A memo is a written message designed to provide a quick, convenient way for personnel to communicate with each other. Memos can range from informal, handwritten notes to formal, typewritten reports. The former are more common and are often used for handling day-to-day activities like conveying telephone messages, reminding people of upcoming events, and responding to inquiries.
Formal, typewritten (word processor) memos are used to convey information such as quarterly sales reports, detailed suggestions for cost improvements, and analyses of customer concerns. There are a number of reasons for using memos. First, they are convenient.
Second, they usually (not always!) take little time to write or read.
Third, they provide a written record for future reference. This explains why millions of organizational memos are written every day.
Organization:
Memos are designed to provide information and, often, to get action. Since these messages are usually short and direct (usually, but not always), organization is important. The reader must be able to understand quickly the reason for the message and the action (if any) that is desired.
Consider the following case. Subhashini Mehta is scheduled to present a strategic plan to the board of directors next week. The president has assigned Ravi Kumar to assist her, so Subhashini has asked Ravi to check on the agenda, the room, and the materials to be distributed.
She wants to be sure that everything will be ready in time for the meeting. Subhashini also wants to conduct a trial run by presenting her report to some of the senior managers and getting feedback on how the presentation can be improved. When Ravi finished the assignment Subhashini had given him, he sent her the memo depicted in figure 9.1. Read this carefully and note how well it is organized.
Notice that each point in the memo develops a specific idea. The logic and flow are easy to follow. Additionally, Ravi used one of the most important rules of business writing: start with the simple and move to the complex. Subhashini should have no trouble understanding this memo, but if she does, Ravi has left a number where she can call him.
Clarity:
Since, most memos are designed to be brief and to the point, they must be easily understood. Sometimes a memo will lack clarity. Examine the vague and unclear memo in Figure 9.2.
Note the date on the memo. Will Kiran remember this conversation? It has been many months since their discussion. Now read the improved example in Figure 9.3. The second version clarifies Ramesh’s topic and sets a time by which the information should be sent. If Kiran does not have the information or cannot get it to Ramesh by Friday, she can tell him.
The lack of clarity in Figure 9.2 was due to the vague and general manner in which information was requested. Problems of clarity also arise due to the nature of the language used. Take a look at the memo in Figure. 9.4.
Have you deciphered it yet? The memo in Figure 9.5 tones down the language and eliminates wordiness and ambiguity.
Direct, concise, and simple – now anyone can understand it. Sadly, many memos circulating in companies require a certified wizard to decipher them. See Exhibit 9.1 for snippets from some “real” memos. Sometimes a memo needs to be more than just well written; it requires graphic support. This is often the case when reporting financial or quantitative data. Consider the memo in Figure 9.6.
The memo contains the information the reader requested. However, one of two things should be added to the memo. Either the absolute or percentage differences in monthly sales should be computed or a graph of each month’s sales should accompany the memo.
By themselves the figures are hard to interpret; but a graph would have provided a visual comparison of the results. Graphic support can be an important supplement to a memo containing quantitative information.
