44.

Make a Plan to Meet

You're not in business until you have a specific date and time in your calendar to talk or meet with the person you've written. Otherwise, it's just bar talk—as in, “Hey, baby, I'll talk to you soon.” When exactly is soon? Tomorrow? Next week? Next month? In the third paragraph of your cover letter, add something like, “I look forward to meeting with you in person on Thursday at noon.”

The irony in all this is that cover letters are no longer as important as they once were. The percentage of people who now get interviews by sending a résumé and cover letter to a stranger is extremely low. If you've followed my coaching and focused on building relationships, you'll already know the person you're targeting, and a cover letter may not even be necessary!