Business Writing: 2012

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Online Business Writing Courses

Learning how to communicate is one of the most crucial assets for anyone in business. The way you write will affect your ability to communicate effectively with different people that you deal with on a daily basis. As the world becomes a global market, use of the internet has become crucial for communication. Something as simple as being able to communicate well through e-mail can make a big difference in your business.

Business writing is an important course that people can take to improve their writing skills. A number of online courses are very effective and many people in business are enrolling for the courses both for themselves and as part of their staff training. If you are looking to enhance your skills in any area of writing, you can look for a course that focuses on the area you need.

Writing courses cover different areas that require different methods of training and content. If you feel like you need training in a particular area, you can choose the best course available from the various online programs. Some of the areas of study include how to avoid language errors, learning proper sentence structure, grammar and punctuation; and how to avoid making mistakes when writing reports, memos, e-mails and other documents.

The business writing courses offer all the learning materials online. While the charges differ from one course to another, the charges are determined by the specific area of study. Some business people look for courses that are tailor made for their needs. If you feel like there are some areas of the course that you would like to skip, you can look for the flexible programs that will allow you to choose the topics you want to cover.

Some of the most popular courses for those in business include Business Writing Essentials and Basic Grammar Essentials. With the online courses, you have the option of choosing instructor- coached courses or self-study courses. You can also choose the tutoring option. You can enroll in the courses from any part of the world and learn at your own pace, and you do not have to be online at any specific time, or follow a specific schedule.

If you choose the self-study training where you do not require an instructor, you will often pay less for the course. You can, however, get someone to evaluate your writing samples. When looking for an online program, you should look for courses that are certified. The reputable programs will give certificates to the graduates on completion of the courses. You can enroll for the courses at any time and you do not have to wait for any fixed timetables.

The best courses often customize programs for companies depending on their specific needs. There is no excuse for those in business to continue having problems in their writing skills. The content you write will be a reflection of your company and it helps to be highly skilled in every form of communication. If you have a specific area of weakness, you can enroll in a program that will help you to make the improvements you need.

More and more communication is going online, so many businesses are using services like online writing courses to improve their staff writing skills. Most people can learn from a good business writing course.

Create Effective Business Writing

There are 3 major characteristics of effective business writing:

    Complete
    Concise
    Accurate

What is the purpose of business writing? You write a business letter to convey information to or request for information from the other party. Be clear and direct to the point so that your reader will easily understand what you are telling or asking them.

A poorly written business letter is:

    Sloppy
    Disorganized
    Littered with jargon
    Laden with grammatical errors
    Incomplete
    Too long or too short

Examples of business writing is an email to your department, a sales proposal, or an instruction manual. Here are steps on how to create a business content.

Steps to Create Business Writing

    Organize your material- if you are announcing a staff meeting, for example, organizing here may simply mean collecting your thoughts. But if you are writing a pharmaceutical trial, then you will need to prepare a multi-level outline. With proper preparation and organization, you determine whether you need to include everything or just give prominence to important topics. Otherwise, with incorrect focus and some omissions, your business writing will be less clear.

    Consider your audience- think about your audience before creating your business content. If you need to make a presentation of the new 401k program of your company, the level of details in your text will vary if you're showing it to your CFO or to the employees. Then note the tone of your letter, too. A short email to your team to remind them of security procedures and an annual report to your department will have different tones.

    Write- Writing styles vary. You may write all of your content first and then review and edit, or you may edit along the way as you write. Be aware of the length when you write and edit. Use only necessary words to convey your message clearly. Avoid writing a wordy content, weed out unnecessary words. See to it that your text is clear and concise, not verbose or flowery. You'll save your reader a lot of time by being straight to the point in stating your message. And one thing that people in the business world are always running after time. Be careful that your letter might be too short, too. Write enough so that you convey the accurate meaning of your message. You don't want to be misunderstood. Don't use jargon or abbreviations to shorten your message because they often mean different things to different readers.

    Proofread and Edit- Proofreading means you re- read your work to make sure that the words in your head were properly placed on paper. The extent of your proofreading depends on the length of your work. After proofreading, edit your writing. This is when you fix errors so that your work becomes clear and concise. Sometimes proofreading and editing are done together, but it's better if these steps are done sequentially.

