Memos

Memos (correspondence written and read only

within a company) are an important means by
which employees communicate with each other. A
memo is important not only because of its
frequency of use and the wide range of subject
matter presented in memo form but also because
memos represent a component of your
interpersonal communication skills within your
work environment
 The difference among memos ,letters
,and e-mail
Characteristi Memos Letters E-mail
cs destination Internal: External Internal or
corresponden Corresponde external
ce written to nce outside Corresponde
colleagues the business nce written to
within a personal
company friends and
acquaintance
s as well as
business
associations
Format Identification Includes Identification
lines include letter –head line includes
date ,to ,from address ,date subject ,from
,and subject, ,reader’s (writer’s
the message address ,salut name and e-
follows ation ,text ,co mail
mplimentary address ,sent
close and (date and
signature transmission)
and to
(reader’s
name and e-
mail address)
the message
follows
Audience Generally Generally Generally
high-tech or low-tech and multiple
low-tech lay readers readers with
mostly such as various level
• business vendors and of
colleagues clients knowledge

Generally Generally
Topic high tech to low-tech to A wide
low tech; lay; range of
abbreviation abbreviation diverse
s and s and topics
acronyms acronyms determined
often usually by audience
Tone Informal More formal Usually
(peer (audience of informal
audience) vendors and (due to the
client conversation
al nature of
electronic
Hard copy communicati
attachments Additional on)
can be information
Attachments stapled to the can be Computer
or enclosures memo. enclosed files active
web links
Compliment within the
and
ary copies envelop .
downloadabl
can be sent Compliment
e graphics
to other ary copies
readers can be sent can be
Delivery time Determined Determined E mail
by a by the messages can
company’s in destination be delivered
house mail (within the within
procedure. city ,state , or minutes but
Memos could country). delays are
be delivered Letters could possible
within 3 days be delivered
within 3 days
but may take
more than a
week
Securit If a company’s mail The U.S E mail
y delivery system is postal Service systems like
reliable ,the memo is very all computer
will be placed in the reliable. system
reader’s mail box. Once the malfunction
Security depends reader opens from time to
on the ethics of co the time .Sent e-
workers and envelop ,he mail might
whether the memo sees exactly not arrive.
was sent within an what the
envelop writer wrote.
Privacy laws
protect the
letter’s
content
What the reader sees on the screen the text
will be the Same but the page layout could
differ. E mail can be tampered with and /or
read by others with access to the system
 Criteria for writing successful
Memos
• Subject line
One hundred percent of your readers read
the subject line. The beginning of a memo is
the subject. The subject line typed in all
caps is where you begin talking to your
readers .one word subject line don’t
communicate effectively .
• Date
• To
• From
• Subject focus +topic
• introduction
a lead in warm-up overview stating
why you’re writing about?
Discussion
detailed development made accessible

through highlighting techniques

explaining exactly what you want to
say
 conclusion
a summation stating what’s next

when this occur and why the date is

important
• Subject : COMPTROLLERS
We’ve got a topic ( a what) but we’re missing a
focus (a what about the what)
Subject plus topic
Termination of comptrollers
Hiring procedure of
comptrollers
vacation schedules for comptrollers
Training seminars for comptrollers
An improved subject line would read as
follows
Subject: SALARY INCREASES FOR
COMPTROLLERS
Although topic says the same the focus
changes and clarifies for the reader the
actual subject matter of the memo
 Introduction
• A goal is to write one or two clear introductory
sentences which tell your readers what you
want and why you’re writing.
Remember ,until you tell them ,they don’t
know
• In the third of our series of quality control
meetings this quarter ,I ‘d like to get together
again to determine if improvements have been
made
• This example invites the reader to a meeting
there by communicating what the writer’s
intentions are. It also tells the reader that the
meeting is one of a series of meetings , thus
communicating why the meeting is being
called
• As a follow-up to our phone conversation
yesterday(8/12/00) , I have met with our VP
regarding your suggestions. He’d like to meet
with you to discuss the following ideas in
more detail.
• This introduction reminds the reader why
this memo is being written _as a follow up_
and tells the reader what will happen next
 Discussion
• The discussion section allows you to develop
your content specifically . You want to
respond to the reporter’s questions
(who ,what ,when, why, where ,how )
• Try to make your writing short and reader
friendly by putting
• Headings bold face type
• Columns Itemization
• Graphics White space
 Example :Unfriendly Text
• This year began with an increase ,as we sold
4.5 million units in January compared to 3.7
for January 1999. In February we
continued to improve with 4.6 compared
with 3.6 for same time in 1999. March was
not quite a good ,as we sold 4.3 against the
March 1999 figure of 3.9 April was above
the same with 4.2 compared to 3.8 for April
1999
 Example 2 Reader Friendly
Text
• COMPARATIVE QUARTERLY
SALES(IN MILLIONS)
1999 2000 INCREASE/DECREASE
Jan. 3.7 4.5 .8+
Feb. 3.6 4.6 1.0+
Mar. 3.9 4.3 .4+
Apr. 3.8 4.2 .4+
 Conclusion
• Conclude your memo with a complimentary
close and /or a directive close. A
complimentary close motivates your readers
and leaves them happy as in the following
example
• If our quarterly sales continue to improve at
this rate, we will double our sales
expectations by 2000. congratulations
• A directive close tells your reader exactly
what you want them to do next or what your
plans are (and provides dated action)
Next Wednesday(12/22/00), Mr. Jones will
provide each of you a timetable of events
and a summary of accomplishments