Writing Business Memos

WHAT IS A BUSINESS MEMO?

A business memo is a short document used to transmit information within an  organization. Memos are characterized by being brief, direct, and easy to navigate.  They are less formal than letters but should maintain a professional, succinct style.  Often, the purpose of a business memo is twofold: to identify a problem and propose a  solution. Other times, memos may provide or request factual information.

Business memos are designed to accommodate busy readers who want to find the  information they need from the memo quickly and easily. In writing a business memo,  you should structure your memo to accommodate three kinds of readers:

• Those who read only the executive summary

• Those who skim the entire memo for its key points and a few details they're

interested in

• Those who read the entire document for the details that support its major

claims or recommendations

Bear in mind that these readers may have different purposes in reading the memo.  Often, readers need to make policy and action decisions based on the  recommendations. Others may want to obtain specific information (evidence) needed  to understand and justify policy and action decisions. Readers may also want to get a  sense of your professional ability and judgment.

In determining the purpose and audience of your memo, ask yourself: Who is the  intended recipient of this memo? What do I want the recipient to do after reading the  memo? What information will the recipient be looking for in the memo? These kinds of  questions will help guide your content, structure, and style choices.

HOW DO I WRITE AN EFFECTIVE BUSINESS MEMO?

As stated above, an effective business memo is brief, direct, and easy to navigate. The  following five writing strategies help readers to navigate business memos easily and  quickly:

1. Present the main point first. This may be the single most important

guideline about the structure and content of memos. Readers should  quickly grasp the content and significance of the memo. If readers have a  question or problem, they want to know the answer or solution  immediately—if readers want more information, they can continue reading.

In other words, supporting details should follow the main point or  conclusion, not precede it.

2. Maintain a professional, succinct style. The style of your writing should be

appropriate to your audience: In this case, your audience is your boss, your  coworkers, or both. So, your style should be professional, straightforward,  cordial, and easy to read. To achieve such a style, use short, active  sentences. Avoid jargon and pretentious language. Maintain a positive or  neutral tone; avoid negative language if possible. In addition to making  memos easier to read, a professional writing style also improves the writer’s  credibility.

3. Create a very specific subject line to give the reader an immediate idea of

the memo's (or message's) subject and purpose. The subject line should  orient the reader to the subject and purpose of the memo and provide a  handy reference for filing and quick review. Suppose, for instance, that you  were writing to request authorization and funding for a business trip. You'd  avoid a general subject line like "Publisher's Convention" or "Trip to AWP  Conference" in favor of something more specific like "Request for funds:  AWP conference." The last example would tell the reader the subject and  what she was being asked to do about it.

4. Provide a summary or overview of the main points, especially if the memo is

more than one page. Often referred to as an executive summary, the first  paragraph of a long memo or message serves these functions:

▪ Presents the main request, recommendation or conclusion

▪ Summarizes then previews the main facts, arguments and evidence

▪ Forecasts the structure and order of information presented in the

remainder of the memo

▪ Like the subject line, the executive summary provides a quick

overview of the purpose and content of the memo. The reader uses  it to guide both a quick first reading and subsequent rapid reviews.

5. Use format features, such as headings, to signal structure and guide readers

to the information they're seeking. Headings provide an outline of the  memo, enabling the reader to quickly see what the major topics or points  are and where to find them in the memo. Make headings parallel with each  other and as specific as possible. Other format features that signal structure  and guide readers include short paragraphs and blocks of text, lists set off  by indentations, numbers or bullets, or generous use of white space to  guide the eye.

STANDARD MEMO HEADING

Though the format for a memo may vary from one organization to another, the  standard heading consists of a series of clearly labeled lines that convey key  information about the memo’s contents and its distribution. The following are standard  elements of a memo header:

Date:                                                              The date on which the memo is distributed

To:                                                                  The person(s) to whom it is primarily  addressed

(sometimes with job title)

cc:                                                                   Name(s) of anyone else who receives a copy

(sometimes with job title)

From:                                                              Name of the writer, usually followed by  his/her

handwritten initials (sometimes with job title)

Subject: or Re:                                                Concise statement of the memo’s topic

