PR Writing (memos, emails, letters)

6 types of memo's

1. Bulletin Memo 2. Essay Memo 3. Action Memo 4. Informative Memo 5. Summary Memo 6. File Memo BEAISF - first three letters of beautiful: BEA, Is Sometimes Funny

Reference Matter

For business letters prepared by person other than the sender, these symbols go BELOW the signature block BC: Capitalized letters are initials of the writer and small letters are person who keyboarded the letter Enc: (For enclosures) C: (anyone else who will receive letter)

Essay Memo

More descriptive "Let's talk it over" information Conversational in tone, less formal

What if memo is sent to more than one person?

Put "C" and their name, title Put this under "RE"/Subject **IF you want people to act on the memo, put them in the "To" instead, press enter for each name and include addresses/phone #s/fax numbers

Body of Memo

Shorter than a letter w/ more VISUAL cues (bullets, indents, short sentences, fragmented paragraphs, common words, etc.) Should be formal when directed up the chain and informal when directed down Least formal: staffers at the same level in the Org Should be typed single-spaced but double-spaced in between paragraphs Provide context for memo right away. (This is about ".....")

Body

tone depends on relationship

Bulletin Memo

usually brief and posted on company bulletin board the "TELEGRAM" of the memo world - quickest mail keep tidy and uncluttered!

Punctuation

1. COMMAS: Use comma to separate names and TITLES of people Use comma and semi-colon to separate series of titles and names of people (ex: James Brown, President; Angel Peters, Secretary and Chris Major, Secretary) 2. QUOTATION: When doing a quote, if there's two or more sentences, use a COLON instead of a comma If a quotation is longer than two paragraphs, put a quotation at beginning of each paragraph. A quotation in a Quotation: Use single quatation marks. '

4 Ways a memo can be distributed

1. Email is most common 2. Posting on bulletin board (add graphics to catch attention) 3. Routing one paper copy to each of the people who should read it - routing slip is attached, passed from person to person 4. Special Distribution - payroll inserts (for $ concerns) or mailed to the home (company picnic, etc.)

6 parts of business letter

1. Heading 2. Salutation 3. Body 4. Close 5. Signature 6. Reference Matter

6 types of letters:

1. Information Letter - informs. (ex: letter or recommendation) 2. Solicitation Letter - making some kind of request (save rainforest) 3. Promotional: hopes of encouraging the reader to show their acceptance and participation?should have an emotional appeal and a specific call to action. Here, you would use subheads, italics, underlining and indents to help the reader spot these two important elements in the message. 4. Transmittal letter - used when you send a number of materials to someone, like a client. This letter would remind the client that something is being sent and why. 5. Cover letter - like a transmittal letter, but it simply tells the recipient what is being sent, and why/what the recipient might be interested in doing with it. 6. Response letter - usually written as a thank you letter or in response to something that has happened. You should always write this kind of letter with the anticipation that it could be made public. Take caution with using humor or sarcasm in these kinds of letters. The closing for this kind of letter should also be persuasive for impact. ISPTCR - is PT crazy, really?

Disadvantages of Email

1. MALWARE - mail designed to damage computers (viruses, trojans, etc) 2. Email Messages are NOT PRIVATE (owned by the organizations where they were created)

Advantages of Email

1. QUICK and instantaneous way to send information (unlike inter office and postal system), esp. when speed is of the essence, such as crisis communication or reaching the press) 2. ENHANCES time mgmt in the work place (doesn't take long to send and you get right back to work) 3. It's INTERACTIVE (2 way communication can occur and there's immediate feedback) 4. ALLOWS digital images, text documents, and data bases to be attached QEIA - Queen Elizabeth is Awesome

Salutation

Address to the person to whom you are writing (avoid using a gender-specific title) If multiple people: (keep singular - more personal) "Dear Customer/Client/Colleague"

File Memo

Addressed to the file, not to the person Simply records info and is stored for future reference Like a diary - records names, places, dates, and points of info. If debatable topic - use respective POV's

What's a memo?

An informal reminder of something important that has occured or will occur. Generally used within the organization/to someone in same office or immediate use of operations. (Only outsiders would be board members, committees, and task forces) (Messages sent by email or fax are often written in memo format)

Style of Email

Appropriate Greeting Be Conversational Let person know right away what your message is about Simple words, short sentences, brief paragraphs At the end, know what you expect of the recipient

Memo Format

Begin with a guide to its contents Style may be less formal (no titles or last names) if people know each other When people have same mailing address, it's unnecessary to use nothing more than a dept. designation. (If diff., include addresses below the names) If no letterhead, include your address by your name To: Name, Title, Address From: Me, Title, Address Date: Subject: C: Instead of Subject, you can put "RE" which means regarding

Summary Memo

Detailed and descriptive in essay or outline form Discussions and actions are collected under appropriate topical headlines to facilitate progress during a meeting Used to evaluate the process of a program and explain actions taken or planned

General Rules about Letters

Try to keep to one page long Use a letterhead at the bottom

Heading

Two Parts: a) Identity of the sender (usually on letterhead) b) The date and inside address of recipient (name, title, address)

Close

Two elements: 1. Call to action IF that's the purpose or an offer for further help 2. A complimentary statement above signature "Sincerely, Best Regards" "Cordially' Between strangers: "respectfully yours, respectfully"

What if you use the word "said" too much for attribution

Use "according to" then return to "said"

Informative Memo

Usually detailed descriptive Might document action taken and results May recommend programs and describe projected outcomes Tone usually fairly formal

Action Memo

describes action taken or planned to be taken contains spaces for RESPONSE: 1. Space for receiver's initials to prove they accept responsibility (initial may indicate approval or disapproval)

Signature

handwritten, just above the typed signature if not on letterhead If recipient if friend: just use 1st name