Companies want to be flattered, so take the time to do your homework, and recycle your newly found knowledge into why you want to work for them. Check their social media accounts, look for their name in the news, research their clients, look up their recent awards and read through their company blog or news section. Stalk the CEO, and checked out the hiring manager’s LinkedIn profile.
What to mention:
Now, what aspects of the company can you pick out that interest you? What makes them attractive, and can you flatter them more by drawing upon these? Are there any parallels you can draw between this company, and companies you’ve worked for in the past? Do you hold the same values? Is the location desirable? What type of people work there?
If there are undesirable aspects of the company, how can you turn these into a positive? i.e. “I’m guessing some may find this industry boring or uninteresting, but I’m well-suited to this because…” and “I was very excited to see that you recently won XX Customer Service Award, which I find incredibly admirable. My 3 years in retail have taught me the true value of excellent customer service, and I believe I would be a valuable asset to the company because of this.”