You're ready to apply for a business planning manager role, but there's a catch—you need a standout cover letter. Crafting one can be tough; it's not just echoing your resume. Your cover letter should weave a captivating tale around your proudest professional moment without drowning in clichés. It must remain formal yet concise, never spilling over one page. Get set to write a cover letter that opens doors rather than putting your application to sleep.
- Writing the essential business planning manager cover letter sections: balancing your professionalism and personality;
- Mixing storytelling, your unique skill set, and your greatest achievement;
- Providing relevant (and interesting) information with your business planning manager cover letter, despite your lack of professional experience;
- Finding the perfect format for your[ business planning manager cover letter, using templates from industry experts.
Leverage the power of Enhancv's AI: upload your resume and our platform will map out how your business planning manager cover letter should look, in mere moments.
If the business planning manager isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:
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Business Planning Manager cover letter example
Nora Wright
Denver, Colorado
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- Emphasize Relevant Experience: The cover letter highlights previous success in a similar role, which in this case is the branding campaign that led to a 20% market share growth at Callaway Golf Company. This demonstrates the candidate's ability to drive significant business results.
- Showcase Analytical Skills: It underlines the candidate's strength in strategic market analysis, showing an ability to understand and leverage market dynamics to a company's advantage, which is essential for a role in business planning and brand strategy.
- Match Skills to Job Description: The content of the letter aligns closely with the requirements of the role, with specific mentions of expertise in business planning, sales forecasting, and marketing strategy, which are likely to be key aspects of the position they are applying for.
Designing your business planning manager cover letter: what is the best format
Let's start with the basics, your business planning manager cover letter should include your:
- Header
- Greeting
- Introduction
- Body paragraph
- Closing statement
- Signature (that's not a must)
Next, we'll move to the spacing of your business planning manager cover letter, and yes, it should be single-spaced (automatically formatted for you in our cover letter templates).
Don't go for a old-school font (e.g. Arial or Times New Roman), but instead, pick an ATS-favorite like Chivo, Volkhov, or Raleway, to stand out.
Our cover letter builder is also set up for you with the standard one-inch margin, all around the text.
Finally, ensure your business planning manager resume and cover letter are in the same font and are submitted in PDF (to keep the formatting in place).
P.S. The Applicant Tracker System (or ATS) won't be assessing your [job] cover letter, it's solely for the recruiters' eyes.
The top sections on a business planning manager cover letter
- Header: Include your name, contact information, and the date, as it provides the necessary details for the recruiter to easily reach you and understand who the cover letter is from.
- Greeting: Address the recruiter or hiring manager by name if possible to show that you did your research and are writing a personalized letter.
- Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and state the position you are applying for, emphasizing your interest in the role of a business planning manager and why you are a good fit.
- Body: Detail your relevant experience, accomplishments, and skills specifically related to business planning and strategy, demonstrating your expertise and ability to contribute to the company's goals.
- Closing: Reiterate your enthusiasm for the position, state your desire to discuss your qualifications further in an interview, and thank the reader for considering your application, showing professionalism and courtesy.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
- Strategic Planning Expertise: Ability to develop and execute business strategies to guide the company's future growth.
- Analytical Skills: Strong proficiency in analyzing data, market trends, and financial reports to inform management decisions.
- Leadership and Team Management: Proven record of leading cross-functional teams to drive planning processes and implementation.
- Communication Skills: Exceptional oral and written communication abilities for delivering clear and concise business plans to stakeholders.
- Problem-Solving Abilities: Capacity to identify business challenges and develop effective solutions to improve operational efficiency.
- Experience with Business Planning Tools: Familiarity with software like Microsoft Excel, Tableau, or specific ERP systems for business planning and forecasting.
What greeting should you use in your business planning manager cover letter salutation
A simple "Hello" or "Hey" just won't work.
With your business planning manager cover letter salutation, you set the tone of the whole communication.
You should thus address the hiring managers by using their first (or last name) in your greeting.
But how do you find out who's recruiting for the role?
The easiest way is to look up the role on LinkedIn or the corporate website.
Alternatively, you could also contact the organization via social media or email, for more information.
Unable to still obtain the recruiter's name?
Don't go down the "To whom it may concern path". Instead, start your cover letter with a "Dear HR team".
List of salutations you can use
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Company Name] Team,
- Dear [Department Name] Department,
- Dear [Full Name],
- Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name],
- Dear Dr. [Last Name],
Your business planning manager cover letter introduction and the value you bring
Moving on from the "Dear Recruiter" to your professional introduction.
Use those first two sentences of your business planning manager cover letter to present the biggest asset you'd bring to the organization.
Don't go into too much detail about your achievement or the skill set, but instead - go straight for the win.
That is - what is your value as a professional?
Would you be able to build stronger, professional relationships in any type of communication? Or, potentially, integrate seamlessly into the team?
Choosing your best achievement for the middle or body of your business planning manager cover letter
Now that you have the recruiters' attention, it's time to write the chunkiest bit of your business planning manager cover letter.
The body consists of three to six paragraphs that focus on one of your achievements.
Use your past success to tell a story of how you obtained your most job-crucial skills and know-how (make sure to back these up with tangible metrics).
Another excellent idea for your business planning manager cover letter's middle paragraphs is to shine a light on your unique professional value.
Write consistently and make sure to present information that is relevant to the role.
Two ideas on how to end the final paragraph of your business planning manager cover letter
Closing your business planning manager cover letter, you want to leave a memorable impression on recruiters, that you're a responsible professional.
End your cover letter with how you envision your growth, as part of the company. Make realistic promises on what you plan to achieve, potentially, in the next six months to a year.
Before your signature, you could also signal hiring managers that you're available for the next steps. Or, a follow-up call, during which you could further clarify your experience or professional value.
Which story should you tell in your business planning manager cover letter when you have zero experience
Candidates, lacking professional experience in the field - this one is for you.
Your business planning manager cover letter is an exercise of integrity, honesty, and, above all, spinning a positive narrative around your strengths.
And what better way to capture recruiters' attention than with your most job-relevant achievement (this could be from your internship or volunteering experience)?
Make sure to back up your success with transferrable skills that are relevant to the job (e.g. how your year, studying abroad, has taught you to be more motivated and handle multicultural environments).
Another safe card you can bet on is your career dream: in the body of your business planning manager cover letter, go into the details of how your ambitions would help make the company you're applying for better.
Key takeaways
We hope this business planning manager cover letter writing guide has shown you how to:
- Format your business planning manager cover letter with the mandatory sections (e.g. header, greeting, intro, body, and closing) and select the right font (P.S. It should be the same as the one you've used for your resume);
- Substitute your lack of professional experience with your most noteworthy achievement, outside of work, or your dreams and passions;
- Ensure recruiters have a more personalized experience by tailoring your cover letter not just to the role, but to them (e.g. writing their first/last name in the salutation, etc.);
- Introducing your biggest achievement and the skills it has taught you in your business planning manager cover letter body;
- Write no more than two sentences in your business planning manager cover letter introduction to set the right tone from the get-go.
