How to Write a Sales Assistant Cover Letter (With Tips)

By Indeed Editorial Team

Published 29 November 2021

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Sales assistants are entry-level sales professionals who promote sales and help customers find the best products for them. A sales assistant can gain experience and skills and show their aptitude for a position by describing them in their cover letter. If you're applying for sales positions, learning more about writing a sales assistant cover letter can be beneficial. In this article, we explain how to write a cover letter for a sales assistant position, describe why it's important to write an effective cover letter, provide a template you can fill in, review a cover letter example and list helpful cover letter tips.

How to write a sales assistant cover letter

If you're interested in a sales career, you may learn more about writing a sales assistant cover letter. A sales assistant is an entry-level sales professional who greets customers, recommends products and answers questions. They take inventory, stock merchandise, promote sales and accept payments for purchases. These are some steps you can follow to write a cover letter for a sales assistant role:

1. Format your cover letter

The first step to writing your cover letter is formatting it. You can choose a word processor and create a professional format using a font like Times New Roman or Georgia. Most cover letters follow formal letter formats, but depending on your profession, you may make alterations. For example, if you're a graphic designer, you may choose to incorporate more elements of style in your letter than an accountant or business manager. Some word processors offer libraries of templates you can choose from to use for your cover letter if you don't want to format it yourself.

2. Write your greeting

The greeting for your letter is the opening phrase that greets the reader. Depending on your preferences, there are many greetings you can choose from. It's a good idea to use formal or professional greetings in cover letters. These are some greetings you may choose from:

Dear [hiring manager name]
To [hiring manager name]
Greetings
To whom it may concern

3. Introduce yourself

In the first paragraph of your cover letter, you can introduce yourself and explain the reason for your letter. It can be a good idea to specify which position you're interested in, as hiring managers and teams can manage many open positions at a time. The beginning of your letter can clearly state your intentions and summarise your background and show your most compelling strengths. Writing a strong introduction paragraph is important, as it can encourage the hiring manager to continue reading your letter.

4. Describe your background

In the body of the cover letter, you can describe your background and the experience you have that makes you an excellent candidate for the position. When describing your experience, use specific examples and figures, if you can. For example, rather than explaining your role as a server, you can detail how you brought value to the team as a server by decreasing wait time by 12%.

5. Emphasise your skills

It's also important to highlight your relevant skills in the body of the cover letter. You can associate professional skills with specific experiences, describing how certain roles and events helped you become more skilled as a sales assistant. For example, you may include that you developed a new system for stocking shelves that helped the store prepare for holiday sales. These are some sales assistant skills you may highlight in your cover letter:

customer service
communication
teamwork
organisation
time management
inventory experience
computation
patience
attention to detail
active listening skills

6. Conclude your letter

The conclusion of your letter can express your gratitude for the reader's time. You can show how you're excited about the opportunity and eager to speak with them more. This part of the letter is also a good place to include a call to action, prompting the hiring manager or recruitment to contact you for more information or to schedule an interview.

7. Sign and submit the letter

After writing your conclusion, you can include a salutation and sign your letter. To sign the letter, you can print it out, sign it and scan it again for a digital copy, or you can use a digital signature programme. These are some professional salutations to choose from:

Regards
Best
Sincerely
Thank you
With gratitude

Why is it important to write a cover letter as a sales assistant?

These are some reasons it's important to write an effective cover letter as a sales assistant:

Show who you are as a sales assistant: Your cover letter can expand on your CV by showing your personality and the specific details of who you are as a sales assistant.
Demonstrate your skill and abilities: The CV you submit can include a list of skills and abilities, but it can't expand on them the way your cover letter can. In your cover letter, you can link skills to specific experiences and values.
Gain the attention of hiring managers: An effective cover letter with excellent writing can gain the attention of the hiring manager and show your attention to detail and written communication skills.

Cover letter template for sales assistant

This is a sales assistant cover letter template you can fill in to create your own:

[Your full name]
[Location]
[Your professional email address]

[Date]

[Recipient's full name]
[Recipient's professional title]
[Company name]

[Professional greeting],

[The introduction paragraph shares your name and the role you're applying for. Emphasise your strengths and describe the reasons for your interest in the open sales assistant role.]

[In the second paragraph, you can describe your relevant professional assistant or sales experience and why you enjoy working as a sales assistant.]

[Conclude your cover letter by showing your enthusiasm for the position, thanking the reader for their time and including a call to action that encourages them to contact you for an interview.]

[Professional sign off],

[Your name]
[Your signature]

Example cover letter for a sales assistant role

This is an example sales assistant cover letter you can use as inspiration when writing your own:

Fanny Lau
Hong Kong
fanny@email.com

November, 16th 2022

Jenny Tam
Hiring manager
Ning Qiu Stores

Dear Ms Lau,

I'm writing to apply for the sales assistant position at Ning Qiu Stores. In my previous position as a sales assistant, I developed customer service skills that earned me employee of the month three months in a row. I believe my teamwork and productivity methods can bring value to the team at Ning Qiu Stores.

During my two years as a sales assistant, I implemented a new system for stocking that allowed the staff to work together more efficiently and take more frequent breaks without compromising productivity. In my time in my previous role, we reduced stocking time by 6%. I enjoy working as a sales assistant because I love helping customers find products that can improve their lives at great prices, and I believe I can do a great job at Ning Qiu Stores.

Thank you for taking the time to consider me as a candidate for the sales assistant position. I'm eager to learn more about the opening and start working with Ning Qiu Stores. Please don't hesitate to contact me for further information or to schedule an interview.

Regards,

Jenny Tam

Tips for writing an effective cover letter

Writing an effective cover letter can help you encourage the hiring manager to schedule an interview with you. These are some helpful tips you can use when creating an effective cover letter:

Create cohesive application materials: When creating application materials, you can choose the same fonts and colours for your cover letter or CV to create a cohesive presentation. This can help the hiring manager remember who you are and connect each document.
Proofread and edit your cover letter: You can proofread and edit your cover letter by asking friends and family to look for errors. You can also use online grammar-checking software to find minor errors and fix language mistakes.
Write a new letter for each position: Rather than using the same cover letter for each position you apply for, customise a new document for each role. This helps you separate yourself from other candidates and appeal to the specific values of each company.
Use important keywords from listings: As a sales assistant, customer service, communication, organisation and teamwork can all be important qualities you have. You can learn more about which keywords to use by reviewing the job listing and job description.