Directory UMM :Data Elmu:ppt:

Chapter 8

Routine E-Mail
Messages and Memos

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e
Copyright © 2003

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:

Ch. 8,
Slide 2

The Writing Process
• Analyze and anticipate
• Research and compose
• Revise, proofread, and evaluate

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

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:

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:

Ch. 8,
Slide 5

Revise, Proofread, and
Evaluate
• Revise for clarity.
• Revise for correctness.
• Plan for feedback.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 6

Organization of Memos
• Subject line
• Opening
• Body
• Closing

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 7

Subject Line
• Summarize the main idea.
Example: Budget Meeting June 3, 10 a.m.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

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:

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:

Ch. 8,
Slide 10

Closing
• Request action, including an end
date.
• Summarize the message or provide
a closing thought.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 11

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:

Ch. 8,
Slide 12

Leave side margins of
about 1¼ inches.
DATE:
DATE:
TO:
TO:

Current
Current
Rob
RobMontaine
Montaine

FROM:
Heidi
FROM:
HeidiChan

Chan
SUBJECT:
SUBJECT: FORMATTING
FORMATTINGAND
ANDSTATIONERY
STATIONERY
FOR
MEMOS
FOR MEMOS
1¼ inch
margin

Welcome
WelcometotoMultimedia,
Multimedia,Rob!
Rob!I’m
I’mpleased
pleasedtotobe
beable
abletoto

answer
answeryour
yourquestions
questionsabout
aboutformatting
formattingand
andstationery
stationery
for
memos
in
the
organization.
for memos in the organization.

1¼ inch
margin

Please
Pleaseexamine

examinethe
theenclosed
enclosedsamples
samplesand
andcall
callme
meififyou
you
have
additional
questions.
have additional questions.
Enclosures
Enclosures

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 13

Line up all heading words
with those following
Subject.
DATE:
DATE:
TO:
TO:

Current
Current
Rob
RobMontaine
Montaine

FROM:
FROM:

Heidi
HeidiChan
Chan

SUBJECT:
SUBJECT: FORMATTING
FORMATTINGAND
ANDSTATIONERY
STATIONERY
FOR
MEMOS
FOR MEMOS
Welcome
WelcometotoMultimedia,
Multimedia,Rob!
Rob!I’m
I’mpleased
pleasedtotobe
beable
abletoto
answer
answeryour
yourquestions
questionsabout
aboutformatting
formattingand
andstationery
stationery
for
memos
in
the
organization.
for memos in the organization.
Please
Pleaseexamine
examinethe
theenclosed
enclosedsamples
samplesand
andcall
callme
meififyou
you
have
additional
questions.
have additional questions.
Enclosures
Enclosures

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 14

Indent lines following
bulleted or enumerated
lines.
••Interoffice
Interofficememo
memostationery
stationerymay
maybe
beused
usedby
by

any
anyemployee.
employee.
••Plain
Plainpaper
paperororletterhead
letterheadstationery
stationerymay
mayalso
alsobe
be
used
usedfor
formemos,
memos,so
solong
longasasthe
theheadings
headingsTO,
TO,
FROM,
FROM,DATE,
DATE,and
andSUBJECT
SUBJECTare
areincluded.
included.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 15

Don’t include
complimentary close or
signature.
Welcome
WelcometotoMultimedia,
Multimedia,Rob!
Rob!I’m
I’mpleased
pleasedtotobe
beable
abletoto
answer
answeryour
yourquestions
questionsabout
aboutformatting
formattingand
andstationery
stationery
for
memos
in
the
organization.
for memos in the organization.
Please
Pleaseexamine
examinethe
theenclosed
enclosedsamples
samplesand
andcall
callme
meififyou
you
have
additional
questions.
have additional questions.
Enclosures
Enclosures
Sincerely,
Sincerely,

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 16

Don’t include
complimentary close or
signature.
Welcome
WelcometotoMultimedia,
Multimedia,Rob!
Rob!I’m
I’mpleased
pleasedtotobe
beable
abletoto
answer
answeryour
yourquestions
questionsabout
aboutformatting
formattingand
andstationery
stationery
for
memos
in
the
organization.
for memos in the organization.
Please
Pleaseexamine
examinethe
theenclosed
enclosedsamples
samplesand
andcall
callme
meififyou
you
have
additional
questions.
have additional questions.
Enclosures
Enclosures
Sincerely,
Sincerely,