By the way, do you want to learn more about leadership in your company? If so, download your FREE eBook here: Guide to Elegant Courage Leadership

Jodi and Mike specialize in executive coaching with individuals and teams. http://lighthouse-leadership.com

Three Unconventional Ways to Improve Your Business Writing

Your typical business week could include a variety of writing activities. Among them:

-your resume

-progress report on a key project

-job description

- assignments for your team

- proposal for a merger or acquisition

- news release

-article for a trade magazine

-pitching an angel investor

Whatever the writing task, you remain on the lookout for ways to become more effective with your written messages. Why? Because better writing would improve your credibility, reduce confusion, prevent conflict, stimulate team work, boost productivity, and ultimately generate more profit.

You are familiar with the standard recommendations for honing your writing skills: write several drafts, have a colleague or friend offer feedback on your draft, put your draft aside until the next day when you can read it more objectively, and hire an editor. Now look at three unconventional writing improvement methods you may not have considered.

FIRST: Read articles and books by the most popular business writers

They didn't become best-selling authors by luck or accident. Study their writing styles. Note how frequently they document their instruction by citing case histories and relevant data. Learn how they take financial material that could be dull in the hands of a less imaginative writer, and make the information interesting through profiles of well-known business moguls. Jot down samples of their creative and often humorous play on words passages. Reading a half dozen highly acclaimed business books per year will introduce you to writing strategies you weren't familiar with in the business arena.

SECOND: Watch spellbinding movies

Next time you cue up a dramatic movie for your evening entertainment, keep pen and paper nearby so you can make notes about the film's methods for holding your attention. Maybe after a few minutes you will jot down "lively dialogue." Later on, think of how you could include that script strategy in your business writing.

For instance, suppose your company had interviewed a candidate for a sales management position. Hours later, you send this memo to the CEO: "Marilyn and I disagreed about the candidate we interviewed this morning for the sales management position. I thought he would be a good leader, but she felt his style was outdated." Your message is clear, but quite run of the mill.

Following the pattern you detected in last night's movie, you could put your summary in dialogue format:

I said, '"Ed would take charge of our sales team quite easily the first day he came to work." Marilyn disagreed by saying, "This guy is too slick for me, quite artificial. More like the classical snake oil sales hustler than today's well-informed product rep."

Movie watching will give you other ideas. Just as movies hold you breathless until they reveal the culprit in the last scene, build suspense in your writing and don't tip your hand until the final paragraph, such as: "Having considered these four possible alternatives for solving our company's budget crisis, now I'm going to give you a fifth remedy-the one I endorse and recommend."

So, while your family is accusing you of wasting time watching more movies than you once did, you're finding ways to attract and keep readers throughout your job related writing.

THIRD: Learn a foreign language

Words for business and professional people are like bricks for brick masons, brushes for artists, and golf clubs for the touring professional-tools to get the job done. When you write, your success is directly dependent on the tools you have acquired and mastered.

Traditional ways of expanding your vocabulary, such as working crossword puzzles and keeping a list of new words you look up in the dictionary, remain helpful. However, learning at least one foreign language ushers you into a new dimension of word appreciation and interpretation. You discover the derivation of long-familiar words, giving you nuances you had missed. For example,politics came originally from the Greek word polis, which meant city-where of course many political figures made their headquarters. Ethos pertained to character, and led to our word ethics. Logos referred to our reasoning power, which we call logic. So seek opportunities to study unfamiliar languages. Possibly you live within a few miles of a college that offers non-credit language courses available one or two evenings a week. Also, pull off your bookshelf those language books you used to prepare for an overseas vacation.

In summary: To add vigor and clarity to your business writing, read a popular business book every couple of months, analyze the tactics movies use to keep viewers enthralled, and discipline yourself to study at least one foreign language.

