Memos and Letters

Tasks, tools and elements of communication

Communication Instruments  

 

            The ability to compose an effective project/programme purpose letter or memo is a highly prized skill. They are also more secure than electronic communication, as well as easier to store and manage for long periods.

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1.  Snail Mail

            Old-fashioned printed-on-paper letters and memos are still extremely effective—and important—communication tools. The ability to compose an effective project/programme purpose letter or memo is a highly prized skill.

            Memos are often like e-mail. They are usually short and succinct. The point is to get the message across as simply as possible. The sender is more concerned with function than form.

            Letters, however, are often different. With them, form can often be as or more important than function. The look of a letter, the letterhead, and the way it is presented on the paper, even the color of the paper and the ink, the typeface used, and way the recipient is addressed and the sender signs it, can often say as much as the letter’s actual content.

            project/programme purpose letters are as old as writing, and are among the earliest examples of project/programme purpose communication.

 

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2.  To Whom Are You Writing?

            If you had to write a letter to employees about keeping work areas clean and neat, it would be a different letter if it were going to people on the factory floor than it would if it were going to executives.

            Once you know what you have to say, the next important question you have to answer is: To whom am I going to say it? Your audience will shape your writing. If you know what their educational level is you will know what grade level to write at and what sort of vocabulary to use. If you know what they all do—attorneys, accountants, technicians, mechanics—you will know how much they need to know about the subject.

            The “best” letter in the world is a waste of time, effort, and money if the person it goes to doesn’t read or understand it.

            That is why you have to know “to whom” you are writing.

            You have to make sure that the letter they get is one they can understand, and that it deals with issues they are concerned about—in a way that they can relate to.

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Memo Basics

            A memo is a type of project/programme purpose letter that is usually used to deal with a specific problem. The easiest way to learn how to write a memo—and most other project/programme purpose correspondence—is to get a number of copies of “good” memos that are similar to those you are supposed to write. Use their style and format as an example.

            Since the emphasis is on form and function and not individual creativity, there is nothing wrong with this approach. It is not “cheating.” It is intelligent research.

            Here are five points to remember about writing memos:

1. A memo is written in a specific format, one usually determined by your organization or department. There is no one “best” format for a memo. What’s important is that the format is consistent.
2. Memos start with a statement of purpose that explains what the memo is about and why it has been written. This is followed by the “body,” which says what is being done, or to be done, and is directly tied to the purpose. This information is often spelled out in a numbered list. It closes either with a call to action, a report of what has been done so far, or of what will be done in the future.
3. Letters are signed at the bottom. As a rule, memos are not signed. They are initialed. Your initials usually appear next to your name at the top of the memo, however, in some organizations, the “standard” format calls for them to be signed.
4. Memos are usually briefer than letters. They rarely run longer than one page.
5. A memo is usually more impersonal and direct, and gets right to the point.

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Be Positive

            No matter the type of letter or memo, try to use positive words and phrases—even when you have negative things to say. Experts advise focusing on using positive language because people respond better to positive words than negative ones. Purdue University Online Writing Lab (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/index.htm) advises writers to:

1.     Put the focus on what something IS rather than what it IS NOT.

2.     Emphasize what you CAN and WILL DO rather than what you CANNOT.

3.     Start with a statement of ACTION rather than APOLOGY or EXPLANATION.

4.     Make sure to avoid words which convey UNPLEASANT FACTS.

Here’s an example of negative and positive paragraphs that say the same thing:

Negative: You asked how many coats of our Cover-All Stain are needed to cover wood, both previously painted and untreated. I regret to report that you will need two gallons to cover 500 square feet of new and untreated wood, but you could do it with one gallon if the wood has been previously stained, sealed, or painted.

Positive: You asked how many coats of our Cover-All Stain are needed to cover wood, both previously painted and untreated. One gallon is usually enough to cover and protect 500 square feet of wood surfaces that have been previously painted or treated with some sort of stain or sealant. For the same amount of new and untreated wood, you will get best results by applying two coats.

            Which paragraph do you prefer?

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10 Tips For project/programme purpose Letters

            One of the major differences between a project/programme purpose letter and a memo is that, as a general rule, letters are sent to people outside of the organization, while memos are normally internal documents.

            When project/programme purpose letters are internal, they are usually written about matters of some importance; performance reviews and evaluations, a warning, a formal reprimand, disciplinary action, demotion, suspension, termination, announcing a promotion, giving praise, a transfer, or a raise.

            Whatever the reason for the missives, formal letters do tend to wind up in tucked away in human resource files, and stay there for as long as the person they are addressed to is with the organization.

            So, as a general rule, a project/programme purpose letter is treated with more importance than memos are. This is not to say that they always are more important, just that people tend to treat them that way.

            With that in mind, here are 10 helpful points to keep in mind when you write a project/programme purpose letter.

 

Why?

What are you trying to accomplish? You can’t write clearly until you have thought about the issue clearly, figured out and organized what you want to say. Make a list of the salient points and the results you would like to come about because of your letter. Get rid of everything that gets in the way of your purpose.

