Routine E-Mail Messages and

Memos

3 steps to writing
Analyze and anticipate
Research and compose
Revise, proofread, and evaluate

Ch. 8, Slide 2

Step one: Analyze and

Anticipate
Do I really need to write?
What is my purpose?
How will the reader react?

Ch. 8, Slide 3

Step two: Research and

Compose
Check files; collect information.
Study relevant documents.
Make an outline.
Write first draft.

Ch. 8, Slide 4

Step 3: Revise, Proofread,

and Evaluate
Revise for clarity.
Revise for correctness.
Plan for feedback.

Ch. 8, Slide 5

MEMORANDUM
A memo or memorandum is a communication note
that records events or observations on a topic. Memos
are typically used within a business environment as an
interoffice communication tool and can serve many
purposes. Today, emails can be considered a common
type of memo. For example, they call attention to issues
that may need to be resolved, they update clients and
other colleagues on the status of active projects, and
finally, they give solutions to colleagues on issues that
are related to the project being worked on. They are good
tools to provide a concise method of delivery.

Difference between memo and

1.Letter is a short or long message that is sent by one person to another while a
letter
memo is a short message that is sent by a person to another.

2.A letter is more formal and contains more information while a memo is informal
and is very short.
3.A memo is more concise and to the point as compared to a letter.
4.A letter is exchanged between businesses and their clients while a memo is
exchanged between individuals within an organization.
5.A memo usually has a header that states where it is from and who it is intended
for while a letter may or may not have this feature.

Structure of E-Mail
Messages and Memos
Subject line
Opening
Body
Closing

Ch. 8, Slide 10

Purpose of a memo
The business memorandum, or memo, is used primarily
as a formal, physical means of efficient communication
from a department to staff members -- it is almost always
for internal communication and only rarely sent to clients
or the public.
The memo is essentially a short letter, typed in a word
processing document, with company letterhead and
either sent electronically as a file attachment or printed
for hand delivery.
Less formal messages are usually sent by email only.
Memos should be sent to a specific audience, depending

Kinds of Memos
Procedure and Information Memos
Request and Reply Memos
Confirmation Memos

Ch. 8, Slide 12

Subject Line
Summarize the main idea.
Example: Budget Meeting June 3, 10 a.m.

Ch. 8, Slide 14

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.

Ch. 8, Slide 15

Body
Explain and discuss the topic.
Use graphic highlighting to facilitate
reading, comprehension, and retention.
Consider columns, headings,
enumerations, bulleted lists, and so
forth.

Ch. 8, Slide 16

Closing
Request action, including an end date.
Summarize the message or provide a
closing thought.

Ch. 8, Slide 17

Example of an inter-office memo

To: All staff
From: Devendra Joshi
Date: 17th Feb 2014
Subject: Stopping the Electricity misuse
It has been observed that the staff members are not switching off the electricity switches,
fans and other air conditioners after their duty hours. This has not only added to the
amount of electricity bills of the company but also contributed towards energy wastage.
All are hereby requested to sensibly make use of the electricity and contribute towards
the companys campaign: Save Energy.
xxxxx
( Signature of the issuing authority)

Formatting Hard-Copy
Memos

Leave side margins of about 1 inches.

Line up all heading words with those
following Subject.
Indent lines following bulleted or
enumerated lines.
Use ragged line endings, not justified.
Dont include complimentary close or
signature.

Ch. 8, Slide 19

Leave side margins of

about 1 inches.
DATE:
DATE: Current
Current
TO:
TO: Rob
RobMontaine
Montaine
FROM:
FROM: Heidi
HeidiChan
Chan
SUBJECT:
FORMATTING
SUBJECT:
FORMATTINGAND
ANDSTATIONERY
STATIONERY
FOR
FORMEMOS
MEMOS
1 inch
margin

Welcome
WelcometotoMultimedia,
Multimedia,Rob!
Rob!Im
Impleased
pleasedtotobe
beable
abletoto
answer
answeryour
yourquestions
questionsabout
aboutformatting
formattingand
andstationery
stationery
for
memos
in
the
organization.
for memos in the organization.
Please
Pleaseexamine
examinethe
theenclosed
enclosedsamples
samplesand
andcall
callme
meififyou
you
have
haveadditional
additionalquestions.
questions.
Enclosures
Enclosures

