Business Communication Techniques

Business Communication Techniques

Communication techniques vary greatly within the business world. Two of these techniques are emails and memos. Though similar in many ways, there are distinctions between the two techniques, which are outlined below.
When deciding whether to compose an email or a memo, the following differences must be considered:
• Destination – Memos are internal documents which are intended for fellow employees; e-mail messages are both internal and external, and are intended for friends, family, fellow employees, clients and vendors.
• Format – Memos are formatted by including the following: Date, To, From and Subject. Memos may also include additional lines for cc’s, references, and distribution. E-mail messages are also formatted with To, From, Date and Subject; however, the To and Subject are the only lines which are completed by the person creating the message. E-mails also allow for the additional lines listed within Memos.
• Audience – Memos are usually written to those within the company that are experienced or semi-experienced. These recipients may also be called high tech or low tech peers. E-mailed messages are sent to multiple readers because of they are not limited to internal usage.
• Topics – Memos are used to detail company related information. E-mails typically contain a variety of information which may or may not be limited to one topic.
• Tone – The tone for memos depends upon the audience. If writing to fellow employees, a less formal tone may be used. If writing to a superior, formality is more appropriate. E-mailed messages are typically varied when considering tone. Depending upon the recipient(s), the tone can range from informal to formal.
• Delivery time – Memo delivery time is subject to the internal mail system within companies. Essentially, this is undeterminable unless we know the schedules of every company’s delivery procedures. E-mailed messages are usually delivered immediately, assuming there are no complications within...

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