Chapter 7
E-Mail Messages and
Memos
Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Mary Ellen Guffey
Copyright © 2008
E-Mail Messages and Memos
The Writing
Process
Structure
and Format
Smart E-Mail
Practices
Typical E-Mail
and Memos
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 2
The Writing Process
Prewriting
Analyze
Anticipate
Adapt
Do I really need to write?
E-mail or hard copy memo?
Why am I writing?
How will the reader react?
How can I save the reader’s
time?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 3
The Writing Process
Writing
Research
Organize
Compose





Check files.
Collect information.
Study relevant documents.
Make an outline.
Write a first draft.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 4
The Writing Process
Revising
 Revise for clarity.
 Revise for correctness.
 Plan for feedback.
Edit
Proofread
Evaluate
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 5
E-Mail and Memos: Structure and Format
Date:
To:
From:
Subject:
1. Opening
2. Body
3. Closing
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 6
E-Mail and Memos: Subject Lines
Date:
To:
From:
Subject: New Employee Fitness Center
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 7
E-Mail and Memos: Subject Lines
Date:
To:
From:
Subject: Your Vacation Request Deadline
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 8
E-Mail and Memos: Subject Lines
Date:
To:
From:
Subject: Sending Feasibility Report
The headline of your memo.
 Summarize the main idea.
 Use nouns and phrases, not
complete sentences.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 9
E-Mail and Memos: Opening
Date:
To:
From:
Subject:
1.Opening
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 10
E-Mail and Memos: Opening
Start directly; amplify the main idea.
Indirect Opening
This is to inform you that we must complete
the annual operating budgets smoothly. Over
the past two months many supervisors have
expressed concern about their departmental
budget needs.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 11
E-Mail and Memos: Opening
Start directly; amplify the main idea.
Direct Opening
All supervisors and coordinators will meet
June 30 at 10 a.m. to work out the annual
operating budgets for all departments.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 12
E-Mail and Memos: Body
Date:
To:
From:
Subject:
2.Body
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 13
E-Mail and Memos: Body
 Explain and discuss the topic.
 Introduce relevant details or examples.
 Use graphic highlighting to enhance
reading, comprehension, and retention.
 Consider columns, headings, numbered
or bulleted lists, and so forth.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 14
E-Mail and Memos: Closing
Date:
To:
From:
Subject:
3.Closing
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 15
E-Mail and Memos: Closing
To end the message, you have the
following options:
 Action information
 Dates or deadlines
 Summary of the message
 Closing thought
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 16
2 inches from top
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
Formatting Hard-Copy 1blank
Memos
line
Current
Dawn Stewart, Manager
Jay Murray, Vice President
Sign your initials
SUBJECT: Telephone Service Request Forms
2 blank lines
Align items 2 spaces after Subject
To speed telephone installation and improve service within the main
facility, we are starting a new application procedure.
Service request forms will be available at various locations within
the three buildings. When you require telephone services, pick up a
request form at your nearest location. Fill in the pertinent facts,
obtain approval from your division head, and send the form to Brent
White.
Please call me at 451-0593 if you have any questions about this new
procedure.
At least 1-inch
side margins
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 17
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
Current
Kim Johnson, Corporate Communications
Tim Rudolph, CEO
SUBJECT:
New Policy
“Before”—Ineffective Request Memo
This memo is written to inform you that I continue to receive disturbing
reports about the misuse of e-mail by employees. In the course of the past
three months I have heard of defamatory messages, downloads of
pornography for all staff to see, and even a basketball pool that turned into a
gambling operation.
In view of the foregoing, I am herewith instructing your office that an e-mail
policy for the staff is needed. By October 1 a rough draft of a policy should
be forthcoming. At the very minimum it should inform each and every
employee that e-mail is for business only. Employees must be told that we
reserve the right to monitor all messages. No pictures or attachments should
be in the e-mail system without there being a valid reason. And we should
not be using e-mail to be saying anything about personnel matters—such as
performance reviews and salaries.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 18
Memo Revision: Critical Thinking Questions
1. What is the purpose of the routine request?
2. How effective is the subject line?
3. Is the opening direct or indirect?
4. What does the writer want the reader to do?
5. How should the memo begin? What should
be in the body?
6. What highlighting techniques could be used?
7. What should be included in the closing?
8. Should a reason be given along with an end date?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 19
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
Current
Kim Johnson, Corporate Communications
Tim Rudolph, CEO
SUBJECT:
Developing Staff E-Mail Policy
“After”—Improved Request Memo
Please draft a policy outlining appropriate e-mail use for employees.
We need a policy because I have received reports of misuse including
defamatory messages, pornography downloads, and even gambling. Here are a
few points that the policy should cover:
 E-mail is for business use only.
