

Step 3: Choose Your Headings and Put the Most Important Ones First

Now that you've done your groundwork, it is time to create your résumé. Think about your brand points and then determine the headings you want to use. Use headings that help you tell your brand story at a glance. Don't focus yet on what you will write in each heading; that will be covered in Step 4.

Some headings are standard to include, such as "Objective," "Education," and "Experience," but other headings should be used to support your brand story. For example, instead of having a heading for "Work Experience," be more specific and use "Sales Experience" to highlight that if it is one of your brand points.

One of the most critical things to remember is to put the most important things first. Start with a heading for "Objective," then "Education.” As you gain more experience in your career, your education will move to the bottom. But at this point, it is a key selling point for your brand.

Now, it is time to put your brand points to work by choosing headings that tell your story. For example, if academic excellence is one of your brand points, you might consider adding a heading after "Education" called "Scholarships and Awards" or "Honors" to highlight honors and awards that demonstrate your academic excellence. This is the ideal place for things like the dean's list, National Honor Society, or any other awards, honors, or scholarships you have received.

It is a good idea for your next heading to reflect one of your brand points, such as "Leadership Skills" or "Sales Experience" (or any other specific type of experience). If leadership skills are one of your brand points, it is better not to make the reader go all the way to the bottom of the page to read about your leadership skills under a generic heading called "Activities.” If it is important to your brand story, bring your skills into focus in the first part of your résumé with a strong heading like "Leadership Skills.” This section could include athletic, school or professional organization, or any other type of leadership position. If you do not have leadership skills, do not worry – you still have a lot to offer. Follow your brand points to tell your story.

Next, include your work experience. This is where you can really make your brand story come alive. Don't be restricted to a traditional chronological order of your jobs. If you have had an internship in marketing, sales, or other area that supports your brand points, make a separate heading for it, such as "Marketing Experience" or "Sales Experience.” If you have had other jobs, you can simply add another heading after it called "Work Experience" below it. Or if your work experience has a common theme, you might want to name your heading "Retail Experience," "Customer Service Experience," or "Hospitality Experience.” This approach tells the reader at a glance that you have valuable experience in the area you want to pursue. You should know that employers look for people who have worked in retail and restaurants because they know they can sell and work with customers. Use this type of experience to sell yourself.

If you have participated in projects or activities to support the community, you may want to include a heading for "Community Service." If you have additional activities worth noting, you might consider a heading for "Activities." It is best to avoid a long list of generic activities at the end of your résumé, so think about how they tell your brand story. It is best to include your most recent activities. Although you may include some key activities from high school, it is better if you can replace those with your more recent activities. It is not necessary to include the dates of your involvement.

It is a good idea to have a final heading for "Skills" at the end of your résumé. This should include computer software in which you are proficient such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Adobe Acrobat, and others. It is a good reminder to your prospective employer that you are skilled for any position. Although it may seem second nature to you to use these software products, some employers did not learn them in school, so they may not know you are proficient in them.

A few things that should not be included on your résumé are "References available upon request," "Hobbies and Activities," or a photo. Prospective employers expect to check your references, you should have more substantial things to put on your résumé than hobbies and activities, and many companies cannot consider résumés with photos as it would be considered discrimination.

Step 4: Write Your Bullet Points

Once you have determined your headings, it is time to make your brand points come alive with bullet points under each heading. Bullet points are better than a narrative format because they are easier to skim. But, since the reader is skimming, each bullet point is that much more important. Keep your bullet points concise but specific, so that each delivers robust information.

Start with your objective and write a short, specific goal. One sentence is perfect; you should not be flowery or profound. Something that helps the reader understand what you are looking for is best.

For example, if you want to get a job in pharmaceutical sales, your objective might be "To obtain a sales position at a pharmaceutical company." Or you might want to get a job in an advertising agency, so your objective might be "To obtain a full-time position in account management at an advertising agency." Short, sweet, to the point, and effective.

For your education, include the formal name of your college or university, city, and state, formal degree (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies), and the year or expected year of graduation. It is not necessary to include the range of years you attended school. Now that you are in college, it is best to remove your high school education. You may be interested to know that your grade point average is not a requirement on a résumé. Generally, if your GPA is 3.5 or above, you may want to include it. Most business people do not recognize the significance of a GPA unless it is 4.0.

So, if academic achievement is one of your brand points, you should consider adding a heading for "Scholarship and Awards" to demonstrate your accomplishments and make them come alive for the reader. If academics are not your strong suit, do not include your GPA; just list your education. If you have studied internationally, you might consider a heading or subheading named "International Study." Include the program name, school, and countries visited, as well as the dates of the travel.

Awards or honors can be listed as bullet points under the "Scholarship and Awards" heading. For experience headings such as "Leadership Experience," "Sales Experience," or "Customer Service Experience," list the name of the company, city and state, your title, and dates of employment. If you use boldface for the company name, it stands out and helps the reader see where you have worked.

