E-mails, memos and letters: fundamentals of business communication (2023)

An: h.adamo@xyzcorporation.ca

Von: m.vargas@maxim.ca

Topic: construction interruptions

Dear Harriet,

I know that employees of Evergreen Corp. are looking forward to moving into the new building on Station Street in January, but lately groups of employees who have no business here have been circling the building. These visits pose a safety hazard, disturb construction workers and could jeopardize your appointment.

Would you please ask your staff who have not yet been transferred to Station Street to stay away from the building? If you have to meet someone here who has already moved out, they should go about their business and head straight down the nearest stairwell.

We need to avoid further disruption so our builders can get the building ready for occupancy on schedule. If you have questions, please give me a call.

Many Thanks,

mel

Melvin R. Vargas

Site Manager, Maxim Construction Co.

1234 Main St, Big City, Kanada

• Regarding: Summarize the reason for writing.
• Opening:Explain your main reason for writing.
• Body: Add relevant information to support the motif in the opening.
• Conclude: Add a final thought, required action, or summarize the information.

Tips for effective texting and instant messaging

• Follow company policy. Find out about and follow the SMS and messaging rules in your company. Contacting someone too often, for example, can border on harassment. Sending text messages is a tool. Use it when appropriate, but don't abuse it.
• Know your recipient; 🇧🇷 % dsct" might be an understandable way to ask a close associate what the appropriate discount is for a particular customer, but if you're texting your boss, it might make more sense to write, "What % discount does Murray get Order over $1,000?”
• Anticipate unintended interpretations. Text messages and messages often use symbols and codes to represent thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Given the complexity of communication and the useful but limited tool of SMS and messaging, you should be aware of the limitations and avoid misinterpretation of short messages.
• Know what information to send. Not all information should be transmitted via SMS or instant messaging. For example, if you need to deliver bad news or convey confidential information or private data, it is better to use another form of communication.
• Break up from time to time. Do you feel connected all the time? Do you feel lost or "crazy" when you don't have your phone with you and can't connect with people for even fifteen minutes? Sometimes it can be healthy to be unavailable for a while — all in moderation, including texting.
• Don't text and drive. Research shows that when drivers text while driving, the likelihood of an accident increases dramatically (Houston Chronicle, 2009). An accident while conducting Company business would adversely affect both your judgment and your employer.

Use social media professionally

Review sites, blogs, tweets, and online community forums are some of the ever-evolving social media used by businesses and industries to reach customers and other stakeholders. People's comfort in the online environment forces companies to market and interact there, or risks a massive loss of revenue and interest. While most users learn to use social media as an extension or facilitation of their social life, using the same platforms for professional reasons requires some behavioral change.

First, realize that every modern business or organization should have a social media presence on the websites they expect their customer base to visit, especially popular sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The messages here should be consistent across platforms when alerting the customer base to important information such as special events, offers, and other news.

Follow below expert advice on how to properly use social media in detail to promote your business and reach people. Large companies will employ employees to manage their social media presence, but small businesses can do much of it themselves if they follow some decent online advice, such as: B. the following pages:

• Do's and Don'ts of Using Facebook for Business [Infographic]
• The Ultimate Twitter Guide for Small Businesses in 2017
• How to Use Instagram for Business: A Complete Marketer's Guide

Also, know that social media is an ever-evolving environment. Stay current by continuously researching and implementing the latest advice similar to the previous ones.

Finally, even if you don't think others know where you work or who you are, always remember how the websites you visit and what you post represent you and your employer. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are required by law to archive usage and traffic information that becomes available upon subpoena. Every step you take leaves a digital footprint, so you must hold yourself accountable for any missteps that shame you or your business.

write notes

A memorandum (or memorandum, meaning "reminder") is typically used to communicate official policies, procedures, or business-related informationinsideAn organisation. It is often written from a one-to-all perspective (like mass communication) and conveys a message to an audience rather than a one-to-one interpersonal communication. It can also be used to update a team on the activities of a specific project, or to notify a specific group within an organization of an event, action, or observation.

