Business Memos for English Students

Writing a good memo takes some practice even if English is your native language.  If you are learning English for business purposes then writing memos will be even more challenging.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you write a memo.

1. Make sure that the memo goes ONLY to people who really need to read it
2. Be sure you have a very clear subject line so the reader know exactly what the memo is about.  But keep it short.
3. Be sure that the body of the memo is LESS THAN 1 PAGE - any more and you have a business letter.  To do this,
   1. be sure you know exactly what your memo needs to say
   2. have only ONE purpose for the memo (two if they are VERY closely related)
   3. check for any ideas that you say 2x (or more) and remove the extras
4. Use bullet points (like this list) to make your ideas stand out
5. end with a strong call to action (a statement that makes the reader do the thing you want/need them to do).
6. Be sure to include your name and contact information at the end of the memo

Every company has a different format for memos.  However they are all very similar and follow some very basic rules for where you put information.

An easy way to learn the basic format of memos is to practice with Microsoft Word's built in memo templates.  Then once you know the basics, you will be able to use the memo style of any company you work for quite easily.

You can also search on google for memo samples or ESL Sample Memos

There will several other entries about memos and memo writing over the next few days that will help you clearly understand the

1. purpose,
2. structure, and
3. content

of a good business memo.

Until next time….

Keep on keepin' on.

Eric