Double space between this line and the next line of the heading.

If you are sending a memo to the entire staff, you might write: “TO: All Employees. ”

For example, instead of writing, “Ants,” for the subject, be more specific by writing, “Ant Problem in the Office. ”

A sample heading would look like: TO: Name and job title of the recipient FROM: Your name and job title DATE: Complete date when the memo was written SUBJECT: (or RE:) What the memo is about (highlighted in some way) When constructing the heading, be sure to double space between sections and align the text. You may choose to add a line below the heading that goes all the way across the page. This will separate the heading from the body of the memo.

Think about your audience’s priorities and concerns are. Try to anticipate any questions your readers might have. Brainstorm some content for the memo, such as examples, evidence, or other information that will persuade them. Considering the audience also allows you to be sensitive to including any information or sentiments that are inappropriate for your readers.

As a general guideline, the opening should take up about one paragraph. [6] X Research source

If it’s relevant, continue your memo by stating why the policy is being implemented. For example, you might write: “The county government voted to require all employees in the county to receive a $15/hour minimum wage. ”

Feel free to include graphics, lists, or charts, especially in longer memos. Just be sure they are truly relevant and persuasive. [8] X Research source For longer memos, consider writing short headings that clarify the content of each category. For example, instead of stating “Policies,” write “New policies regarding part-time employees. " Be specific and brief in every heading so that the basic point of your memo is apparent to the reader right away.

For example, you might write, “All employees must use the new accounting system by June 1, 2015. ” This can also include some evidence to back up your recommendations.

You might write, “I will be glad to discuss these recommendations with you later on and follow through on any decisions you make. " You might end with something like, “We are excited about the expansion of this product line. We’re confident that this will grow our business and make this company a more sustainable business. ” This should generally be one to two sentences in length.

Use block style paragraphs. Double space between paragraphs. Do not indent each paragraph.

Review for spelling, grammar, and content errors. Pay particular attention to names, dates, or numbers. Check that it is not excessively long, and cut out any extraneous material.

If you are creating a digital document (to use for emailing, for example), you might want to create your own letterhead in a Word document that has your company logo and basic contact information. Use this as your memo template for every memo you send out.

If you send your memo via email, you might want to format your email in HTML. Alternately, you can save your memo as a PDF and attach it to your email.

Download the template that best fits your needs. Be sure to read the terms of use before using any templates from a web source.

It’s a good idea to use the latest version of Microsoft Word in order to ensure that you will not run into any unforeseen software problems and that the template will operate as it was designed to function. If you are operating on an older version of Microsoft Word, simply update your software before downloading any templates.

Maintain the template’s formatting. This will ensure that your paragraph alignment is proper and you have the correct margins and font size. If necessary, you can even customize the memo to use a table. This is sometimes a good idea, especially if using a bullet list or something similar makes the memo look too crowded or difficult to read. Make sure that you have deleted any words that were already in the template. Also, carefully proofread your memo before sending it.