CHAPTER 5

Memos and E-mail

Explains how to write memos and differentiates this type of correspondence from e-mail;
discusses audience, style, and format; uses mind mapping as an effective prewriting
technique.
The Differences between Memos and E-mail Messages
Memos and e-mail messages have differences and similarities in relation to their
destination, format, audience, topics, tone, speed or delivery time, attachments, length,
and security.
Memos
Memos are an important part of on-the-job communication. sing an all-purpose
template will help you format and write memos.
Sample Memos
!he samples provide you with guidelines for memo components, organi"ation, and
writing style.
Effectie Memo Chec!list
!he memo chec#list will help you evaluate your memos, ensuring that you have met all
of your goals.
E-mail
E-mail is an extremely important part of your on-the-job communication. More e-mail
messages are written at wor# than any other type of correspondence.
"h# $s E-mail $mportant%
E-mail is important because it can save time, it is convenient, it is affordable, and it
allows for expanded discussion of topics by numerous people.
MEM&S
P'rposes
Memos are an important means by which employees communicate with each other. $irst,
you will write memos often on the job. % &itney 'owes study suggests that you might
write as many as () memos a day *+&itney 'owes ,tudy- .///0. 1ext, you will write
memos to a wide range of readers *$igure 2.(0.
!his includes your supervisors, cowor#ers, subordinates, and multiple combinations of
these audiences.
Memos are fle(ible and can be written for different p'rposes) incl'ding the
following3
4 5ocumentation6report on expenses, incidents, accidents, problems encountered,
projected costs, study findings, hiring, firings, and reallocations of staff or equipment.
4 7over8transmittal6tell the reader you have attached a document.
4 7onfirmation6tell a reader about a meeting agenda, date, time, and location; decisions
to purchase or sell; topics for discussion at upcoming teleconferences; conclusions
arrived at; and fees, costs, or expenditures.
4 &rocedures6explain how to set up accounts, research on the company intranet, operate
new machinery, use new software, apply online for job opportunities through the
company intranet, create a new company 9eb site, or solve a problem.
4 :ecommendations6provide reasons to purchase new equipment, fire or hire personnel,
contract with new providers, merge with other companies, revise current practices, and
renew contracts.
Effectie E-mail Message
7hec#list
!he e-mail message chec#list will help you evaluate your e-mail, ensuring that you have
met all of your goals.
!he 7ommunication
&rocess
$ollow the writing process to create your memos and e-mail messages3 prewrite, write,
and rewrite.
&rocess ;og
!he process log ta#es you through the step-by-step sequence of creating and writing a
memo.
<owever, memos should contain the following #ey components3
4Memo =5 lines
4 =ntroduction
4 5iscussion
4 7onclusion
4 %udience recognition
5%!E3
!>3
Memo =5 lines
$:>M3
,'?E7!3
%lthough the topic stays the same, the focus changes and clarifies for the reader the
actual subject matter of the memo.
$ntrod'ction
>nce you@ve communicated your intent in the subject line, you want to get to the point in
the introductory sentence*s0. :eaders are busy and don@t want your memo to slow down
their wor#. !o avoid any delays for your audience, you want your first sentence or
sentences to communicate immediately. % goal is to write one or two clear introductory
sentences that tell your readers what you want and why you are writing. :emember, until
you tell them, they don@t #now.
=n the third of our series of quality control meetings this quarter, =@d li#e to get together
again to determine if improvements have been made.
!his example invites the reader to a meeting, thereby communicating what the writer@s
intentions are. =t also tells the reader that the meeting is one of a series of meetings, thus
communicating why the meeting is being called.
%s a follow-up to our phone conversation yesterday *)8(.8/20, = have met with our A&
regarding your suggestions. <e@d li#e to meet with you to discuss the following ideas in
more detail.
!his introduction reminds the reader why this memo is being written6as a follow-up6
and tells the reader what will happen next.
Disc'ssion
!he discussion section allows you to develop your content specifically. Bou want to
respond to the reporter@s questions mentioned in 7hapter C *who, what, when, why,
where, how0, but you also want to ma#e your information accessible. 'ecause very few
readers read every line of your memo *tending instead to s#ip and s#im0, traditional
bloc#s of data *paragraphing0 are not effective visually. !he longer the paragraph, the
more li#ely your audience is to avoid reading. =nstead, try to ma#e your text more reader-
friendly by applying some of the highlighting techniques discussed in 7hapters ) and D3
*a0 itemi"ation, *b0 white space,
*c0 'oldface type, *d0 headings, *e0 columns, and *f0 graphics. 1ote the difference
between the following examples3 the first is reader-unfriendly, and the second is reader-
friendly.
Concl'sion
7onclude your memo with a complimentary close or a directive close. % complimentary
close motivates your readers and leaves them happy, as in the following example3
=f our quarterly sales continue to improve at this rate, we will double our sales
expectations by .//2. 7ongratulationsE
% directive close tells your readers exactly what you want them to do next or what your
plans are *and provides dated action0.
1ext 9ednesday *(.8..8/20, Mr. ?ones will provide each of you a timetable of events
and a summary of accomplishments.
9hy is a conclusion importantF 9ithout it, the reader senses a lac# of closure and does
not #now what to do next or why the actions requested are important.
9ithout a conclusion, the reader@s response is going to be +>G, but now whatF- or +>G,
but so whatF- !o write an effective memo, sum up and provide closure.
A'dience
%nother criterion for effective memo writing is audience recognition. =n memos,
audience is both easier and more complex than in letters. 'ecause letters go outside your
company, your audience is usually low tech or lay, demanding that you define your terms
more specifically. =n memos, on the other hand, your in-house audience is easier to define
*usually low tech or high tech0. !hus, you often can use more acronyms and internal
abbreviations.
<owever, whereas your audience for letters is usually singular6one reader6 your
audience for memos might be multiple. Bou might be writing simultaneously to your
immediate supervisor *high tech0, to his or her boss *low tech0, to your colleagues *high
tech0, and even to a 7E> *low tech0.
!his diverse readership presents a problem. <ow do you communicate to a large and
varied audienceF <ow do you avoid offending your high-tech readers with seemingly
unnecessary data, which your low-tech readers needF
!he problem is not easy to solve. ,ometimes you can use parenthetical definitions. $or
instance, do not just write 7=%, which to most people means 7entral =ntelligence %gency.
&rovide a parenthetical definition67=% *cash in advance06if your usage differs from
what most people will automatically assume. Bou are always better off saying too much.
St#le
!he appropriate style for memos is the same technical writing style discussed in earlier
chapters, depending on conciseness, clarity, and accessibility. se simple words, readable
sentences, specific detail, and highlighting techniques.
=n addition, strive for an informal, friendly tone. Memos are part of your interpersonal
communication abilities. ?ust as you should be concerned with how you spea# to others
on the telephone or at the water cooler, you should assess your tone within a memo.
*rammar
%bide by all grammatical conventions when writing memos. &oor grammar or
typographical errors destroy your credibility.