Memos & Executive Summaries

Memos:

The other most common form of business communication is memorandums, or memos. Though they provide information similar to a letter, they are very different in their format. Here are the key differences:

They are almost always meant for circulation within the organization.

They are direct in style, and very to the point.

They do not have salutations.

They do not have a complimentary closing.

They are used to convey communication that is not sensitive.

They have a format distinct from a letter.

When formatting a memo, one should be aware of the strict format that memos must use. Memos always begin with a bottom-line statement, or the statement of the exact purpose. Memos are extremely crisp, to the point, and use a businesslike tone. Memos usually are short bits of information that get to the point quickly and inform, announce, or request something. The terms "memo" and "memorandum" can be used interchangeably. There is no need for a signature line or any of the other formal endings or closings that letters require. Sometimes the person whom the memo is from will initial next to the name on the memo to indicate she or he has read and approved it before it has been distributed or posted. Think of a memo as being similar to making a company announcement on a loudspeaker to those in your office. You would be direct and to the point and let people know the information you need to share.

Sample memo

MEMORANDUM

To:	All Staff
From:	Lisa Number, Accounting
Date:	April 15, 2008
Re:	Tax form updates

Tax time is once again upon us. It is important that each staff member stop by the accounting department within the next 10 days to sign the new deduction forms. Each employee is required to update the form we have on file, so this will need to be done. To update your form, you will need to bring the following with you:

Driver's license

Social security card

Employee badge

Executive summary:

As the name suggests, an executive summary is a shorter and concise version of a longer document. Executive summaries are meant to be read quickly. The reader of an executive summary need not be an expert on a particular topic. However, when reading the summary, she or he should be able to gain enough information to have a basic understanding of the larger document. Listed below are the salient features of an executive summary:

An executive summary should not be more than one page in length.

It is a condensed form of all major points described in the full-length document.

It should state the problem, provide background information, list alternatives, and draw conclusions on a given problem.

It comes at the beginning of every document.

Having described the features of an executive summary, let us look at how to go about writing one.

Executive summaries should be written after the main report has been compiled. One needs to go through the entire report and make notes of the important points in order to write a summary.

The main points listed in your summary should appear in the same order as they appear in the main document.

State each point in a simple, declarative, and direct statement.

If you need to elaborate on a point, make it brief and concise; steer clear from jargon and too many technical terms.

Upon completion, proofread the document for errors, and make a lay person go through it. If the person loses interest, other non-technical readers may react the same way.

An executive summary's soul lies in its brevity and clarity. Avoid unnecessary information and cut down on technical terms. Simple and straightforward works best when writing an executive summary.

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