Let's be honest. Most people hate memos. They see an internal notification pop up and their brain instantly classifies it as "clutter." It’s basically the corporate equivalent of junk mail unless you know how to handle the delivery. You’ve probably sat there staring at a blinking cursor, wondering why this needs to be a memo and not just a quick Slack message or a 10-minute huddle.
The truth is that learning how to write a memo isn't just about following a template you found on Word. It's about psychology. It’s about knowing that your boss is probably skimming this while drinking their third coffee of the morning. If you don't get to the point in the first ten seconds, you’ve already lost.
The Core Anatomy of a Memo
Memos are different from emails. They have a specific, formal structure that suggests "this is official policy" or "this is a record of a decision." You start with the heading. It's the standard four-line block: To, From, Date, and Subject. Don't get fancy here. Just state who is getting it, who sent it, when it happened, and what it’s about.
The subject line is where most people mess up.
"Update" is a terrible subject line. "Update on the Q3 Marketing Budget Reallocation for the Denver Office" is much better. Why? Because the reader knows exactly what they are opening. They don't have to guess. They don't feel like they're being baited into a long-winded story about spreadsheets.
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Why the "Purpose" Paragraph is Non-Negotiable
The first paragraph needs to be short. Very short. Tell them why they are reading this immediately. If you're announcing a change in the company's remote work policy, say it in the first sentence. You don't need a preamble about "the changing landscape of the modern workforce." People know the landscape changed; they just want to know if they still have to come in on Fridays.
Formatting for the Skimmers
I once saw a memo that was just three giant blocks of text. No subheadings. No bolding. No nothing. I didn’t read it. Nobody did.
If you want to keep someone’s attention, you have to break the wall of text. Use subheadings to categorize information. Maybe use a few bolded terms for the absolute "must-know" facts. But don't overdo it. If everything is bold, nothing is bold.
Think about the "inverted pyramid" style used in journalism. Put the most important stuff at the top. The background and "nice-to-know" details go at the bottom. This ensures that even if your reader stops halfway through—which they probably will—they still walked away with the core message.
Illustrative Example: The Office Move
Imagine you're writing a memo about the office moving to a new building.
- The Lead: We are moving to 123 Main St. on October 1st.
- The Logistics: Packing crates arrive Monday. Label everything by Friday.
- The Reason: Our current lease is up and the new space has better natural light and a gym.
- The Action: Fill out the "Equipment Needs" form by the end of the week.
See? It’s direct. It doesn't meander.
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Dealing with Sensitive Information
Sometimes you have to write a memo that isn't about office moves or pizza parties. Sometimes it's about budget cuts or a shift in leadership. These are tricky. You have to balance being direct with being empathetic.
Avoid "corporate speak." Words like "synergy," "right-sizing," or "holistic alignment" make people nervous. They sound like you're hiding something. Just use plain English. If you’re cutting the budget, say you’re cutting the budget because revenue targets weren't met. People respect honesty more than they respect a polished, vague paragraph that says nothing.
According to the Harvard Business Review, clarity in internal communication is one of the highest predictors of employee trust. When you use a memo to obscure the truth, you erode that trust. Fast.
The Difference Between a Memo and an Email
You might ask, "Why not just send an email?"
A memo is a permanent record. In many companies, memos are filed away as official documents. They are used for policy changes, formal briefings, or reports that need to be referenced months later. Emails are ephemeral. They get buried under a mountain of "Reply All" threads about who left a tuna sandwich in the breakroom fridge.
If you want people to know this is a "Big Deal," you put it in a memo. You attach it as a PDF or send it through a formal internal channel. The format itself signals the level of importance.
Refning the Tone
Kinda weirdly, the tone of a memo should be professional but not robotic. You're a human writing to other humans. You don't need to sound like an 18th-century lawyer.
Use active voice.
- Passive: "The decision was made by the committee to delay the launch."
- Active: "The committee delayed the launch."
It’s shorter. It’s punchier. It holds people accountable. When you use passive voice, it feels like things are just "happening" without anyone being responsible. In a business environment, someone is always responsible.
Final Review and Actionable Steps
Before you hit send, read it out loud. If you trip over a sentence, it’s too long. Fix it. If you find yourself bored while reading your own memo, your coworkers will definitely be bored.
Next Steps for Your Memo:
- Audit the Subject Line: Make it specific enough that someone could find it in a search three months from now using only one keyword.
- Check the To/From: Ensure you haven't accidentally left out a key stakeholder or included someone who shouldn't be privy to the info.
- Kill the Fluff: Delete every sentence that starts with "I am writing this memo to inform you..." They know you're writing it. They're reading it. Just inform them.
- Clear Call to Action: End with a specific instruction. Do they need to sign something? Show up somewhere? Or just stay tuned for more info? Make it crystal clear.
Once you've tightened the structure and cut the corporate jargon, your memo will actually do its job: communicating information without wasting everyone's time.