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 17

Don’t include
complimentary close or
signature.
Welcome
WelcometotoMultimedia,
Multimedia,Rob!
Rob!I’m
I’mpleased
pleasedtotobe
beable
abletoto
answer
answeryour
yourquestions
questionsabout
aboutformatting
formattingand
andstationery
stationery
for
memos
in
the
organization.
for memos in the organization.
Please
Pleaseexamine
examinethe
theenclosed
enclosedsamples
samplesand
andcall
callme
meififyou
you
have
additional
questions.
have additional questions.
Enclosures
Enclosures

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 18

Formatting E-Mail
Messages

• Enclose the receiver’s address in
angle brackets.
• Include a salutation (such as Dear
Dawn, Hi Dawn, 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:

Ch. 8,
Slide 19

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:

Ch. 8,
Slide 20

Formatting E-Mail
Messages

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 21

Kinds of Memos
• Procedure and Information Memos
• Request and Reply Memos
• Confirmation Memos

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 22

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:

Ch. 8,
Slide 23

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:

Ch. 8,
Slide 24

Request Memo
“Before” Version

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 25

Request Memo: “Before” Version

DATE:
DATE:Current
Current
TO:
TO:Kim
KimJohnson,
Johnson,Corporate
CorporateCommunications
Communications
FROM:
FROM:Tim
TimRudolph,
Rudolph,CEO
CEO
SUBJECT:
SUBJECT:NEW
NEWPOLICY
POLICY
This
Thismemo
memoisiswritten
writtento
toinform
informyou
youthat
thatIIcontinue
continueto
toreceive
receive
disturbing
disturbingreports
reportsabout
aboutthe
themisuse
misuseof
ofe-mail
e-mailby
byemployees.
employees.
In
Inthe
thecourse
courseof
ofthe
thepast
pastthree
threemonths
monthsIIhave
haveheard
heardof
of
defamatory
defamatorymessages,
messages,downloads
downloadsof
ofpornography
pornographyfor
forall
allthe
the
staff
staffto
tosee,
see,and
andeven
evenaabasketball
basketballpool
poolthat
thatturned
turnedinto
intoaa
gambling
gamblingoperation.
operation.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 26

Request Memo: “Before” Version

In
Inview
viewof
ofthe
theforegoing,
foregoing,IIam
amherewith
herewithinstructing
instructingyour
your
office
officethat
thatan
ane-mail
e-mailpolicy
policyfor
forthe
thestaff
staffisisneeded.
needed.By
By
October
October11aarough
roughdraft
draftof
ofaapolicy
policyshould
shouldbe
beforthcoming.
forthcoming.
At
Atthe
thevery
veryminimum
minimumititshould
shouldinform
informeach
eachand
andevery
every
employee
employeethat
thate-mail
e-mailisisfor
forbusiness
businessonly.
only.Employees
Employeesmust
must
be
betold
toldthat
thatwe
wereserve
reservethe
theright
rightto
tomonitor
monitorall
allmessages.
messages.No
No
pictures
picturesshould
shouldbe
bein
inthe
thee-mail
e-mailsystem
systemwithout
withoutthere
therebeing
beingaa
valid
validreason.
reason.And
Andwe
weshould
shouldnot
notbe
beusing
usinge-mail
e-mailto
tobe
besaying
saying
anything
anythingabout
aboutpersonnel
personnelmatters--such
matters--suchas
asperformance
performance
reviews
reviewsand
andsalaries.
salaries.
IfIfyou
youhave
haveany
anyquestions,
questions,do
donot
nothesitate
hesitateto
tocall.
call.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 27

Request Memo
“After” Version

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 28

Request Memo: “After” Version

DATE:
DATE:
TO:
TO:

Current
Current
Kim
KimJohnson,
Johnson,Corporate
CorporateCommunications
Communications

FROM:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
SUBJECT:

Tim
TimRudolph,
Rudolph,CEO
CEO
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPINGSTAFF
STAFFE-MAIL
E-MAILPOLICY
POLICY

