The rules that apply to memo writing are the same for everyone from sales manager to secretary and really involve nothing more than common sense.

The message comes first

Put the most important information at the very beginning of your memo. The point of this is to get to the heart of the matter quickly. You can get into this habit by starting with the conclusion (the action you want taken) and using the rest of the memo to support the conclusion and convince the reader that he or she should support it.

Tell the reader what you want done

Leave no doubt in the mind of the recipient of what you want accomplished. Always be clear about the action you want taken.

Use simple language

People often sound pompous when they write because they tend to be more formal than when speaking. For better, less stilted memos, keep a conversational tone by writing as if you were speaking. When you’ve finished writing a memo, read it aloud to see if this is how you’d make your point if you were face-to-face with the recipient.

Use short, simple sentences

The longer your sentences, the greater your chances of tripping up. You can keep memo length in check by putting only one thought in each sentence. For best effect, never use more than 20 words per sentence.

Keep it to one page or less

Some people have become infamous for memos with “thud value” 10 or 15 pages long. The principal cause of tome-like memos is the misguided attempt to include large amounts of technical information and backup data in the memo itself. A more effective method would be to bundle the backup data separately and refer to it in a cover memo.

If you keep memos to one page or less, people have no problem reading them and are more likely to take action on your request.

Watch your language

Proofread everything and keep a dictionary, thesaurus and language usage guide handy to check grammar and spelling. Train your secretary to be extra careful: A careless secretary can make you look illiterate and sloppy; a careful one, on the other hand, can make you look like top management material.

Observe protocol and the chain of command

Why do people who would never think of talking directly to the Company Senior Vice President if it would mean bypassing the boss think it is okay to use the “cc” list to do the same thing? Copies, properly used, can help ensure action and complete communication and may also help you gain the respect and trust of superiors, subordinates and peers. On the other hand, memos that copy 20 people whether they’re from clerks to supervisors or from managers to higher-level executives, aren’t likely to win friends and influence people.

MEMO MISCUES

The last few commandments deal with some of the ways in which memos can go wrong or be used incorrectly.

The ultimate memo mistake is to use it (and the cc list) to criticise another person or department. We have all seen feuds go public within a company as a result of subtle and seemingly innocuous references in memos.

When memos get nasty and the cc lists expand in an attempt to recruit allies, company observers often call them “machine gun memos.” Unfortunately, the manager who lives by the machine gun memo often dies by it as well: He alienates not only those who are drawn into the feud but those who want to stay out of it, and eventually someone he has alienated will get him.