The bullet points in these sections are critical to setting yourself apart; they should be concise and specific, but descriptive, and they should focus on accomplishments and contributions, not a listing of activities or tasks. This will most likely take some time to write these bullet points, but it will be time well spent.

Consider the difference between these two bullet points to describe a position at a restaurant:

• Took orders over the phone and in person
  This statement can be more powerful when restated with quantitative details:
  
  
• Provided customer service to over 100 patrons during every shift, including taking orders by phone and at the table-side; named Associate of the Month in August 2009

Consider the difference between these two bullet points to describe administrative responsibilities at an office:

• Filled in for receptionist, answered phones, processed invoices
  This line can be more powerful when restated in the following manner:
  
  
• Provided administrative support for the 30-person office; created new work flow for processing invoices that reduced turnaround time by 2 days

Consider the difference between these two bullet points to describe responsibilities as a bank teller:

• Processed customer transactions
  
  
• This statement can be more powerful when restated as the following:
• Processed over 80 customer transactions daily with 100% accuracy.

Your bullet points should help reinforce your brand points with details of how you delivered on those points. It might be helpful to write down everything you did at each job and then identify the stories you can tell for each job. This is how you demonstrate traits such as the ability to multitask, organizational skills, teamwork, and other skills.

Step 5: Review, Check Spelling, Proofread, and Repeat

It is true that some résumés are never even considered because of a typo or grammar error. After you finish your résumé, take a break, and then review it objectively. Does it clearly tell your brand story? Are your brand points the most important topics? If someone read your résumé, what would that person think you have to offer? Make any necessary adjustments. Then spell-check and proofread it carefully. It is a good idea to ask some people you trust – perhaps at your campus career center, a parent, professor, or mentor – to review and proofread your résumé. You can not be too cautious.

When you are satisfied that your résumé is perfect, print it on 24-pound paper (you can buy it at your campus bookstore or any office supply store or Web site).

Three Steps for a Cover Letter That Gets Noticed

If you have not prepared a cover letter to send with your résumé, you should consider writing one. According to a recent article in the New York Times, "Cover letters are still necessary, and in a competitive market, they can give you a serious edge if they are written and presented effectively.” A cover letter is key if you need to set yourself apart, whether you are seeking an internship or a full-time position.

Step 1: Start with Your Three Brand Points

Maybe you are dreading the thought of writing a cover letter. It is easier than you think, since you have already identified your brand points. Write a summary statement for each of your three brand points. In other words, if you only had one minute to talk about your three brand points, what would you say about each one? Write two concise sentences for each point. It might be rough right now, but it will become the core of your cover letter.

Step 2: Understand the Elements of a Cover Letter

Now you just need to know how to structure your brand story to make it come alive for the reader. A cover letter has three major sections:

1. First paragraph. Introduction and purpose for your letter.
2. Second paragraph. Reasons why you will bring value to the company (this is where you include your brand points).
3. Third paragraph. Closing and follow-up.

Since business people skim cover letters and résumés, it is a good idea to use boldface to highlight your brand points. Look at the cover letter in Figure 2.10, "Effective Cover Letter," to see how your brand points become the focus of your cover letter. It is important to repeat the highlights of your résumé in your cover letter so the reader can see at a glance how you can bring value as a prospective employee.

Since you only have a few seconds to "sell" the reader on the fact that you are the right person for the job, you want to introduce the highlights in the cover letter and then provide the details in your résumé. Your cover letter and résumé work together to tell your brand story.

Figure 2.10 Effective Cover Letter

Besides the three core paragraphs of your cover letter, you will also want to know about the appropriate way to format a cover letter. Your cover letter should be limited to a single page and should include the same font that you used for your résumé.

Step 3: Write Your Cover Letter

With your brand points in mind and the structure of a cover letter clearly defined, now you can get to writing. This is the place where you can demonstrate your personality and your selling skills. You can make your cover letter a powerful lead-in to your résumé and sell your prospective employer why you should come for an interview.

As with your résumé, spell-check and proofread your cover letter carefully. Review your cover letter and résumé together to be sure your brand story is clear and powerful. Look at Rakeem Bateman's cover letter and résumé together in Figure 2.12 "Sample Cover Letter and Sample Résumé" to see how the two documents can work together and really set you apart just at a glance.

Figure 2.12 Sample Cover Letter and Sample Résumé

This cover letter can be the basis of the letter you use for most situations. Now that you have your cover letter, you should adapt it and personalize it for every situation. For example, if you are applying for a job that is posted online, adapt the letter to show how your brand points address the needs of the position. You may even want to create one or two new brand points that also define your brand that you can change based on the job posting.

It is best to use your cover letter whenever you send your résumé to someone, whether you are responding to a job posting, networking, or sending out letters to your target companies. .