Business Communications: A Persuasive Memo (Read Carefully)
In the business culture, requests for funding for either a new venture or initiative are a common business occurrence and demand careful organization to present a persuasive, thoughtful request. In addition, you will need to use vernacular common to the business culture to help you to relate to your audience, while simultaneously making the memo intelligible to the audience and the audience’s culture.
For this Assignment, prepare a 350–500-word persuasive memo to your supervisor requesting that your company sponsor you individually in a business writing course that is available at the local university.
If you are not currently working, you may create a fictitious company, supervisor, and position for yourself. In your memo, provide your supervisor with the following:
Checklist: Your persuasive memo should address the following:
Justify taking this course; include an outline of the benefits the company will receive from your participation in such an effort — persuade your supervisor.
Include the amount of money you are seeking. ($1717.08)
Specify how long the course will take you to complete (6 weeks) and how your time spent completing the course will impact your performance at work.
TURNITIN MUST BE UNDER 20%
Memo
To: Recipient’s Name, Recipient’s Title
From: Your Name, Your Title
CC: Name and title of individuals you want to copy in on your correspondence; if
there are no courtesy copies, leave this line off
Date: The date you are sending the memo
Subject: A clear subject line reflecting the focus of your document
Open your memo with the most important point or the purpose of the memo in the first
paragraph. Tell the reader why you are writing, putting the Bottom Line On Top (B.L.O.T.). You
are writing to request funding to complete a business communications course. Say that. Then
provide at least one more compelling sentence to explain why you are seeking this funding,
particularly how the company will benefit.
Include white space between paragraphs.
Give your rationale or supporting reasons for your request in the middle of the document.
Explain why it is important that you receive a positive response to your request. Detail how it
will help the organization. Provide the specifications of the request, for example date, time, cost,
location, etc. Discuss the main points in the body of the memo.
In the final paragraph sum up the memo and thank the reader for their time. You should restate
the most important point. Do not forget to include your contact information in all
correspondence. This makes it easier for the recipient to find you. You can put your e-mail and
telephone numbers in the last paragraph. A salutation is not needed.
Please let me know if you have any questions. You may post questions in the Virtual Office, or
you may e-mail me directly.
NOTE: This document serves as an example of the memo
layout used for business communications. The guidelines
detailed in this memo can assist you in developing effective,
clear, succinct business memos. Make certain you use the
proper memo format modeled above. These fields include the
to/from/date and subject at the top flush left position. Make
certain your subject is clear, precise, and complete.
Commented [CF1]: Business memos include “memo” centered at the top of the first page.
Commented [CF2]: Provide BOTH the recipient’s name and title. Including titles of memo recipients provides an important
record. While you may all know one another now, in a few years you may all have moved on to different positions or left the
company. Employees who fill your positions or come after you have left will want to know what positions you held. Adding titles
provides that record. It also provides a sense of formality that
memos should have.
Commented [CF3]: It is important to omit this section if there are no courtesy copies.
Commented [CF4]: For the Unit 1 memo you are writing to request funding to complete a business writing course. Make that clear.