How to Write a Business Memo
Steps
1. Fill out the header information. State clearly who the memo is to, from, the date, and what the memo is regarding. 2. Begin with why the recipient is receiving the memo. State the purpose of the memo very clearly. 3. State any actions you need the recipient to perform and when you need them performed by. 4. Close with any follow up items required from the recipients.
Tips and Tactics
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Simplify, simplify simplify. Avoid phrases such as "in order to" when "to" will work. Make it short, one page if possible. People are very pressed for time and they don't have a lot of time to read what you have written. Short sentences, even bulleted lists of points you want to make, are preferred over long, convoluted sentences that go on and on and on... you get the idea. Try breaking each sentence into about 20 words. If a sentence is too long, rewrite it to break it into two sentences. Keep the paragraphs short, too. Write naturally. Write the way you would speak. This is not the time to show off a newly acquired vocabulary word and get it wrong. Write from the reader's perspective. Be specific. Use statistics and percentages. If you want the reader to take action based upon your memo, don't use a lot of adjectives. Action verbs and nouns should be used more than adjectives.
Taken from an article at http://www.mytutorials.com/tutorial/How_to_Write_a_Business_Memo/169/
Material Taken from Internet Sites Noted
Linda Martin
2008
Below is a sample memo:
Memo Date: July 12, 1993 To: All Planning Committee Members From : Colleen Appleton, Committee Chair Re: Change of Schedule Starting next week, planning committee meetings will be held on Fridays at 3:00 rather than Tuesdays at 1:00.
Material Taken from Internet Sites Noted
Linda Martin
2008