Memo Format (Jin)

General Information About Memos:

Memos are common types of business communication. Business memos are written to inform or request action and act like business letters written internally. It is less formal than a letter, however, this is not permission or an excuse to make common spelling and punctuation errors or you will lose credibility. Memos are almost always used within an organization. Memos are usually unceremonious in style. Memos are normally used for non-sensitive communication. Memos are short and to-the-point. Memos have a direct style. Memos do not have a salutation. Memos do not have a complimentary closing. Memos have a specific format that is very different from a business letter

Memo structure including identify information at the top such as "To," "From," "Subject," and "Date."

Date:

To: Recipient of Memo

From: Writer of Memo Writer's Initials*

Subject: Title of Memo in Initial Capitals

Text of the memo

Memos usually have one-inch margins on all four sides, and the writer's initials always appear next to the name at the top of the memo.

The top line of a memo usually says "Memo" or "Memorandum." The company logo or letterhead frequently goes above this. Some companies omit the words memo or memorandum, although this is not the norm.

Below the word "Memo" or "Memorandum" is the date, the name of the person or persons to whom the memo is sent, the name of the writer or sender (with the writer's initials written-in by hand), followed by a very short description of the memo's topic. Sometimes the order of these four items is altered; however, they are always present. These four items are double-spaced and a solid line is frequently drawn below them, separating them from the memo's message.

Below the line is the memo's message area. The text in this area is single-spaced.

There are two ways to format the text of a memo: block format and modified block format. Block format begins every paragraph flush with the left margin and leaves an empty line of space between each paragraph. Modified block format indents each paragraph and does not leave an empty line of space between each paragraph. Do not mix block and modified block formats.

Tips on how to write a memo so that the recipient will read it include:

* 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.

Tips on how to write a memo so that the recipient will respond to it:

* Write from the reader's perspective.
* Be specific. Use statistics and percentages.
* Don't use a lot of adjectives. You want the reader to take action based upon your memo. Therefore, action verbs and nouns should be used more than adjectives.