The document provides information about letters and memos, including: 1) Letters are typically sent outside an organization while memos are used for internal communication. Memos are used to communicate policies, procedures, or official business within a company. 2) A memo's purpose is usually to inform employees, but may also include elements of persuasion or a call to action. Effective memos address informal rumors by clearly explaining issues to employees. 3) There are standard formats for letters and memos that should be followed, including block or modified formats for letters and a format for memos that includes the sender, recipient, and subject in a header.

1. LIB300 Week 2
Formats for Letters and
Memos
Dr. Russell Rodrigo

2. Letters and Memos
Letters normally are sent to
people outside your organization.
Memos go to other people in
your organization.

3. Memos
´ A memo (or memorandum, meaning “reminder”) is normally used
for communicating policies, procedures, or related official
business within an organization.
´ It is often written from a one-to-all perspective (like mass
communication), broadcasting a message to an audience, rather
than a one-on-one, interpersonal communication. It may also be
used to update a team on activities for a given project, or to
inform a specific group within a company of an event, action, or
observance.

4. Purpose of a Memo
´ A memo’s purpose is often to inform, but it occasionally includes an
element of persuasion or a call to action.
´ All organizations have informal and formal communication
networks. The unofficial, informal communication network within an
organization is often called the grapevine, and it is often
characterized by rumor, gossip, and innuendo.
´ One effective way to address informal, unofficial speculation is to
spell out clearly for all employees what is going on with a particular
issue. If budget cuts are a concern, then it may be wise to send a
memo explaining the changes that are imminent. If a company
wants employees to take action, they may also issue a
memorandum.
´ For example, on February 13, 2009, upper management at the
Panasonic Corporation issued a declaration that all employees
should buy at least $1,600 worth of Panasonic products. The
company president noted that if everyone supported the company
with purchases, it would benefit all (Lewis, 2009).

6. Five Tips for Effective
Business Memos
´ Audience
Orientation
´ Professional, Formal
Tone
´ Subject Emphasis
´ Direct Format
´ Objectivity
´

7. What is the difference
between letters and memos?
Format

8. Letters
´ Letters are brief messages sent to recipients that are often outside
the organization (Bovee, C., & Thill, J., 2010). They are often printed
on letterhead paper, and represent the business or organization in
one or two pages. Shorter messages may include e-mails or
memos, either hard copy or electronic, while reports tend to be
three or more pages in length.

10. Block Modified
Block
Date and signature
block
Lined up at left
margin
Lined up ½ or
2/3 over to the
right.
Paragraph
indentation
None Optional
Subject line Optional Rare
Differences between Letter
Formats

11. How
should you
set up
letters?
Use block or modified format
Use the same level of formality in the
salutation
Use the standard complimentary
closes (e.g. Sincerely, Cordially)
Use colon ( : ) in the salutation and
comma ( , ) for the complimentary
close

12. Seven Standard Parts of a
Business Letter
1. Date
-the date is put at the top of the page for any business
communication.
2. Address
-the address of the person receiving the correspondence
includes formal name, street address, city, state and zip code.
3. Salutation
-is the formal way of addressing the person. Common
salutations are Dear or To Whom It May Concern.
4. Introduction
-introduces the subject of the letter
- is a summary in a sentence or two that explains what the
goal of the letter is.

13. Seven Standard Parts of a
Business Letter
5. Body of the Letter
-explains in detail all aspects of what is being
communicated.
6. Closing
-summarizes what the letter was about and any
next steps or action items
-gives the reader a heads up that the
communication is coming to a close.
7. Signature
has complementary closing. Examples are
Sincerely, Warmest Regards, Respectfully Yours,
Very Truly Yours, or Cordially Yours.

15. Modified Block Format
- is most frequently used for business letters.
Block Format on Letterhead
creates a visually attractive page by moving
the date and signature block over into what
would otherwise be empty white space.
is a traditional format.

16. Block Format on
Letterhead

17. Modified
Block
format on
Letterhead

18. Modified Block
Format without
Letterhead

19. When
you
know the
Reader’s
Name
and
Gender
1. Use courtesy titles that do not
indicate marital status:
Mr. for men and Ms. For women.
2. Use professional titles when they are
relevant.
E.g.
Dr. Kristen Sorenson
Rev. Robert Townsley
3. Use the title a woman prefers to be
addressed as Mrs. Or Miss.

20. When
You
Know the
Reader’s
Name
but Not
the
Gender
1. Call the company and ask the
receptionist.
2. Use the reader’s full name in the
salutation
E.g.
Dear Chris Cowell:
Dear J.C. Meath:

21. When You Know Neither the
Reader’s Name Nor the Gender
1. Use the reader’s position or job title
E.g. Dear Load Officer:
Dear Registrar:
2. Use a general group to which your reader belongs:
E.g. Dear Investor:
Dear Admission Committee:
3. Omit Salutation and use a subject line in its place:
Subject: Recommendation for Ben Wandell

22. How should you set up
memos?
standard memo format mimics block format but
has no salutation, close, or signature.
No indentions
Subject lines are required; headings are optional
The first letter of the reader’s name, the writer’s
name and the subject phrase are lined up
vertically.
Usually initialed by the To/From block

23. Memo format on
plain paper

24. Memo Format on memo
letterhead

25. The Three-step Writing
Process
1. Plan
2. Write
3. Complete

26. 1. Plan
Analyze the Situation
Define your purpose and develop an audience profile.
Types of purposes: to inform, persuade, collaborate,
initiate a conversation.
Gather Information
Determine audience needs and obtain the information
necessary to satisfy those needs.
Select the Right Medium
Select the best medium for delivering your message (e.g.
Oral, written, visual electronic)
Organize the information
Define your main idea, limit your scope, select a direct or an
indirect approach, and outline your content.

