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Writing Memo, Letter, and

Email
Use and Formatting
Emails, Memos, and Letters
• Emails are generally used both within an organization (“in-house”)
and outside an organization, when the subject is relatively informal
and routine.
• Memos are used only for communication within an organization,
especially when the subject is more formal, non-routine, and more
serious than what you’d write in an email.
•Letters are typically sent to recipients outside an organization. Letters
might also be used within an organization if the topic is very formal
and/or non-routine.

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Emails, Memos, and Letters

Emails: Inside and Outside organization

Memos: Inside organization

Letters: Outside organization (usually)

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Memo Cue Words Formatting
LINE UP CUE WORD CONTENT AT 1 inch ruler mark
DATE: Written out as month, day, year

TO: Recipient’s name (and, if desired, title)

FROM: Sender’s name (and, if desired, title) and initials

SUBJECT: One-Line “Headline”

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About Capitalization in Formatting
• You can capitalize ONLY the first letter of the MAIN/MAJOR words, if
you know how to identify these.

• Several of these memo examples show the cue words and subject
line in ALL caps. This avoids the hassle of trying to identify
main/major words. Be aware that two styles exist.

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Memo Cue Words Formatting Example # 1
Capitalizing only first letter of main/major words.
Date: September 30, 2015

To: Ray Charles, Marketing Manager

From: Bruce King, Events Manager BK

Subject: Conference Planning

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Memo Cue Words Formatting Example # 2

DATE: September 30, 2015

TO: Ray Charles, Marketing Manager

FROM: Bruce King, Events Manager BK

SUBJECT: CONFERENCE PLANNING

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MEMO FORMATTING
• See the How to Format a Memo Document.
• You can view this video on composing and writing a memo.

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Format for Memos
Memo XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Title
XX: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Headings XXXX: xxxxxxxxxx
XXXX: xxxxxxxxxx
XXXXXXX: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Message
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x

© Prentice Hall, 2004 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 6 - 9


Letter Formatting
• Letter formatting is very different from memo formatting.
• You will use letter formatting for the Request and Response Letter
Assignments.
• The Request and Response Letter Examples demonstrate both how to
use the direct strategy and how to write a list with parallel structure.
• Before you write your Request and Response Letter Assignments,
refer to this PowerPoint again.
• Don’t create a “LEMO,” which is a combination letter (LE) and memo
(MO) mutant. ;)

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Business Letterhead
• Business Letterhead typically includes company name, address,
phone, email, and company web address at the top of the page.
Sometimes the address can be placed at the very bottom)

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Letter Formatting
• Please put the Subject Line ABOVE the Salutation (the Dear Mr. ___ :
Dear Ms. ___ : part), not below.

• Both locations are acceptable, but BSTEC 110 Company’s “style


manual” requires it ABOVE the salutation, to avoid breaking up letter
“flow.” ;)

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Request-Response Letters Assignment Packet has more Details
• Spell out month. Use month, day, year order. May 1, 2015
• If you have room, put the JOB TITLE on line 2 of the inside address, and the
company name on Line 3.
• It’s okay to combine name and job title on line 1 (first choice), or title and
company name on line 3 (second choice, as shown).
• Always spell out Road, Street, Drive, Avenue, Circle, etc.
• It’s okay to abbreviate Boulevard (Blvd.); use a period after abbreviations.
FORMATTING LETTERS
• On the line underneath the street address, put the City, followed by a comma
and then the TWO LETTERS for State abbreviation (WA-no periods!). No comma
before zip code.

• Put SUBJECT LINE above Salutation, not below.


•(Again, both are acceptable, but your BSTEC 110 Company prefers above, to
avoid breaking up flow.)
13
Format for Business-Letters
Letterhead
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Stationery XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Date xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Inside
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Address
Salutation xxxxxxxxx:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x Message
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x Complimentary
Signature xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x Close
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Block x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx,

© Prentice Hall, 2004 Business Communication Essentials


xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Chapter 6 - 14
xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxx
Request-Response Letters Assignment Packet has
more Details
• Letters have a “complimentary close,” usually “Sincerely,” one blank
line after the end of the letter.

• Underneath this is the writer’s signature, written above the writer’s


typed name. Writer’s title is below the typed name.

• Copies to and Enclosure notations are placed below this “signature


block.” See How to Format a Business Letter document.

• Left-align business documents. Do NOT “justify.”

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Lamoreux
Formatting Emails
Email Formatting

Email programs have To and Subject boxes for you to


fill in. The date is automatically added.
The “look” varies by program.

As for memos and letters, the Subject Line should be


specific, “headlining” what this is about for a busy
reader scrolling through hundreds of emails.
Email Salutations
• Emails also require Salutations, although these are less
formal than a letter’s “Dear Mr. or Ms. ______:”
• You can use that, but, unless it’s very formal, you may
use Hello, Mr. or Ms. _________, (with a comma) or, if
you know the person, “Hello, Nate,” or “Hello, Kara,”
instead.
• Using “hey,” or “yo,” or no Salutation is NOT
professional.
Email Body
As always, a message needs an Introduction, a Body, and a Closing.

