MEMOS

A memo (short for memorandum) is a note or a document typically sent from one person to one or more people within
the same company. It may be a note left on your desk, a bulletin on the company notice board or an email sent to all
employees. A memo can record the details of a staff meeting, a policy change or even an employee’s performance.
Although they can take different forms, memos are always written in a particular format and in a formal style. One more
thing to remember: memos can be sent as emails, but not every email is a memo.

What to Do Before You Start Writing a Memo

Before writing a memo, it’s a good idea to sit down with a pen and a piece of paper and follow these planning steps:
1. Write a draft: First make a draft of your memo listing all the possible points you can think of.
2. Establish the purpose of your memo: Identify the main purpose or “takeaway” of the memo. In other words, what’s
your reason for writing it? This will be your subject and opening sentence.
3. Decide the audience for your memo: Ask yourself, do you really need to send it to all the employees in a particular
department, or just the executives?
4. Edit your draft: Now go back to your first draft. Narrow down your points to the most important and essential ones.

Do’s and Don’ts of Memo Writing

Keep these rules in your head as you’re writing the memo, to be on the safe side.
 Don’t use informal/emotional language: Keep it strictly formal. No slang words or colloquial language.

Even if you’re writing about an employee’s inadequate performance, don’t berate or use sharp words. Be detached but
polite in your criticism.
 Do use bullet points: If you have several issues to cover in the body, break it up using bullet points. This will keep

your memo easy to read and understand quickly.

 Do be succinct: Don’t include unnecessary details or use tons of adjectives. Ask yourself, “Can I write this sentence in

a more clear or direct way?”

 Don’t forget to review: Even if you’re in a hurry, make sure you carefully review and proofread your memo before

sending it. We’ll provide more in-depth guidance for proofreading later in this post.

7 Steps to Write Impressive Memos in Business English

1. Know the Format

Essentially, a memo has just two parts: a heading (which we’ll explain below) and a body (the text of the memo).
Assuming that you’re typing it out, make sure your paragraphs are left-aligned.

2. Label Your Memo

Make it clear that it’s a memo and not a notice or any other official document. Simply write “Memorandum” or “Memo”
at the top of the page.

3. Create Your Heading

Generally, the pattern goes like this:
To: (the people you’re sending it to—use complete names and job titles)
From: (your name and job title)
Subject: (the reason you’re writing the memo)
Date: (including day, month and year)

A sample heading of a memo would look like this:

To: Alice Arora, Marketing Research Assistant
From: Ajay Dugar, Sales Manager
Subject: Quarterly Sales Promotion
Date: October 15, 2017

Remember to use only official names (no nicknames or short forms) and keep the subject as specific and direct as
possible.

4. Write a Concise Introduction

Unlike most emails and letters, memos don’t require opening salutations (“Dear Ms. Jones…”)
Don’t waste space introducing yourself or giving a detailed overview of the issue. In fact, the first sentence should
summarize the reason why the memo was written.
For example, here’s a sample opening:
“I’ve noticed that the quarterly book sales have dipped by 10%, so it would be prudent to think of different marketing
strategies to promote our upcoming line of authors.”
This tells us that the memo is going to be about the dip in sales and the ways it can be countered. It’s most likely to end
on a call to action—suggesting/telling the reader to do something specific to improve the situation.
You can spend two to three lines discussing the issue in a bit more detail, by stating facts and figures or dates and
names, to highlight the sense of urgency and importance. Think of the introduction as opening with a thesis statement,
followed by examples illustrating it.

5. Write the Memo Body

After the brief opening paragraph, you can use the memo body to add more information. You can highlight the actions
steps that should be taken, or the issues that are at stake.
Again, be as specific as possible, but depending on the subject matter, you may choose to divide the body into smaller
sections with subheadings.
For instance, if the memo is essentially an announcement about a policy change, the body can consist of one paragraph
describing the change and its consequences for employees.
However, it would be better to break your memo into shorter body paragraphs or bullet points if you’re doing any of the
following:
 Exploring potential solutions to a complicated company problem

 Listing the different topics covered in a recent meeting

 Highlighting three or more issues

6. End with a Conclusion

Now you can finish your memo by writing the conclusion. The conclusion should be about one or two sentences long
(though it’ll depend on your memo topic). You can summarize the issue in a positive manner or include a positive call to
action.
Some phrases and sentences that you can use include:
 I look forward to your support in this matter.

 We hope that this new policy change will be of greater benefit to our employees.

 We are confident that these strategies will lead to a boost in our sales.

 I am excited to discuss your opinions in the next meeting.

 Thank you in advance for your continued support.

If you’re printing it out, you can choose to sign or stamp the memo, but the signature isn’t really necessary.

7. Proofread
Once you’re done writing, look for mistakes in the memo.
Read your memo at least two or three times, keeping a lookout for typos or grammar errors. Then read once more to
ensure you’ve covered everything you wanted to. You can also keep an eye out for unnecessary details that could be
cut.