27. Outlining your content
I. First major point
A. First subpoint
B. Second subpoint
1. Examples and
evidence
2. Examples and
evidence
a. Detail
b. detail
3. Examples and
evidence
C. Third subpoint
II. Second major point
A. First subpoint
1. Examples and
evidence
2. Examples and
evidence
B. Second subpoint
The
particular
Message is
divided
Into two
major points
I and II.
Subpoint B is
Supported with
three sets of
examples and
Evidence, the
second of which is
further subdivided
with two detail
sections
The first
major
Point is
divided
into
Three
subpoints
A, B and
C.

28. Evaluate the subject and the organization
of the letter below.

30. 2. Write
Adapt to Your Audience
Be polite.
Use positive emphasis and unbiased language.
Establish credibility.
Project your company’s preferred image.
Use a conversational tone, plain English, and appropriate
voice.
Compose the message
Choose strong words that will help you create effective
sentences and coherent paragraphs.

31. 3. Complete
Revise the Message
Produce the Message
Proofread the Message
Distribute the Message

32. Comprehension Questions
1. What are the three steps in the writing
process?
2. What is the difference between the
topic of a message and its main idea?
3. Considering how fast, easy, and
inexpensive they are, should electronic
media messages completely replace
meetings and other face-to-face
communication? Why or why not?

33. Practice: Perfecting your
Writing
1. An email message to employees about the office’s high
water bills
2. A blog posting to customers and the news media about
your company’s plans to acquire a competitor
3. A podcast to new users of the company’s online content
management system
4. A report to your boss, the store manager, about the
dated items in the warehouse
5. A phone call to a supplier to check on an overdue parts
shipment
6. A letter to a customer who is supposed to make monthly
loan payments but hasn’t made a payment for three
months.
Specific Purpose: For each of the following communication tasks, state a
specific purpose. (To inform, to persuade, to instruct, to inquire, to remind)

34. Why Don’t We All See Eye to
Eye?
´ Listening and thinking are directly related. When you are
reading, what do you hear? When you are talking with
someone, what do you hear? If the sound of your thoughts
or voice is at least one of your answers, then
communication is not occurring.
´ Interruptions will impair your ability to understand and retain
information, and make studying even harder.

35. Individual Differences in
Perception
´ Why do people perceive things in different ways? To answer the
question, recall that we all engage in selection, or choosing
some stimuli while ignoring others.
´ We exist as individuals within a community, regardless of whether
we are conscious of it.
´ Do you like 80s music? Prefer the Beatles? Nothing before 2005?
Your tastes in music involve the senses, and what you choose to
experience is influenced by your context and environment. Your
habits, values, and outlook on life are influenced by where you
come from and where you are.

36. Individual Differences
The attributes that cause people to perceive things differently are
known as individual differences. Let’s examine several of the most
important ones.
´ Physical characteristics
´ psychological state
´ perceptual set (our attitudes, beliefs, and values about the
world)
Think about your brand preferences, your choice of transportation,
your self-expression through your clothing, haircut, and jewelry—all
these external symbols represent in some way how you view
yourself within your community and the world. We can extend this
perspective in many ways, both positive and negative, and see
that understanding the perspective of the audience takes on new
levels of importance.

37. Figure 3.7 Iceberg Model

38. Audience Profile Exercise
For each communication task that follow,
write brief answers to three questions:
1. Who is my audience?
2. What is my audience’s general attitude
toward my subject?
3. What does my audience need to know?

39. Audience Profile
1. A final-notice collection letter from an appliance manufacturer to
an appliance dealer, sent 10 days before initiation of legal
collection procedures
2. A promotional message on your company’s retailing website,
announcing a temporary price reduction on high-definition
television sets
3. An advertisement for peanut butter
4. A letter to the property management company responsible for
maintaining your office building, complaining about persistent
problems with the heating and air conditioning
5. A cover letter sent along with your resume to a potential employer
6. A request (to the seller) for a price adjustment on a piano that
incurred $150 in damage during delivery to a banquet room in the
hotel you manage

40. Demographic Traits
´ Demographic traits refer to the characteristics that make
someone an individual, but that he or she has in common with
others.
´ For example, if you were born female, then your view of the world
may be different from that of a male, and may be similar to that
of many other females. Being female means that you share this
“femaleness” trait with roughly half the world’s population.
´ How does this demographic trait of being female apply to
communication?

42. Key Takeaways
´ To better understand your audience, learn about their
demographic traits, such as age, gender, and employment
status, as these help determine their interests, needs, and
goals.
´ In addition, become aware of your perceptions and theirs,
and practice fairness in your communications.

43. Exercises
1. When you watch a film with friends, make a point of talking
about it afterward and listen to how each person
perceived aspects of the film. Ask them each to describe it
in ten words or less. Did they use the same words? Did you
see it the same way, or differently? Did you catch all the
points, frames of reference, values, or miss any
information? What does this say about perception?
2. Think of a time when you misunderstood a message. What
was your psychological state at the time? Do you think you
would have understood the message differently if you had
been in a different psychological state?
3. Think of a time when someone misunderstood your
message. What happened and why? Share and compare
with classmates.