Crafting an irresistible copywriter cover letter that can land you a job interview involves a different kind of wordsmithing skill that you might be used to. It’s a complex endeavor that involves careful consideration of many different factors.
On the one hand, you want to present yourself in the best possible light. On the other hand, you don’t want to come off as braggy or salesy. You want to strike a fine balance between highlighting your competence and explaining what makes you perfect for the job that you’re applying for.
The good thing is that you have a headstart when it comes to writing a copywriter cover letter. The process involves a blend of data-driven research and creativity that you already possess. All you need is a nudge in the right direction, which you’ll get with this article. Let’s jump in!
Key Takeaways
Format your cover letter so that it has contact information, a cordial greeting, the body of the letter, a formal sign-off, and, optionally, a postscript.
Keep the document one page long, between 250 and 400 words, with a professional font and a clean layout.
Write an attention-grabbing introductory paragraph with your key skills and accomplishments.
Include a strong call to action toward the end to encourage recruiters to check your resume or invite you for an interview.
How to Format Your Copywriter Cover Letter Properly
The best way to format your copywriter cover letter is to follow an established structure to ensure that you’ve included all the necessary information in the right order. Here are the sections to include in your cover letter:
Cover Letter Mandatory Sections
Contact information. A data-oriented section in the header of your cover letter.
Formal greeting. A warm and welcoming opening.
Introductory paragraph. A catchy, elevator-pitch-style introduction to the letter.
Body of the letter. The main section of the document that should contain the most information about your skills and experience.
Closing paragraph. A strong finale with a call to action that’s supposed to increase your chances of landing an interview.
Formal sign-off. A cordial letter closing with your name.
(Optional) Postscript. A memorable snippet that features a notable skill or accomplishment that didn’t fit the rest of the letter.
In essence, a cover letter follows a standard business letter format. It has been perfect for conveying the most information in an optimal manner, and recruiters and potential employers are used to it. That’s why you should follow the arrangement and generally avoid deviating from the traditional order.
Another aspect of your copywriter cover letter’s format is its layout or appearance. To achieve a clean and professional look, you should follow these guidelines:
Cover Letter Format Guidelines
Make your letter one page long.
The writing should be 250–400 words.
Choose a suitable font for your cover letter, such as Arial or Helvetica.
Set the font size between 10 and 12 pt.
Set margins to 1 inch.
Copywriter Cover Letter: Key Elements
Before we go into the details about each of the key elements of a copywriter cover letter, here’s a brief overview that can help you follow along:
#1. Heading
The heading of your cover letter is purely functional and should feature your and the recipient’s contact details. Due to its formulaic nature, this section should be the same regardless of whether you’re writing an entry-level copywriter cover letter or a senior copywriter cover letter.
In addition to contact information, you should also include the date of writing and the location. When listing your contact details, you should include:
Mandatory Cover Letter Heading Information
Your name
Job title
Phone number
Email address
After that, state the location and date before adding the recruiter’s or hiring manager’s details. Let’s see all that in an example:
Cover Letter Heading Example
Roland Snyder Copywriter 1894 Armbrester Drive Lomita, CA 90717 roland.snyder@gmail.com 310-539-6172 Irvine, December 04, 2023 Edward Custer Hiring Manager Good Word Marketing Co. 4458 Bel Meadow Drive Irvine, CA
#2. Greeting
A cordial greeting is the best way to address the recipient and introduce them to the rest of your copywriter cover letter. For a greater impact, you should address the reader by their name, creating a personalized experience. Here’s a quick example:
Cover Letter Greeting Example
Dear Mr. Custer,
If you were unable to find the recipient’s name, you should address them by their title (e.g., “Dear Hiring Manager”). However, you should avoid blanket greetings like “To Whom It May Concern,” as they are overly generic and may signal a lack of diligence on your end.
#3. Introduction
An introductory paragraph is your chance to grab the reader’s attention and persuade them to take a better look at your letter from the start.
