Email for Professional Writing Today
Today e-mail is one of the most popular correspondence tools used for both professional and personal communication.
In professional correspondence, email is used for both internal and external audiences. Internal audience refers to people who work inside a given company or institution. External audience refers to people who do not work for a given company or institution.
Before the advent of widespread internet use, a clear distinction between internal and external communication was supported by two distinct formats: the memo and the letter.
The table below explains the different formats.
| Memo | Letter | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Audience |
Traditionally, a memo was used for communication within an organization. It could be an upward, downward, or lateral communication. |
Traditionally, letters were used for communication with clients or other stakeholders outside of the organization. The flow could be upward, downward, or lateral. |
Today, emails are used for both external and internal audiences. |
| Purpose |
Memos are written to inform, direct, or persuade employees. |
Letters are written to inform, direct, or persuade clients or stakeholders. |
Emails are written to inform, direct, or persuade clients, stakeholders, or employees. |
| Features |
A standard memo uses the following: To, From, Date and Subject sections. Therefore, it does not require an address, a return address, a salutation, a complimentary close, or a signature. It may or may not include a company’s letter head. |
A letter requires a sender’s address, a receiver’s address, a salutation, a complimentary close, and a signature. These elements make a letter appear more formal than an email. A letter may or may not include a company’s letterhead. |
Email software applications allow for placement of a company’s logo at the top. Email software generates subject, date, and recipient lines. |
| Length |
The information in a memo is concise and straight to the point. Memos are usually 1-3 pages long, depending on the purpose of the message. Additional information, if required, is included as an attachment. |
The information in a letter is concise and straight to the point. Letters are usually 1-3 pages long, depending on the purpose of the message. Additional information, if required, is included as an attachment. |
Information in an email is usually 1-3 pages long, depending on its audience and purpose. Additional information, if required, is included as an attachment. |
| Degree of Formality |
A memo is typically conversational/business in tone. It may include technical words and/or abbreviations that the receivers understand. |
A letter can be formal or informal in tone, depending on its audience and purpose. |
Internal emails are conversational/business in tone. External emails are more formal because they include salutations (Dear) and complimentary closes (Sincerely, Yours truly). |
| Medium |
Before the digital age, memos were printed on paper and delivered to employees’ physical mailboxes. Today, memos are sent via email. |
Before the digital age, letters were put in envelopes and posted via mail. Today letters are sometimes sent via email. |
Internet |
Using email for both internal and external audiences
Below are examples of internal correspondence. Example A is in email format. Example B is in memo format.