Memo
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The document provides information about memos, including their purpose, characteristics, formats, parts, and an example. Memos are used for inter-office communication to bring attention to problems, provide information, and persuade. They are short, direct, and use a block or modified block format. Key parts include the header, opening, summary, discussion, action, and attachments. The example memo discusses changing an advertising strategy based on market research findings. It focuses the discussion on internet and television advertising that targets young adults.
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Memo
- 1. MEMO "Memo writing is technical writing with its sleeves rolled up."
- 2. PURPOSE – Bring attention to a problem – Solve problems – Information – Persuading
- 3. CHARACTERISTICS OF MEMO • Inter office • Short • To-the-point • Direct • Salutation
- 4. TYPES OF FORMATS • Block format Block format is flush left margin, ragged right margin, with a blank space between the lines. Modified block format has an indented first line, ragged right margin, with no blank spaces between the lines. Block format is flush left margin, ragged right margin, with a blank space between the lines. Modified block format has an indented first line, ragged right margin, with no blank spaces between the lines. Block format is flush left margin, ragged right margin, with a blank space between the lines. Modified block format has an indented first line, ragged right margin, with
- 5. Modified block format Block format is flush left margin, ragged right margin, with a blank space between the lines. Modified block format has an indented first line, a ragged right margin, and no blank spaces between the lines. Block format is flush left margin, ragged right margin, with a blank space between the lines. Modified block format has an indented first line, a ragged right margin, and no blank spaces between the lines. Block format is flush left margin, ragged right margin, with a blank space between the lines. Modified block format has an indented first line, a ragged right margin, and no blank spaces between the lines.
- 6. FORMAT Memorandum • Date: • To: • From: • Subject • Text of the memo
- 7. PARTS OF A MEMO • Heading Segment - Header • Opening Segment – Purpose, Context & Task • Summary • Discussion • Action • Necessary Attachments
- 8. SUGGESTED DISTRIBUTION OF SEGMENTS • Header: 1/8 of the memo • Opening, Context and Task: 1/4 of the memo • Summary, Discussion Segment: 1/2 of the memo • Closing Segment, Necessary Attachments: 1/8 of the memo
- 9. HEADER Date: July 23, 2008 To: Div C From: Prof. Rachna cc: Coordinator 1 Soft Skills Coordinator bcc: Prof. Meenaxi Subject: Class assignment for Memo writing
- 10. OPENING SEGMENT • Purpose • Context • Task
- 11. SUMMARY • Miniature version of the memo • Brief statement of the key recommendations • Helps readers understand the key points
- 12. DISCUSSION
- 13. ACTION
- 14. NECESSARY ATTACHMENTS • To provide detailed information • To support your argument
- 15. SAMPLE MEMO • TO: Kelly Anderson, Marketing Executive • FROM: Jonathon Fitzgerald, Market Research Assistant • DATE: June 14, 2007 • SUBJECT: Fall Clothes Line Promotion
- 16. OPENING SEGMENT Through market research and analysis, it has been discovered that the proposed advertising media for the new fall lines need to be reprioritized and changed. Findings from focus groups and surveys have made it apparent that we need to update our advertising efforts to align them with the styles and trends of young adults today. No longer are young adults interested in sitcoms as they watch reality televisions shows. Also, it is has become increasingly important to use the internet as a tool to communicate with our target audience to show our dominance in the clothing industry.
- 17. SUMMARY & DISCUSSION SEGMENT Internet Advertising XYZ Company needs to focus advertising on internet sites that appeal to young people. According to surveys, 72% of our target market uses the internet for five hours or more per week. The following list shows in order of popularity the most frequented sites: • Google • Facebook • Myspace • EBay • iTunes Shifting our efforts from our other media sources such as radio and magazine to these popular internet sites will more effectively promote our product sales. Young adults are spending more and more time on the internet downloading music, communicating and researching for homework and less and less time reading paper magazines and listening to the radio. As the trend for cultural icons to go digital, so must our marketing plans.
- 18. CLOSING SEGMENT Kelly Anderson 2 June 14, 2007 Television Adverting It used to be common to advertise for our products on shows like Friends and Seinfeld for our target audience, but even the face of television is changing. Young adults are tuning into reality television shows for their entertainment. Results from the focus group show that our target audience is most interested in shows like American Idol,The Apprentice, and America's Next Top Model. The only non-reality television show to be ranked in the top ten most commonly watched shows by males and females 18-25 is Desperate Housewives. At Blue Incorporated, we need to focus our advertising budget on reality television shows and reduce the amount of advertising spent on other programs. By refocusing our advertising efforts of our new line of clothing we will be able to maximize the exposure of our product to our target market and therefore increase our sales. Tapping into the trends of young adults will help us gain market share and sales through effective advertising.
