Letters, Memos, and Emails

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Letters, Memos, and Emails
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The Letter(Used generally outside the
organization)

• Return Address
• Date
• Inside Address
• Salutation
• Body
• Complimentary Close
• Signature
• Reference Initials
• Enclosures
• Copies

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The Memorandum(Used within the organization)

• To Name, position
• From Name, position
• Date
• Re
• No signature is required

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The Perfect Letter and Memo will employ the
following

• A You attitude (Know your audience!)
• A three paragraph structure (minimum)
• A Beginning paragraph that Informs and is
  Positive
• A Middle paragraph(s) that makes the major
  point(s) and employs Numbering or Bullets
• An Ending paragraph that Summarizes and Points
  the Way Ahead
• Concise language and good grammar

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Things to do in Letter and Memo Writing

• Use proper letter or memo format
• Say something positive in your introduction
• Introduce numbering/bullets from a middle
  paragraph
• Use a colon to introduce numbering/bullets
• Ensure correct parallelism in your numbering
• Write as you would speak
• Use a you attitude whats in it for the
  reader?
• Use a short concluding paragraph

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Things to do in Letter and Memo Writing

• Be positive eliminate negative references Im
  sorry I could not, I hope this has not
  inconvenienced you
• Sound like an equal, not a parent be courteous
• Write as you would speak avoid business jargon
  like It has been brought to my attention,
  Please feel free to
• Spell correctly receive, unfortunately,
  occasion, sincerely, inconvenience, etc.
• Use myself very rarely Wrong Mr. Jones and
  myself are going home. Wrong He took Joan and
  myself home.

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Common Business Writing Errors

• Yours Sincerely / Yours Truly
• Dear Ms. Smith
• Although I do not
• Convience, recieve
• It has been brought to my attention

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Benefits of workplace Email

• Better for the environment
• Faster
• Easily tracked

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When writing workplace Emails

• Consider your audience
• No texting
• Clarity, length
• privacy

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When writing workplace Emails

• Pay attention to format
• Subject line
• Precision
• Punctuation, Grammar, Spelling

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Punctuation

• Heres a classic example to illustrate the
  importance of punctuation its been around for
  sometime I wish I could claim credit for it,
  but I cant
• Version 1
• Dear Jon
• I want a man who knows what love is all about.
  You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who
  are not like you admit to being useless and
  inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I
  yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when
  were apart. I can be forever happy will you
  let me be yours?
• Gloria

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Punctuation

• Version 2
• Dear Jon
• I want a man who knows what love is. All about
  you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who
  are not like you. Admit to being useless and
  inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I
  yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever.
  When were apart, I can be forever happy. Will
  you let me be?
• Yours,
• Gloria

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Spelling

• Why Spelling Chequers are Knot Too Bee Trusted
• Eye have a spelling chequer
• It came with my pea see
• It plainly Marx four my revue
• Miss steaks I cannot sea.
• Ive run this poem threw it,
• Im sure your please to no
• Its letter perfect in its weigh
• My chequer tolled me sew
• Ewe can bee rite and wrong at the same thyme!

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When writing workplace Emails

• Consider the medium
• Does your message need to be secure?
• Is your e-mail of a sensitive nature?
• You cannot ensure your e-mail will only be read
  by its intended recipient.