Business Writing: Formatting Letters, Memos and Email

Writing Style and Grammar aside, what distinguishes an effective Business Communication from one that is largely ignored is the manner in which the communication is organized or formatted.

That said, a Business Communicator may be a talented Wordsmith, but if words, thoughts, and ideas are not presented in a recognizable format, most readers will neither be inclined nor able to identify the purpose and importance of the message.

On the contrary, this should not be viewed as an argument against writing creatively. In fact, it takes a great deal of creativity to write well and effectively within a particular framework. In this context, "framework" should not be viewed as limiting or confining in so much as content should always drive the creative process.

As such, be mindful that the central message of a communication, regardless of the format chosen, must always be obvious and evident to readers. In the Business World, conventional and customary writing formats are still the best way to get the reader's attention.

Nevertheless, there are many Business Communicators today who feel compelled to experiment with non-traditional writing formats. But writers who sacrifice convention in order to appeal to a few more potential readers usually end up alienating even more readers. The upshot is that communicators must format their writing with care and purpose.

Of all the many types of Business Communications, the letter, memo, and email message are the most common. And while these communication are often used interchangeably, writers should be aware that each of these communications convey a different level of formality, and thus require different formatting.

Business Letters are the most formal correspondence, and deserve the utmost attention to formatting as they are usually addressed to a specific individual either inside or outside the company.

Obviously, there are many types of Business Letters, running the gamut from formal announcements to customer relations. Likewise there are many formatting options for Business Letters. A good Word Processing Program can automate many of the more common formats in use today. Become familiar with them and you may discover some new ways to organize and invigorate your writing.

Memos, while less formal than letters, should still follow a recognizable format. Usually, this includes a "To" line, a "From" line, a "Subject" line, and a "Date" line. It is also a good idea to include headings, and a summary.

The body of the memo contains the detail, but make an effort to use short paragraphs in order to break up text blocs. In other words, make things easy to read and follow.

Email is the least formal communication. And even though it is fast and convenient, writers need to understand that when email is used in a professional environment, it should be treated as a Professional Communication in every sense of the word.

This means being careful with formality, word choice and format. In this regard, try using a memo format for Business Email. It is a tried and true format that is universally recognizable.

For specific help on formatting common business documents, check out the many desktop and online resources available on this topic.