Explanation: A professional memo is an effective tool of communication within organizations and is used to spread the information or for a call to action. It is used to address the people in general or the departments. So you have to be experienced in writing as well as the subject to effectively communicate the message.
There are certain rules and standards for memo writing like other business communications and documents. If you are already aware of those rules and standards, it will be relatively easy for you to write a memo. However, it will be helpful to have a look at some successful memos written for different purposes.
Essential parts of the memo
Before we look at the example memos, let’s have a quick overview of the memo format to understand how to write a successful memo and when to use it.
The heading and subject line
This part contains the basic details like the sender’s name and designation, the recipient’s name and designation, the date on which the memo is written, and a strong subject line that makes the purpose clear to the audience.
Opening part
This section contains the purpose and context of the memo that gives your audience the idea of what will be there in the main content part of the memo. It’s like a brief overview for the audience that can give them a reason to read further. If written properly, it will also ensure your audience that the points and information discussed in the memo are relevant to them and address their needs.
The context part
In this section, you will connect the memo content with the context by providing the background of the problem. You can mention the circumstances or events that have created the situation or the problem.
Task or action part
After you have addressed the background of the event or circumstance, you can describe the steps or actions you are going to take to solve the problem. You will see how this part is written in the writing example of a memo on tea break timings given in this article.
Discussion part
This part is the longest and contains detailed information on the subject. It can be the key points and arguments in support of the background, problem, and solution. You should write the most important ideas and steps first and then write arguments and facts to support them.
Conclusion or summary
A summary is a brief overview and contains key information in the memo. It depends on the memo style and is generally written when the memo is longer than one page. Your audience can quickly know what the memo is about. You can also include the reference to the sources of information used to support your ideas.
Closing statement
Like other communication documents, you should close your memo with a warm sentence. It can convey the benefits your audience will be getting from the solution to the problem.
Attachment if any
If your memo contains the information for which your audience may need to refer to the other documents like graphs, tables, charts, and images, you can include them as an attachment and mention them below the closing statement.
When to use a memo
A memo should be used when you want the communication to be formal and actionable. It should be used when the information is large and can’t be covered within the email body. It should be used when the memo will be referred to multiple times during the solution process or meetings. It should be used when your audience needs it to be stored and printed when needed. And it should be used when the information is confidential, classified, and/or to be used for legal proceedings.
It should be fairly clear on when and how to write a memo now. Please see the memo examples given below to have more understanding of how to write it.
