What is the difference between emails and memos

How do you write a memo example? What is a memo sample? How do you write a memo email? What are the uses of memo? What are different types of memo? What should a memo include? Can you use bullets in a memo? Previous Article How would you describe your ability to work as a team member?

Next Article What is expected of an entry level programmer? And remember, your readers are busy. That means your memo must be organized, informative, and succinct. The purpose of a memo could be to announce a change in policy, an upcoming event, or a personnel action. They may solicit more information or request that someone take action.

They may be written to persuade someone to support an initiative or change a policy. They can also be used to thank or praise someone. The writing style seen in a memo is succinct and professional. You do not want to be pretentious or too formal if you are talking to your colleagues. Ostentatious language, jargon, or complicated syntax will make you sound stuffy and pompous. Instead, write short sentences in the active voice to maintain a cordial, straightforward, and conversational style.

Generally, your tone should be neutral or positive, but there are cases where memos are used for complaints or reprimands. In these situations, use caution. You never know who will ultimately read the memo, so be aware of the effect of your words. Be plain, direct, and brief and remember that most memos are less than a page. Decide on a pattern of organization that best suits your purpose. The two most common for memos are deduction and induction. A deductive style of writing a memo presents ideas in decreasing order of importance and assumes the reader is acquainted with the topic.

Most memos use this pattern. To write in a deductive manner, place supporting facts in subsequent sentences for readers who are unfamiliar with the subject. Background information should be presented last.

A memo written in an inductive fashion presents ideas in increasing order of importance. If you must give bad news or if your reader may not understand the main idea without prior preparation, use this form.

Lead up to the most important idea and then present that idea at the end of the memo. If your memo is more than two or three paragraphs, you may want to add body headings for your body paragraphs. Finish with a courteous and clear call for action. Tell your reader precisely what results you expect to follow from reading your memo. It may be helpful to include deadlines. Close the memo with an invitation to give feedback or request further information.

Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Module 3: Written Communication. Search for:. Learning Outcomes Describe the professional standards of intra-office emails Identify common types of internal emails Identify key features of the structure and format of internal emails Write an internal email Identify key features of the structure and format of memos Write an internal memo.

Things you Should Do Do use an email subject line that clearly tells the recipient about the content of the email. A printed memo can be taken anywhere and read at any time.

The recipient list for an email is easier to alter than that of a memo. The initial list of recipients for a company memo needs to be reviewed and physically changed once a memo is released. If someone did not receive the memo, then a copy has to be sent to that person, and the updated recipient list must be recirculated to all initial addressees. Adding to an email recipient list can be done easily with the email software, and the updated recipient list can be sent quickly through the email server.

Email offers recipients the option to instantly interact with all recipients regarding the information, while it can take time for each recipient of a company memo to interact with each other about the information. A letter refers to a brief message sent by the company to the person or entity, which are outsiders. Fax is for transmitting documents, the telephone is for speaking. They both can use a telephone line, but the device you use is different.