Please
Pleasedraft
draftaapolicy
policyoutlining
outliningappropriate
appropriatee-mail
e-mailuse
usefor
for
employees.
employees.
We
Weneed
needsuch
suchaapolicy
policybecause
becauseIIhave
havereceived
receivedreports
reportsof
of
misuse
misuseincluding
includingdefamatory
defamatorystatements,
statements,pornography
pornography
downloads,
downloads,and
andeven
evengambling.
gambling.Here
Hereare
areaafew
fewpoints
pointsthat
that
the
thepolicy
policyshould
shouldcover:
cover:
••E-mail
E-mailisisfor
forbusiness
businessonly.
only.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 29

Request Memo: “After” Version

••E-mail
E-mailmessages
messagesmay
maybe
bemonitored.
monitored.
••No
Nopictures
picturesor
orother
otherattachments
attachmentsshould
shouldbe
besent
sentwithout
without
valid
validreason.
reason.
••E-mail
E-mailshould
shouldnot
notbe
beused
usedto
todiscuss
discusspersonnel
personnelmatters.
matters.
Please
Pleasesubmit
submitaadraft
draftto
tome
meby
byOctober
October11since
sincewe
wehope
hopeto
to
have
haveaapolicy
policycompleted
completedby
byNovember
November1.
1.Call
Callififyou
youhave
have
questions.
questions.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 30

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:

Ch. 8,
Slide 31

Graphic Highlighting
Techniques

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 32

Graphic Highlighting
Techniques
Activity 8.3a
Enumerated List

AArecent
recentsurvey
surveyof
ofcar
carbuyers
buyersrevealed
revealedthe
theelectronic
electronic
options
optionsthey
theywanted:
wanted:
1.1.Cruise
Cruisecontrol
control

79.1%
79.1%

2.2.Antilock
Antilockbrakes
brakes

61.1
61.1

3.3.Keyless
Keylessentry
entry

50.5
50.5

4.4.CD
CDplayer
player

34.1
34.1

5.5.Trip
Tripcounter
counter

5.1
5.1

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 33

Graphic Highlighting
Techniques
Activity 8.3b
Bulleted List

Our
Ouremployee
employeeleasing
leasingprogram
programcan
canbe
bean
anefficient
efficient
management
managementtool
toolbecause
becausewe
wehandle
handlethe
thefollowing
followingtasks
tasks
for
foryou:
you:
••Payroll
Payrollpreparation
preparation
••Employees’
Employees’benefits
benefits
••Worker’s
Worker’scompensation
compensationpremiums
premiums
••State
Stateand
andfederal
federalreports
reports

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 34

Graphic Highlighting
Techniques
Activity 8.3c
Enumerated List

SAFETY
SAFETYTIPS
TIPSFOR
FORUSING
USINGATMs
ATMs
1.1.Be
Beaware
awareof
ofyour
yoursurroundings,
surroundings,especially
especiallyatatnight.
night.
2.2.Use
Useanother
anotherATM
ATMor
orcome
comeback
backlater
laterififyou
younotice
notice
anything
anything suspicious.
suspicious.
3.3.Put
Putcash
cashaway
awaypromptly;
promptly;count
countititlater.
later.
4.4.At
Atnight
nighttake
takeaafriend
friendwith
withyou.
you.
5.5.Park
Parkin
inaawell-lighted
well-lightedarea
areaclose
closeto
tothe
theATM.
ATM.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 35

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:

Ch. 8,
Slide 36

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 the ethics, courtesy,
and privacy issues relating to email.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 37

Communicating in the
New World of E-Mail
• Develop confidence in using e-mail
systems.
• Think globally.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 38

Smart E-Mail Practices
• Get the addresses right.
• Avoid misleading subject lines.
• Be concise.
• Don’t send anything you wouldn’t
want published.
• Don’t use e-mail to avoid contact.
• Never respond when you’re angry.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 39

Smart E-Mail Practices
• Care about correctness.
• Resist humor and tongue-in-cheek
comments.
• Use design elements to improve
readability of longer messages.
• Consider cultural differences.
• Assume that all business e-mail is
monitored.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 40

The Six Most Common
Mistakes in Sending EMail
1. Address goofs

2. Lengthy messages or attachments
3. Misleading subject lines
4. Inappropriate content (such as
delivering bad news)
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 41

The Six Most Common
Mistakes in Sending EMail

5. Instant indiscretions (angry or
thoughtless statements)
6. Reckless copying

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 42

End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Ch. 8,
Slide 43