1. Chapter 8 Routine E-Mail Messages and Memos
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e
Copyright © 2003

2. Characteristics of Successful E-Mail Messages and Memos
Headings: Date, To, From, Subject
Single topic
Conversational tone
Conciseness
Graphic highlighting
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

3. The Writing Process Analyze and anticipate Research and compose
Revise, proofread, and evaluate
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

4. Analyze and Anticipate
Do I really need to write?
What is my purpose?
How will the reader react?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

5. Research and Compose Check files; collect information.
Study relevant documents.
Make an outline.
Write first draft.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

6. Revise, Proofread, and Evaluate
Revise for clarity.
Revise for correctness.
Plan for feedback.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

7. Organization of Memos Subject line Opening Body Closing
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

8. Subject Line Summarize the main idea.
Example: Budget Meeting June 3, 10 a.m.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

9. Opening Start directly; restate and amplify the main idea.
Indirect (ineffective) opening:
This is to inform you that we must complete the annual operating budgets shortly. Over the past two months many supervisors have met to discuss their departmental needs.
Direct (effective) opening:
All supervisors and coordinators will meet June 3 at 10 a.m. to work out the annual operating budgets for their departments.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

10. Body Explain and discuss the topic.
Use graphic highlighting to facilitate reading, comprehension, and retention.
Consider columns, headings, enumerations, bulleted lists, and so forth.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

11. Closing Request action, including an end date.
Summarize the message or provide a closing thought.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

12. Formatting Hard-Copy Memos
Leave side margins of about 1¼ inches.
Line up all heading words with those following Subject.
Indent lines following bulleted or enumerated lines.
Use ragged line endings, not justified.
Don’t include complimentary close or signature.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

13. Leave side margins of about 1¼ inches.
DATE: Current
TO: Rob Montaine
FROM: Heidi Chan
SUBJECT: FORMATTING AND STATIONERY FOR MEMOS
Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able to answer your questions about formatting and stationery for memos in the organization.
Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if you have additional questions.
Enclosures
1¼ inch
margin
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

14. Line up all heading words with those following Subject.
DATE: Current
TO: Rob Montaine
FROM: Heidi Chan
SUBJECT: FORMATTING AND STATIONERY FOR MEMOS
Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able to answer your questions about formatting and stationery for memos in the organization.
Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if you have additional questions.
Enclosures
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

15. Indent lines following bulleted or enumerated lines.
Interoffice memo stationery may be used by
any employee.
Plain paper or letterhead stationery may also be
used for memos, so long as the headings TO,
FROM, DATE, and SUBJECT are included.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

16. Don’t include complimentary close or signature.
Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able to answer your questions about formatting and stationery for memos in the organization.
Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if you have additional questions.
Enclosures
Sincerely,
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

17. Don’t include complimentary close or signature.
Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able to answer your questions about formatting and stationery for memos in the organization.
Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if you have additional questions.
Enclosures
Sincerely,
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

18. Don’t include complimentary close or signature.
Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able to answer your questions about formatting and stationery for memos in the organization.
Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if you have additional questions.
Enclosures
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

19. Formatting E-Mail Messages
Enclose the receiver’s address in angle brackets.
Include a salutation (such as Dear Dawn, Hi Dawn, or Greetings), or weave the receiver’s name into the first sentence.
Use word-wrap rather than pressing Enter at line endings.
Single-space within paragraphs and double-space between paragraphs.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

20. Formatting E-Mail Messages
Write in complete sentences, and use upper and lowercase letters.
Include a signature block, especially for messages to outsiders.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

21. Formatting E-Mail Messages
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

22. Kinds of Memos Procedure and Information Memos Request and Reply Memos
Confirmation Memos
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

23. Procedure and Information Memos
These routine messages usually flow downward; they deliver company information and describe procedures.
Tone is important; managers seek employee participation and cooperation.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

24. Request and Reply Memos
Memo requests for information and action follow the direct pattern.
Memo replies are also organized directly with the most important information first.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