Memos can be tricky as they often communicate with multiple audiences with different contextual awareness. For example, when communicating a new company policy, different types of employees want to know exactly how the policy affects them.

Common situations when writing memos

Memos are used in a variety of workplace communication situations, from documenting procedures and policies to simple announcements. The following are some common types of memos:

• Policies (changes and new)
• instructions
• procedure
• To sue
• travelogues

Format

Memos are distinguished by a header containing DATE, TO, FROM, and SUBJECT lines. More lines like CC or BCC can be added as needed. A RE ("Reference") line can be used in place of SUBJECT, but this usage is becoming less common as "RE" is often confused with "Reply" because of its use in email.

• DATUM: List the date the memo was distributed.
• TO THE: List the names of memo recipients. If there are multiple recipients, it's acceptable to use a group name such as "All Employees" or "Members of the Human Resources Committee."
• OUT: List author(s) name and title.
• THEME: Think of the SUBJECT line as the title of the memo. Make it specific so readers can identify the topic right away.

These headings can be double or single, and the SUBJECT line is sometimes capitalized. Also, the order of the items may vary. Many organizations have their own style preferences in these matters. Otherwise, the double-spaced order listed above is most common. Memo text typically uses a single-spaced block format, with extra spacing between paragraphs, and no indentation for new paragraphs.

Organisation

Professional memos are organized using one of two strategies: direct and indirect.

• ÖDirectThe organization's strategy sets out the purpose of the document in the first paragraph (sometimes the first sentence) and provides supporting details in the body.
• ÖindirectlyThe organization's strategy begins with relevant and attention-grabbing details that do not directly state the purpose of the document. The purpose is revealed in the body of the message, usually below supporting details.

Direct address is used for good news or routine communication; The indirect approach is used for persuasion, sales, or bad news. A direct purpose is welcome in good news or routine messages, but can be seen as abrupt or insensitive in bad news or compelling news. If the audience isn't receptive to the message, it's better to gradually lead to the goal.

Both types of organizations place actionable information (such as deadlines or contact information) or a polite closing statement in the last paragraph.

Figure 6.3 shows an example of a direct memo.

^{Figure 6.3 | Direct memo example}

As you can see, this memo has a direct and concise beginning that states the purpose of the memo. The main section contains the grant criteria that help managers to fulfill the request. The close includes promotion information, a deadline, and a polite closing message. We can compare this organization to Figure 6.4 below.

^{Figure 6.4 | Example of indirect memo}

As you can see, the introduction is relevant to the topic but doesn't directly convey the bad news, which is that the popular weekend schedule is ending. Instead, the author uses a buffer listing the reasons for the change to mentally prepare the reader for it. The bad news is then clearly stated, but it stands between two positive statements. Note that the bad news is at the end of the paragraph because the author doesn't want readers to skim the memo and miss this important piece of information. The memo then ends with action information and a forward-looking statement.

style and tone

While memo reports and policy memos have a more formal tone, most memos have a conversational style—slightly informal, but still professional. The audience for memos are employees, so the writing style usually assumes a relationship with them (and therefore some lack of formality). Just remember that the relationship is professional, so the letter should reflect that. Also, as with all workplace documents, the audience can include a wide variety of readers, and the style and tone should be appropriate for all their technical and authority levels. Figure 6.5 highlights different levels of formality.

^{Figure 6.5 | levels of formality}

Tips for writing effective memos

• Target group management:When preparing a memo, always consider the audience and their needs. An acronym or abbreviation known to management may not be known to all employees of the organization and when the memo is published and circulated within the organization the goal is clear and concise communication at all levels without ambiguity.
• Professional Tone:Memos are usually announcements, and the person sending the memo speaks on behalf of part or all of the organization. While it may include a request for feedback, the ad itself is linear from organization to employee. The memo can be legally binding as it usually reflects policy or procedure and can refer to a new or existing policy in the employee handbook, for example.
• Focus of the topic:The subject is usually given in the subject line and should be clear and concise. For example, if the memo announces observance of a holiday, the specific holiday should be mentioned in the subject line -- for example, use "Thanksgiving Weekend Schedule" instead of "Holiday Observance."