- 19. NECESSARY ATTACHMENTS • Attachments: Focus Group Results, January- May 2007; Survey Findings, January - April 2007 http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/590/04/
- 20. ASSIGNMENT• POINTS 5 • 1. What are your expectations from this course? • 2. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What part(s) of communication do you find easy? What part(s) do you find difficult? • 3. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a speaker? What part(s) of creating and giving presentations do you find easy? What part(s) do you find difficult? • 4. What are your three or four specific goals for improving your communication in this semester? • 5. How do you intend to reach those goals? How can your trainer best help your meet your goals? •
Editor's Notes
- A memo is a no-nonsense professional document, designed to be read quickly and passed along rapidly, often within a company or work group. E-mail messages are by far the most common form of memo. “Memo" comes from the Latin memorandum, "a thing which must be remembered." WWW.ecf.utoronto.cahttp://oregonstate.edu/dept/buswrite/memo.htmlhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu
- Informing the reader about new information like policy changes, price increasesPersuading the reader to take an action, such as attend a meeting, or change a current production procedure.
- Used within an organisationUnceremoniousNon-sensitive communicationShort & to-the-pointDirect styleNo salutationNo complimentary closingSpecific format
- One inch flushed margin on left, ragged margin on right, blank space between the lines
- Indented first line, ragged right margin, no blank space between the lines
- One-inch margin on all sidesThe order of the four items may vary; but they are all always presentThe items are double-spacedA solid line divides the items from the main textThe main text is single spacedMain text begins with a bottom-line statementA bottom line statement is short, terse statement giving the purpose of the memo. A good bottom-line statement is one which can survive the “so what” test.
- Header – 1/8 of the memoOpening, Context & Task – ¼ of the memoSummary & discussion segment – ½ of the memoClosing Segment, Necessary Attachments – 1/8 of the memo
- Generally, titles may not be used, but that practice is organisation specific
- Immediately state your reason for writing. Answer the questions: who, what, when, where, and why.The purpose of a memo is usually found in the opening paragraph and includes: the purpose of the memo, the context and problem, and the specific assignment or task.The purpose of the memo will help clarify the reason the audience should read this document. The introduction should be brief, and should be approximately the length of a short paragraph. The text of the memo almost always begins with a bottom-line statement. A bottom-line statement or message is a short, terse statement of the memo's purpose. Bottom-line statements are recognizable by their ability to survive a "so-what"* test. The context is the event, circumstance, or background of the problem you are solving. You may use a paragraph or a few sentences to establish the background and state the problem. Oftentimes it is sufficient to use the opening of a sentence to completely explain the context, such as,“ Through feedback from corporates, placement cell & students, it has been found that MBA students, though technically trained, lack good communication skills”. One essential portion of a memo is the task statement where you should describe what you are doing to help solve the problem. If the action was requested, your task may be indicated by a sentence opening like, “You asked me that I look at my ELPT scores & determine my strengths & weaknesses as a communicator & presenter”.
- The summary should do more than describe the contents of the memo, it should be a miniature version of the memo.If your memo is longer than a page, you may want to include a separate summary segment. However, this section not necessary for short memos and should not take up a significant amount of space. This segment provides a brief statement of the key recommendations you have reached. These will help your reader understand the key points of the memo immediately. This segment may also include references to methods and sources you have used in your research.
- Discussion section should include sufficient background information. The background may include the names and titles of the people involved, or the dates of earlier memos related to the one you are writing. The rest of the section should expand on and support all the points you made in your summary. You may employ subheadings such as: situation, problem, solution, evaluation. You may choose to arrange the discussion chronologically, from more important to less important, or from the general to the specific. Start with the old information and work carefully towards the new. Give your reader a sense of the big picture before you zero in on the individual parts. Use active verbs. Use the pronoun "I" when you are talking about your work. Simplify your language. Instead of "somewhere in the proximity of," write "near". Instead of "at this point in time," write "now.“
- Unless the purpose of the memo is simply to inform, you should finish with a clear call for action. Who should do what, and how long do they have to do it? You may need to include alternatives, in the event that your readers disagree with you. Be polite when you ask others to do work for you.You may wish to mention the actions that you plan to take next, and what your own deadlines are, so your reader can gauge how important the project is to you.After the reader has absorbed all of your information, you want to close with a courteous ending that states what action you want your reader to take. Make sure you consider how the reader will benefit from the desired actions and how you can make those actions easier
- Make sure you document your findings or provide detailed information whenever necessary. You can do this by attaching lists, graphs, tables, etc. at the end of your memo. Be sure to refer to your attachments in your memo and add a notation about what is attached below your closing, like this:Attached: Score-card of the English Language Proficiency Test
- Header
- If a memo continues to a second page, do not use letterhead or repeat the Date:, To:, From:, Subject: information. On the second page, across the top, put the name of the person to whom the memo is sent flush with the left margin, the page number in the center, and the date at the right margin.