Week 10.

Memorandum

A memo or memorandum which means "reminder" is used as a means of written communication in

organizations. In other words, it is a type of formal, internal communication. It is usually used to
communicate policies, procedures, or related official businesses within an organization. It is
essentially a short letter with company letterhead, sent electronically as a file attachment or printed
for hand delivery. Less formal messages are usually sent by email only. Memos should be sent to a
specific audience, depending on their purpose.

10.1 What are the main Purposes of a Memo

All organizational members need to communicate with each other so that they can work effectively
and efficiently. One way they can communicate is by writing a memo. So, what is the purpose of
writing a memo. A memo’s purpose is often to inform, but it occasionally includes an element of
persuasion or a call to action. Windermere (2018) explains that memos have four purposes, namely
(1) to share news, (2) to address a problem, (3) to make a request, and (4) to provide feedback.
Below will be discussed these four purposes one by one.

10.1.1 Share News

Memos are used to keep employees informed on the latest happenings, either company-wide or in a
specific department. For example, when management issues a change in corporate policy, a memo is
used to explain the change. Other news shared in a memo might include the latest new hires or
promotions with specific details about each person and their roles, or new partnerships with other
companies. Memos can be used to inform staff with updates on how project schedules are coming
along, or about new products or services the company is introducing. Memos might include an
announcement to be posted in common areas of an office.

10.1.2 Address a Problem

Companies might issue a memo to address a problem that has come to the attention of management.
A memo like this might describe any information obtained through investigation that brought the
problem to light, and address the severity level. Problems addressed in memos might include
employee tardiness or absence, customer dissatisfaction, improperly followed procedures, or office
etiquette problems such as improper use of cell phones during meetings.

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 10.1.3 Make a Request
Sometimes companies issue memos to make requests of employees. These might request attendance
at meetings, changes in work procedures, or permission or cooperation to do a work-related activity.
A request memo often includes instructions or recommendations for carrying out the request, such
as specific actions. It might also mention benefits that will result from taking the actions, potential
problems if the request is not fulfilled, or specific help that will be provided to complete the request.
For example, the operations department of a company might ask employees to follow a clean-up
schedule for the break room refrigerator.

10.1.4 Provide Feedback

Another common use of memos is to provide feedback on company programs, services or products.
Memos used for this purpose give employees a response so they know how their work is being
received. For example, workers in the quality assurance department of an industrial equipment
manufacturer might like to know how well the product is performing for clients who purchased the
equipment for the first time. Likewise, the HR department of a company might use a memo to
provide employees with the results of a company-wide survey.

10.2 Format a memo

A memo has a different format with the format of a letter. The heading of a memo designed to allow
a reader to understand what he or she is looking at, and decide quickly whether he or she should
read it. The heading has four parts, appearing in this order: “To”, “From”, “Subject”, and “Date”.
The "subject line" should be brief, but clear.

Messages in a memo must be brief but clear. You also have to make sure that the grammar and
spelling are correct. Remember to use the language that is appropriate for the recipient. If the
message is intended for colleagues who are equal to your position, then using more informal
language will not be a problem. However, if you communicate with your manager, use a more
formal and polite language. And if you need to issue a memo to your subordinates, you should
explain what is needed.

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Figure 10.1 Format of a Memo

MEMO DOCUMENT TITLE

To:
From: HEADING SECTION
Subject:
Date:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

MESSAGE SECTION

To: This is the recipient (s) of the internal memo. Use only the first name if it's informal
communication, and the first and last name and department if it's more formal. If the
memo is meant for the entire department, address it to that specific department.

From: Memos are usually from a specific person. Use the same level of formality that you
used on the recipient line.

Subject: Be specific so that you know whether you are interested in reading your memo.
Instead of saying "Important Information" say "Important Information regarding
XYZ Company’s Stock Purchase Plan"

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10.3 Memo Sample

Memo Sample # 1
MEMORANDUM
To: All Finance Employees
From: Finance Manager
Date: 19 November 2018
Subject: Data and Reports for End of Year Meeting

Please prepare data and reports relating to finance this year, including expenses for this month.
Please do it immediately because it will be one of the evaluation materials at our end of year
meeting on 7 December 2018. Thank you very much.

Memo Sample # 2
MEMORANDUM
To: Production Manager
From: General Manager
Date: 21 November 2018
Subject: Data of Products for 2018 and 2019

For the year-end meeting of this company, please prepare the following. First, please prepare
data on the number of products that we have produced in this month. Second, please also
prepare a list of products that we have produced from the beginning of 2018. Finally, please
prepare the concept and design for our new product which will be launched in March 2019.
These three things will be a comprehensive discussion at our year-end meeting. Thank you for
your attention.

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Memo Sample # 3
MEMORANDUM
To: Marketing Manager
From: General Manager
Date: 3 November 2018
Subject: Our Digital Marketing Plan

In accordance with the market and our analysis, young people now prefer to shop online. To
take advantage of this trend and make maximum use of our company's website, we need to
launch a new digital marketing campaign. Promotion and online advertising will help reach
more website visitors and turn potential customers into successful orders.

For that, please prepare your plan and preparation to market our product online. This is very
important to us because by using digital marketing, we will be able to attract a large customer
base, increase our market share, and increase sales and revenue.

Memo Sample # 4
MEMORANDUM
To: All Sales Staff
From: Martin Miller
Date: 17 July 2018
Subject: Customer Presentation

The Digital Marketing presentation you prepared 5 days ago to showcase our new products
was exceptional!

Your enthusiasm, sales strategy, and product knowledge were impressive, and certainly sealed
the deal with Mr. Wilson.

Thank you for your outstanding work and dedication. Bonus, as promised, will be transferred
to your accounts next week.

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 My sincere congratulations to all of you

10.4 Exercise
Fill in the gaps with the suitable word from the list below the text
A memo letter is a _________ (1) of business letter used _______ (2) for internal communication
within a________ (3), organization, or school. It may be used to make a __________ (4), announce
an upcoming meeting, or communicate some _________ (5) facts.
a. company b. important c. mostly d. type e. request

In memos that ________ (6) requests or announcements, keep the _______ (7) lengths and
paragraph lengths _________ (8) short. Sentences should ________ (9) fewer than twenty words,
and paragraphs should average fewer than seven lines. Also, keep the total memo _______ (10) to
under one page, if possible.
a. relatively b. length c. make d. average e. sentence

What is the ______ (11) of a memo within the office? Well, first it’s important to _______ (12) that
memos are usually meant for use _______ (13) within the office and are sent through the internal
mail system of the company. Anything that _______ (14) sending externally, to clients or
_________ (15) etc., should be written in the more _________ (16) format of a letter. Secondly,
they should be used when the information needs to be put in ________ (17), not as a way to
_______ (18) speaking with people face-to-face. And _______(19), they should be clear and brief. If
what needs to be communicated is long and complex another format, such as a report, may be more
________(20).

a. needs b. role c. remember d. avoid e. formal

f. lastly g. only h. appropriate i. writing j. suppliers

10.5 Assignment.

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Imagine that you are the Finance Manager in a large company. In a CEO meeting it was decided that
a 10% salary increase for all employees would be given starting next month. Please write a memo to
all Finance Staff to prepare for changes to this salary payment and report the total amount of salary
payments to you one week before the salary payment is carried out.

References
Windermere, Anna (29 June 2018). work.chron.com. What Is the Purpose of Issuing a Memo?
Retrieved on November 17 2018 from https://work.chron.com/purpose-issuing-memo-9962.html