Chapter one: Memo writing

一、What is a memo?

Memo is short for memorandum, it is employed as a kind of communication from inside a company or group, for inner circulation.

Memo works more than a message carrier, and more than just a reminder. At certain companies, memo is regarded as a chief medium for inner communication.

二、The layout of a memo

To line (indicates the reader)

From line (indicates the writer)

Subject line (indicates the topic of the memo)

Date line (indicates the time when the memo is written)

三、How to write a memo?

The style of a memo would be informal, clear and brief.

It’s advisable to keep POSE when writing a memo:

P: Positive: use positive tone AMAP. Rather than “don’t be late for the meeting”, “Don’t be careless”, write “please do be on time” and “you will be appreciated for your carefulness”. O: Only: one memo, one topic.

S: Short: instead of “We should take determined efforts to respond to the need for producing a practical and visible plan that can bring about absentee reduction and efficiency promotion.” Say “A firm action should be taken, so we can cut down absentee and be more efficient.”

E: Easy: chance is better than opportunity, and thorough exhaustive, use as easy words as possible.

There’s another two tips besides POSE which would help you with memo writing:

1. set a space line between each paragraph.

2. put number before each matter.

3. keep it in an informal tone as if you are talking to the reader.

四、Task practice

1. Suppose you are to send a memo for the personnel manager to all staff on the May day

holiday, which starts at 4:30 on the 30th April and ends at 9:00 am on the third May.

Suggested sample:

To: all the staff From: Personnel Manager

Date: April 25 Subject: May day holiday

The May Day holiday starts at 4:30 pm on April 30 and ends at 9:00 am on May3. It will be very much appreciated if your desks could be cleared up before you leave.

Have fun

2. Send a memo, in the tone of a Liberian to one of your colleagues to remind him that the book

borrowed from the company’s library has met the returning date.

Suggested sample:

To: From:

Subject: the book needs renewing Date: I am sending the memo to remind you of the book, System Analysis by J. Harding, borrowed from out library 8 weeks ago is due to be returned by the date on 5 November.

If you do need to keep it for another more days, you are expected to get renewed by the deadline or, regretfully, you’ll have to pay a fine of 20 fen for each day after the 5th November.

3. Send a memo to one of your assistant as to ask him to collect data for your attendance of the

coming conference on the latest promotion. You may need to know about how much money you spent on the promotion, what were the main means of the promotion and what was the result (or sales) like. Set up deadline for the data collection so that you can be sure to obtain that before you go for the meeting.

Suggested sample:

To: From:

Subject: Data on last promotion needed Date:

As the company conference on the third of June I’m presenting out last promotion for solar water-heater. I’d like to ask you to collect the data on:

1. When it was prepared and the length of it’s operation.

2. How much it was budgeted and how much exactly it cost finally.

3. What the turnover were like.

4. What was supposed to be the strength and weakness.

Please send me the data by the first of June.

Thanks a lot.

5. Send a memo to inform your upper manager of the fact that some of your staff are not quite

for the idea of installing an air-conditioner in your office, as some don’t like the unfresh air in a conditioned room and some complain that air conditioned working place make their skin feel dry and back ache.

Suggested sample:

To: From: Date: Subject: the disagreement on the air-conditioner

Getting an air-conditioner installed in our office turns out to be an idea results in disagreement. About four of the whole staff, which takes up 50% of the team, are not for the idea. The disagreement mainly covers:

1) The air in an air-conditioned room is not fresh and since so many people are stuffed in the

office, it is likely to make diseases such as flu catching on quickly.

2) The fry air in an air-conditioned room is a nuisance and caused skin bothered problem.

It seems if there is to be a conditioner in our office, a moisture maker should be installed at the

same time an another small office is needed for at least two staff of us.

 

第二篇：Memo Writing