In Part I, we covered how to grab the reader's attention with the opening sentence. Now we'll get them interested, arouse desire, and get them to take action. Let's get moving.

Interest

Now that you have the reader's undivided attention. The next step is get them interested in what you have to offer. In this case, since you're applying for a job, the goal is to get the reader interested in you, right?

So how do you do that? You feed them interesting facts. Like how much money you saved your previous employer. By telling them how you were at top of your class. Or that you were one of the top salespeople and the qualities you possess that enabled you to become a top performer.

Look at your past. There have to be some accomplishments you can talk about. And you must possess some strengths that enabled you to achieve those accomplishments. Don't keep them to yourself. Tell the hiring manager. Create enough interest to make the reader want to know more. How else can they make an informed decision? You're not helping anyone by holding back.

Desire

You've grabbed the reader's attention and created interested, now you'll arouse desire by describing the benefits the company will get if it "buys" what you're selling (which is you). What are the benefits of hiring you?

You've got a proven track record. You possess qualities that have made you successful in the past and will continue to make you successful in the future. The hiring manger will be congratulated for making such an outstanding hiring decision. Those are some general ideas. I'm sure you can think of some that are more specific to you and your situation.

Fill in the details that apply to your situation. Do you have some special certification or accreditation? Do you have a specialized degree? Do you have unique and relevant experience that make you an ideal candidate for the job? Surely, there are several benefits you can use to sell the hiring manager on bringing you in for an interview.

Even if you're trying to switch careers, my killer "System" will get you noticed. You'll get interviews just because the hiring manger wants to meet someone who'd send such a creative cover letter.

Action

All that's left now is to get the reader to pick up the phone and call you. Don't leave the reader hanging. You've grabbed their attention, created interest, and aroused desire. Now tell them what to do next. And don't be timid. I like to use a subheadline - a headline within the letter. It looks like this:

Here's What To Do Next

Can you be any clearer than that? I don't think so. You could also use something like: "Here's How To Schedule An Interview With Me"

Then give them your contact information - all of it. Your phone number, fax number (if you have one), mailing address, email address, cell phone, etc. People are different and you don't know what their preferred method of communication is so make it easy for them to "order" an interview with you.

Some people will want to pick up the phone and call you. Others prefer email. So give them multiple ways to contact you. That increases the chance they'll contact you for an interview. And that's what you want, isn't it?

So there you have it, the AIDA formula. Apply it to transform stale, boring cover letters into Killer Cover Letters that'll get the phone ringing off the hook.

Here's What To Do Next

Hey, haven't you seen that somewhere before? Well, if you liked this article, you'll absolutely love my Killer Cover Letter "System." You can get all the details at: www.CoverLetterGuru.com

Robert is an author, speaker, and real estate entrepreneur(both on & offline). Robert applied his direct response marketing skills to develop a Killer Cover Letter System that produced 3 job offers in 72 hours. Please visit http://www.CoverLetterGuru.com to find out more about Robert's Killer Cover Letter "System."