How to Write a Memo 101: a Quick and Easy Guide

You can’t associate memos with the most incredible form of English writing, but they are essential. 

For any business to run effectively, precise and timely communication is necessary. So, how do you do it? 

The answer is memos!

Since memo, short for memorandum, is a business-aligned style suitable for inter-office and inter-colleague correspondences, it is usually informal compared to a letter. Memos are generally written asking for specific information, announcing a new business policy, updates on personnel transfers, or any similar internal issues.

Does that mean you can write memos any way you want to?

Writing clear memos in the proper format is necessary to communicate constructively with your co-workers and supervisor. Good memos help you plan successfully, support a transparent workforce, solve problems, and keep you ahead in your work and productivity. 

This article will discuss how to write a memo and key aspects you need to remember.

So, What Is a Memo?

how to write a memo

A memo is a document usually sent from one person to another or multiple people within the same organization. 

It could be a written message left on your desk, an email sent by the management to all the employees, or a bulletin on the notice board. A memo can record details of an employee’s performance, minutes of a staff meeting, or information about a policy change. 

A memo can take different forms; however, they are always written in a specific format and in a formal style. A memo can be sent as an email, but not all emails are memos.

It is essential to remember that all memos should be written in a proper business vocabulary and well-planned before being executed.

Before You Start Writing

Before you put anything on the memo, consider the following:

Purpose: Always keep the purpose of the memo in mind. It will affect how you write the memo. If you are providing a list of instructions, you will require a more professional and formal approach in writing. However, if the memo is written as an announcement regarding an organization’s outing or a celebration, the voice can be festive with an informal tone.

Audience: While we keep the memo’s purpose in mind, we tend to forget the intended recipients. Knowing your audience will help you write a precise memo and ascertain the tone in which you write your memo.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing a Memo

how to write a memo

Memo-writing is simple, yet certain principles guide the writing process. Before learning how to write a memo you must know the principles. They include:

Don’t use emotional/informal language: The writing should be strictly formal and not have colloquial language. Avoid slangs. Even if you are talking about an employee’s non-performance, you should never use sharp words. Your writing should have a detached tone, yet be polite in criticism. 

Be concise: Your memo should not include many adjectives or unnecessary details. Before putting it down on paper or digitally, ask yourself if you can be more direct in your approach or have a more concise communication.

Make use of bullet points: A memo often contains several issues. If that is the case, use bullet points to separate the issues. This will make your memo easy to read and understand.

Don’t forget to review: You should constantly review your memo before it is posted. Even if you are in haste, always relook what you have written before sending it. 

What Are the Parts of a Memo?

Contents of memos and their formats may differ depending on the company ; however, most of them have the following parts:

Label: Many organizations require this type of communication to be labelled as a memo or memorandum on the top of the document so that the recipient will immediately know what it is. However, this rule does not apply in every office. Do study the standard memo format followed in your organization to adjust accordingly.

Heading: The memo heading consists of the following details: 

  • To – Here, you write down the name/s of the recipient/s of the memo. Addressees maybe your colleague/s, unit/s, or department/s within your organization. Always write their full names and job titles.
  • From – Here, you write the name of the sender and the job title.
  • Subject – Here you write about the reason for the memo.
  • Date – Always write the complete date.

Body: In this section of the memo, you include relevant details regarding the issue at hand. Make use of bullet points if there is more than one issue to separate the details. Be concise in your communication and have a formal tone. Avoid emotional language.

Conclusion: This part is the end of the memo and usually has a couple of lines. It indicates what your expectations are from the recipient of the memo. Here the communication should not have any complex language structure. It should rather be direct in approach.

Knowing these parts like the back of your hand is an essential task in how to write a memo.

More Details About how to write a Memo

Let us delve more into the details and learn more about how to write a memo:

Know the Memo Format

Only knowing how to write a memo won’t suffice you need to about the different parts as well. A memo has two parts – a heading and a body (both discussed above). Assuming that you are typing your memo, make sure you keep the typing left-aligned. To see how it is done correctly, you can visit various websites that deal with sample memos.  

Wikihow’s memo samples include memos to coworkers/customers/bosses. Example.com’s sample memos are on topics like legal queries, company policies, and more. 

Write an Abridged Introduction

Unlike most letters and emails, memos do not require any opening salutations. It goes directly into the topic without bothering how to begin a written communication. 

Do not waste any space by giving a detailed view of the issue or introducing yourself. The first sentence should summarize what the memo is all about. 

Here is a sample memo introduction:

“I have noticed that the quarterly sales of our company have declined by 15%, so it would be wise to think of a new marketing strategy to promote our upcoming line of apparel.”

Your memo introduction should most likely end with a call to action – telling the recipient to do something or action accordingly. Think of your memo introduction as the opening of a thesis statement, highlighting the importance of the context in which it has been written.

Details About the Memo Body

Once the introduction of the memo is set, next comes the body. Here, you write about the memo context in detail, highlighting the issues that are at stake or actions that should be undertaken.

If your memo introduction is about a policy change, the memo body should consist of the details of the change and the subsequent consequences. Ideally, your memo body should be divided into short paragraphs or bullet points if your memo is talking about any of the following:

  • Listing multiple topics covered as minutes of the meeting
  • Highlighting multiple issues 
  • Exploring potential solutions to a complicated organizational problem

Finish the Conclusion With Style

Now that the memo body is complete, the conclusion should not be more than two to three sentences. However, it depends on the topic of the memo. Yet, your memo conclusion should be positive in all cases and may also include a call to action.

Your conclusion can include phrases or sentences like:

  • I am looking forward to discussing your opinion in the next meeting.
  • Thank you for your continued support.
  • Looking forward to your support in this matter.
  • We hope that the policy change will benefit our employees more significantly.
  • I am confident that these strategies will help in boosting our sales.

You may or may not sign the memo as it is not mandatory.

Proofread What You Have Written

Even if you are sure about what you have written, it is always prudent to proofread your memo. Read the memo at least a couple of times for grammatical errors or typos. Then re-read it once again to ensure that you have covered all the points you wanted to talk about.

It would help if you kept a vigil on the extra details you could edit. Pay attention to your recipients’ names and use the correct job titles wherever applicable.

Proofreading might be the last step in learning how to write a memo but it surely is one of the most important ones. A memo with incorrect information or words spelt wrong can be disastrous.

Some Smart Tips Before We End

  • Your memos should be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
  • Your memos should be clear about not only what you want to say but also what you want to hear.
  • Always break down your memo into smaller parts. It makes it simpler for your recipients to understand what you want to communicate.

We all know that with practice, one can achieve perfection. To write a perfect memo, follow the guidelines and write as many memos as possible to hone your memo-writing skills. So, you don’t have to Google how to write a memo every time the occasion arises.

Debashis Konger
Debashis Konger
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