Lecture 21

Professional Communication

Memorandum Writing

Summary• What is an email?• Techniques to write effective emails• When to use email• Effective Subject Lines• Email Content and Style• Format• Signatures• Professionalism• Email etiquettes

What is Memorandum?

• Memorandum is a written correspondence only within company.

• Its an important mean by which employees communicate with each other.

• Its an informal report.

• Less threatening• Readily accessible• Easy to adapt• Used for many purposes• Can be for all levels

Memorandums are:

What should you know about Business Memos? They . . .

• are used within an organization • usually are informal in style • normally function as a non-sensitive communication• are short and to-the-point • have a business tone / no slang or jokes• do not require a salutation (formal greeting) • do not have a complimentary closing as does a

business letter (END) • have a format very different from a business letter • may address one person or a group of individuals

Memos• Audience recognition:1. In-house2. Acronyms/Internal Abbreviations• Style: 1. Simple words2. Readable Sentences3. Specific Detail4. Highlighting Techniques• Grammar: 1. Grammatical Conversations

Formatting a . . .

Business Memo

Basic Elements of Memorandum Format

• Date:• To:• From:• Subject:• Memo Report:• Names of receivers:

Memo SampleCollege of Business Administration Business Communication

Memorandum

Date: September 10, 2007

To: CBA Students From: Dale Coattail

Sunject: How to Write a Memo

Your instructor has asked you to write a memo, which is the most common form of written communication in business. In order to perform this task successfully, you should conform to general business standards of content, format, structure and language use. Regarding Content, the first rule of writing a good memo is "Get to the point!" The second rule is "Know what your purpose is." Before you start writing, be sure that you know what your "answer" is to the boss's or colleague's question. Don't include all your thinking in the memo. While several pages of thinking might get written as you come up with the answer, the memo includes only the answer. Citations, financials, or justifications that must be available to the reader can be added as appendices or written as a separate, formal report. The memo should include only those ideas that are required for the reader's action or decision.

Format This memo is an example of memo format. Note especially the routing information, the use of headings, and the single spaced block paragraphs. If your memo looks like a memo, there's a better chance a business reader will take your ideas seriously. If you are working in a CBA lab, the easiest way to duplicate the proper memo format is to use a template. (Select "new" from the File MENU and select the "memo" tab on the dialogue box.)

Structure The typical memo is only 2 or 3 paragraphs and fits on one page. The first paragraph summarizes the gist of the whole memo, then the main points are covered in the same order they were previewed. Again, this memo provides an example of the typical structure.

Language Use A memo is often less formal than a letter, but should still be written with a businesslike tone. You can be friendly, but not cute. Your professional image depends on perfect spelling and grammar, but you can usually get away with a few "down home" expressions. Edit for wordiness and get directly to the point. Use language to communicate your ideas effectively and efficiently. (END)

cc: Your Instructor

Executive Summary or Introduction

Headings w/ routing information

Special note

Start the Body / Body Headings

Guidelines for writing Memos

• Place DATE, TO, FROM, SUBECT at left hand margin

• Place DATE to the right (optional)• Follow each item with a colon• Lace names of people below the message• Name the contents in subject line• Signature must occur at right of your typed

name

Memo Writing Process

Re-Writing

Writing

Pre-Writing

Memo Writing Process

• Pre-Writing1. Clustering2. Mind mapping

Memo Writing Process

• Writing1. Review your Pre-writing2. Determine your focus (topic sentence)3. Clarify your audience4. Review memo criteria (what a memo entails)5. Organize your ideas (Chronology)6. Write the draft

Memo Writing Process

• Re-writing1. Add new detail for clarity (5 W’s)2. Delete dead words/phrases (conciseness)3. Simplify words/phrases4. Move information from top to

bottom/bottom to up

Types of Memos

Student Written

Memo

Professionally Written Memo

Professionally Written Problem-Solution

Memo

Professionally Written Compare-and-Contrast Memo

Lets Practice one!

• A major project is being introduced at work. Write a Directive Memo, as a Director, informing your work team of their individual work and responsibilities. Your team comprises Marketing Manager, Assistant Manager, Finance Officer and Field Officer.

Memos VS

Letters VS

Email

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Destination

Memos• Internal • Correspondence written to

colleagues within a company

Letters• External • Correspondence written outside the

business

E-mail• Internal or external• Correspondence written to personal

friends as well as business associates

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Format

Memos• Identification lines include:

Date To From Subject The message follows

Letters• Includes:

Letter-head address Date Reader's address Subject Salutation Text Complimentary close Signatures

E-mail• Identification lines include:

Subject From (writer’s name, and e-mail address) Sent (date of transmission) To (reader's name and email address) The message follows

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Audience

Memos • Generally high-tech or low-tech• Mostly business colleagues

Letters • Generally low-tech and lay readers• Such as vendors and clients

E-mail• Generally multiple readers with

various levels of knowledge• Could include instructors• Company supervisors• Subordinates as well as family and

friends

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Topic

Memos • Generally high-tech to low-tech; abbreviations and acronym often allowed

Letters • Generally low-tech to lay; abbreviations and acronyms usually defined

E-mail • A wide range of diverse topics determined by audience

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Tone

Memos • Informal• Peer audience

Letters • More formal• Audience of vendors and clients

E-mail • Usually informal• Due to the “conversational” nature of

electronic communication

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Attachments or Enclosures

Memos• Hard-copy attachments can be stapled to

memo• Complimentary copies can be sent to

other readers

Letters• Additional information can be enclosed

within the envelope• Complimentary copies can be sent to

other readers

E-mail• Computer files• Active links and downable graphics can be

attached• Complimentary copies can be sent to

other readers

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Structure

Memos • Typically 8 ½” * 11” with 1” margins• 80 characters per line• 55 lines per page

Letters• Typically 8 ½” * 11” with 1” margins• 80 characters per line• 55 lines per page

E-mail• Typically one viewable screen with 60-70

characters per line• 12-14 lines per screen• Beyond these parameters, a reader must

scroll

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Security

Memos• If the company’s mail delivery is reliable, the memo

will be placed in the reader's mailbox• Security depends on the ethics of co-workers and

whether the memo was sent within an envelope

Letters• Privacy laws protect the letter’s content• Once the reader opens the envelope, he or she sees

exactly what the writer wrote

E-mail• E-mail systems, like computer systems, malfunctions

from time to time• Sent email might not arrive• The content can be the same, but the page layout

could be differ• Email can be tampered with and/or read by others

with access to the system

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Writing a Memo

It’s time for your group to meet again for the final Project (assume that you are the group leader). Write a memo

calling the meeting. Provide an agenda.

Recap

• What is Memo?• Memo Formatting• Types of Memos• Similarities and Differences between Memo,

Letter and Email

References

• Source: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/eli/buswrite/memos.html