Please share your feedback, both favorable and unfavorable. That's unfortunate, as a well-crafted business memo can cut through the bureaucratic red tape and get important company messages out to the right people, in a clear and concise way. It shows the recipient when the memo was written and, in many cases gives the memo a sense of urgency, and that its contents and instructions are to be taken seriously. Usually, a term is used in the title (think "memo" or "memo to staff.") Professional communication forms are organized according to one of two strategies: Direct and indirect. Hope you had a great weekend. In organizations in which email reaches every employee (or every employee in the memo’s audience), writers must determine whether to send a memo or an email message to convey their information. Memos are used in a variety of workplace communication situations, from documentation of procedures and policies to simple announcements. Short and sweet is a good place to start, and an ability to communicate your key points is a good way to finish. Let's take a look and see how to write the best business memo. The vidcasts are specifically geared towards writing memos in an engineering environment; however, the instructions and details within the vidcast are appropriate for the majority of memo writing. Use these tips to write memos that stand out, get noticed, and are acted upon in quick fashion. Using First Person in an Academic Essay: When is It Okay? We don’t address the memos to them, but we keep them in the loop. Excellent customer service includes being knowledgeable about the supplies, but it also goes beyond that. When the audience is not receptive to the message, it is best to lead up to the purpose gradually. Messages requiring reference away from a computer (necessitating a print copy). The date is necessary as a time point of reference. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. If you are writing a letter, use your first name, your full name, or your full name and title, depending on the circumstances and your preference. Furthermore, the order of the items can vary. DATE: List the date on which the memo is distributed. If there are several recipients, it’s acceptable to use a group name, such as “All Employees” or “Personnel Committee Members.”. Ideally, you want your message to stand out amidst the pile of paperwork and emails that often inundate the modern workplace. Messages containing much detail (such as instructions on how to calibrate a complicated piece of machinery). SUBJECT: Think of the SUBJECT line as the title for the memo. In both types of organization, action information (such as deadlines or contact information) or a courteous closing statement is placed in the last paragraph. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. Organizations with access to email may distribute memos as attachments to email. While memo reports and policy memos are examples of documents that have a more formal tone, most memos will have a conversational style—slightly informal but still professional. The last portion of the memo can include a signature from the sender at the bottom, but it doesn't have to. By and large, however, writing a memo is optimal in the following scenarios: You should avoid writing a memo when an email will suffice. The subject could range from a reminder to get expense reports turned in by the end of the month, to the need to make a final sales push before the end of the quarter. Do not sign the memo; your name is at the top of the memo. Any more than that and you start losing the attention of your recipients. Here's how to write a great memo. Rewrite and cut the clutter. A directly stated purpose is welcome in good news or routine messages but could be viewed as abrupt or insensitive in a bad news or persuasive message. Print copies of emails generally use a small type that is difficult to read. Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. The audience of memos are those with whom the writer works, so the writing style usually assumes a relationship with them (and therefore a certain lack of formality); just keep in mind that the relationship is a professional one, so the writing should reflect that. Used for negative, persuasive, or sales messages (audience is not receptive). The first line is all-important, as it sets the table for the remainder of the memo. A good business memo needs to be clear, concise and compelling. It’s time for those again! Other lines, such as CC or BCC, may be added as needed. The last paragraph should feature a call to action, i.e., something compelling to spur the recipient into taking action. © 2020 TheStreet, Inc. All rights reserved. With the rise of digital communications and an over-reliance on cell phones and quick text and emails, there doesn't seem to be much room for the venerable memo. This article uses a Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. This line designates what the memo is about and should always be written clearly, concisely and compellingly. However, if a report using memo format stretches to a few pages in length, double spacing may be used to improve its readability. Usually, this occurs when a subordinate writes the memo for a supervisor or manager - that manager will sign off on the memo to show recipients that everything in the memo is approved and requires attention or a response. TO: List the names of the recipients of the memo. In cases such as this, writers should consider three factors: the nature of the message, the depth/number of its details, and its likelihood of being printed for easier reference. These types of messages should be written up in memo format and attached to an email message for fast (and environmentally friendly) distribution: *Some articles are used across multiple genres and disciplines. The Memo Writing vidcasts model revising a poorly written memo into a more effectively written memo. Writer gradually builds up to the purpose, which is stated in the body. Ein Memo schreiben. Direct and concise opening states the purpose of the memo. An RE (“Reference”) line may be used instead of SUBJECT, but this use is becoming rarer as “RE” is often mistaken as “Reply” because of its use in email. