It's best to divide the memo's substance into small paragraphs; three should be the maximum. Any more than that, and you risk losing your audience's attention. Remember that the purpose of a good memo is to be precise and succinct. So unless you have lots of time and want to cover a lot of ground, I would stick to no more than three paragraphs.
Also remember that you are trying to convey information, so use language that is clear and simple. Avoid complex sentences and long words if you can help it. And when you do use longer words, try to use their shorter forms when possible. For example, instead of saying "the management style of this organization is hierarchical," say simply "the organization has a hierarchy." There is no need to repeat "management" here because it is understood.
Finally, be sure to get feedback on your memo from those who will act on it. They may have suggestions about how to improve it or tell you what parts were unclear. Use these tips to write a successful memo.
A memo's structure adheres to the broad rules of business writing. A memo is typically one or two pages long, single spaced, and left justified. Skip a line between sentences instead of using indentations to indicate new paragraphs. Use subheads instead of paragraph marks.
It's best not to use abbreviations in memos, as this will make them difficult to read and may even cause confusion among those who have to deal with them daily. Abbreviations are used extensively in legal documents so lawyers can discuss cases quickly without referring to enormous files full of information. But since most people outside the legal profession will never see an abbreviation, it is important that they not only be accurate but also clear and concise. For example, an abbreviation for "unanimous verdict" is UVD. In general, words and phrases that describe the action being taken (such as "move to dismiss"), conditions precedent to taking the action (such as "there must be service here"), and consequences if these conditions aren't met (such as "the motion will be denied") should be included. And although not required, it is helpful if you explain what each abbreviation means. For example, UVD means that everyone involved with the case agreed on the decision. There can be no disagreement about the facts, law, or strategy in a case. Therefore, any judge would agree with the outcome reached by the jury.
Business documents should be brief and simple to read. Avoid using complex language or taking up multiple lines of text.
The three main types of memos are informal, formal, and action memos. Informal memos are used to share thoughts or discuss ideas. They may not be printed in official documents files or mailed with your company address on them. Instead, they may be kept in a desk drawer or folder. Be sure to label each memo with a date! Formal memos are longer documents that are sent to specific people within your organization. They often contain information about projects that are being worked on by different teams. Action memos are similar to formal memos but they also include notes about tasks that need to be done. These memos can be emailed to someone who needs to take action.
In addition to these three main types of memos, other documents may also be called memos including report, document, and announcement. A report is a detailed piece of information written by an expert on a particular topic. It may include facts and figures but it is not intended to change opinions. A document is anything written by someone at your company. It may be a policy, procedure manual, or even an email.
Here's how it's done:
Memo fragments
A clear closing action expressed in the last paragraph is the best way to finish a memo. Also, be extremely explicit about what you want your reader to know or do after reading the memo, so that your reader can reply easily. For example, if you are asking your reader to call you back within 24 hours, make sure to include this number in an easy-to-find place on the memo page.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Authors Cast Inc.
