Free Business Cover Letter Guide and Tips
Professional cover letters are often overlooked in most business environments. Neglecting the cover letter can be a crucial mistake when sending a proposal, writing a resume, or sending an email. Your cover letter should always include a letter head that contains your company’s name, address, phone number, fax number, and corporate logo if applicable. Some cover letters include the writer’s email address and direct phone line. Make sure this information matches the signature at the bottom near the footer.
Below the letterhead, you should include the company’s information that you are writing to, the individual’s name if applicable, their address, phone number, fax number, and email address. This makes contact information easily accessible to all parties If they need to make reference to the cover letter. Below their company’s information, you should include a professional salutation. Most people use the traditional “Dear” salutation which is completely fine for business cover letters. The next paragraph should include clear instruction to the intended recipient or a clearly written purpose for the documents that follow the cover letter. Always be sure to proofread your cover letter for idea clarity, typos, and grammar. If you are unsure about certain grammar rules or are unsure if your idea is portrayed effectively, have a co-worker that you trust do the proofreading for you to ensure efficient and proper communication.
Below your instruction or statement of intent paragraph, you should include another paragraph that may summarize or reiterate the overall goal of the cover letter if your initial paragraph was long. In most cases, this is not necessary and leaves room for error. This step should be avoided except when absolutely necessary. Generally, the section below your instruction paragraph should contain a brief comment stating that the recipient can contact you with questions they might have and give them your best contact phone number and email address. By doing so, your cover letter will eliminate confusion about your contact information.
Once everything has been stated clearly and your direct contact information has been provided on your business cover letter, you should end the letter with a professional valediction such as “Regards” or “Yours Truly” then type your name. If you plan on signing your cover letter with a pen, be sure to give yourself enough space between your typed name and the cover letter valediction.
Creating professional business cover letters is a skill that takes both time and practice to master. Once you have obtained a feel for writing business cover letters, you will wonder what was so difficult in the past. Sometimes, you will want to use a professional cover letter template which can be found easily on the internet. Many of these cover letter templates are provided free of charge and are easily found. If you are unable to locate the cover letter template you are seeking, or are unhappy with the results you find online, there are many professional cover letter writing services that are widely accessible. Many of these service providers also write business letters, resumes, and provide professional templates.