Bill Lampton, Ph.D., President of Championship Communication, is known for "Helping You Finish in First Place!" His career includes twenty-three years in management at the vice presidential level, giving him solid preparation for his role as a leading business consultant. In serving clients, he first identifies an organization's major barriers to communication, by starting with the DISC Personal Style Analysis instrument, and then holding confidential follow up interviews. Next, he works with the corporation's leaders to design a customized communication training program, often spanning a year or more, to address the identified needs. His top-tier client list includes Gillette, Duracell, Procter & Gamble, Celebrity Cruises, Ritz-Carlton Cancun, British Columbia Legal Management Association, CenturyTel, and the National Pest Management Association. He wrote a popular book, The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life! Visit his Web site and sign up for his newsletter, "Winning Words and Ways": http://www.championshipcommunication.com Call him: 678-316-4300 Subscribe to his weekly podcast, "Communication Consulting Radio": http://tinyurl.com/4jype49

Formal vs. Informal Writing Styles

Before you start writing any article, one of the first things you need to ask yourself is “Who’s my audience?”

Here’s a quick primer to help you answer that question (which can be quite a complicated one):

    Is there a level of familiarity between you and your audience?
    Are you writing for colleagues or someone else?
    How do they expect to receive this message?
    Are they looking for some level of interaction?
    Are they more interested in being spoken to with direct messages?
    What’s their connection to the topic?
    Is it for their business/livelihood?

Answering each of these questions will put you on course to figuring out how formal (or informal) your writing ought to be.

An informal writing style shows a level of familiarity and personality that sets it apart. Meanwhile, formal writing most often takes place on serious topics in a direct and succinct way.

Each of these styles has their own merits. Their usage depends on the tone you’re trying to set. To get a better understanding of the differences between formal and informal writing, here are some things to consider:

Informal

    Colloquial – Informal writing takes on the characteristics of a spoken conversation. Informal writing includes things like slang, figures of speech, broken syntax, etc. It also takes on a personal tone whereby you speak directly to your audience. You can use first OR third person point-of-view, and you’re likely to address the reader using second person pronouns (e.g. you, your).

    Simple – Short sentences are acceptable and sometimes essential to making a point in informal writing. Thus, there may be incomplete sentences or ellipsis to make points. Also, try to save your “five dollar words” for a more formal setting. If you use any industry jargon, explain it.

    Contractions/Abbreviations – Words can be simplified using contractions (e.g. you’re, couldn’t, it’s) and abbreviations (e.g. TV, photos) whenever possible.

    Empathy/Emotion – The author can show empathy toward the reader regarding the complexity of a thought and help them through that complexity.

Formal

    Complex – Longer sentences are likely to be more prevalent in formal writing. You need to be as thorough as possible with your approach to each topic when you are using a formal style. Each main point needs to be introduced, elaborated on and concluded.

    Objective – State main points confidently and offer full support arguments. A formal writing style shows a limited range of emotions. It avoids emotive punctuation like exclamation points, ellipsis, etc., unless they are being cited from another source.

    Full Words – No contractions or abbreviations to simplify words.

    Third Person – Not a personal writing style, the formal writer is sort of disconnected from the topic to make observations.

So, which of these labels fits your writing style? Again, there’s no “right” or “wrong” answer, it’s an exercise to get you thinking about your own writing style.

Leave a comment to share your thoughts and where you fall between the formal and informal styles.

Tips For Effective Business Writing

By following a few tips and tricks you can write effective formal and business letters and documents.

1. Use active sentences

Make it a habit to use active voice in formal and business letters and documents. Active verbs tend to be more powerful than passive ones and are known to produce better results. If the subject of the sentence is the person who performs the action, then the verb is in the active voice. If the subject of the sentence is the person who receives the action, then the verb is in the passive voice. Active verb forms are especially helpful in cover letters and application letters because their purpose is to highlight your achievements.

Passive voice, on the other hand, makes the doer of the action anonymous. Most people would regard it as an indirect way of avoiding responsibility. Passive constructions also tend to be wordier than active constructions. They occupy more space and might make your letters and documents unnecessarily long.

Examples are given below.

The director has postponed the meeting. (Better than 'The meeting has been postponed.')

We appreciate the exceptional service you have provided. (Better than 'The exceptional service you have provided is appreciated by us.')