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. Furthermore, as with all workplace documents, the audience may contain a variety of readers, and the style and tone should be appropriate for all of their technical and authority levels. This line designates the memo's author, by name and title (i.e., "from the desk of Sally Stone, director of sales.") That's usually the case when you have a very short message to send, or if you're on the road using your smart phone, and don't have the time to structure and format a memo. FROM: List the name and job title of the writer(s). Inserting or Altering Words in a Direct Quotation, Shorten the Title of this Source in the In-text Citation. A memo's title is short and to the point, and is always placed at the top of the page. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. To cover the bases on all the above fronts, let's walk through the process, step-by-step, in creating a masterful memo. How to write the best memo? Action Alerts PLUS is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc. inspires the reader and get them up and moving. Hi, everyone. Above all else, you want your memo to stand out, and to get your message across. Short for “memorandum,” a memo is a type of document used to communicate with others in the same organization. "To" designates who receives the memo, either an entire company department (i.e., "sales staff) or to an individual (Sally Stone, director of sales.) Many organizations have their own style preferences on these issues. Messages that have an official aura, such as new policies or revisions of policies. These headings may be double- or single-spaced, and the SUBJECT line is often in all capital letters. • Memos (or memoranda) are typically used for fairly short messages of one page or less, but informal reports of several pages may also employ memo format. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Writer: Write the name of the person writing the memo, Example – ‘From: Mr. ABC, Head of Sales’ Additional Recipients: These are the people who will receive a courtesy copy of the memo. That process really starts with the subject line, and is intended to clearly state what the memo is about. This section goes into more detail on what the memo is about. You know those awards we give out every so often? • Here's how to write a great memo that fits the bill on all three fronts. Rhetorical Analysis in the Real World: A Useful Thinking Tool, Audience Analysis for Technical Documents. Reread the draft and eliminate unneccessary words. It’s time to reward employees who have a customer-oriented outlook. Ein Memo soll eine bestimmte Gruppe von Menschen über ein Thema informieren, zum Beispiel über eine Veranstaltung, eine Neuigkeit oder anderes, und sie dazu anregen, auf das Memo zu reagieren. Directing your title to the intended audience/recipient does just that. Writing a good memo is mostly about good formatting, solid structure, and the ability to clearly and succinctly convey the intended message. In this article, we’ll give you all the tools you need to write memos in business English that impress everyone in your office. For example, there are scenarios where a short email will suffice, or an in-house digital bulletin board will get you to your correct audience. To help you write a better memo, and give you a visual example of what a good memo should like, check out these sample memos: Knowing when to write an email is just as important as knowing how to write a memo. Used for good news or routine communication (audience is receptive or neutral). Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The fine art of writing a business memo is actually something of a lost art. Often, to underscore the importance of the memo, the title includes the sender's signature, by initials. Purpose statement is sandwiched by details. Help us identify great employees! It's more important, however, to end the memo with a firm call for action, letting your readers know what specific action is to be taken. The text of memos typically uses block format, with single-spaced lines, an extra space between paragraphs, and no indentions for new paragraphs. If not, the order listed above, double-spaced, is the most common. Please submit your nominations for the quarterly Customer Service Excellence Award by April 8. A good business memo can inspire staffers and get them to act on key company business. Receive full access to our market insights, commentary, newsletters, breaking news alerts, and more. Date: The date of writing the memos is an important detail that one must include. Cloudflare Ray ID: 5dcfc0e5ac0d00cb It’s about having the right attitude about helping customers. (Download) Try FluentU for FREE! Make it specific so that readers can immediately identify the topic. Memos are distinguished by a header that includes DATE, TO, FROM, and SUBJECT lines. So What Is a Memo? Writing a memo is comparable to jumping up on a desk in the office to tell everyone they need to do something, so always write a memo with the assumption that anyone could end up reading it. Just sign and date the signature, to officially "seal the deal" on the memo, and let the reader know who, exactly, the memo is coming from. Below are some common types of memos: Memos may be distributed manually through print medium in organizations in which not all employees have access to email. Remember, clear and concise is the goal with a good memo. The goal is to get to the point quickly (i.e., "We've set up a meeting on Monday, Jan. 6 to discuss first quarter sales goals and priorities.") Your IP: 111.92.189.95 Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. Writer arrives at purpose quickly, sometimes in the first sentence. While memo reports and policy memos are examples of documents that have a more formal tone, most memos will have a conversational style—slightly informal but still professional. The direct approach is used for good news or routine communication; the indirect approach is used for persuasive, sales, or bad news messages. Memos are highly preferable to emails when issuing information and data on key company issues, like policy changes or the appointment of a new chief executive officer. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. It's ideal to break the body of the memo down into short paragraphs - three should be the goal. Variety Craft Supplies’ mission is to provide customers with affordable, quality supplies with superb customer service. Click here to get a copy. You can structure the "to" memo line alphabetically, or by title. 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