 E-mail messages may be monitored.
 No pictures or attachments should be sent without a valid reason.
 E-mail should not be used to discuss personnel matters.
Please submit a draft to me by October 2 because we hope to have a final
policy completed by November 5. Call if you have questions.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 20
Single-space body;
double-space between
paragraphs.
Formatting E-Mail Messages
Use angle brackets
for Internet addresses
Include a salutation
for a friendly tone.
Dear Dawn:
To speed telephone installation and improve service within the
main facility, we are starting a new application procedure.
Service request forms will be available at various locations
within the three buildings. When you require telephone service,
pick up a request form at your nearest location. Fill in the
pertinent facts, obtain approval from your division head, and
send the form to Brent White.
Please call me at 451-0593 if you have any questions about this
new procedure.
Best,
Jay Murray, Vice President, Facilities and Operations
Phone: (245) 451-0593 ● Fax: (245) 451-3389
E-Mail: jmurray@pro.com
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Write complete
sentences and use
upper and lowercase letters.
Use a complimentary
close and include your
contact information.
Ch. 7, Slide 21
Smart E-Mail Practices
Getting Started
 Consider composing off line.
 Type the receiver’s address correctly.
 Avoid misleading subject lines.
 Apply the top-of-the screen test.
© Ryan McVay / Photodisc / Getty Images
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 22
Smart E-Mail Practices
Content,Tone, Correctness
 Be concise.
 Don’t use e-mail to avoid contact.
 Care about correctness and tone.
 Resist humor and tongue-in-cheek
comments.
Don’t send anything you wouldn’t want
published or posted on your office door!
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 23
Smart E-Mail Practices
Netiquette
 Limit any tendency to send blanket copies.
 Never send “spam.”
 Consider using identifying labels, such as
ACTION, FYI, RE, URGENT.
 Use uppercase only for emphasis or titles.
 Announce attachments.
 Seek permission before forwarding.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 24
Smart E-Mail Practices
Reading and Replying to E-Mail
 Scan all messages before replying.
 Acknowledge receipt.
 Don’t automatically return the sender’s
message.
 Revise a subject line if the topic in a series of
messages (a “thread”) changes.
 Provide a clear, complete first sentence.
 Never respond when you are angry.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 25
Smart E-Mail Practices
Personal Use
 Don’t use company
computers for personal
matters unless allowed by
your organization.
 Assume that all e-mail is
monitored, even when you
connect to your ISP from
work.
© George Doyle & Ciaran Griffin / Stockbyte / Getty Images
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 26
Smart E-Mail Practices
Other Smart Practices
 Use design to improve readability of longer
messages.
 Consider cultural differences.
 Double-check before hitting the Send button.
 Use instant messaging professionally to
expand your communication channel choices.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 27
Top Ten Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Career
Responding when angry
Making address goofs
Forgetting a subject line or failing
to change it to match “thread”
Not personalizing your message
Skipping the salutation and closing
identification
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 28
Top Ten Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Career
Including inappropriate content
Instant indiscretions, off-color jokes,
and statements you will later regret
Forgetting to check for spelling
and grammar
Thinking no one else will ever see
your e-mail
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 29
Top Ten Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Career
Copying and forwarding
recklessly
Completing “To” line first
A slip of the fingers can send a message
before its time, and you can never take
it back.
Expecting an instant response
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 30
Sends message to
server.
a message is that e-mail!
Oops! I thought Once
Isent, deleted
its distribution
cannot be controlled.
World
Sender
Serve
r and processes
Stores
Archives
messages; a second
computer may keep
Retain from weeks’duplicates
May duplicate, print,
to years’ worth of
forward, or post the
back mail
message to the Web
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Receiver
Ch. 7, Slide 31
Typical E-Mail Messages and Memos
Request Messages
Closing
DATE:
TO:
FROM:Include end date and reason, if
SUBJECT:
possible. Express appreciation.
Opening
Frontload your direct request.
Body
Explain and justify your request. Use
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 32
Typical E-Mail Messages and Memos
Response Messages
Opening
Summarize response facts.
Body
Provide details in a readable form.
Closing
Offer concluding remark,
summary, or further assistance.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 33
Typical E-Mail Messages and Memos
Procedural Messages
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
Body
Closing
Opening
Explain
Reinforce
Announce
its need.
benefits
theList
procedure.
numbered
and provide
steps to
explain
source
theofprocedure.
further information.
Use “command”
language (do this; don’t do that).
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 34
Typical E-Mail Messages and Memos
Confirmation Messages
Opening
Explain purpose for writing.
Body
Itemize major issues or points concisely.
Include names and titles of involved people.
Closing
Offer concluding remark,
summary, or further assistance.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 35
End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 7, Slide 36