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MEMO

This document provides a comprehensive guide on writing memos, detailing their purpose, format, and when to use them. It emphasizes the importance of clarity and conciseness in memos, which serve as official internal communications within organizations. The document also distinguishes memos from other forms of communication like emails, letters, and press releases.

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Sheena Seguritan
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3 views

MEMO

This document provides a comprehensive guide on writing memos, detailing their purpose, format, and when to use them. It emphasizes the importance of clarity and conciseness in memos, which serve as official internal communications within organizations. The document also distinguishes memos from other forms of communication like emails, letters, and press releases.

Uploaded by

Sheena Seguritan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Business, Entrepreneurship


and Accountancy

PURPOSIVE
COMMUNICATION
MEMORANDUM
WHAT IS MEMORANDUM?
A memo, short for memorandum, is a
way to inform a group of people
about a specific problem, solution, or
event.
WHAT IS MEMORANDUM?
A memo should be brief,
straightforward, and easy to read. It
informs recipients and provides an
action plan with specific next steps.
WHAT IS MEMORANDUM?
You may send a memo as a paper
letter, fax, or PDF attached to an
email. Although the widespread use of
email essentially replaced memos in
many circumstances, memos are still
helpful for some important messages.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A MEMO?

Memos are designed for official internal


communications of a business or organization.
They are often sent to an entire organization but
are also useful for informing a single department,
team, or smaller group of people. Memos disperse
necessary information using a simple, easy-to-
follow format.
When To Write A Memo?
You should write a memorandum
when you need to relay official
business items efficiently. The
aim of your memo should be to
inform, bring attention to a
problem, or answer a question.
The following purposes are
suitable for a memo:
When To Write A Memo?
•broadcast internal changes
•disseminate news
•share an upcoming event
•update public safety guidelines
•raise awareness about an issue
•address a problem
•make a request
•share project updates
HOW TO FORMAT A
MEMO?
If you are sending a memo via
email, it should be formatted as a
PDF. This retains the style you’ve
Intensifiers
applied to the document. Traditionally
memos use twelve-point font for the
body and fourteen- to sixteen-point
font for the headings. Keep the font
and design simple.
1. HEADING
The heading lists who is receiving
the memo, who is sending the
memo, the date the memo was
written, and the subject of the
memo. You can view how to format
this section below.
1. HEADING
To: [Recipients’ full names and job titles or
department]
From: [Your full name and job title]
Date: [Today’s date]
Subject: [What the memo is about]
Since you addressed the recipients in the heading,
there’s no need to include a greeting.
1. HEADING
2. OPENING STATEMENT
This section can be between one and three
sentences. The opening statement is where you
briefly state the purpose of your memo. Include
only a summary of the most crucial information in
this section. Later you’ll be able to get into the
details.
Try starting with, “I’m writing to inform you . . .”
3. CONTEXT
In three to ten sentences, provide context.
Context is where you let people know what
you’re writing about, why you’re writing
them, and any other critical information.
3. CONTEXT
This section may include the following:
•supporting evidence
•why your organization made the decision you’re
discussing in the memo
•background information
•a problem statement
•how you found the problem
•important timing or dates
•other key points
3. CONTEXT
4 . CALL TO ACTION AND TASK
STATEMENT

This section can be either two to three sentences or


a bullet-pointed list. This is where you lay out the next
steps for your recipients. Write about what the recipient
should do after they read the memo or how you plan to
solve the problem you’ve described.
Try writing, “Please [task you’d like completed] by
[due date]” or “I appreciate your cooperation in this
matter.”
4 . CALL TO ACTION AND TASK
STATEMENT
5. DISCUSSION
The aim of this portion is to persuade the
recipients to follow your recommended actions.
Lay out all of the details that support your ideas,
beginning with the most critical information.
Give specific supporting facts, ideas, and research
that back up your memo, organizing the
information from strongest to weakest.
5. DISCUSSION
6. CLOSING
The closing section is an opportunity to end
your memo on a courteous note. We recommend
you share what you want your recipients to take
action on one more time here, as well.
Generally, memos don’t include a farewell. But
if you want to have one, make sure to keep it
brief.
7. OPTIONAL ADDITIONS
Your supplemental information should
include any documentation you want to
share, such as graphs, lists, tables, or photos.
If you choose to include attachments, include
a note about what you’ve attached below
your closing.
7. OPTIONAL ADDITIONS
If you’re sending your memo via email, these
additional attachments can be added to your
email. If you send your memo as a letter or fax,
include these after the last page of your memo
document. Refer to your attachments as such:
“Attached: [name of attachment], [date
created].”
8. REVISE
Now that you’ve written your
memo, it’s time to revise! Follow
the steps below to ensure your
memo is as clear and concise as
possible.
8. REVISE
. Remember: the shorter, the better.
•Cut out any unnecessary material.
•Clarify your main points.
•Proofread for spelling, grammar, and
punctuation mistakes.
•Check your facts and resources.
•Get feedback from a colleague before sending.
How is Memo
Intensifiers

Different from…
…EMAIL
Memos are typically more formal in tone and
language than emails, which are most effective
when they’re short and to the point. In the future,
the company may use your memo as an official
document that will be printed, disseminated as
hard copies, or distributed professionally to a
large group of people in a readable format.
…LETTER
Typically, letters are addressed to
individuals outside of the organization.
They are meant for longer external
messages communicating a specific
topic. These may be informal or formal
in tone.
…PRESS RELEASE
Memos are usually used for internal
communications, while press
releases are intended for external
communications. A press release is
understood to typically be a longer,
more detailed document than a memo.
…CIRCULAR
Circulars are for mass distribution. On
the other hand, memos are for a select
group of people. Circulars typically
have multiple topics and calls to action.
Memos should address only one
subject, briefly.
…MEETING MINUTES
Meeting minutes are official documents
containing the notes from a meeting.
While a memo may refer to minutes in
its supplemental attachments, you
should not use a memo as a format for
meeting minutes or vice versa.
EXAMPLES OF MEMOS
Example 1: Internal changes
When an organization makes policy,
procedural, or high-level staffing changes, an
internal change memo should be written. The
HR department may send this email, or it
might come from the leadership team or
another department.
Example 2: General Business Memo

A general business memo format may be


used for just about any business item.
Whether it’s a project in progress or an
internal analysis, this versatile format will
fit.
THANK YOU!

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