The managing committee has decided to accept the offer. (Better than 'A decision has been made to accept the offer.')

2. Be Brief

Be brief and to the point. If you use long sentences or paragraphs of text, your message might get buried in them. Lengthy sentences are also hard to understand. Remember that we are now living in the world of emails and instant messaging. Nobody wants to read long, verbose text these days. That, however, doesn't mean that in formal and business letters it is all right to use the kind of language you use when you chat with your friends using an instant messaging system. In business communication, using the right language is essential to create a good impression. And the impression you create on the reader determines your chances of winning your goal.

Limit each paragraph to just one idea. Start each paragraph by stating the main point or purpose of that paragraph. This approach will make it easier for the reader to grasp the main points quickly.

Your letter must fit on one side of an 8 ½" x 11" sheet of paper. Therefore, it is necessary to whittle down your text whenever possible. Don't write a paragraph, if a sentence is enough to express the same idea. In the same way, don't write a sentence, when a phrase would be more than enough. Remember that effective business communication is all about getting your message across in as few words as possible. Especially avoid phrases such as those given below:

Owing to the fact that / due to the fact that (use 'because' instead)

Concerning the matter of (use 'about' instead)

By means of (use 'by' instead)

Regardless of the fact that (use 'although')

In this day and age (use 'today')

3. Avoid jargon

Avoid technical jargon in your writing. By jargon we mean highly specialized terminology. This type of language tends to be exclusive which means that only insiders can fully comprehend their meaning. However, jargon can be considered appropriate if you are writing to people in your profession or industry.

4. Be clear

Use clear and simple words and avoid flowery, pretentious language. Few people possess a vast vocabulary so if your letter is full of high-level words which are seldom used, your reader may have trouble understanding your message. Worse still, they might misunderstand you or think that you are talking above them.

5. Revise the letter

After you have finished writing the letter or the document, reread it to make sure that it makes sense and that no necessary information has been omitted. Your reader should have no difficulty grasping what you are telling them. In other words, you must not give them a reason to write back seeking a clarification or explanation.

Manjusha Nambiar is an ESL tutor and content developer. Her site perfectyourenglish.com gives English Grammar lessons and formal letter writing tips. Subscribe to her feed and you will win a free Grammar eBook titled '120 Grammar and Vocabulary Mistakes to Avoid'.

Formal vs. Informal Writing Styles

Three Unconventional Ways to Improve Your Business Writing

Create Effective Business Writing

Business Writing

Writing for businesses can rake in anywhere from $50 to $125 an hour, possibly even more! Do you want to earn some great cash writing for businesses?

Many business owners understand the importance of the need for excellent and capturing content for their various marketing and sales materials. The words on these documents help represent their business. The language needs to draw the reader in, be clear and concise. It should, most importantly, sell the impending customer on the particular business! Better yet, the copy should sway the potential customer to become a real customer by purchasing what they sell! Businesses of all sizes need well-written content written for them, from the small two-person business all the way up to the large corporations.

In the beginning, your portfolio may be pretty scarce. People who will consider hiring you want to see what you can do. A good portfolio shows them your experience and writing style. Think about what you have done in your past jobs. Have you written a press release, manual, report, newsletter, sales letter, speech or article? Add anything you have written to your portfolio. To add more work to your portfolio, try getting some pro bono work for a start-up company, charity or other organization. You could even find a graphic designer who is also in need of building a portfolio, and partner with them to approach these organizations together.

5 Ways to Write Unforgettable Business Copy:

1. Keep it Short

People have little time to spare reading on the web. It's too easy for the reader to click away when slightly bored. Keep all business copy, especially on the web, as short and to the point as possible.

2. Use simple words

Corporate jargon will bore the reader to tears. Use simple and clear copy to keep them reading.

3. Get the Reader to Do Something

Your copy should direct the reader to take the next step. Maybe they can sign up for a free newsletter, make a phone call, send an email, etc.

4. Make a Connection

The reader should feel like an actual human wrote the copy. It should be professional, but comfortable. The reader should be put at ease by the copy, and feel as if the writer is having a conversation with them.

