How do I turn a generic opening into a strong one?

Replace general words with the job title, the company name and one specific fact about you. Then cut anything the reader already knows.

Before:
"I am writing to express my interest in the position advertised. I am a motivated and hard-working professional who would be a great asset to your company."

After:
"I am applying for the Inventory Controller role at Northline Distribution. In my current warehouse, I introduced weekly cycle counts that greatly reduced stock differences at the annual audit."

Steps:

• Add the exact role and company.
• Swap adjectives for one real example.
• Delete phrases like "great asset" or "advertised position".

Read the new version aloud. If it could only have been written by you, for this job, it is strong.