The point is…

Look at the letter the way the recipient will. How would you react? Is it polite? Accurate? As pleasant as it can be under the circumstances? Does it make the point or points you want to make clearly and succinctly? Will it spur the reader to a desired action, or to do the opposite?

Edit yourself.

Keep it short. Keep it focused. Avoid jargon or pretentious phrases. Write the way you talk. Sentences that are more than two typed lines long are too long. Get rid of any words, sentences, or paragraphs that get in the way of your message. Ask yourself how each sentence—how each word—contributes to making the points you want to make. If they don’t—delete them.

Be active, not passive
Avoid the passive voice. Saying “A decision has been reached by the committee” is weaker than saying “The committee has reached a decision.” Do not use the passive voice to dodge blame for mistakes. Your reader will sense evasiveness if you write: “Mistakes have been made” instead of “I made a mistake.”

Be yourself
A letter is one side of a conversation, in print. Your letter should sound like you, not a computer, or a warranty written by a lawyer. Make it as personal as you can within the bounds of your project/programme purpose relationship.

Anyone who writes in anger… loses.

If you are so mad that you want to yell… yell. After you finish yelling… calm down. Once you are calm… write your letter. Never write it while you’re angry. Your anger will get in the way of solving the problem that generated the anger.

What’s next?
As mentioned earlier, a letter is one side of a conversation, in print. When you end the letter it should be with some sort of suggestion, or call to action, that will indicate what you think the recipient should do as their part of the conversation.
Neatness—and accuracy—counts
Make sure the person’s name is spelled correctly and that you have the title right. Make sure the letter looks neat and clean, and that there are no spelling or grammar mistakes.

The end

When you’ve said everything you want to say, say goodbye. Don’t try and get flowery at the end. “Sincerely” or “Respectfully” are two good ways to close a letter.

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8.  You and Your Resume

            One of the most important project/programme purpose documents you have to know how to write is your resume. It probably helped you get your current job, and it will likely help you get your next one. Even if you aren’t looking right now, it’s a good idea to have one. There should always be a current resume in your personnel file. Some organizations require it.

            You should also have one on hand to show your superiors to let them know where you have been and where you hope to go. This is especially true if you are continuing your education or professional training outside of the office to help you advance your career.

            The process of writing a resume helps you focus your thoughts on your next career step.

            Your resume is more than a history of where you have been and what you used to do. While that is the information that has to be there, it has to be presented in such a way as to create interest in you, to make a prospective employer want to talk to you. There are numerous books on the subject. Most focus on the three basic types of resumes:

1.      Curriculum Vitae (Also know as a C.V. or Vita): This is a specific type of resume for educators, scientists, and others doing academic-type research. While resumes summarize your educational background, the focus is on the career objective. With a C.V., the focus is on academic pursuits, and leads off with a list of all degrees and special training, including masters thesis and doctoral dissertation titles. It also lists professional experience, research, and professional publications.

2. Chronological: This type is organized by job titles, lists specific duties, and works backward from your current or most recent position. Most employers prefer this type because it is a clear history of where you are now and how you got there. It is the easiest to analyze. It is also the best resume to use if you have plenty of experience and a solid job history that built up logically over the years, one job leading naturally to the others. People who have made radical career changes, or who lack formal on-the-job experience, like recent graduates, may find this a hard resume to write.
3. Functional: The focus here is on what you have done, or are trained or qualified to do. The functional resume rearranges employment and academic history into sections that highlight areas of skill and accomplishment. Many employers have problems with this type of resume because it is harder to read and analyze than a chronological resume. It lacks the logical progression and the specific job titles and duties. If you want to use this resume, you must tailor it to the position you are applying for to show how your skills and accomplishments mesh with their specific needs. It is sometimes referred to as a “problem solving” resume because it gives you the chance to draw conclusions and find an order or logic in your career history that might not be obvious in a chronological resume. It is especially useful for recent graduates, people making a radical career change, or those who have worked in a number of different, and at times seemingly unrelated, areas.

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10.  Cover Letter

            If you are sending out a resume, you should also send a cover letter with it. Even when it is not spelled out in the request for the resume—whether it is in an advertisement or in conversation—a cover letter is expected. If you don’t send one, and if it is not tailored to the specific position you are after, it will normally be seen as an indication of laziness.

            While the resume—or C.V.—is designed to tell a prospective employer who you are and what you can do, the cover letter is designed to generate some interest in talking to you personally. This is your chance to talk about your interest in the job as well as why you should be considered for it.

            In other words, a cover letter is a sales letter. The only difference between it and other sales letters is that in this case you are both the salesperson and the product. Here are four points to keep in mind when preparing one:

1.     Make sure there are no spelling or typing errors, and that it is grammatically correct. People do pay attention to these things, and mistakes are held against you.

2.     Address it to the person who can hire you, and get the spelling and the title right. Is it Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr., Professor, Dean, Rev., …? Even when you are told to send it to Human Resources, or to a post office box, try and find out who is really in charge of hiring for that position and address the letter to that person.

3.     Put it in your own words, and be direct. Sell yourself.

4.     Demonstrate your research. Show that you know something about both the organization and the sector of activity.

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