5. Crystal Clear

The reader should walk away with the least amount of questions possible. The copy should be clear. They should not be wondering what any of it meant.

What Businesses Need Written:

* Newsletters

* Corporate Profiles

* Brochures

* Product Reviews

* Reports

* Marketing Materials

* Business Letters

* Business Plans

* Press Releases

* Web Content

* Ad Copy

* Sales Sheets

* Case Studies

* Speeches

Business writers may also proofread and edit various materials, as well as conduct research.

Get to work creating materials to add to your portfolio and work your way up the freelance ladder to earn some great cash writing for various businesses.

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Tips For Writing Business Letters

1. State your point clearly and concisely

A good business letter must provide all relevant information in a clear and concise manner. Don't use extremely long sentences in your letter. They are not easy to understand. What's more, when your sentences are ridiculously long, your chances of making grammar mistakes are pretty high. So use simple and short sentences that are no longer than two or three lines. Your letter should fit on one side of an 8 ½" x 11" sheet of paper.

2. State your purpose of writing in the first sentence

Few professionals have the time or patience to read long letters. Instead, what they do is to skim the letters quickly. Therefore, it is important to state the purpose of your writing in the opening sentence of the letter. Use active voice. Passive verb forms are suitable in academic and scientific writing. In business letters, they are not very effective.

3. Use a formal tone

A business letter should be written in a formal tone. That means you have to avoid conversational English. Avoid contracted verb forms and idioms. Use simple yet powerful action words and sentence patterns that will create a favorable impression on the reader. If the first few sentences of your letter can capture the reader's interest, he or she will slow down and read the letter more closely.

4. Correct spelling and grammatical errors

It doesn't take a great deal of time or effort to spot the silly grammar and spelling mistakes in your letter. Note that skimmers as well as readers will spot them at one glance. So you have to spell-check and grammar-check your document before sending it. Remember, however, that a spell-check is not always helpful. It merely checks the spelling. It will not be able to detect correctly spelt words used incorrectly. For example, the words 'there' and 'their' are often mistakenly interchanged. A spell checker will not be able to help in such situations. So consult a dictionary if you are unsure of your word usage.

5. Reread your letter

Reread the letter after you have finished writing it. If it is possible leave the letter alone for an hour or two, and then reread it closely. This method makes it easy to spot mistakes which you might have otherwise overlooked.

6. Get a second opinion

If it is an important letter, it is worth getting a second opinion. If you have a competent friend or a colleague who is willing to help you, you can request him or her to read the letter and give comments.

Manjusha Nambiar is an ESL tutor and content developer. Her site perfectyourenglish.com gives English Grammar lessons and formal letter writing tips. Subscribe to her feed and you will win a free Grammar eBook titled '120 Grammar and Vocabulary Mistakes to Avoid'.

Types of Report Writing

A report is a dreadfully official document that is written to serve the range of purpose in the engineering and business disciplines; sciences and social sciences. Therefore, they need to be clear-cut and accurate. Good report writing call for--- professionalism, profound knowledge of the subject, attentiveness, and outstanding writing proficiency.

Types of Report Writing ---

    Research Report Writing
    Business Report Writing
    Science Report Writing

Research Report Writing--- To presents the tangible proof of the conducted research is the major intention of the academic assignment. When writing on research report, you must ponder over clarity, organization, and content. Research reports are all the more same to technical reports, lab reports, formal reports and scientific papers which comprise a quite consistent format that will facilitate you to put your information noticeably, making it crystal clear.

Business Report Writing--- In business milieu, Business report writing happens to be an indispensable part of the communication process. Executive summary is written in a non-technical manner. By and large, audience for business reports will consist of upper level manager, for that reason you should take the audience needs in consideration. Go on with the introduction to articulate the problem and determine the scope of the research. To attain the desired results, don't fail to state about the precise quantitative tools.

Science Report Writing--- Parallel to a business report, science report writing also corresponds with the line of investigation. To report upon an empirical investigation, these reports make use of standard scientific report format, portraying technique, fallout and conclusions. As an assignment in undergraduate papers within the scientific disciplines, it is required frequently.