25. Request Memo “Before” Version
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

26. TO: Kim Johnson, Corporate Communications FROM: Tim Rudolph, CEO
Request Memo: “Before” Version
DATE: Current
TO: Kim Johnson, Corporate Communications
FROM: Tim Rudolph, CEO
SUBJECT: NEW POLICY
This memo is written to inform you that I continue to receive disturbing reports about the misuse of by employees. In the course of the past three months I have heard of defamatory messages, downloads of pornography for all the staff to see, and even a basketball pool that turned into a gambling operation.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e 44

27. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call.
Request Memo: “Before” Version
In view of the foregoing, I am herewith instructing your office that an policy for the staff is needed. By October 1 a rough draft of a policy should be forthcoming. At the very minimum it should inform each and every employee that is for business only. Employees must be told that we reserve the right to monitor all messages. No pictures should be in the system without there being a valid reason. And we should not be using to be saying anything about personnel matters--such as performance reviews and salaries.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e 44

28. Request Memo “After” Version
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

29. TO: Kim Johnson, Corporate Communications FROM: Tim Rudolph, CEO
Request Memo: “After” Version
DATE: Current
TO: Kim Johnson, Corporate Communications
FROM: Tim Rudolph, CEO
SUBJECT: DEVELOPING STAFF POLICY
Please draft a policy outlining appropriate use for employees.
We need such a policy because I have received reports of misuse including defamatory statements, pornography downloads, and even gambling. Here are a few points that the policy should cover:
is for business only.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e 44

30. E-mail messages may be monitored.
Request Memo: “After” Version
messages may be monitored.
No pictures or other attachments should be sent without valid reason.
should not be used to discuss personnel matters.
Please submit a draft to me by October 1 since we hope to have a policy completed by November 1. Call if you have questions.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e 44

31. Confirmation Memos
Also called “to-file” reports or “incident” reports.
Record oral decisions, directives, and discussions.
Include names and titles of people involved.
Itemize major issues and request confirmation from the receiver.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

32. Graphic Highlighting Techniques
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

33. Graphic Highlighting Techniques Activity 8.3a Enumerated List
A recent survey of car buyers revealed the electronic options they wanted:
1. Cruise control %
2. Antilock brakes 61.1
3. Keyless entry
4. CD player
5. Trip counter
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

34. Graphic Highlighting Techniques Activity 8.3b Bulleted List
Our employee leasing program can be an efficient management tool because we handle the following tasks for you:
Payroll preparation
Employees’ benefits
Worker’s compensation premiums
State and federal reports
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

35. Graphic Highlighting Techniques Activity 8.3c Enumerated List
SAFETY TIPS FOR USING ATMs
1. Be aware of your surroundings, especially at night.
2. Use another ATM or come back later if you notice anything suspicious.
3. Put cash away promptly; count it later.
4. At night take a friend with you.
5. Park in a well-lighted area close to the ATM.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

36. Communicating in the New World of E-Mail
The phenomenal growth of and use of the Internet mean that today’s communicators need special skills.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

37. Communicating in the New World of E-Mail
To succeed, you must be able to:
Express yourself concisely and quickly.
Compose at the keyboard.
Understand the ethics, courtesy, and privacy issues relating to .
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

38. Communicating in the New World of E-Mail
Develop confidence in using systems.
Think globally.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

39. Smart E-Mail Practices
Get the addresses right.
Avoid misleading subject lines.
Be concise.
Don’t send anything you wouldn’t want published.
Don’t use to avoid contact.
Never respond when you’re angry.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

40. Smart E-Mail Practices
Care about correctness.
Resist humor and tongue-in-cheek comments.
Use design elements to improve readability of longer messages.
Consider cultural differences.
Assume that all business is monitored.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

41. The Six Most Common Mistakes in Sending E-Mail
1. Address goofs
2. Lengthy messages or attachments
3. Misleading subject lines
4. Inappropriate content (such as delivering bad news)
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

42. The Six Most Common Mistakes in Sending E-Mail
5. Instant indiscretions (angry or thoughtless statements)
6. Reckless copying
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e

43. End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e