Meeting the Deadline

In one of our previous posts, we talked about the importance of memos. In this post I am going to focus on meeting the deadline for a memo. In the marketing business you will more than likely encounter situations that give you little time to complete a task. Your boss may want you to complete a memo in only an hour and you of course want to prove yourself. At first this seems impossible. A memo requires multiple steps in order for it to be done in a proficient manner, and an hour isn’t that long. It is in fact very possible when you follow some key strategies that I will show you.

Know the assignment

The first and most important thing that you must do is understand the assignment. If you don’t understand the assignment you are wasting your time and will most likely anger some people in the process. Ask the person who gave you the memo assignment these simple questions to help you get an idea.

• What is the topic of the memo?
• Who is the memo going to?
• What is the purpose?
• What key points should you address?
• Who is signing the memo?

Getting information

Background information is usually readily available somewhere in your company. You may happen to find information from a previous memo or other relevant information that you can use in your memo. Sometimes companies may even have a data base which can provide you all the information you need at your figure tips. Remember to make sure that the information in your memo is accurate, fits your context, and avoids plagiarism.

After you get all the information you need, start getting your thoughts in order. Your memo needs to have an opening, middle, and closing. Don’t try to make a lengthy outline. Your time is limited so just make one that has all your major points. It doesn’t have to be perfect, your objective is to get show the reader your purpose.

The last thing you need to do is write a draft. Look at your outline and make sure that your memo covers all points covered in your outline. Cover only one subject per paragraph to ensure that points don’t get confused. It also allows more flow in your memo which makes it an easier read for your target.

Once you have completed your draft, look over to see if there are any grammar errors. After you found all the minor mistakes start focusing on the structure. Make sure it is solid and is in an orderly fashion. Also keep an eye on the clock so you know when to sum it all up.

Using these techniques will help you get a lot done in little time. Thanks for reading.