How to Write a Memo Letter

Writing an effective memo letter is something every executive should learn to do.

Memos are a necessary part of most businesses, particularly large companies. You can use a memo letter to communicate a message to all of your employees at once, or you can send the letter to a select number of employees, such as to communicate a policy change that affects only one department. Memos can also be used to communicate with vendors or your client base.

Instructions

1. Create the heading for your memo letter. The heading contains four sections: To, From, Date and Subject. These sections should be left-aligned on the page. Type the recipients of the letter, such as a specific person, department or entire company, after the word "To." When sending the memo to individual people, include their titles. On the next line, type your name after "From." On the next line after the word "Date," type the date you're sending out the memo. On the last line of the heading, type the word "Subject." Then, include a brief summary of the contents of the letter. The subject explains the purpose of the letter and gives the recipients an idea of what will be included in the memo. It's usually three to five words long.

2. Begin with an explanation of the purpose of the memo. Skip the salutation. This portion of the letter should expand on the subject. The length of the opening paragraph should be no more than a few sentences.

3. Write the body of the memo. This includes detailed information about the purpose of the memo. It outlines the issue, problem, policy change, project or any other reason the memo is being sent out. This section needs to include detail, but try to keep the memo at a one page length. The contents of the memo should be single spaced. Skip one line between each paragraph. Keep the font size large enough that it can be easily read, usually 11- or 12-point font.

4. End the memo letter with a closing paragraph. This paragraph wraps up the memo with recommendations and what steps the recipients should take next. Don't use a closing such as "Sincerely" or your signature. If there are attachments, include the name of the attachment after the word "Attached" at the bottom of the memo below the last paragraph. Skip one line before typing "Attached."

References

• Write Express: How to Write a Business Memo