Use one blank line between paragraphs to avoid “Wall of Text” Syndrome!

• The advice is to, if possible, limit email length to what appears


on the screen.

• Since readers use multiple devices, with different size screens,


this can’t always be adhered to.

• But consider the average-sized computer monitor screen, and


use that as a suggested guideline.
Email Signature Block

Use the complimentary close “Sincerely,” if the email


is formal. You can also use “Thank you.”

Most professionals use an automatically inserted


“Signature,” which appears at the end of emails.
Email Signature
Email Etiquette

See the BSTEC 110 Presentation on


Email Etiquette in the Business
Documents Folder.
But now, let’s get organized with
O. H. I. O.
1: Pay Attention to Tone
•Always consider audience and purpose
•E-mail to an expert = respectful, friendly and professional
•Complaint letter = firm, formal, demanding, but not threatening

The word “YOU” really effects your tone.


•Congratulate and thank with “you”
•“Your company always provides the best service.”
•Do NOT use “you” when giving bad or negative information
•“Your shoddy work produced a bad toaster.”
•“My toaster no longer works.”
Not Good.

You must have dropped the engine. The housing is badly cracked.

Better

The badly cracked housing suggests that your engine must have fallen onto a hard
surface from some height.
2: Brief, purposeful Introduction
•The first line should clarify topic & purpose
•No more than four or five lines
Avoid diving into details too early or before the purpose
of the communication is mentioned.

3: Review the context

• We’re forgetful and busy people


• Your reader may not be familiar with the situation
4: Follow a good-news first strategy

5. Use a reader-centered strategy


6: Organize your paragraphs logically
• State the subject and purpose.
• Explain the problem in detail.
• Describe how the problem inconvenienced
you.
• State what you would like the reader to do.
• Thank the reader for his or her response.
• Provide contact information.

Image from: http://blog.1800dessert.com/2006/05/oreo_powered_rocket.html


7: Keep your paragraphs short!
No more information than necessary!

8: Use headings, lists, and tables

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sodales a, risus. Vestibulum non sapien sodales nulla scelerisque suscipit.
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per inceptos hymenaeos. Pellentesque nibh. Curabitur dapibus bibendum orci.
Fusce lacinia, massa eu volutpat feugiat, arcu purus semper diam, id rutrum urna ante id quam.
9: Have an active conclusion
•Tell your reader what you want

•Give your contact information

Image from: http://www.masshist.org/cabinet/november2002/hancocksignaturelg.jpg


Image from: http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/hay-be-nice-emokitteh-is-sensitive.jpg
Overview part I
•Pay attention to tone
•Have a brief “state-your-purpose” introduction
•Review the context
• If writing a response to some other communication, repeat the
details of the context
•Follow a good-news-first, bad-news-last strategy
•Use a reader-centered strategy
•Reader and writer usually have a mutual goal – they both want
something!! Both parties needs to feel they have gained
something.
• Organize paragraphs logically
• Intro, Narration, Petition and Justification
Overview part II
•Keep your paragraphs short
•Fewer than 8 lines, and use11-point, readable font
•Use headings, lists, and tables where appropriate
•Headings indicate sections, bulleted lists for key points, numbered lists of
sequential items, and tables to enable comparison information
•Have an active conclusion
•Make clear what you expect the recipient to do, avoid weak endings like “hoping to
hear from you soon,” and give your contact information!
O.H.I.O.
Only Handle it Once

How to Handle Multiple Messages Efficiently


Only Handle it Once (O.H.I.O.)
• The gist of OHIO is to manage your time and resources efficiently
and to reduce clutter.

• When handling hard-copy letters or memos for the first time,


determine whether it needs action right now, today, tomorrow, this
week or month, or whether no action is needed.
• Only Handle it Once applies especially to junk mail, hard-copy, or
email, that you can make a fast decision about to delete.

• The “rule” is not meant to be taken literally for other mail and
email, which should be considered carefully and handled an
efficient number of times.
Only Handle it Once (O.H.I.O.)

• Only Handle it Once can mean that you set the non-
urgent letter, memo, or email aside and then commit
time that evening to focus on it.
• Some messages might be about large projects, and,
obviously, you cannot handle those once and
complete the project, while ignoring everything else!
Only Handle it Once (O.H.I.O.)
for Memos and Letters
• Sort or file the memo or letter accordingly: “need
action soonest” items near at hand; others filed and
easily identified (so you don’t forget about them!)

• No action needed might be filed for documentation


or historical purposes, or recycled or shredded.
Only Handle it Once (O.H.I.O.) for Email

• Emails can be overwhelming; you might receive 100s daily at


work.
• Email “folders” help you to immediately prioritize and “file”
emails to work on right away, today, tomorrow, within the
week, etc.
• Different email providers offer their own style of folders.

By the way, if you think that Only Handle it Once has a


misplaced modifier, you are correct.

But Handle It Only Once (HIOO) is just not as catchy. :)

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