A Smart Approach to Writing a Memo

How to Write a Memo Here are some useful tips to help you write a memo. Take some time to go over them, and you will feel much more comfortable when working on this task.   The structure of the memo does not differ much from that of an essay. It has a specific heading, the body of the memo and a conclusion or a memo’s summary.  Ã‚     Start with a Heading In a typical heading, one has to type the word â€Å"MEMORANDUM†. It is better to center the word but even if it is left-aligned, it is not a mistake. It is up to the writer to choose a bigger font size or to keep it the same as in the rest of the memo.   Leave a double space between the first line with the word and the next line of the heading. Keep in mind that a memo is a kind of formal communication. Clearly state the addressee, whether it is one person, a separate department or all employees.  Ã‚   If you plan to send it to some additional recipients, then include them in the ‘courtesy copy’ line, better known as the CC. This will be usually someone who is not affected by the policies, but needs to stay informed about them.   You also need to write your job title and your full name in the following line.  Ã‚   In the next line, you need to write a complete date. In order for the reader to understand what the message is about, you need to write a clear subject of the memo.   Here is a sample of a typical Memo heading: TO: All Employees CC: Financial department FROM: Josh Miller, CEO of the INK Corp.   DATE: March 25, 2018   SUBJECT: Salary increase in the 3rd quarter. After you are done with the heading, it is high time to learn what you should include in the body of the memo. Composing the Body   First of all, you need to consider the audience. It will help you choose the proper tone for your memo. A memo intended for the head of a department and for the whole department may have some major differences.  Ã‚   When writing a memo, you need to brainstorm the issue and try to predict some of the questions that may arise in the reader’s mind. This will help you include as much information as possible and leave the audience without unanswered questions.   The body of the memo should start straight with an introduction of the matter mentioned in the subject field.  Ã‚   Try to give a brief discussion of the issue and some background information. This part of the memo is sometimes compared to the thesis. This introduction should be no longer than a paragraph.   In the discussion part, you need to provide the information regarding the steps that will be taken to implement the policy. This should be supported by logical reasons, and in some cases, you will have to present some evidence. Sometimes a memo will require graphs or charts. Memo writing is all about communicating your ideas in a proper way; therefore, all these elements are handy if they are relevant to the matter.   Also, add some information for the audience regarding the actions they should take. The closing paragraph is a perfect place for restating the list of actions to be taken. For example, if the memo is related to the salary increase, you may need to write, â€Å"All employees must address the financial department by May 15, 2018.† End your memo with a positive conclusion. This is usually a short one-two-sentence paragraph.   Concluding the Memo Do not forget to format your memo after it is written. Two perfect fonts for writing a memo are Times New Roman or Arial.   Save some time to proofread your memo. You need to edit it, so that the memo is free from errors and is easy to read. Avoid any jargon when writing a memo. Cut out any excessively long sentences that have excessive data. The audience by no means should get confused.   Choose the delivery method and start distributing your memo, whether it is a hardcopy or an e-mail. Learning how to write a professional memo may be a challenging task, but only practice makes perfect.