How to Write a Memo [Template, Examples & HubSpotter Tips]
Published: May 23, 2024
A memo is the best way to share news when you have a significant update or important win within your company.
Unlike an email, your memo will go out to your entire department or everyone at the company, so knowing how to format a memo is just as important as what you write. No pressure. (Well, maybe some pressure…)
Before writing a memo, I take some time to hype myself up. This bit of internal communication will be read by my peers, my boss, and likely my boss’s boss. Getting the language right is essential, and every word counts.
![→ Download Now: 4 Free Memo Templates [Free Resource]](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/c28e97c9-b886-4dcc-841f-296c46f0df20.png "memo to travel")
In this post, I’ll share my experience writing memos and tips from my HubSpot peers. From there, I’ll showcase stellar memo examples and a template to help you create your own. Let’s dive in!
What is a memo?
How to Write a Memo
Types of Memos
When to write a memo, best practices for formatting a memo, business memo template, memo examples.
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Free Business Memo Templates
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- Organizational change
- Financial update
- Solution to a problem
- General business news
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A memorandum, or memo, is a document shared with a group of people to disperse information on a task, project, event, or other. The purpose of a memo is to bring immediate attention to that information in a quick and brief manner.
Memos are shared to inform readers about new information and have applications for different communities and businesses.
Communities can use memos to tell people within it about public safety guidelines, promote various events, and raise awareness on subjects that affect their lives.
Businesses can use memos to relay information involving newly updated policies, changes in procedure, important milestones, or necessary employee actions, such as attending an upcoming meeting or convention.
I often find myself writing memos when there are significant changes to my program at HubSpot. Perhaps we’re implementing a new workflow, reorganizing the structure of our team, or sharing insights from a project we just completed. Memos denote importance, so I only write them when I have important updates to share that impact multiple stakeholders.
Below, we’ll explore when memos are necessary. But first, let’s discuss how to write a memo.
How to Write a Memo (+ HubSpot Tips)
- Write a heading.
- Write an introduction.
- Provide background on the issue.
- Outline action items and timeline (optional).
- Justify any reasoning.
- Soften any blows (optional).
- Include a closing statement.
- Review and proofread before sending.
You can put together a memo in a few short steps. To give you an idea of how each step is formatted, I’ll write an example memo and break it down for each step. My example memo will be an internal announcement for a writing training session.
1. Write a heading.
No matter what kind of memo you’re writing, you’ll need to include a heading. This section should include who the memo is for (whether an individual or department), the date, who the memo is from, and a subject line.
Your subject line should be short, attention-grabbing, and give readers a general idea of what the memo is about.
“The headings you use should be descriptive enough that your readers can infer what they'll get in each section,” suggests Kaitlin Milliken, senior program manager at HubSpot. “Cut the cute language and keep your headings very tactical.”
Make sure the tone of your title matches the seriousness of the subject matter and your organization’s communication style. A witty opener won’t be right for every memo.
Testing It Out
Here’s how this would look for my example memo about a writing training session:
That’s a reality that I personally struggle with. As a writer, I want to include those eloquent phrases and thoughtful transitions that sound great when read aloud. However, I need to take a different approach to writing memos.
My introduction should just summarize the purpose of the memo in two to three sentences.
Using Hesterberg’s tip, here’s how I’d write the introduction for my memo:
The first example is unwieldy, Sellers notes, referring to a methodology that a broader audience is less likely to care about.
Meanwhile, “the second audience demonstrates the more important thing: why that methodology was important and what you can take from it,” Sellers explains.
To justify the importance of the quarterly writing training session, especially in conjunction with AI tools, I’d add this data point in my memo:
Make it skimmable.
HubSpot’s Kaitlin Milliken recalls a time when she wrote a memo that wasn’t skimmable.
"When I was asked to write my first memo, I created a document with huge walls of text,” she says. “My manager gave me great feedback, encouraging me to use charts and graphs throughout the document. That makes total sense to me now. No one wants to read a huge string of lengthy paragraphs, but they'll definitely skim a table.”
To make your memo easier to read, use headings and separate paragraphs to break up new thoughts or talking points. You can also add tables and graphs to create a visual break when it makes sense.
Milliken adds, "Bullet points are your friend. They create breaking points throughout your document and keep information easy to digest.”
Be mindful of length.
The length of your memo depends on the type you’re writing. Generally speaking, a memo is one or two paragraphs long. But the length can vary if you’re writing an informative memo versus a request memo.
If your audience is interested in learning, an informative memo can provide more detail, while a request memo should be brief and to the point.
“If you're unsure, go for a shorter 1-2 page document, but link it to another page or dashboard with further data, context, or information that they can dig into if they choose,” Bump suggests.
Now that you’ve learned what goes into a memo, here's an easy-to-follow business memo template with examples of how to use them to serve different needs as guidance.
I'm writing to inform you that [reason for writing memo].
As our company continues to grow … [evidence or reason to support your opening paragraph].
Please let me know if you have any questions. In the meantime, I'd appreciate your cooperation as [official business information] takes place.
Business Memo Template Format
The business memo template format is designed to effectively communicate your message. A memo should disseminate the necessary information in a way that is easy for a mass number of employees to digest.
An accurate subject line will alert them that this memo is relevant to them specifically. And beginning with an executive summary allows recipients to understand the general message before they dive deeper into the details.
The background information offers context to the message, and the overview and timeline should answer questions that are likely to come up.
In your header, you‘ll want to clearly label your content “Memorandum” so your readers know exactly what they’re receiving. As previously mentioned, you‘ll want to include “TO”, “FROM”, “DATE”, and “SUBJECT.”
This information is relevant for providing content, like who you’re addressing and why.
Paragraph One
In the first paragraph, you‘ll want to quickly and clearly state the purpose of your memo. You might begin your sentence with the phrase, “I’m writing to inform you … “ or ”I'm writing to request ... ”
A memo is meant to be short, clear, and to the point. You'll want to deliver your most critical information upfront and then use subsequent paragraphs as opportunities to dive into more detail.
Paragraph Two
In the second paragraph, you‘ll want to provide context or supporting evidence. For instance, let’s say your memo informs the company of an internal reorganization.
If this is the case, paragraph two should say something like, “As our company continues to grow, we've decided it makes more sense to separate our video production team from our content team.
This way, those teams can focus more on their individual goals.”
Paragraph Three
In the third paragraph, you‘ll want to include your specific request of each employee — if you’re planning a team outing, this is the space you'd include, “Please RSVP with dietary restrictions,” or “Please email me with questions.”
On the contrary, if you‘re informing staff of upcoming construction to the building, you might say, “I’d appreciate your cooperation during this time.”
Even if you don't expect any specific action from employees, it’s helpful to include how you hope they'll handle the news and whether you expect them to do something in response to the memo.
Downloadable Memo Template
Want to see the above memo format in its final form? Download HubSpot's free business memo templates , shown below.
The document gives you a framework that sorts your memorandum into subtopics to help employees better digest the information and understand what's expected of them after reading it.
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Templates for an organizational change, financial update, problem-solving, or general business memorandum.
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