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.

Memorandums are: Less threatening Readily accessible Easy to adapt Used for many purposes Can be for all levels

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: In-house Acronyms/Internal Abbreviations Style: Simple words Readable Sentences Specific Detail Highlighting Techniques Grammar: Grammatical Conversations

Formatting a . . . Business Memo

Basic Elements of Memorandum Format Date: To: From: Subject: Memo Report: Names of receivers:

Memo Sample College 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 Headings w/ routing information Executive Summary or Introduction Start the Body / Body Headings Special note

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 Pre-Writing Writing Re-Writing

Memo Writing Process Pre-Writing Clustering Mind mapping

Writing Memo Writing Process Review your Pre-writing Determine your focus (topic sentence) Clarify your audience Review memo criteria (what a memo entails) Organize your ideas (Chronology) Write the draft

Re-writing Memo Writing Process Add new detail for clarity (5 W’s) Delete dead words/phrases (conciseness) Simplify words/phrases Move information from top to bottom/bottom to up

Types of Memos Student Written Memo Professionally Written Memo Professionally Written Compare-and-Contrast Memo Professionally Written Problem-Solution 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

Destination Memos Letters E-mail 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

Format Memos Letters E-mail Identification lines include: Includes: Date To From Subject The message follows Letters Includes: Letter-head address Reader's address Salutation Text Complimentary close Signatures E-mail From (writer’s name, and e-mail address) Sent (date of transmission) To (reader's name and email address)

Audience Memos Letters E-mail 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

Topic Memos Letters E-mail 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

Tone Memos Letters E-mail Informal Peer audience More formal Audience of vendors and clients E-mail Usually informal Due to the “conversational” nature of electronic communication

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

Structure Memos Letters E-mail Typically 8 ½” * 11” with 1” margins 80 characters per line 55 lines per page Letters E-mail Typically one viewable screen with 60-70 characters per line 12-14 lines per screen Beyond these parameters, a reader must scroll

Security Memos Letters E-mail 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

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