How To Write
Emails and
Memos
Steps on how to
write efficient emails
and memos
Prewriting
Analysis, Anticipation and Adaptation
• Is sending an email necessary?
(could it be replaced by a phone call?)
• Select your audience.
(age category, work environment...)
• State your subject and
purpose.
Writing the
Email
• Gather all useful files and
1 -Organization
2
-Research
• Write a draft and notes.
documentations
• Review your purpose
•• Make
notes
of
recent
events
that
Keep in mind that your email should
occurred
not be time consuming
• If replying, copy/paste only
• Aim for a positive reaction from
important parts of the email that
your reader
need answering to
3- Composing
Writing the
Email
• Summarize your main idea in the
Subject Line
Subject: Attendance confirmation on the meeting of
the 25th of October
• Avoid empty or dangerous words
3- Composing
Writing the
Email
OPENING
• Salute!
HELLO - GREETINGS – DEAR SIR
• State your purpose of writing
• Highlight questions
Please answer the following question...
• Supply direct information
3- Composing
BODY
Writing the
Email
• Divide into small paragraphs
• Keeps sentences short
• Use bullets and numerations
• Do NOT send anything you
don’t want published
3- Composing
CLOSING
Writing the
Email
• Specify what you want to be done, what
actions are to be taken
• Summarize your thoughts and the content
• Avoid overused endings:
Inappropriate joke and
of
chat
abbreviation
hi misuse
frank - did
u
get
our
CAPITALIZE!price for printing that
franksmith@printers.com
our bid for your project
new cookbook... hope smith didnt beat us to
2 it.
Is it too much to ask to
spell out
“you” Gs
and3 hardest years?
hey, what were
senator
“to”?
second grade! LOL
ed
FULL NAME, please!
franksmith@printers.com
Follow up on cookbook project
Dear Frank: I wanted to confirm that you’ve received our bid for
the cookbook project. I hope that we turn out to be the low bidder.
Please let me know if you need any other information.
Let’s get together for lunch soon. I’ve got some new jokes to share
with you.
Sincerely,
Ed Avis
Standard Memo
Format
 Start guide word 5cm from the
top and margins set at 3 cm
 Single space within paragraphs
 Double space between paragraphs
 Use of right indents
 Capitalize guide words
SMART TIPS
• Compose offline
• Get the address right
• Ask most important question first, followed by an explanation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Provide asterisks to provide “high skim value”
Resist humour and tongue-to-cheek comments
Never send “spam”
Consider identifying labels
Use capital letters for titles for emphasis ONLY.
Don’t forward without permission
Reduce attachments
Consider cultural differences