Ch. 8, Slide 20

1 inch
margin

Line up all heading words

with those following Subject.
DATE:
DATE: Current
Current
TO:
TO: Rob
RobMontaine
Montaine
FROM:
FROM:

Heidi
HeidiChan
Chan

SUBJECT:
FORMATTING
SUBJECT:
FORMATTINGAND
ANDSTATIONERY
STATIONERY
FOR
MEMOS
FOR MEMOS
Welcome
WelcometotoMultimedia,
Multimedia,Rob!
Rob!Im
Impleased
pleasedtotobe
beable
abletoto
answer
answeryour
yourquestions
questionsabout
aboutformatting
formattingand
andstationery
stationery
for
memos
in
the
organization.
for memos in the organization.
Please
Pleaseexamine
examinethe
theenclosed
enclosedsamples
samplesand
andcall
callme
meififyou
you
have
additional
questions.
have additional questions.
Enclosures
Enclosures

Ch. 8, Slide 21

Indent lines following

bulleted or enumerated
lines.
Interoffice
Interofficememo
memostationery
stationerymay
maybe
be
used
usedby
by
any
employee.
any employee.
Plain
Plainpaper
paperor
orletterhead
letterheadstationery
stationery
may
also
be
may also be
used
usedfor
formemos,
memos,so
solong
longas
asthe
the
headings
TO,
headings TO,
FROM,
FROM,DATE,
DATE,and
andSUBJECT
SUBJECTare
are
included.
included.

Ch. 8, Slide 22

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.

Ch. 8, Slide 23

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.

Ch. 8, Slide 24

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.

Ch. 8, Slide 25

Graphic Highlighting
Techniques

Ch. 8, Slide 26

Graphic Highlighting Techniques

Enumerated List

AArecent
recentsurvey
surveyof
ofcar
carbuyers
buyersrevealed
revealedthe
theelectronic
electronic
options
optionsthey
theywanted:
wanted:
1.
79.1%
1.Cruise
Cruisecontrol
control
79.1%

Ch. 8, Slide 27

2.
2.Antilock
Antilockbrakes
brakes
3.
3.Keyless
Keylessentry
entry

61.1
61.1
50.5
50.5

4.
4.CD
CDplayer
player
5.
5.Trip
Tripcounter
counter

34.1
34.1
5.1
5.1

Graphic Highlighting Techniques

Bulleted List

Our
Ouremployee
employeeleasing
leasingprogram
programcan
canbe
bean
anefficient
efficient
management
managementtool
toolbecause
becausewe
wehandle
handlethe
thefollowing
followingtasks
tasks
for
foryou:
you:
Payroll
Payrollpreparation
preparation
Employees
Employeesbenefits
benefits
Workers
Workerscompensation
compensationpremiums
premiums
State
Stateand
andfederal
federalreports
reports

Ch. 8, Slide 28

Graphic Highlighting Techniques

Enumerated List

SAFETY
SAFETYTIPS
TIPSFOR
FORUSING
USINGATMs
ATMs
1.1.Be
Beaware
awareof
ofyour
yoursurroundings,
surroundings,especially
especiallyatatnight.
night.
2.2.Use
Useanother
anotherATM
ATMor
orcome
comeback
backlater
laterififyou
younotice
notice
anything
anything suspicious.
suspicious.
3.3.Put
Putcash
cashaway
awaypromptly;
promptly;count
countititlater.
later.
4.4.At
Atnight
nighttake
takeaafriend
friendwith
withyou.
you.
5.5.Park
Parkin
inaawell-lighted
well-lightedarea
areaclose
closeto
tothe
theATM.
ATM.
Ch. 8, Slide 29

Request Memo
Before Version(Ineffective)