The main objective of the Science report is to boast an aim, the technique which enlightens how the project has been analyzed, the outcomes which presents the findings and the conclusion. This embraces advance research suggestions and your own biased opinion on the topic which has been talked about.

When writing a science report, do not fail to remember to use heading and subheadings in order to direct a reader through your work. In the form of tables and graphs, Statistical evidence should be incorporated in appendices. Than refer to it in the body of your scientific report.

Reports are a common form of writing because of the inclusion of recommendations which are helpful in implementing the decision.

Source:
http://www.itmatchonline.com/article/Types_of_Report_Writing.php

ITMatchOnline, an outsourcing hub where provider and buyer exchange their needs. Looking to Outsourcing Writing Services? Visit Itmatchonline.com

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Tips For Cohesive Formatting in an Ezine

When you send an ezine to your subscribers, the formatting and layout are important, because they form part of your brand, which affects how readers perceive your newsletter. By using the same formatting in every issue - and in fact, being consistent within the same issue - you reinforce your brand and make it easier for readers to focus on the content.

Follow these guidelines to keep your ezine formatting consistent.

Use The Same Sections In Every Issue

The content in your local newspaper changes every day, but the overall layout is the same - for example, a feature story on the front page, other important stories on the next few pages, then world news, then Letters to the Editor, then local news, then business news, the weather forecast, comics and crossword, and classified advertising, and the sports section. Keeping the same sections every day makes it easier for the newspaper and for its readers.

Although your ezine is much shorter than a newspaper, follow the same principle. For example, you might start with a feature article, follow it with a short advertisement, follow that with a cartoon or joke, and end with a link to an interesting Web site. This makes it easy for you to write each issue, and your readers become comfortable with this layout.

Start from a Template Each Time

If you follow the advice above, you can use a standard template for every issue of your ezine. Either start with a blank template (with sample headings and blank space for filling in the content) or start by copying and modifying the previous issue.

Most ezine providers allow you to save and use templates. But even if yours doesn't, you can keep a copy yourself and use that as the starting point for the next issue.

Write First, Format Later

Don't write and format your ezine in Microsoft Word before pasting it into your ezine software, because Word's formatting doesn't always transfer correctly or consistently. Besides, Word also tends to create a lot of unnecessary formatting codes that make your ezine bigger and can cause unexpected problems with some e-mail programs.

Instad, write your ezine content in a plain text editor, such as Notepad on Windows or Textedit on Mac. Then paste that into your ezine software, and do the formatting there. This makes the formatting more reliable and consistent, because you're doing it directly in the software that will send the ezine.

Test and Preview

Always preview your ezine before you send it to your subscribers. At the very least, your ezine provider should have an option for you to send the ezine to yourself as a test. Do this every time - even if you think it isn't necessary - because even one small error can affect the entire ezine appearance.

Some of the more sophisticated providers (such as MailChimp) also allow you to send it to a number of different e-mail programs to see how it appears. You don't have to do this every time, but it's worth doing it regularly and if you're doing anything different or slightly more complex than usual.

Publish a lot of ezines!

Finally, keep publishing ezines regularly. The more you do it, the more comfortable you will be with various formatting options, and the easier it will be to remain consistent, professional and reliable.

Gihan Perera is an Internet coach for speakers, trainers, consultants and other business professionals. He's the author of "Fast, Flat and Free: How the Internet Has Changed Your Business". Visit http://GihanPerera.com and get free e-books, webinars and more.

Writing the Memo

In the workplace, the memo is common form of the communication. By using the memo, you can convey the information or ideas to your employees or the coworkers easily. It is also quick and informative. The memo itself should be effective. Here are some tips in writing the memo.

Before writing down anything, you should organize your thoughts. Since the memo is supposed to be direct and to the point, you have to write the information in the organized and efficient manner.

It is better for you to understand the basic memo's format. The memo's heading always the date, the sender's name, the recipients' name, and the subject heading. You have to make the subject heading as specific as possible. The memo should be able to be read in quick time and can be understood easily. Because of that, you need to simplify the information. You should replace the large words or the uncommon vocabulary with the synonyms which can be understood easily. It is considered as the appropriate thing to use the numbered list or the bullets.

