Marketing specialist cover letter

Marketing Specialist Cover Letter Writing Tips (With Examples)

Marketing specialists are in charge of recommending strategies and plans for an organization’s marketing and communications based on key marketing factors. They work closely with sales teams and executives to monitor market trends, demographic data, consumer habits, and more.

In general, the title of marketing specialist can be a difficult role to work up to and a difficult position to land.

Marketing specialists need to be adept at conducting and analyzing research, managing customer relationships, and project management based on their recommendations. Marketing specialists need to be highly seasoned, with a lot of experience under their belt.

In today’s world, marketing specialists may also need strong social media literacy and communications skills. Thus, they need to occupy the space between the open-mindedness and creativity it takes to navigate the new world of digital media and the years of experience and training it takes to predict larger market phenomena.

As a marketing specialist, your job is to hold this space and respond accordingly to the needs of your clients. People look to hire marketing specialists who have at least a bachelor’s degree in communications or other relevant fields and lots of experience. They also want someone who is able to present a strong vision for the company.

So, you have the knowledge, you have the experience, and you have the mindset, what comes next? Now it’s time to spin those marketing skills and show off your most valuable product: yourself.

As a marketing expert, you probably don’t need to be reminded that the way we explain and present things makes all the difference in determining how someone sees them.

Especially within the field of marketing, the employee who is able to apply their skills and experience in the most convincing and impactful way will always have the upper hand.

During the job search process, individualized cover letters are the best way to show off how good you are at presenting yourself and applying your experience. In writing a cover letter, you get an opportunity to explain upfront how you fit into this specific role and what makes you a great marketer more generally.

In this article, we’ll talk about the steps to writing a perfect cover letter for a marketing specialist position. We’ll run you through the parts you need to include, skills to emphasize for marketing specialists, and some helpful examples to aid you in your writing process.

Parts of a Marketing Specialist Cover Letter

Every cover letter, regardless of the position, utilizes this same standard, basic format and includes all of the following parts in order:

• Salutation/Greeting line. After your header, which will include your full name, contact information, and website or social media URLs, the salutation should be the first thing written on the page.

  Usually, you use the format “Dear,” followed by an honorific such as Ms., Mr., or Mx., and then the receiver’s last name. Marketing is typically considered a less formal industry, so “Dear” followed by the receiver’s first name is also acceptable in some cases.

• Opening paragraph. After your greeting is where you’ll start getting into the actual contents of your letter, always begin with an acknowledgment of why you are writing. Your opening should state clearly the position you are applying for and how you found out about this position if relevant.

  Speak on your qualifications for this position in a more generalized way and emphasize why you would like to work at this specific position in this specific organization.

• Body paragraphs. Your body paragraphs are where you’ll pack the majority of the information on why you are the perfect fit for this job. Tailor your experience based on the organization’s needs and requirements, and focus on how you can serve them rather than how they will serve you.

• Closing paragraph. Use your closing paragraph strategically to bring the letter to a nice close while prompting the reader for a follow-up.

  Thank the reader for their time and consideration, include information about any additional documents, and end with a “call to action” that inspired them to move forward with the process.

• Complimentary closing lines. In accordance with proper professional letter writing, the last thing written on your page should be a complimentary close. Something like “Sincerely,” “Best,” or “Regards” will work just fine, followed by your full name or digital signature.

Be sure that whatever design and formatting you choose to have on this cover letter is tasteful, minimal, and consistent throughout. Keep the letter clean, concise, and easy to read at one page maximum. The key is to pack as much info into as little space as you can. Read on to find out how it’s done.

Marketing Specialist Cover Letter Opening

The opening paragraph of your cover letter should answer the question, “who are you and what are you doing here?” Assume they have no context for the sending of your letter.

After your header and your greeting, introduce yourself within the first sentence of the first paragraph. Along with a general introduction to yourself, state clearly the position you are applying for and your intention to apply. You don’t need to re-state your name, but just give a small relevant bio about who you are in relation to the company.

It’s crucial that you state clearly upfront the specific position you’re applying to, as that’s the entire reason you’re writing this letter. Your interest in this exact position is an important point that you really want to land and have the hiring manager remember.

In your first paragraph, you can also mention briefly how you found out about this job. This may not be relevant, though, if it’s obvious where you found the position, such as applying directly through job boards.

However, If it’s relevant and you have a good reason to do so, you can even go into some detail about your experience with this organization and how you found this specific position. If any mutual contacts or inside employees referred you, you could mention that for some insider support.

What you should remember above all else is that your cover letter opening is where you draw in the hiring manager and give them a good reason to keep reading. Opening lines like “I am writing to apply to…” aren’t terrible, but they are generic.

For hiring managers processing large volumes of applications, this may start you off with an immediate groan. Marketing positions involve creativity and writing skills, so be sure to show off your writing prowess in the first paragraph.

Here’s an example of how a marketing specialist cover letter might start off after the greeting:

Marketing Specialist Cover Letter Body

The body paragraph or paragraphs are going to be your space to get into the details of why you are the ideal candidate for this position. As a marketing specialist, you already know that confidence is key.

At the heart of your cover letter is the chance to detail and explain your skills and experience. The way you choose to describe the things you’ve done and the knowledge you hold can have a big impact on how others view your experience.

As much as you can, re-state the requirements and qualifications exactly as they are listed in the job posting, and explain how you align with these.

Try to use the specific language the employer used in their posting to ensure that your application doesn’t get passed over by hiring managers looking for keywords or any kind of software they used to screen applicants.

However, you don’t want to put every single thing you’ve done or learned in your cover letter; that’s what your attached resume and other documents are for.

The cover letter serves as a highlight reel of your biggest marketing achievements as they relate to the job posting. If the employer needs or wants any further information, they will contact you.

At the end of the day, the organization has a need, and they are looking for someone who can help fulfill this need for them. Focus on them, why they’re great, and how you can help them be even greater, rather than focusing on what they will do for you.

When it comes to marketing cover letters, you’ll want to focus on a combination of technical skills and soft skills while portraying a knowledgeable and put-together image.

You may even find it appropriate to dig deeply into your values and story as a way of creating commonalities between yourself and the organization. Don’t be afraid to flatter the organization and mention why you admire them or what makes them a great place of work. Just don’t go over the top with praise.

Here’s an example of what the body paragraphs of your marketing specialist cover letter may look like:

Marketing Specialist Cover Letter Closing Lines

The closing of your letter will tie everything together and explain how you intend to follow up. You’ve gotten past the hard part, which is actually getting them to read the contents of your letter, so it's time to show your professionalism and good attitude with your closing paragraph.

You know they are at least partially interested in hiring you, so now you can put a little pressure on them to take the next steps.

In your final paragraph, include a “call to action,” which is a request for them to take some sort of action. This could be something like asking them to call to schedule a meeting or telling them you look forward to hearing back from them.

Anything that lets them know you are eagerly awaiting (and expecting) a response. As long as you don’t act over-confident or pushy, this should serve you well.

Be sure to thank the hiring manager in your closing paragraph for taking the time to read your letter. They likely have a lot of reading to get through, and it shows some real politeness to recognize the labor they are putting in on your behalf and show gratitude for it.

After you’ve written the body of your letter, include an appropriate, professional complimentary close to your cover letter so that it has a nice ending. Attach any additional documents, and you’re ready to send them in. Marketing specialists may want to attach portfolios detailing their projects.

A good closing for a marketing specialist cover letter will look something like this:

Example of a Marketing Specialist Cover Letter

When you put together all of the different parts and pieces of your marketing specialist cover letter, it’ll look something like this: