Cover letters are so important these days, whatever you’re doing. Writing a good letter is essential in this world of too much information.
You want your cover letter to say what you want to say quickly and clearly. Tell your reader what you want them to give their valuable time to. And try not to take too much time in doing that.
So, a simple formula:
1. State Your Connection. Right up front, in a sentence or two, remind the person how they know you, refer to some recent interaction or open on a friendly note with someone you know well.
2. Make Your Pitch. The heart of the letter is your sales pitch. Your :30 commercial is a perfect thing to put here. Can you quickly tell them the benefits, why it is worth their time to listen to you? Keep this to a paragraph or less.
3. Call to Action. All business letters should end with this. What is it you want them to do? Call you? Go here? Do that? Make sure this is clear. There’s no cause to be flowery here. Just spill it out.
One last thing: Be sure your signature line makes it easy for them to contact you.
Networking Pledge
Networking is all about relationships. Connecting person to person. Danny Inny of Firepole Marketing suggests that to get business in a hurry, you should go to every networking meeting you can and ask others about themselves and what they do. Listen and learn. Eventually, they will ask what you do.
Find one person, every day, that you can give something to: a piece of information, a hand, a smile, a response to something they’ve been waiting for, or just a bit of encouragement or appreciation. How wonderful that can be in the middle of a hectic day!
If you reach out and give, you will get back.
“I pledge to reach out to at least one person every day with something I can give.”
Affirmations:
I am easily seeing what’s needed that I can give!
I am giving of myself every day.
My connections are enriching both of us!
The Positive Slant on Business 