Eliminating any statement which is not related directly to the memo's purpose should be done. For your information, the memo is not the place where you can show your personal feeling or the opinions. Inserting your personal thought will only lengthen your memo and can distract the audience from the main focus.

In writing the memo, you should use the language and style which is appealing and easy to comprehend. You need to ensure to send the memos to everyone who need the information's content. If you are not including all the necessary people, it can result the breakdown in the communication and the confusion. Your information will not reach the sources you want.

Do not forget to check the spelling, grammar, and punctuation before sending the memos. The grammatical mistake can distract the receivers of the memo. It will also make the memo looks less professional.

Since it is important to make the memo readable, you should write it in the readable style. It is better if you print the memo. To get the better result, do not print the memo when your printer is running out of the ink. If your printer is HP printer, you should find the HP cartridge refill. To find other printer cartridges, you may browse www.computerinkcartridges.net to get more information.

Memo Format

The first thing that comes to my head while listening to this word 'memo' is the police officer who fined me for not carrying my license! Next scary thing is the office memorandum that reminds of the targets to be achieved, failing which you need to... well, everyone knows what follows! So coming to the basic meaning of a memo, which is the short form of memorandum, it is a notice which serves either as a reminder, warning or a short notice for some proposal. It can be used within an organization or in the context of person to person dealing. The format for these purposes however, remains the same.

A memo is also a notice with specific content in terms of either some figures or recordings or to make a note or send a note to someone. If you are in the human resources department or the head of your particular department, you need to know how to write a memo because it is used time and again for business communications, e.g., conveying things like the current status of a project, certain changes in some policy, etc.

Important Tips for Memo

    No salutation usage like 'dear,' etc. No 'sincerely,' 'faithfully,' etc. too.
    Should be precise and concise.
    Should not be longer than a page.
    No irrelevant or non-specific data is to be given.
    Issues should be highlighted in a bulleted form.
    Details of whom to contact in case of queries should be given in the end.

Format

Heading or Re: This section should have the heading which reads 'Memorandum' which should be at the top and center of the page, or else it can be typed in the bold format and mentioned just below the date, again, aligned in the center.

Date: The date of issue of the memorandum is the utmost important point of the memo. It serves as a reference and the very purpose of the memo, since it is a reminder.

Name of Company: As the name suggests, the name of the company and address in a line should be mentioned in cases of large business or any other organizations but if it is meant for in-house purpose or it could contain only the department's name.

The alignment of this section can vary. It can either be on the right side top corner, at the bottom right corner of the page.

Addressee: This is the 'To' section of the memo which mentions the people or department the memo is meant for.

Addresser: This is the 'From' section which states from whom or from which department is the memo issued.

Subject: The subject is the most important line of any letter or notice and so is the case with the memo too.

Opening: The opening of a memo i.e. the introduction has to be in a line or two just to let the readers know what is the memo about.

Body: The body of the memo should contain the key points that needs to be conveyed in the bulleted form. It should contain very precise information that is mentioned in the subject line and presented in a concise manner too.

Closing: This section of the memo should contain the analysis of the entire issue that you have drawn attention to and should also state what is expected following the issuance of the memo.

Seal of Company / Authorized Signature: This section is for the stamp of the company or the signature of the person who has issued the memo.

Sample of Memo

Memorandum

11/24/2010
Central School
North Carolina University Campus
USA

To: Mathematics Teachers of the Primary section.
From: Shaolin Dash, Principal
Subject: Volunteers for teaching Abacus.

The introduction of 'Abacus' by the Board of Secondary Education is to come to effect from the 12/01/2010 and volunteers for the same are required. The following is expected out of them.

    Designing the syllabus schedule for Abacus classes.
    Taking classes for the 3rd and 4th grades for a month.

Compensation will be given to the teachers as per the Contract Policy for Temporary Teachers.

This is an urgent requirement. Please respond within the next three days. Feel free to contact me for any clarification.

Signature of Principal
Shaolin Dash
Principal
Central School