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Memos are reproduced and exchanged rather freely, and it is common for a reader to receive a memo that is only marginally relevant to him or her.

This is why it is important that the first sentence of the memo should answer that question with a purpose statement. The best purpose statements are concise and direct.

Your memo's message should also provide a context for readers. In other words, always tell your readers why you are writing. Consider the following questions:

Is your memo a result of a situation? For instance, "As a result of yesterday's meeting..."
Is your memo a reminder? For example, "The Proposal is due July 2."

By providing context for your readers, you avoid being asked to provide that information later. Also, you should always include your contact information at the bottom of your message. This can be your phone number or e-mail address.

Finally, consider how your memo looks. If you have nothing but paragraph after paragraph of text, you might use lists to draw attention to specific information. Lists represent an effective way to present information. Not only do they breakdown large amounts of text, but they also provide text in a way that is visually pleasing. Lists are especially useful for conveying steps, phases, years, procedures, or decisions. By avoiding full sentences in a list, your information is concise and more likely to engage your readers. For example:

"To receive a degree in engineering, you must complete the following:"

Core Courses
Elective Courses
Senior Design

Lists can be bulleted, as in the example, or numbered. Typically, you should use a numbered list when you need to stress the order of the listed items.

Writing Guides

Writing Business Memos

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