BUSINESS MEMOS

PRINCIPLES AND FUNDAMENTALS

BUSINESS MEMOS

Business memo is a formal written message, written in a

conventional form for someone within the organisation to
meet a specific need.
It is a form of dialogue, where the writer wants to say
something and expects a response to the message.
Business memos serve many purposes:

Describe problems.
Request for information or additional resources.
Contain proposals or requests for proposals

Explain policy statements

Contain office instructions or guidelines
Persuade the reader to take action
Invite the reader to business meetings/conferences
Give feedback, suggestions, or recommendations.
Seek explanations or clarifications
Be just polite reminders

Business memos also help members of the organisation

communicate without the need for time-consuming oral
discussions, meetings, and conferences.
Downward memos are used to communicate to the
subordinates in the hierarchy of the organisation:

Convey routine information

Discuss matters relating to personnel practices

Seek explanations or clarifications

Send feedback
Give instructions

Upward memos are sent by subordinates to their superiors.

Horizontal memos are sent to peer groups or to people who
are hierarchically equivalent in the organisation.

LETTERS VERSUS MEMOS

A business memo differs from a business letter in sveral

important ways:

Unlike letters, which are used as a means to reach out to people

outside an organisation, memos are used to send information
inside an organisation

A memo is written in s specific format, which means different

from the letter format
Memos are less formal than letters
Memos are less structured than letters
The tone of memo is more conversational than that of a letter
Memos contain less background explanation and information
than letters

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE MEMOS

Clarity
Conciseness
Unity of Theme
Informal tone

FORM AND STRUCTURE

Heading include four elements:

Date
Recipients name and designation
Senders name and designation
Subject

Date: (complete and current)

To: (name and designation of the recipient)
From: (name and designation of the sender)
Subject: (topic of the memo)

EXAMPLE OF MEMO
OPENING

Opening segment mentions central idea

Example:-I am happy to report that our new product ACT
Energiser 2, launched in January this year, has been highly
successful in the first six months of its launch. I am sending
you the sales report for the last six months.

BODY

Contains the message of the memo

It describes, explains, and discusses the central idea of the

memo, and include all details that support the senders
ideas.
Appropriate graphic techniques and non-verbal data may be
used in order to highlight the main parts of the memo.

CLOSING

Close with courteous ending, stating what action the reader

is required to take.
The sender can tell the readers how they will benefit from
the desired actions.
If a problem is being discussed in the memo, it may be
closed by assuming up analysis of the problem and key
recommendations.

Example:-Please send your recommendations to me by

March 5, 2005 so that we are able to complete the project by
the end of April, 2005.

OPTIONAL ELEMENTS

References
Attachments
Distribution lists

WRITING STRATEGIES
Step 1 analyse the problem and purpose
Step 2 determine the needs of the reader
Step 3 determine the scope of your message
Step 4 organise your message
Step 5 write the first draft

Step 6 revise, review, edit

Step 7 write the final draft