Ch. 8, Slide 30

Request Memo: Before Version

DATE:
DATE:Current
Current
TO:
TO:Kim
KimJohnson,
Johnson,Corporate
CorporateCommunications
Communications
FROM:
FROM:Tim
TimRudolph,
Rudolph,CEO
CEO
SUBJECT:
SUBJECT:NEW
NEWPOLICY
POLICY
This
Thismemo
memoisiswritten
writtento
toinform
informyou
youthat
thatI Icontinue
continueto
toreceive
receive
disturbing
disturbingreports
reportsabout
aboutthe
themisuse
misuseof
ofe-mail
e-mailby
byemployees.
employees.In
In
the
thecourse
courseof
ofthe
thepast
pastthree
threemonths
monthsI Ihave
haveheard
heardof
ofdefamatory
defamatory
messages,
messages,downloads
downloadsof
ofpornography
pornographyfor
forall
allthe
thestaff
staffto
tosee,
see,and
and
even
evenaabasketball
basketballpool
poolthat
thatturned
turnedinto
intoaagambling
gamblingoperation.
operation.

Ch. 8, Slide 31

Request Memo: Before Version

In
Inview
viewof
ofthe
theforegoing,
foregoing,I Iam
amherewith
herewithinstructing
instructingyour
youroffice
office
that
thatan
ane-mail
e-mailpolicy
policyfor
forthe
thestaff
staffisisneeded.
needed.By
ByOctober
October11aa
rough
roughdraft
draftof
ofaapolicy
policyshould
shouldbe
beforthcoming.
forthcoming.At
Atthe
thevery
very
minimum
minimumititshould
shouldinform
informeach
eachand
andevery
everyemployee
employeethat
thate-mail
e-mail
isisfor
forbusiness
businessonly.
only.Employees
Employeesmust
mustbe
betold
toldthat
thatwe
wereserve
reservethe
the
right
rightto
tomonitor
monitorall
allmessages.
messages.No
Nopictures
picturesshould
shouldbe
bein
inthe
theeemail
mailsystem
systemwithout
withoutthere
therebeing
beingaavalid
validreason.
reason.And
Andwe
weshould
should
not
be
using
e-mail
to
be
saying
anything
about
personnel
not be using e-mail to be saying anything about personnel
matters--such
matters--suchas
asperformance
performancereviews
reviewsand
andsalaries.
salaries.
IfIfyou
youhave
haveany
anyquestions,
questions,do
donot
nothesitate
hesitateto
tocall.
call.

Ch. 8, Slide 32

Request Memo
After Version( effective memo)

Ch. 8, Slide 33

Request Memo: After Version

DATE:
DATE: Current
Current
TO:
TO: Kim
KimJohnson,
Johnson,Corporate
CorporateCommunications
Communications
FROM:
FROM: Tim
TimRudolph,
Rudolph,CEO
CEO
SUBJECT:
SUBJECT: DEVELOPING
DEVELOPINGSTAFF
STAFFE-MAIL
E-MAILPOLICY
POLICY
Please
Pleasedraft
draftaapolicy
policyoutlining
outliningappropriate
appropriatee-mail
e-mailuse
usefor
for
employees.
employees.
We
Weneed
needsuch
suchaapolicy
policybecause
becauseIIhave
havereceived
receivedreports
reportsof
of
misuse
misuseincluding
includingdefamatory
defamatorystatements,
statements,pornography
pornography
downloads,
downloads,and
andeven
evengambling.
gambling.Here
Hereare
areaafew
fewpoints
pointsthat
that
the
thepolicy
policyshould
shouldcover:
cover:
E-mail
E-mailisisfor
forbusiness
businessonly.
only.
Ch. 8, Slide 34

Request Memo: After Version

E-mail
E-mailmessages
messagesmay
maybe
bemonitored.
monitored.
No
Nopictures
picturesor
orother
otherattachments
attachmentsshould
shouldbe
besent
sentwithout
without
valid
validreason.
reason.
E-mail
E-mailshould
shouldnot
notbe
beused
usedto
todiscuss
discusspersonnel
personnelmatters.
matters.
Please
Pleasesubmit
submitaadraft
draftto
tome
meby
byOctober
October11since
sincewe
wehope
hopeto
to
have
haveaapolicy
policycompleted
completedby
byNovember
November1.1.Call
Callififyou
youhave
have
questions.
questions.

Ch. 8, Slide 35

Communicating in the
New World of E-Mail
The phenomenal
growth of e-mail and
use of the Internet
mean that todays
communicators need
special skills.

