Chapter 8
Routine E-Mail Messages
and Memos
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Process and Product, 5e
Copyright © 2006
Characteristics of Successful
E-Mail Messages and Memos
• Headings: Date, To, From, Subject
• Single topic
• Conversational tone
• Conciseness
• Graphic highlighting
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 2
Guffey’s 3 x 3 Writing
Process
• Analyze and anticipate
• Research and compose
• Revise, proofread, and evaluate
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 3
Analyze and Anticipate
• Do I really need to write?
• What is my purpose?
• How will the reader react?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 4
Research and Compose
• Check files; collect information.
• Study relevant documents.
• Make an outline.
• Write first draft.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 5
Revise, Proofread, and
Evaluate
• Revise for clarity.
• Revise for correctness.
• Plan for feedback.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 6
Structure of E-Mail
Messages and Memos
• Subject line
• Opening
• Body
• Closing
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 7
Subject Line
• Summarize the main idea.
Example: Budget Meeting June 3, 10 a.m.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 8
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 9
Body
• Explain and discuss the topic.
• Use graphic highlighting to
facilitate reading, comprehension,
and retention.
• Consider columns, headings,
enumerations, bulleted lists, and so
forth.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 10
Closing
• Request action, including an end
date.
• Summarize the message or provide
a closing thought.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 11
Formatting E-Mail Messages
• Enclose the receiver’s address in
angle brackets.
• Include a salutation (such as Dear
Dawn, Hi, 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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 12
Formatting E-Mail Messages
• Write in complete sentences, and
use upper and lowercase letters.
• Include a signature block,
especially for messages to
outsiders.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 13
Formatting E-Mail Messages
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 14
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 15
Leave side margins of
about 1¼ inches.
DATE:
Current
TO:
Rob Montaine
FROM:
Heidi Chan
SUBJECT: FORMATTING AND STATIONERY
FOR MEMOS
1¼ inch
margin
Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able
to answer your questions about formatting and
stationery for memos in the organization.
Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if
you have additional questions.
Enclosures
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 16
1¼ inch
margin
Line up all heading words
with those following Subject.
DATE:
Current
TO:
Rob Montaine
FROM:
Heidi Chan
SUBJECT: FORMATTING AND STATIONERY
FOR MEMOS
Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able
to answer your questions about formatting and
stationery for memos in the organization.
Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if
you have additional questions.
Enclosures
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 17
Indent lines following
bulleted or enumerated lines.
• Interoffice memo stationery may be used by
any employee.
• Plain paper or letterhead stationery may also be
used for memos, so long as the headings TO,
FROM, DATE, and SUBJECT are included.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 18
Communicating in the New
World of E-Mail
The phenomenal
growth of e-mail and
use of the Internet
mean that today’s
communicators need
special skills.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 19
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 e-mail ethics, courtesy,
and privacy issues.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 20
Smart E-Mail Practices
Getting Started
• Consider composing offline.
• Get the address right.
• Avoid misleading subject lines.
• Apply the top-of-screen test.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 21
Smart E-Mail Practices
Content, Tone, and Correctness
• Be concise.
• Don’t send anything you wouldn’t want
published.
• Don’t use e-mail to avoid contact.
• Care about correctness.
• Resist humor and tongue-in-cheek comments.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 22
Smart E-Mail Practices
Netiquette
• Limit any tendency to send blanket copies.
• Never send “spam.”
• Consider using identifying labels (FYI, ACTION,
RE, URGENT)
• Use capital letters ONLY for emphasis or for
titles.
• Don’t forward without permission.
• Reduce attachments.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 23
Smart E-Mail Practices
Reading and Replying to E-Mail
• Scan all messages before replying to any.
• Print only when necessary.
• Acknowledge receipt.
• Don’t automatically return the sender’s message.
• Revise the subject line if the topic changes.
• Provide a clear, complete first sentence.
• Never respond when you’re angry.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 24
Smart E-Mail Practices
Personal Use
• Don’t use
company
computers for
personal matters.
• Assume that all email is monitored.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 25
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 26
Kinds of Memos
• Procedure and Information Memos
• Request and Reply Memos
• Confirmation Memos
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 27
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 28
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 29
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 30
Graphic Highlighting
Techniques
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 31
Graphic Highlighting Techniques
Activity 8.6a
Enumerated List
A recent survey of car buyers revealed the electronic
options they wanted:
1. Cruise control
79.1%
2. Antilock brakes
61.1
3. Keyless entry
50.5
4. CD player
34.1
5. Trip counter
5.1
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 32
Graphic Highlighting Techniques
Activity 8.6b
Bulleted List
Our employee leasing program can be an efficient
management tool because we handle the following tasks
for you:
• Payroll preparation
• Employees’ benefits
• Worker’s compensation premiums
• State and federal reports
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 33
Graphic Highlighting Techniques
Activity 8.6c
Enumerated List
SAFETY TIPS FOR USING ATMs
1. Be aware of your surroundings, especially at night.
2. Use another ATM or come back later if you notice
anything suspicious.
3. Put cash away promptly; count it later.
4. At night take a friend with you.
5. Park in a well-lighted area close to the ATM.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 34
Request Memo
“Before” Version
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 35
Request Memo: “Before” Version
DATE: Current
TO: Kim Johnson, Corporate Communications
FROM: Tim Rudolph, CEO
SUBJECT: NEW POLICY
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 the
staff to see, and even a basketball pool that turned into a
gambling operation.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 36
Request Memo: “Before” Version
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 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, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 37
Request Memo
“After” Version
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 38
Request Memo: “After” Version
DATE:
Current
TO:
Kim Johnson, Corporate Communications
FROM:
Tim Rudolph, CEO
SUBJECT: DEVELOPING STAFF E-MAIL POLICY
Please draft a policy outlining appropriate e-mail use for
employees.
We need such a policy because I have received reports of
misuse including defamatory statements, pornography
downloads, and even gambling. Here are a few points that
the policy should cover:
• E-mail is for business only.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 39
Request Memo: “After” Version
• E-mail messages may be monitored.
• No pictures or other attachments should be sent without
valid reason.
• E-mail should not be used to discuss personnel matters.
Please submit a draft to me by October 1 since we hope to
have a policy completed by November 1. Call if you have
questions.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 40
End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 8, Slide 41