Chapter 8
Routine E-Mail Messages and Memos

Characteristics of Successful E-Mail Messages and Memos

• Headings: Date, To, From, Subject

• Single topic

• Conversational tone

• Conciseness

• Graphic highlighting

The Writing Process

• Analyze and anticipate

• Research and compose

• Revise, proofread, and evaluate

Analyze and Anticipate

• Do I really need to write?

• What is my purpose?

• How will the reader react?

Research and Compose

• Check files; collect information.

• Study relevant documents.

• Make an outline.

• Write first draft.

Revise, Proofread, and Evaluate

• Revise for clarity.

• Revise for correctness.

• Plan for feedback.

Organization of Memos

• Subject line

• Opening

• Body

• Closing

Subject Line

• Summarize the main idea.

Example: Budget Meeting June 3, 10 a.m.

Opening

• Start directly; restate and amplify the main idea.

• Indirect (ineffective) opening:

This is to inform you that we must complete the annual operating budgets shortly. Over the past two months many supervisors have met to discuss their departmental needs.

• Direct (effective) opening:

All supervisors and coordinators will meet June 3 at 10 a.m. to work out the annual operating budgets for their departments.

Body

• Explain and discuss the topic.

• Use graphic highlighting to facilitate reading, comprehension, and retention.

• Consider columns, headings, enumerations, bulleted lists, and so forth.

Closing

• Request action, including an end date.

• Summarize the message or provide a closing thought.

Formatting Hard-Copy Memos

• Leave side margins of about 1¼ inches.

• Line up all heading words with those following Subject.

• Indent lines following bulleted or enumerated lines.

• Use ragged line endings, not justified.

• Don’t include complimentary close or signature.

Leave side margins of about 1¼ inches.

Line up all heading words with those following Subject.

Indent lines following bulleted or enumerated lines.

Don’t include complimentary close or signature.

Don’t include complimentary close or signature.

Don’t include complimentary close or signature.

Formatting E-Mail Messages

• Enclose the receiver’s address in angle brackets.

• Include a salutation (such as Dear Dawn, Hi Dawn, or Greetings), or weave the receiver’s name into the first sentence.

• Use word-wrap rather than pressing Enter at line endings.

• Single-space within paragraphs and double-space between paragraphs.

Formatting E-Mail Messages

• Write in complete sentences, and use upper and lowercase letters.

• Include a signature block, especially for messages to outsiders.

Kinds of Memos

• Procedure and Information Memos

• Request and Reply Memos

• Confirmation Memos

Procedure and Information Memos

• These routine messages usually flow downward; they deliver company information and describe procedures.

• Tone is important; managers seek employee participation and cooperation.

Request and Reply Memos

• Memo requests for information and action follow the direct pattern.

• Memo replies are also organized directly with the most important information first.

Confirmation Memos

• Also called “to-file” reports or “incident” reports.

• Record oral decisions, directives, and discussions.

• Include names and titles of people involved.

• Itemize major issues and request confirmation from the receiver.

Graphic Highlighting Techniques

Enumerated List

Bulleted List

Communicating in the New World of E-Mail

To succeed, you must be able to:

• Express yourself concisely and quickly.

• Compose at the keyboard.

• Understand the ethics, courtesy, and privacy issues relating to e-mail.

• Develop confidence in using e-mail systems.

• Think globally.

Smart E-Mail Practices

• Get the addresses right.

• Avoid misleading subject lines.

• Be concise.

• Don’t send anything you wouldn’t want published.

• Don’t use e-mail to avoid contact.

• Never respond when you’re angry.

• Care about correctness.

• Resist humor and tongue-in-cheek comments.

• Use design elements to improve readability of longer messages.

• Consider cultural differences.

• Assume that all business e-mail is monitored.

The Six Most Common Mistakes in Sending E-Mail

1. Address goofs

2. Lengthy messages or attachments

3. Misleading subject lines

4. Inappropriate content (such as delivering bad news)

5. Instant indiscretions (angry or thoughtless statements)

6. Reckless copying