Ch. 8, Slide 36

Smart E-Mail Practices

Netiquette
Limit any tendency to send blanket copies.
Never send spam.
Consider using identifying labels (FYI, ACTION,
RE, URGENT)
Use capital letters ONLY for emphasis or for
titles.
Dont forward without permission.
Reduce /minimize attachments.

Ch. 8, Slide 37

Smart E-Mail Practices

Reading and Replying to E-Mail

Ch. 8, Slide 38

Scan all messages before replying to any.

Acknowledge receipt.
Dont automatically return the senders message.
Revise the subject line if the topic changes.
Provide a clear, complete first sentence.
Never respond when youre angry.

Smart E-Mail Practices

Personal Use
Dont use company
computers for personal
matters.
Assume that all e-mail is
monitored.

Ch. 8, Slide 39

Smart E-Mail Practices

Other Smart Practices
Use design to improve readability of
longer messages.
Consider cultural differences.
Double-check before hitting the Send
button.

Ch. 8, Slide 40

Formatting E-Mail Messages

Enclose the receivers address in angle
brackets.
Include a salutation (such as Dear
David, Hi, or Greetings), or weave the
receivers name into the first sentence.
Single-space within paragraphs and
double-space between paragraphs.
Write in complete sentences, and use
upper and lowercase letters.
Include a signature block, especially for
messages to outsiders.
Ch. 8, Slide 41

Bad Example
Subject: Revisions For Sales Report
Hi Jackie,
Thanks for sending that report last
week. I read it yesterday, and I feel
that Chapter 2 needs more specific
information about our sales figures. I
also felt that the tone could be more
formal.
Also, I wanted to let you know that I've
scheduled a meeting with the PR
department for this Friday regarding
the new ad campaign. It's at 11:00
a.m. and will be in the small
conference room.
Please let me know if you can make
that time.
Thanks!
Monica

Good Example

Subject: Revisions For Sales Report

Hi Jackie,
Thanks for sending that report last
week. I read it yesterday, and I feel
that Chapter 2 needs more specific
information about our sales figures.
I also felt that the tone could be more
formal.
Could you amend it with these
comments in mind?
Thanks for your hard work on this!
Monica
(Monica then follows this up with a
separate email about the PR
department meeting.)

Subject line:
Bad Example

Good Example

Subject: Meeting

Subject: Weekly review meeting, 10

a.m., February 25, 2014

Bad Example

Good Example

Emma,
I need your report by 5 p.m. today or
I'll miss my deadline.
Harry

Hi Emma,
Thanks for all your hard work on that
report. Could you please get your
version over to me by 5 p.m., so I don't
miss my deadline?
Thanks so much!
Harry

Writing effective emails

Don't over communicate by email.
Make good use of subject lines.
Keep messages clear and brief.
Be polite.
Check your tone.
Proofread

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 e-mail ethics, courtesy,
and privacy issues.

Ch. 8, Slide 46

Difference between memo and

email
1. The Difference between a Email and a Memo is a Email opens with a To, From, Subject
Line, Carbon Copy (CC), and in some circumstances a Bcc( blind carbon copy)
2. A Memo is quite similar to a Email. It too opens with a To, From, Subject Line but it
also has a date line and no CC or Bcc.
3. A Email then opens with the receivers name to express friendliness and to mark the
beginning of a message. A Memo gets directly to the point and provide ragged line
endings that are not yet
4. A Email always closes with the information from whoever is sending the email. While
a Memo usually omits a closing and never uses a signature or a complimentary close.
5. There is no salutation( Dear Mr./Mrs) in a memo like an email.

Smart E-Mail Practices

Getting Started
Consider composing offline.
Get the address right.
Avoid misleading subject lines.
Apply the top-of-screen test.

Ch. 8, Slide 48

Smart E-Mail Practices

Content, Tone, and Correctness
Be concise.
Dont send anything you wouldnt want
published.
Dont use e-mail to avoid contact.
Care about correctness.
Resist humor and tongue-in-cheek comments.
Remember the 7 Cs of communication

Ch. 8, Slide 49

Characteristics of Successful
E-Mail Messages and Memos
Headings: Date, To, From, Subject
Email: CC ( carbon copy) and Bcc( blind
carbon copy)
Single topic
Conversational tone
Conciseness
Graphic highlighting
Ch. 8, Slide 50