Recruiters and hiring managers don’t always go through every cover letter attentively. That’s why you want to give them a reason to focus on your application by emphasizing crucial information at the very beginning. This involves some of your key skills and at least one highly prominent accomplishment.
Take a look at the example of a copywriter cover letter intro paragraph:
Cover Letter Introduction Example
I was thrilled to see an opening for a copywriter position at Good Word Marketing Co. As a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, my focus is social media. With a proven track record of helping companies see an upward of 30% increase in online traffic from their social media platforms, I’m confident I’d become a valuable member of your organization.
#4. Skills, Qualifications, & Experiences
The main portion of your copywriter cover letter should be all about your skills, qualifications, and experiences relevant to the position that you’re applying for. This is the place to go into detail about the abilities that employers are looking for. However, instead of just listing them, add suitable accomplishments and quantify them with numbers for more impact.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Cover Letter Skills, Qualifications, & Experiences Section Example
As a project lead at [Previous Company], I spearheaded a successful website content overhaul to increase user engagement by 37% and reduce bounce rates by 19%. Furthermore, I created a tailored email marketing campaign based on extensive customer behavior analysis, boosting open rates by 31% and click rates by 17%.
#5. Reasons for Applying
Highlighting the specific reasons for applying to the company is a great way to get ahead of the competition. It shows recruiters and potential employers that you’re already invested in their company and that you’re more likely to fit in with their team and projects than other applicants.
Let’s see that in an example:
Cover Letter Reasons for Applying Section Example
I am especially excited to apply at Good Word Marketing Co. due to your comprehensive approach to marketing and branding. Your campaign for [Notable Client] shows a profound understanding of the market and the use of captivating storytelling to foster user engagement.
#6. Call to Action
A call to action is one of the strongest ways to finish your copywriter cover letter. Use this opportunity to suggest the reader check out your copywriter resume, portfolio, or website or to prompt them to invite you over for an interview. Here’s an example:
Cover Letter CTA Example
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my qualifications over an interview.
#7. Conclusion & Sign-Off
A conclusion and sign-off should concisely and tastefully complete your cover letter. To achieve that, you can use one of the common farewell phrases followed by your name. Here’s an example:
Cover Letter Closing Alternatives
Kind regards, Roland Snyder
Here’s a complete copywriter cover letter example to help you better understand everything that you’ve learned so far.
5 Expert Strategies for Composing a Copywriter Cover Letter
Let’s finish this comprehensive guide with five expert tips that can help your cover letter stand out among the competition:
Copywriter Cover Letter Tips
Think of your cover letter as a sales copy for your skills and experience. That’s why you should apply all your copywriting prowess when writing it to grab the recruiter’s attention and persuade them to invite you for an interview.
A cover letter isn’t supposed to replace your resume but to augment it. That’s why you shouldn’t copy and paste the information already present in your resume. Instead, use the opportunity to further elaborate on your skills and achievements to strengthen the overall application.
A catchy postscript is highly effective at grabbing the reader’s attention. When done properly, it can convince a recruiter who merely skimmed through a cover letter to go back to the beginning and read it more carefully.
Ensure that your copywriter cover letter is tailored to the position that you’re applying for. Instead of haphazardly listing every skill and workplace result that comes to your mind, only highlight those that you know the employer is going to value.
Meticulously proofread your writing. Copywriting is a delicate profession that revolves around attention to detail. While a spelling mistake is bad in any cover letter, it can be detrimental to a copywriter.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, writing a copywriter cover letter is not much different from your everyday job. There’s research, creativity, attention to detail, relevance, and writing. By following the guidelines outlined in the article, you won’t just craft a good cover letter; you’ll create an outstanding one!
Moreover, it doesn’t matter if you’re a senior in the field or if you’re trying to put together a copywriter cover letter with no experience, as the rules of writing are universal. Your goal is to portray yourself in a favorable light while giving recruiters what they want to see.
Remember that your cover letter is a testament to your writing skills in the same way that your portfolio is. Treat it as a professional yet personable sales pitch, and you’ll get your interview in no time!
